Paint Can Bank

This is a project for my bowling league, where we call ourselves the Odd Balls.  We've been through a few seasons together and wanted to do a fun game this time.

We decided to have the game be that we would pay a quarter each time we did not pick up a split, missed either the 7 or the 10 pin, got a gutter, missed the double wood (when there are only two pins left and one is directly behind the other), and some other hard-to-get shots.  For this game, we needed a coin bank or some vessel to deposit the money into at the end of the three games each week.

The team (that's us, above, last season) gave me the liberty of doing anything I wanted for the bank. I looked online and there were some plastic banks that were bowling ball shaped, but eh, I wanted something unique.

Vince and I went to Lowe's and bought a small 2-quart aluminum paint can with a lid (yes, they actually sell empty cans without a lid) and a spray paint can of chalkboard paint.  We also went to the dollar store and bought a bucket with a handle.

First of all, this is one of those projects that I had the idea for, but knew that if I did it myself, then I would have messed it up somehow.  So, this is where Vince comes in and pretty much does it, and I just help.

The first step is to sand the metal can down with fine grit sandpaper so the spray paint will adhere well to it. 

So, when that was done, Vince drilled a hole in each side of the can for the handle.  We took the wire handle with a plastic hand guard off of the bucket and trimmed it to fit our can.

We put it on to try it out before we painted it.

Once that was fitted, we removed it and put it aside.  Then Vince took the Dremel with a grinding wheel and zapped the lid with it so we could make the hole for the coins.  I say "zap" because this was sparking with the metal wheel against the metal lid!

Next step was to paint.  I have tried spray painting items in the past and I'm just not that good at it.  They have come out uneven and drippy.  So, Vince hung the can from a hook with the leftover wire from the handle and held it at arm's length and sprayed.  It got two coats of paint and left to dry overnight.

Once it was dried, the paint instructions said to rub chalk over the entire surface and rub off (I did this part!).  Once that was complete, Vince put the handle back on and bent down metal end inside the can so it will not pop out.  Now, it was ready to go.

We decided that with the money we pay into it each week, we will take ourselves out to a great dinner and a night on the town.  The rule is that we cannot pop open the can until the end of the season.  We have been paying more than we thought we would each night, so this is going to be one mean dinner!

Come on down to the bowling alley on Wednesday's...we'll even let you make a donation!