Decent Jerry Can

[callas1982]

As per the title! I am needing a quality Jerry can, 10 or 20l with a spout that works, looked at the Toolstation offering - very much unimpressed. Any suggestions? I'm sure you guys can help, thanks in advance, Calla.

 

[Ruffian]

Machine mart.

 

[callas1982]

Looked at the machine mart cans, are they ok?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

https://www.jerrycans.co.uk/

 

[Ruffian]

Looked at the machine mart cans, are they ok?

Hold fuel well and do take the abuse of me being a little bit heavy handed.

 

[8ob]

I used to buy cans from Macess before they went bust and their cans (the lighter coloured one below) were only £10 each with a free spout if you bought ten, the darker one is from a box of ten off ebay and feels a bit lighter so I just weighed it. There is a kilo more steel in the older macess one and is generally a tougher better made can. I also noticed none of the pourers seem to like fitting another makers can so its probably best to get them from the same supplier. I cheap out on these because they go walkabouts, get run over and left out on jobs

Bob

The ebay darker cans https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-NEW-20L-METAL-JERRY-CAN-DIESEL-PETROL-OIL-WATER-STORAGE-MILITARY-STYLE-CANS/151648323167?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[Bryan Williams]

Halfords £20

 

[Farside]

https://www.jerrycans.co.uk/

The video of comparing good (Wavian) and bad (cheap others) is quite interesting. So much so, that I had a gander at mine, which I've had for nearly 30 years and paid no particular attention to. Turns out it's got recessed seams, a decent seam weld on the handles and a reasonable-sized air breather hole.
Horror of horrors, it has no UN, NATO or any other approval markings, meaning it could be illegal. I must scrap it right away. (yeah, right).
In fact, it's quite a decent one and didn't cost me a bean. The only downside to it, is the storage of the detachable spout has no thought put into it, but I suppose they were always kept safe, lest they wandered.

 

[gordon stephenson]

I still have a couple of the original jerry cans, The fault that I found with some of them is, the bottom weld (where the two half are joined ) is sometime sticking out proud of the base and over time of being shuffled about on hard floors can rub through and leak.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

You are after a genuine military jerry can for highest quality. What about looking at surplus dealers for unissued cans ?

 

[Robotstar5]

You are after a genuine military jerry can for highest quality. What about looking at surplus dealers for unissued cans ?

That's what I use, I inherited a couple from my dad and he bought them second hand in the 60's!

 

[wristpin]

Ex-military, used or unused will be the best quality.

 

[8ob]

I had to bin all my old ex military cans because that red paint they use to line them with was coming off in small flakes and getting into and plugging the fuel systems on the machines.

Bob

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I had to bin all my old ex military cans because that red paint they use to line them with was coming off in small flakes and getting into and plugging the fuel systems on the machines.

Bob

I gave a mate an old ex mil can. He used to fill up his fathers company car and add 20 litres to the can for himself ! I should add it was his fathers company so not stealing. At the time he had a brand new E reg Golf 1.8 Cabriolet and was having lots of problems with the engine - VW admitted a fault and said they would be replacing the whole unit idc. One day he got fed up of the Golf's problems so dumped it at the main agents saying that he didn't want it back until fault sorted. Service manager rang him after a few days saying he'd taken the Golf home for the weekend to see what the fault was in real world conditions and it had taken him hours to return after going just a short distance to the local newsagent on a Sunday morning. Service manager then said that a new engine would be fitted that week Even with new engine the car still didn't run properly and on investigation VW found that fuel system was contaminated with red flakes of paint. Needed to say my mate didn't mention that they probably came from the old fuel can. BTW VW gave him a full credit for what he paid for the car against another brand new G reg Golf cabriolet due to quality issues besides the engine problem

 

[merryman]

I’ve never seen the attraction of Jerry cans. Yes, they are strong, but they are such a stupid shape. It is difficult to get them to stand up when in the shed, put them in the car and you have no chance, unless you wedge something against them. I have always used 2 gallon Vallors, not as strong but they do stand up by themselves. I am a Quad mechanic, and almost all of the fuel tanks I have had to clean out because the EFI filters were getting blocked, have had lots of red paint flakes in the tank.

 

[Farside]

Maybe I'd better start filtering my jerry contents.

 

[normspanners]

Yes, they are strong, but they are such a stupid shape.

They are that shape and designed to be of most use, I think they are a brilliant shape that is why the worlds military took up the shape, and so easy to pour with the neck uppermost and the anti glug air pipe helps too, they are the ideal shape for stacking and taking the least space. ie tighter corners and the handles take the weight of the next 20 on top.
you can carry four full ones with two hands and six empty brilliant design.
A guy I know does ex millitary stuff and when I asked if he had some he said go and look in that building you might find the odd one ...I walked through the door and there was enough gap to get in, and there in your face was the stack -------floor to ceiling 15m square x 6 metres high building, absolutely FULL and so where some of the cans !! but you had to guess what it was in them !!
With the rallying etc I must have poured thousands and thousands of galleons out of them.

 

[Brad93]

I’d personally get a “Twenty” Race Jug - bout £30

 

[Peloquin]

John Craddock in Cannock used to sell them, real military ones.

 

[mrdom]

I have quite a few old ones. Oldest are 1951 and 1953 i think. But as has been said several are relegated to dirty fuel/waste oil duty due to the red paint flaking. I dont think i would really trust most them for anything more advanced than a lawnmower really though i used to use them a fair bit. Shame really as they are sound otherwise. I just use the small plastic cans most of the time because you can easily check they are clean and i dont need to use them much anymore.