water cans

[Graham_Robinson]

Anyone know of any manufacturer left in this country making good quality cans?

Lester's of Brum seem to have disappeared, their web site no longer available.

Any ideas peeps and I'm not looking for cheapo 3rd world imports which might look OK on a jolly boat.

I want the real thing, is that so hard to ask for in this god forsaken country?

Edited May 23, 2009 by sparky2

[David Schweizer]

Anyone know of any manufacturer left in this country making good quality cans?

Lester's of Brum seem to have disappeared, their web site no longer available.

Any ideas peeps and I'm not looking for cheapo 3rd world imports which might look OK on a jolly boat.

I want the real thing, is that so hard to ask for in this god forsaken country?

The Waterweays Craft Guild used to sell them at rallies etc. They usually have a stall at the Braunston Historic Boat Show.

[Graham_Robinson]

The Waterweays Craft Guild used to sell them at rallies etc. They usually have a stall at the Braunston Historic Boat Show.

Just spoken to Dave Moore (WCG) who's @ Crick he like a lot of todays painters doesn't supply the holloware he paints what the customer supplies. Just called Midland chandlers who tell me their supply has dried up, seems to me there is a niche market here for someone with tin bashing skills. I had the same problem getting a chimney made. Dave Parrott eventually made me one which is top quality but he only makes them as and when.

I last did sheet metalwork as an apprentice er hmmm 1967!!!!! How hard can it be?

Edited May 23, 2009 by sparky2

[carlt]

I last did sheet metalwork as as an apprentice er hmmm 1967!!!!! How hard can it be?

The methods you learnt might be a bit "new fangled".

[Graham_Robinson]

The methods you learnt might be a bit "new fangled".

You aving a larf?

[Graham_Robinson]

Just had a word with Roger Herrington of The Waterways Craft Guild who told me that they are in the process of sourcing manufacturers in the Black country to start producing quality canal holloware again. He concurs with me that as we speak there are no commercial producers of this type of product left in the UK.

Possibly there may be more information to hand @ Braunston next month.

[dave moore]

Hi all

Whilst at Crick I've had a call from someone interested in producing quality cans, I'm optimistic about the outcome but would prefer to hold on until I've seen the product. Doubtless there is a market for a decent, chunky can in the light of the current dearth...the stuff made in China I consider excreble and that's putting it mildly!

The Waterways Craft Guild have a handful of 1 gallon cans, Phil Speight holds the stock at Craftmaster, 2 and 3 galls, a useful working size were snapped up a while ago.

As things develop I'll add extra posts....fingers crossed!!!

Dave

[NB Alnwick]

Hi all

Whilst at Crick I've had a call from someone interested in producing quality cans, I'm optimistic about the outcome but would prefer to hold on until I've seen the product. Doubtless there is a market for a decent, chunky can in the light of the current dearth...the stuff made in China I consider excreble and that's putting it mildly!

The Waterways Craft Guild have a handful of 1 gallon cans, Phil Speight holds the stock at Craftmaster, 2 and 3 galls, a useful working size were snapped up a while ago.

As things develop I'll add extra posts....fingers crossed!!!

Dave

 

I hadn't realised that Lester's had ceased trading. They were one of the last traditional 'tin-bashing' firms in the West Midlands and made a wide range of galvanised products including such useful items as chimney covers.

[NB Alnwick]

A quick search through Internet business directories has revealed that there are still a couple of British companies who manufacture galvanised holloware, both are located in Lye, Stourbridge.

 

Midland Holloware Limited

 

and

 

W. H. HILL (Holloware) LTD

 

If the current lead fails, it may be worth talking to one of the above . . .

Edited May 24, 2009 by NB Alnwick

[Graham_Robinson]

A quick search through Internet business directories has revealed that there are still a couple of British companies who manufacture galvanised holloware, both are located in Lye, Stourbridge.

 

Midland Holloware Limited

 

and

 

W. H. HILL (Holloware) LTD

 

If the current lead fails, it may be worth talking to one of the above . . .

 

Already have. I suspect some of their products are imported now. The dustbins they supply you could spit through!

