water cans

[Phil Speight]

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

One of my currently unpainted stock of 3 gallon ( i.e."proper" ) cans, once decorated by me goodself, would cost you........ best pm me on that I guess! I couldn`t stand the "HOW MUCH!! comments from those who don`t think years of practice and a good name merit a good price.

 

Phil

Edited June 13, 2009 by Phil Speight

[Graham_Robinson]

One of my currently unpainted stock of 3 gallon ( i.e."proper" ) cans, once decorated by me goodself, would cost you........ best pm me on that I guess! I couldn`t stand the "HOW MUCH!! comments from those who don`t think years of practice and a good name merit a good price.

 

Phil

 

Aawh be kind to him Phil!!!!!!!

[Chertsey]

All I will say is that when I wanted to get one, I asked around members of the Waterways Craft Guild and got a few prices, not even daring approach Phil... but then when the others didn't get back to me, I emailed him - and he was actually less expensive than the lesser known names. So I ordered from Phil and the result is fantastic.

 

edited to ad link to piccy

Edited June 13, 2009 by WarriorWoman

[Graham_Robinson]

All I will say is that when I wanted to get one, I asked around members of the Waterways Craft Guild and got a few prices, not even daring approach Phil... but then when the others didn't get back to me, I emailed him - and he was actually less expensive than the lesser known names. So I ordered from Phil and the result is fantastic.

 

edited to ad link to piccy

 

But Phil is fantastic. ( Put cheque in post please Phil)

 

The order, was that the can and handbowl? Nice Xmas presents.

[Terence]

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

 

Hi. It's Terence here. A new member as from today. Reason being: I thought I needed to say a little bit about these new cans that I have recently purchased. It has taken me over two years of working with a gentleman to manufacture these traditional items as nobody in the UK, where I have lived man and boy, wanted to. The first samples I used were my own Dave Turner nose bowl and hand bowl. The quality that was returned to me: I couldn't tell the difference between the originals and the new ones. The cans: I sacrified a 3, 2 and 1 gallon Lester can. The 3 gallons I will be going to inspect this Tuesday and, if the nose bowl and hand bowl are anything to go by, I can only be looking forward to seeing what is to come. Originally, I used to purchase my cans (like everyone else) from Lesters, who have now gone. I then started to get cans from Dave Turner but the poor lad can only make so much and it was taking a long time to get things from him so I took it on board to find another supplier who was willing to work with me - straightening every corner, and ironing out every wrinkle. I make a living out of painting cans (amongst other things) and have a very healthy order book but if no-one is going to make the things anymore then I had to take the bull by the horns and find them myself. After reading many discussions on this forum, I have come to realise that people will have their own feelings and thoughts - some very passionate. I must say, though, that I do find it disappointing that we have such a high opinion of ourselves in the UK that nothing of quality can be made abroad. (Please don't savage me for this comment - I am new to this forum - but it is just the way I feel.) It has taken me a long time to get to this stage and I have approached people but no-one seemed to want to help so, come Tuesday, I will know whether I have been successful or not. Hope this answers a lot of questions.

Terence

Canal Arts by Terence

[denboy]

welcome Terence

[Graham_Robinson]

You and I had a long hopefully productive chat on the phone.However you haven't made it clear on your post that your bare/unpainted cans are not for sale only the finished painted article.

I believe that is correct isn't it? Which is fine you've put the legwork into finding your source and I fully understand you wishing to keep that source close to your chest. Just so everyone else knows.

Just to finally put to bed any lingering doubts about this import thing. If, big IF, you find a manufacturer abroad who is able and willing to produce a quality product at the right price then I've no problems with that. I'll have a look at your cans with your permission and form my own opinions!!!!!! I still think it's sad however that we as a nation produce less and less manufactured goods each year but like I said I don't want to start a discussion on that on here.

Edited June 14, 2009 by sparky2

[Terence]

Hello my good man. I'll give you a bell on Wednesday after I have collected the cans and (as we said) we can get together at the Braunston show sometime and you can have a look.

Terence

 

welcome Terence

Thank you for putting out the welcome mat, denboy!

Terence

[churchward]

Hello my good man. I'll give you a bell on Wednesday after I have collected the cans and (as we said) we can get together at the Braunston show sometime and you can have a look.

