Every time I see a microwave beside the curb I think of all the things that could be made with the MOT (microwave oven transformer). Bob Davis just finished some of his 2400 Volt Soda Can Crusher experiments that uses a MOT, some large caps and a handful of other electronics. The crushing results are a bit more dramatic in one of his last can crushing experiment which used a different crushing method but as soon as this one can cut the can in half it will be my favorite.

"The promised and much awaited 2400 volt power supply went through its first test run. It was a little disappointing it takes 4 firings to get the can into the hourglass shape. One of the capacitors might be bad. Anyway a Microwave Oven Transformer charges six 400 volt capacitors through a 500 ohm 250 watt resistor. The idea is to electronically crush the soda can into an hourglass shape."