A tin can wouldn't be the best choice, but almost any cylinder would work. I've seen crystal sets using Oatmeal boxes, water bottles, etc. I've built them usi

A tin can wouldn't be the best choice, but almost any cylinder would work. I've seen crystal sets using Oatmeal boxes, water bottles, etc. I've built them using wood 2" square and about 6" long. Some wire, a crystal or other diode, and a capacitor and you can get any of the clear channel stations. (Capacitor can be made out of foil and paper, crystal out of the graphite from a pencil and a razor blade. The radio pioneers were pretty inventive. Google early crystal radio receivers.) "..any fault would be with the poor receiver .." is correct, but if you took the time to build your own crystal set, definitely go see the ham next door, he most likely has the parts in his component stash to add some better RF selection/rejection to your radio. Just like most of you like to tinker with code, we like to tinker with radios.