Terence

 

 

Thank you for putting out the welcome mat, denboy!

Terence

A welcome onboard from me too. I am a satisfied customer of your fine work and will be pinging an email you way shortly for a new order.

 

Personally I don't mind if the cans come from somewhere else although it is a pity from a tradition point of view that no one is able or interested in making them in the UK any longer.

[Phil Speight]

Hi. It's Terence here. A new member as from today. Reason being: I thought I needed to say a little bit about these new cans that I have recently purchased. It has taken me over two years of working with a gentleman to manufacture these traditional items as nobody in the UK, where I have lived man and boy, wanted to. The first samples I used were my own Dave Turner nose bowl and hand bowl. The quality that was returned to me: I couldn't tell the difference between the originals and the new ones. The cans: I sacrified a 3, 2 and 1 gallon Lester can. The 3 gallons I will be going to inspect this Tuesday and, if the nose bowl and hand bowl are anything to go by, I can only be looking forward to seeing what is to come. Originally, I used to purchase my cans (like everyone else) from Lesters, who have now gone. I then started to get cans from Dave Turner but the poor lad can only make so much and it was taking a long time to get things from him so I took it on board to find another supplier who was willing to work with me - straightening every corner, and ironing out every wrinkle. I make a living out of painting cans (amongst other things) and have a very healthy order book but if no-one is going to make the things anymore then I had to take the bull by the horns and find them myself. After reading many discussions on this forum, I have come to realise that people will have their own feelings and thoughts - some very passionate. I must say, though, that I do find it disappointing that we have such a high opinion of ourselves in the UK that nothing of quality can be made abroad. (Please don't savage me for this comment - I am new to this forum - but it is just the way I feel.) It has taken me a long time to get to this stage and I have approached people but no-one seemed to want to help so, come Tuesday, I will know whether I have been successful or not. Hope this answers a lot of questions.

Terence

Canal Arts by Terence

Hi Terence - good morning !

Well done . I think the scant respect being paid to foreign cans here is heavily influenced by the appalling crap being imported from China - you will have come across them for sure.

It disappoints me that a " bucket shop" close to us here isn`t interested in making cans because they can`t be bothered to make a couple of new bits of simple equipment to make the elements of a can that don`t appear on a bucket or any of the related things they produce. If their attitude is typical then they deserve to lose business to people like your new supplier . I think they underestimated the market. Perhaps in the future you may consider selling cans unpainted - you may as well make a bit out of the other painters whose "proper" work is in demand ! I`ll carry on getting mine from Dave. I always have and before he started up I had them from his father. I don`t have much time for them what with painting boats , running Craftmaster and laying about in Scotland so Dave`s low turnover isn`t a problem for me.

 

Phil

[Athy]

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.

 

Perhaps next time you start a topic you would be so kind as to set out clearly exactly how you want us all to reply, except that then there would be no point in our doing so, and you would be left talking to yourself.

 

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.

 

Gosh, did you step off your boat on the wrong side this morning? Your vituperations do not make a positive contribution to this thread either, and some would think it discourteous to invite replies and then to rail at those who bothered to make them.

 

 

I stand to be corrected

 

 

Yes, I think you do. The natural course of any discussion, be it face to face or on the internet, is a meandering one, with various people going off at at tangent and then returning to the original point. Steam locomotives are, in my opinion, welcome in ANY topic, but in this case they were included as an example of recent skilled metal manufacture in China and were therefore relevant.

 

Regarding the price of painted cans, ours (a three-gallon model I assume) was painted for us by Jane Selkirk who did an excellent job and charged us £90. That was in 2002 so I guess that prices may have risen a little since then. We saw cans with greatly inferior artwork on offer at higher prices, so shop around. I have, incidentally, no idea of the can's country of birth.

Edited June 16, 2009 by Athy

[Chertsey]

Yes, I think you do. The natural course of any discussion, be it face to face or on the internet, is a meandering one, with various people going off at at tangent and then returning to the original point. Steam locomotives are, in my opinion, welcome in ANY topic, but in this case they were included as an example of recent skilled metal manufacture in China and were therefore relevant.

 

Regarding the price of painted cans, ours (a three-gallon model I assume) was apinted for us by Jane Selkirk who did an excellent job and charged us £90. That was in 2002 so I guess that prices may have risen a little since then. We saw cans with greatly inferior artwork on offer at higher prices, so shop around. I have, incidentally, no idea of the can's country of birth.

