making cantenna from usb wifi adapter need advice -many questions

Already made a cantenna with n connector but rp sma on pci adapter
frustrated me such that it has been sitting for days. I cant believe the
price of rp sma adapters is so high that I ordered an entire pigtail just to
be done with it (in transit). I have a perfectly good sma pigtail that I
can't use. Just received some Benq adapters(USB). much smaller than ALLNET
brand I tried previously. These actually fit in the 3.3 inch standard
diameter cantenna even still in their plastic case. The case unscrews easily
after you peel off the rubber feet. Inside the unit already has a really
thin 1 inch long rf cable leading to a short pc trace antenna seated near
top of enclosure. I slid topless unit inside existng cantena with usb
connector to bottom of can and confirmed the cable and small pc trace board
will reach the 1/4 wave position where the copper mast is presently
protruding from n connector. I will start fresh and save this can for the
pci card. Is the pringles can solderable? Any other easy to find candidates?
Do I need to insulate the outer shield where I bring the USB thru bottom of
can or will this effect rf poles? I saw a pix on Dave Taylor's site where
everything but the USB connect was weatherproof/enclosed in the can. My only
contribution to his effort is trying to see how economicly this can be
performed. The USB with shipping was less than $25 on ebay. Assuming you
have usb then only additional $ should be for the can so if you can eat the
contents..... Final question with regard to positioning pc antenna: since it
is not as long as copper mast in original recipe do I want to solder the gnd
end and let it stick out, solder a gnd extension out to center the trace
section where copper mast would be or other? Also - would I be better off
reversing the unit so usb adapter could be routed through front plastic lid
rather than cut access into metal can?
Thanks

> pci card. Is the pringles can solderable? Any other easy to find candidates?
> Do I need to insulate the outer shield where I bring the USB thru bottom of
> can or will this effect rf poles? I saw a pix on Dave Taylor's site where
> everything but the USB connect was weatherproof/enclosed in the can. My only
> contribution to his effort is trying to see how economicly this can be
> performed. The USB with shipping was less than $25 on ebay. Assuming you

http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/cantenna3/cantenna3.htm

Take a look at how I got around the solder issue. I used self adhesive
copper tape and roughed up the metalic liner of the cardboard milk tub
and then did copper tape on both sides.

David.