Is this a flimsy? Ebay?

[Rob Fast]

Some interest. Cheers

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/200920035468?...84.m1423.l2649

[Bob Carriere]

May actually predate flimsies.

From what I have read they did not have a screw cap but the cap had to be punched....... therefore single use. And so flimie that they were usually shipped contained in very light wood veneer crate for protection.

This one is certainly worthy of being in a museum.

Bob C.

[jack neville]

Could it be a water container? Looks galvanised

[tankbarrell]

I think these were an improved flimsy. Intended to be reuseable, they are fairly robust.I found two in my skip, both wartime dated, one in original sand colour. They are not that hard to find in the UK.

[Philliphastings]

That screw cap looks very similar to the fuel caps on the Scout Carrier Ben's now restoring.

Right era too

Cheers

Phill

[jack neville]

If they were an improved flimsy, and this one is dated 1939, what were they an improvement on? The problems with the British can in the desert would not have been evident before 1939 for this type to have been already been improved on. I always thought the improvement on the flimsy was copying the jerry can.

[tankbarrell]

Ok, poor choice of words. The flimsy was a single use container, sometimes made in theatre. This can is similar in size and shape but clearly intended to be reuseable. The flimsy was perhaps a cheaper version?

[Ben]

It's a nice looking early can but its big for a carrier, about twice the size of the standard 2 gallon one commonly seen on the rear stowage.

What more of a surprise is the 1 gallon square can (oil) for over $100 on ebay at the moment.......

Ben

[motto]

The flimsy can has been discussed before on the forum. From what I have seen and heard the true flimsy was a carry over from the way petrol was stored, distributed and sold for civilian use in the early days of motoring before tankers and bowsers appeared on the scene. I remember chatting with an elderly gentleman who had owned a service station in Melbourne before WW2 and he told me the way he drained the cans was to remove the lid and sit the lower opposite corner over a funnel. He then inserted a spike through the top opening and drove it down through the lower corner. Obviously, even in the city and close to the depot the cans were not refilled.

Naturally, this type of container continued in use in remote areas far longer than densely populated areas as no specialised equipment was needed to handle it. The cans were packed two to a wooden crate. The empty crates and cans were commonly re-used for many and varied purposes. A half an hour from where I live there was a shed roof that had been covered with flattened out cans. The crates were used for anything from kindling to shelving or even furniture.

As a child in the 1950s kerosine could still be purchased in this type of can and they were generally referred to as kerosine tins. More recently I have seen an almost identical can used by apiarists for transporting honey. They refer to them as being 60 lb tins as that is what they weigh when filled.

The can on e-bay is definitely not a flimsy as I know it. The four vertical corners for a start are too sharp in comparison to what I've seen in photographs of originals and the can appears to be just too robust.

David

[Nigel Watson]

Hi
The can you link to on ebay is a 4 gallon petrol can. It is thicker than a flimsy and many were used to fuel tanks. I have flimsies and they have no screw caps, instead they have circular indentations on the top in opposite corners which you usually find have bee both pierced with a bayonet. Will try and post some pictures.

[Nigel Watson]

Here is a picture of a flimsy on the dingo I used to own and a wartime picture. The can skin is very thin and has no handle or spout with cap etc. Am happy to take all round views of can if folk would like me too. The can size is not too dissimilar to the wartime biscuit tins.

Nigel

[motto]

That's it ! Notice the can in the original photo has a pumped up appearance. I once sat a jerry can of petrol in the sun with a pressure gauge installed. The gauge showed the pressure developed to be 3 psi and it wasn't a particularly hot day.

What a horrible container for use in a hot climate. Imagine trying to pierce one of these whilst pressurised in the heat. There must have been some shocking accidents with people and vehicles being doused in petrol. This is quite apart from the likelihood of the can leaking or rupturing while being transported under these conditions.

David