empty cans

[bgent]

This is not a plug for a particular store . I wanted empty cans to serve as food shiped items and maybe for cooking the cans available on the market today are nice but pricy and i understand this well beacsue they are hand made. But given the great econy I researched it a tad why not use empty paint cans and place em upside down with a lable made on a glossy paper in your computer
Home depot sells empty cans 5$ for a gallon with bail and top and 3$ for a qt size with top at this price ill take a shot at it . Im heading down now to the store to check it out and ill post the picture
Wondering if i can heat water in the gallon one? (not over direct heat)

[bgent]

just got back 2 drawbacks the cans come, with looks like with a teflon coating on the inside and a printed bar code on the outside of the can. Ill take pics of this and a finished can later. Hey its inexpensive the qt cans (3) cost me 8.91 and no shipping charges and they have the tops when put upsidedown and from a slight distance look good U can go to a craft store to get paint to age them too to look like tin.

[Spinster]

In utilizing any modern industrial item for reenacting, one of the first things you'll want to look to is the aspect of safety.

In this particular case, you do not know what the lining of the can is made of.

What you do know is that it was not sold to you as a 'food safe' interior. You don't know what its made of, and now you wonder whether heating it with waterin it is a good idea.

Well, probably not--and depending on the use you wish to make of the water, could be a really bad idea if that coating lets loose something in the water that you then drink or cook with. It could even be a bad thing if you just wash with it.

Need a good bucket--look around a good feed and seed--I find them every once in awhile, tinned rather than galvinized, and a decent period ear shape on them.

Need a good can--look to the folks near you who are making cane syrup and selling it in quart cans. They have a tinned exterior and a lid that can be knocked on and pryed off. Put a period label on it to help it out. Or, eat a lot of McCann's Steel Cut Oatmeal--not the instant, the real stuff. Relable those cans for the same effect.

Certainly not 100%, but better.

[bgent]

thanks thought i pritty much rulled it out as a food source but good for a display only ill stick with the qt size and again thanks for the oatmeal must be a local thing I never heard of that in jersey . Maple syrip cans being from VT I may be able to contact people must be someone on a site that I can get them from again its just display. Im finding if i go the safe and ultra realistic part route it will look good but ill be too broke to go any where LOl.

Im heading now to the craft store to get some Japan to coat em thanks again

[dugel]

just got back 2 drawbacks the cans come, with looks like with a teflon coating on the inside and a printed bar code on the outside of the can. Ill take pics of this and a finished can later. Hey its inexpensive the qt cans (3) cost me 8.91 and no shipping charges and they have the tops when put upsidedown and from a slight distance look good U can go to a craft store to get paint to age them too to look like tin.

I'll stay away from the construction and variation of historic cans vs. modern ones here. More than likely what you are buying is a tin can. Most paint cans are electroplated tinplate with maybe an 1/8 lb coating thickness. Shouldn't be a need to paint the can to make it look like tin.

Pat Cunningham

[hta1970]

I would also enquire here as to the need for cans.

You posted in a separate topic that you are with the 23rd NC I think.

What is the original source of canned food for this portrayal?

Have you found documentation of canned food being issued to Confederate medical officers?

[Slickrick214]

Does anyone else thinkin that cook anything in paint cans no matter how "clean" they might seem might be dangerous? Paint's a pretty dangerous chemical. Do we really know if paint or certain chemical particles can leach into the metal of the can? If it can I would think boiling water in the can might leach the chemicals or particles into the water. You can do what you want but I wouldn't drink or eat anything out an old paint can no matter how clean it might seem. As for printing labels on the computer paper just remember it’s going to come out glossy and it probably won't look like an original label from the time period.

[NoahBriggs]

Short story is don't try and "cheat" with something that "looks good" or is otherwise a stopgap solution. Be patient, save your money and invest in the more accurate material culture. It will save you time and headache in the long run. Paint cans from Home Depot are not a solution for your tinware needs in the field. Research to see what they did use, as opposed to trying to shoehorn research to justify your cheap purchase to yourself.

Not written with malice or judgment. Just twenty years of watching rookies' pooches getting screwed because they desired instant gratification off the rack instead of looking further.

[bgent]

I would also enquire here as to the need for cans.

You posted in a separate topic that you are with the 23rd NC I think.

What is the original source of canned food for this portrayal?

Have you found documentation of canned food being issued to Confederate medical officers?

not so far but figured they weren't beyond captured food stuffs or black market type provisions . Im sure there was much to be bought for the right price

[bgent]

Does anyone else thinkin that cook anything in paint cans no matter how "clean" they might seem might be dangerous? Paint's a pretty dangerous chemical. Do we really know if paint or certain chemical particles can leach into the metal of the can? If it can I would think boiling water in the can might leach the chemicals or particles into the water. You can do what you want but I wouldn't drink or eat anything out an old paint can no matter how clean it might seem. As for printing labels on the computer paper just remember it’s going to come out glossy and it probably won't look like an original label from the time period.

thanks Rich but as noted as soon as i saw the can interior i had rulled it out as far as paper and printing on a computer I have a die supulation printer that makes it look like a printed label I can even add gold or silver foil as a border the great thing about this printing is that it is water resistant and needs no coating. Unfortunatly they no longer make/sell these printers (APLS). and the tapes that are used. The tapes are available but expensive. And they do not run on newer OS systems so an older computer is necessay (yet another reason to buy an apple i guess)
Good luck and hope to see you in the field.