In high school, we used Gatorade bottles for bongs.
Steamrollers out of paper towel cardboard.
We also made a rad steamroller out of a Clarinet
.
But the most epic makeshift smoking device was always the classic Gravity bong...
3 liter Soda Bottle and a sink full of ice water.
I see no harm in short term usage of the Beer Can though.
I lived through all the above, in which either a stainless socket or Aluminum foil acted as the bowl.
Damn, I wish I had taken pictures of all the homemade stuff we made back then..
Especially the Clarinet...