It's a drinking glass crisis. Somehow SWMBO managed to wedge the plastic lid into the metal cup. I tried putting it in the freezer but low temp didn't help. Eventually I'll get a screwdriver in there to pry but expect that would crack the lid. Any creative thoughts to unwedge this?
Can you put the metal cup in hot water and see if it will expand enough to get the lid out?
Air compressor. Run a bead of silicone around the mouth hole, stick the blower attachment of an air compressor in it ,and hit it with like 15psi.
M80......
but really I think soaked in hot water might soften the plastic.....
Can you just squeeze the cup near the top, 90 degrees from where the lid is contacting the cup? That should deform it just enough to pull the lid out. Otherwise, Mndsm's idea of air pressure sounds good, but maybe use ~100 psi and shoot video of it when you do.
In reply to BenB (Forum Supporter) :
While I was never good at math, 100 psi seems like a very bad idea. If the lid is something kike 3” in diameter you’d be introducing something like 706 lbs of force on the inside surface. Wouldn’t want to be in the same room, much less in the line of fire.
Lay it on its side and sit on it, then pull on the tab.
Nearly fill it with water and freeze it (standing up). It will take awhile, due to the insulation. Ice should push it up from below.
I think the other solutions are good, but the compressed air idea sounds a lot more exciting. The key is to be sure and get the video. If you survive, you could become a big You Tube star, and if not, your next-of-kin could submit you for one of those Darwin awards. 
I was originally going to suggest that you warm the cup inside and out with hot water to expand it, then dribble a little cold water on the plastic lid to shrink it. Easy peasy.
Hot water.
I was thinking compressed air as well, but I doubt there is enough seal to contain enough air to do the work. Or, if there is enough seal, you might just end up exploding the lid.
BenB's suggestion is the one I'd go with. Wrap it with a cloth to prevent scratches and very lightly put it in a vise. Don't crush it, just deform it slightly on the sides where the lid is sticking up and down inside. That should elongate the sides enough to get the lid out.
If you go too far and bend the cup, you can just rotate it 90 degrees in the vise and return its shape.
I might also consider putting it in a pot of hot water for a bit before putting it in the vise. This will do two things (he says hopefully): slightly enlarge the cup, and soften the lid material. Hot plastic will be less likely to crack than cold plastic.
I just removed a very seized blind bearing using the bread method. The application here would be to pour rice down the hole, add water and wait. Then rice for dinner.
Hit it with a hammer.
I'd do the rice thing, just to see it work.
Circles get bigger with heat but id setup an oxyacetylene torch, bang it on the shop floor to put it out, fill the cup through the sippy hole and light it with a model rocket igniter
In reply to Justjim75 :
Seen what a small styro coffee cup inverted w/ acetylene can do
boom, boom, win
I'd search grams old notes to see how she got it back out, because clearly this cup is a family heirloom that you can't just throw out and get another one at the dollar store. ;)
fill it with water and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes
nimblemotorsports said:I'd search grams old notes to see how she got it back out, because clearly this cup is a family heirloom that you can't just throw out and get another one at the dollar store. ;)
fill it with water and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes
No, just no. Metal and microwaves result in the wrong kind of fireworks
Carefully insert a large ballon in the hole. Fill it with water and tie it off. Freeze it until the top pops off.
pjbgravely said:Carefully insert a large ballon in the hole. Fill it with water and tie it off. Freeze it until the top pops off.
This seems like a very good idea with no chance of explosions. I'd still be careful, depending on how that thing is wedged in there, when it lets go it might be rather violent. The rice thing might be faster though.
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