70-year-old man makes hundreds of models from cans

Mr. Nguyen Tan Tien said that during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, he had free time at home so he tried to cut beer and soft drink cans to make models of cars, planes, and ships. Unexpectedly, his toys were loved and ordered by many people. Since then, the man selling snacks at the school gate near his house has considered making models from cans as his main job.

"At first, I tried making motorbikes and cars to display in my house for fun. Then I looked online and saw pictures of more complex models like planes and ships to unleash my creativity and sell my products," said Mr. Tien.

Dozens of models are displayed in a house on Ly Thuong Kiet Street, ready to be delivered to customers on the morning of December 26. Mr. Tien said that each product costs from 80,000 to 1.5 million VND.

The can shell is flexible, easy to bend, cheap, so it is easy to make. The raw material is cut into many details and then glued together. According to him, the most difficult step is attaching the details to create a complete model. "If the joints are even a little bit off, it will be unbalanced," said Mr. Tien while choosing the can pieces to make the plane.

The most popular models are motorbikes and scooters such as Vespa and Honda, priced from 80,000 VND. This is also his best-selling product, as customers buy them all as they make them.

The car models he sells for an average of 150,000 VND. He mainly makes classic cars from previous decades.

Many people suggested painting, but he decided to keep the original color of the can to create a unique look for each item.

So far, he has more than 300 products, most of which have been sold out. In the future, he will continue to make more models according to customer requests. However, because they are handmade, he cannot make large quantities or similar designs.

Mr. Tien sold models in the Notre Dame Cathedral area a week ago."My job helps me be more meticulous and find joy in old age. In the near future, I will try to be creative in making models of houses, villas, and famous architectural works," said the 70-year-old man.