Well said. You can start a thread, but you can't expect to control where it ends up!

[Graham_Robinson]

Have you nothing better to do?

[Chertsey]

Have you nothing better to do?

No, have you?

[madcat]

so where in does madcat get an unpainted handbowl from .I really do not want flowers and stuff Just plain.

[Terence]

A welcome onboard from me too. I am a satisfied customer of your fine work and will be pinging an email you way shortly for a new order.

 

Personally I don't mind if the cans come from somewhere else although it is a pity from a tradition point of view that no one is able or interested in making them in the UK any longer.

 

Hi churchward (not the name I remember) but thank you for your kind welcome. If my memory serves me right, a set of cabin door plaques. I believe a Christmas present. But my memory's not what is used to be!

 

Hi Terence - good morning !

Well done . I think the scant respect being paid to foreign cans here is heavily influenced by the appalling crap being imported from China - you will have come across them for sure.

It disappoints me that a " bucket shop" close to us here isn`t interested in making cans because they can`t be bothered to make a couple of new bits of simple equipment to make the elements of a can that don`t appear on a bucket or any of the related things they produce. If their attitude is typical then they deserve to lose business to people like your new supplier . I think they underestimated the market. Perhaps in the future you may consider selling cans unpainted - you may as well make a bit out of the other painters whose "proper" work is in demand ! I`ll carry on getting mine from Dave. I always have and before he started up I had them from his father. I don`t have much time for them what with painting boats , running Craftmaster and laying about in Scotland so Dave`s low turnover isn`t a problem for me.

 

Phil

 

Went to collect all my cans - very happy with the Hand Bowls and Nose Bowls but as this thread was about water cans not as happy but I'd like to think they are about 85% there. It's going to be a little while longer for me yet on the water cans. It was nice to read that there are so many people thinking about tooling up and setting about manufacturing these things themselves and can I say that I would be happy to purchase from them.

 

If anyone is interested in seeing what I've managed to obtain, here are a couple of pictures (not that you can tell much from a single small picture) of the Hand Bowl and Nose Bowl (sorry there's no water can for me yet).

 

 

 

Terence

[PaulG]

Went to collect all my cans - very happy with the Hand Bowls and Nose Bowls but as this thread was about water cans not as happy but I'd like to think they are about 85% there. It's going to be a little while longer for me yet on the water cans. It was nice to read that there are so many people thinking about tooling up and setting about manufacturing these things themselves and can I say that I would be happy to purchase from them.

 

Sorry the cans didn't work out this time, Terence.

 

But I wonder who made these?

[Derek R.]

From a quick observation, the handle looks wrong in as much as when folded back over the pouring handle, the arched support would be missed by the wooden roller by a mile. There's an uptilt to the pouring lip which shouldn't pose any problem, though the lid doesn't look to be closing evenly. Hard to say, 'hands on' the only test - and "for decoration"? Coventry based seller.

[Graham_Robinson]

Sorry the cans didn't work out this time, Terence.

 

But I wonder who made these?

 

Is this the 85% can Terence had made? Ebay seller is in Braunston. I've put 2+2 together. How many more people would be selling cans and living in Braunston.

[carlt]

Is this the 85% can Terence had made? Ebay seller is in Braunston. I've put 2+2 together. How many more people would be selling cans and living in Braunston.

In Braunston? Could be anyone.

 

They've also sold several others, at £30 each.

[Terence]

Is this the 85% can Terence had made? Ebay seller is in Braunston. I've put 2+2 together. How many more people would be selling cans and living in Braunston.

 

Hi All,

 

Yes - the one on eBay is "the 85% can" that was sent to me. Well done sparky2. I happily gave them all to my wife, who is selling them on eBay. (Although they are strong and sturdy and would quite happily carry water they were not aesthetically pleasing for me to paint and sell from my website.) She has been advertising them as a replica can and ideal for aspiring painters and has happily sold quite a few. They were even looked at favourably by Phil.

 

I am happy to say I received today the following sample 3 gallon can:

 

 

I am very happy with the outcome. The Waterways Craft Guild are now selling the hand bowls and look forward to receiving nose bowls (and hopefully water cans when I show them my sample).

 

Terence