All right farm folk..

dodgechargerfan

dodgechargerfan

In a 55 gallon drum, floating down river, and
Staff member
Hep a city slicker out here.

I have a couple of these that my wants me to refinish.

milk+can+s.jpg


I could just wire brush them and slap some Rustoleum on them and be done, but, me being me, I need to see what's inside.

So, how do you open them. I've tried a few upward swings with a dead blow hammer but no go.... am I on the right track?
 
ahh a good ole milk jug ...

nice find ..

the lid should just pop right off ... might need a lil twisting and playing ... some wonder pee (wd-40) into the crack and let er soak for awhile ... then it should pop .. the rust probably is keeping her nice and tight ... only the little top above the handles will come off ... (the handles usually stay with the jug)

http://www.vermontweddingprops.com/floral_displays/img/inline_floral9.jpg
just like that ...dont mind the flowers

a bfh might work best ... but the lid may become a mess ....
 
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looks like an old milk container to me...should be threaded

id hate to see it refinished...imo its more valuable as is with the patina

likely better off soda blasting it
 
Got it. It popped off with a few more hits of the dead blow. I tapped it down first and that seemed to loosen things up.

That pic is not the one I have - I just snagged that from the web while searching for a How-to...
Mine was already painted - and poorly. It cleaned up with some 80-grit, Tremclad primer and then 2 coats of Tremclad Hammered Finish.
I'll get some pics when it's dry.

I haven't tried the other one yet - but it's in worse shape - totally covered in surface rust. I'll need more primer and paint for that one though.
 
Most of those old cans:tats: were made of stainless steel. Spend some time and buff it, you'll have the only one that looks chrome plated.;)

The majority of those used a tapered lid. Just beat upward with a rubber hammer.

In my younger day, I used to ride shotgun on a milk route. This guy would carry 2 full ones in each hand, then he'd toos them in the truck. The bottom layer was only about chest high. The upper deck was a little harder. :doh:Every so ofter a lid would come off while you had it overhead.:doh:

Thanks for bringing back the old memmories.:rolleyes:
 
hey 68 ... they had cows back in your youth? *runs away*


my grandfather use to be the milk man for t-ville .... still have his old wagon ... horse died though ... and his pails ... and well milk churns and well its almost a museum here at times lol ... that is if you go digging deep lol
 
ok .. the real history of them there milk cans ...

as per a dairy farmer of the old ... aka my father

he said the threaded ones are cream cans .... and the milk ones were a wedge design to just pop on and off.

the metal used on the can was not stainless steel ... because it was not invented at that time ... its relatively a newer metal ... the steel used is galvanized steel ... they would have to throw out them cans when they started to get in bad shape .. or rust started to appear. As my father says ... galvanized steel is not the same animal it was back in the day .. where quality was better and made to last.
 
Oh man, I remember swinging those full of milk up into the spring fed *cow tank* in the milkhouse on my aunt and uncles farm as a young lad nearly 30 years ago.
As a 90 lb weakling at the time it was no small task lemme tell ya. :D

They can still be had at farm auctions for a decent price but once the antique shops get ahold of 'em you pay premium price.

And yes they were galvanized steel and I remember retiring them when corrosion took hold.
 
Very Cool....Old timer friend of mine remembers doing deliveries with his dad in Toronto...They had a horse drawn buggy and the horse knew it's route so well they could sit back and the let the horse do the driving...just run beside for the pick ups and drop offs....Neat tale.
 
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