Soda Can Gates

My experiments with punching out intricate gate designs from aluminum soda cans, using the die-cutting/embossing machine, were a bit trying:

• It requires multiple passes of the machine.
• It’s a tedious process to remove the tiny cutouts.
• The aluminum doesn’t always release easily from the cutting die.
• The multiple passes and cuts really trash the cutting plates.

Results . . .
The gates that do release without breaking are a bit too thin to use for my purposes (miniature garden accessories), but they ARE adorable. I tried gluing two gates back-to-back and it does strengthen them a little, but they wouldn’t be very durable. So now I am using the dies for cutting paper cardstock only.

Heart Gate

Circle Gate

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