They need decent production runs to make them at a competitive price.That's one of the reasons why it's almost impossible to find anyone making this sort of product.

[Hyperion 53]

We have stock of 2 gallon cans (last of Lester's) and if I rummage about, can probably find some 3 galls too. PM me if your interested.

 

Regards

[Graham_Robinson]

Yet another contact this one from Rex Wain. Tony Matts @ Foxton Boat Services used to make cans he is having a look to see what stock he has left since the boatyard closed. I bought a handbowl from FBS many years ago which is really good quality.

He was saying to me he was looking at sorting out a shed and possibly going back into production, they still have all the equipment.

[John Orentas]

"Any ideas peeps and I'm not looking for cheapo 3rd world imports which might look OK on a jolly boat.

I want the real thing, is that so hard to ask for in this god forsaken country?"

 

I suspect a bloke in a village in China could make an equally good job of a water can to that made by another chap in Birmingham.. Where do these silly ideas come from, unless you think that it was making tin canal-ware that but the 'Great' in Britain.

 

Most of us have TV sets that where made in the Far East, but I suppose they're easy compared to a galvanised bucket.

[Derek R.]

"Any ideas peeps and I'm not looking for cheapo 3rd world imports which might look OK on a jolly boat.

I want the real thing, is that so hard to ask for in this god forsaken country?"

 

I suspect a bloke in a village in China could make an equally good job of a water can to that made by another chap in Birmingham.. Where do these silly ideas come from, unless you think that it was making tin canal-ware that but the 'Great' in Britain.

 

Most of us have TV sets that where made in the Far East, but I suppose they're easy compared to a galvanised bucket.

 

Well, there's something in that. China was building brand new steam loco's into the 1980's I believe, they are no shorter on knowledge than those who built in Glasgow or Swindon. Doubtless any lower quality work would be down to a tight fisted importer not wanting to pay the 'going' rate. If we moan about not being able to buy the quality we once did - put it down to the buyer - who wants a low price for everything. Add the differential in labour costs between the UK and Middle and Far East, and with enough shipped in bulk, the shipping costs can be kept down creating a market place in which home produce cannot compete on price - end of home supply.

 

Got a bucket on the boat put together with rivets, and a handle formed from solid bar, might have been a Fire bucket at some time. That was dredged out the cut. Battered and bent, hammered and straightened - solid gold.

 

Derek

[dave moore]

Hi all

I'm sure that the Chinese manufacturers are more than capable of producing a sound product but the stuff I've seen so far fails to inspire. It may be poor specification from the commissioner or the fact that the manufacturer is unaware of the nature of the item he's trying to reproduce. I painted a handbowl, supplied by my customer, recently but I certainly wouldn't pay for one to decorate. I saw watercans in Midland Chandlers not long ago with the advisory notice "for souvenir use only"...I prefer mine to hold water if necessary!

Cheers

Dave

[madcat]

I need a handbowl,mine is getting a bit tired after a lot of use,it came with the boat.Dont need a painted one just plain.I too like my cans to hold water because I use them [no water tank]

[Graham_Robinson]

China? Who mentioned China? Did I mention China? I don't think so.

I posted this message with the topic title watercans.

If you haven't got an answer to my original question then please don't post on this thread.

I really don't want a discussion on Far Eastern economics or Chinese steam locomotives neither of which I feel is suitable for a Canal World discussion forum entitled History & Heritage. If you feel you must discuss these issues I would respectfully suggest you do that on another post possibly on another forum, this I believe is the correct protocol.

I stand to be corrected but please not on this thread.

[PaulG]

Anyone know of any manufacturer left in this country making good quality cans?

Lester's of Brum seem to have disappeared, their web site no longer available.

Any ideas peeps and I'm not looking for cheapo 3rd world imports which might look OK on a jolly boat.

I want the real thing, is that so hard to ask for in this god forsaken country?

 

Terence Edgar at Canal Arts has just told me that he has 50 3-gallon ones arriving shortly. Ditto hand bowls/horse nose bowls.

