I bought a cake pan at wally world thinking it would work for my low budget proton pack.
The pack is not going to be 100% accurate. I’d rather get creative with what I have at hand.
But, with that said.. I want the essentials to at least look accurate. Alot of the “accurate” look can be faked with cheap stuff.
When I got home with the cake pan and started messing around, it looked “small” compared to the photos of packs I have seen.
So I looked at the label and saw that it was 9"… I’m using norm’s plans (since I am mostly using household junk) and he says it needs to be 10". I went back to wally world.. and they have 0 10" cake pans.. hmm.. try another store? or use the 9"
Yeah dont let walmart get you done in, try target, or if you have them Yanke one dollar(Dollar store) they have 10 inch and 12 inch cake pans Non Teflon for a buck!! Heck you could make you own cake pan like thing out of a help wanted/yard sale/ beware of dog sign. I hope you find something!
I just hate how cake pans have a sharp bend at the edge instead of a curved bend.. I found aluminum pans that have a nice bottom, but there’s a huge logo, pan size, and Made in Taiwan, stamped right on the middle.
Got my cake pan at a thrift store for $1.50. I was determined not to pay $10 for a brand new pan that I was going to mutilate…and it’s not teflon coated, which I imagine will make painting and drilling easier.
and all the of 9" cake pans I found were made of stainless steel.
however, my father in law is just going to take it to his work (hardware store) and use the metal drill press they have there. He said it will cut clean holes through it for me.
is the logo stamped into the bottom to where you can see it on the inside or only on the outside bottom? If it’s raised, I’d say a dremmel tool could easily grind it down. If it’s depressed in, I’d say a possible filler might work too.
I check Walmart daily and not only do I find shoplifters but I also bought my 9" cake pan there too and it is stainless steel but cheap quality so I’m sure paint will stick to it.
The cake pan is 9". If yours looks small, make sure the sides aren’t tapered. Also, the size of the bevel on it could make a difference in the appearance as well.
Walmart is the only place I found which sells the perfect cake pan for the job, as far as the size of the bevel goes, and the sizes being straight. There’s just one problem. The cake pan is 2.5" deep and you need one which is 2". But that’s actually a good thing, because it turns out that that’s just big enough that if you make a ring that fits over the cake pan, that ring sits right on the rounded lip of the cake pan that would be nigh impossible to hide or get rid of otherwise. That lip then sits under the ring and inside the spacer.
I’m pretty sure this is the same cake pan I bought:
[edit]
Yep, I just double checked an old post I made, and I used their “nordicware layer cake pan”.
Here’s some pics of what my pack looks like with it in place:
Oh, and here’s a tip: When cutting the aluminum, place blocks of wood under the cake pan to support the surface you’re cutting into. Otherwise you’ll end up like me and have to grind the jagged edges out with a grinding bit that won’t survive the process, and most likely remove dents from the pan. And speaking od dents, aluminum is soft. Don’t hit the pan too hard trying to force it into a hole with is slightly too small.
i found the cake pan in 9 and 10 inch diameters, i’m gonna use the 9 inch diameter. i was just wondering about the rubbermaid turntable, the only one i can find that they sell is the 10.5 diameter, has anyone used it or know how it looks with the 9 inch cake pan?
Adding to this thread: My cake pan is old, and I believe it’s made of aluminum.
So what’s the best means of drilling the holes without mangling the pan too severely? My first thought was a spade/paddle drill bit spinning at a controllable speed (not buzzing through too fast).
secondly, what are good “purchasable” alternatives to the washers to go on the cyclotron? I couldn’t find a set of metal washers that were the proper size.
So far, the closest thing I’ve found are the small spools that 25 guage electric wire comes on cut 2 of them in half, sand them down, and boom…any better suggestions?
Use google maps and see if there is a local Fastenal. They’ll have washers that work. I got mine there.
As for drilling the aluminum, I don’t think a spade bit is going to do the job. I would use a hole saw. Going slowly is a good idea too, as the aluminum will bend if you press down too hard, and if you go too fast you’ll probably cut rhoguh one edge before the other like I did and go through without actually cutting all the way around the edge and then be left grinding the holes out with a grinding bit which won’t survive the process.
It’s a good idea to pick a hole saw which is bigger than the hole you actually need too. The washer will hide the edges of the hole for you, so if they do come out a little jagged you’ll be okay once you glue the washer in place.
But you still got a better deal!