 

Canal Arts Website

 

Hope this helps.

 

Paul

[Graham_Robinson]

Much obliged, I'll give him a ring

[Phil Speight]

Terence Edgar at Canal Arts has just told me that he has 50 3-gallon ones arriving shortly. Ditto hand bowls/horse nose bowls.

 

Canal Arts Website

 

Hope this helps.

 

Paul

It all rather depends where he`s got them from. There is nobody in England making cans ( or supplying GOOD ones ) in that sort of volume unless someone has suddenly sprung out of the wood work. I very much hope they have.

I have 5 x 3 gallon cans of excellent quality from Dave Turner waiting to be painted ( offer me a profit if you want one ) - but he only makes a handful at a time and his existing customer base takes absolutely all he can produce. It will be interesting to see if Terence has come up with something because a number of us who`ve been at this game for years have so far failed miserably.

Phil

[Graham_Robinson]

It all rather depends where he`s got them from. There is nobody in England making cans ( or supplying GOOD ones ) in that sort of volume unless someone has suddenly sprung out of the wood work. I very much hope they have.

I have 5 x 3 gallon cans of excellent quality from Dave Turner waiting to be painted ( offer me a profit if you want one ) - but he only makes a handful at a time and his existing customer base takes absolutely all he can produce. It will be interesting to see if Terence has come up with something because a number of us who`ve been at this game for years have so far failed miserably.

Phil

 

I've spoken to Terence and these cans are really for use in his own business and no nobody has suddenly sprung out of the woodwork so to speak, these cans are imported

[Guest User]

Hope you don't mind if I pop in three questions related to this topic:

 

What would be required to tool up to make cans ? and is there anyone that could teach how to make good quality ones ? And I guess more tellingly; is the demand for quality cans likely to hold out in the face of the cheaper ware ?

[Graham_Robinson]

Hope you don't mind if I pop in three questions related to this topic:

 

What would be required to tool up to make cans ? and is there anyone that could teach how to make good quality ones ? And I guess more tellingly; is the demand for quality cans likely to hold out in the face of the cheaper ware ?

 

Q1 The simplest would be 'gilbows', folding bars,seaming set, selection of stakes, soldering iron......

You're not going into full time production with this set up however!

To speed the job up and hopefully lower the cost ( time costs money) you would need to tool up, the more tooling the faster the output but probably with a loss of quality until you reach a point where you've cut all the corners you can, you've got all the tooling you can but you've reached a point where you're finished product is still too dear for the market, it's chepaer to import.... then you go bust!

 

Q2 good question, believe me I am searching hard. Of the few people I've talked to who work or have worked in the tinsmith industry non seem to keen to pass on their skills or pass on their layouts or developments (patterns).

When I was attending my local tech college there must have been at least 30 tinsmiths a year going through the system from our local shipyard. Where are they all now?

 

I vividly remember as an apprentice being told regularly whenever I asked a question the reply coming back 'that's for me to know and you to wonder'. How we ever learnt anything is beyond me but that was part of the apprenticeship you had to work hard to gain your knowledge then. Happy days. Once you learnt your trade you then were not to keen to pass on your hard earned knowledge so I understand the situation only too well.)

 

Q3 There will 'always' be a demand for quality cans from the old boat fraternity but I've hinted at the problems in Q1

 

What is needed is someone with the relevant skills either part time or semi retired, a little bit more than an old boy knocking the occasional piece out of his garden shed. ( However any old boys with garden sheds and quality holloware are more than welcome to contact me!!!!!)

There quite definitely is a niche market, albeit small, out there for somebody.

Edited June 12, 2009 by sparky2

[Guest User]

..... There quite definitely is a niche market, albeit small, out there for somebody.

Thanks for that, very helpful .. now trying to assess the feasibility putting together several niches

[Wrinkley]

Sorry to be so unfriendly as to mention money, but how much would a quality water can cost. And then theres the quality painting on top. Are we talking £100s? The reason I ask is, is my dream an unobtainable one or may I just be able to own a proper piece of canal artwork.

 

Wrinkley