what are your ideas on those nonspill oil cups, shop made of course

[Captain K]

Question for Dan. Why do you think you need a vent? Seems to me your first design would be perfect if you eliminated the vent.

[BCRider]

Question for Dan. Why do you think you need a vent? Seems to me your first design would be perfect if you eliminated the vent.

Without a vent when filling the oil would cause a vapor lock once it got up to the bottom of the inside taper tube. Things would be fine as long as we don't do that. But we're only human. The vent avoids this becoming an issue.

[alanganes]

Someday I'll have to tell you about how a fish trained me, and then I got it UN refugee papers and a UK displaced person visa, complete with the UK ambassador to Sweden's signature and seal. That fish is now buried in the central quad of the Chemical Crystallography Lab in Oxford with a little plaque... "A better companion no man ever had"

OK, while I do not want to derail this thread, there is no way we can let a statement like this pass without demanding a follow up. Please start a net thread (appropriately flagged as OT if this was not a metalworking fish) detailing this seemingly fascinating tale. It sounds like a story that needs to be told.

[Captain K]

Without a vent when filling the oil would cause a vapor lock once it got up to the bottom of the inside taper tube. Things would be fine as long as we don't do that. But we're only human. The vent avoids this becoming an issue.

First one has a threaded bottom, fill from there.

Went back and looked at them and it seems any would work super without the vent. I don't see a vent on spillmaster or any others shown here. Take off lid to fill, no vent needed

[MichaelP]

OK, while I do not want to derail this thread, there is no way we can let a statement like this pass without demanding a follow up. Please start a net thread (appropriately flagged as OT if this was not a metalworking fish) detailing this seemingly fascinating tale. It sounds like a story that needs to be told.

^^x2

[Tungsten dipper]

Just finished my two. One for steels and one for aluminum.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[softtail]

I like guns.. Eagle. Can keep my hands farther away, can meter out how much fluid..a drip or enough to flush chips, shoot into holes, etc.. no manky brush holding chips and dust from the past year, nothing to snag/grab.

[smithdoor]

I used a short pipe welded to plate
Not nonspill but very hard to spill

Simple to make and easy to clean
Use this with employees for over 30 years
It test with forklift run over it and still work

Dave

I want to make one, would be nice to see some pics of yours and maybe if someone has drawings too. because I'm weak in that area.thanks guys and gal

[MichaelP]

Tungsten,

Looks great. I completed two of those a week ago

A couple of things worth mentioning, IMHO.

1. Magnet, especially right under the tube, will accumulate a pile of chips very quickly, and it will clog the tube/interfere with brush placement
2. You need a vent. I placed one through the pipe wall right below the lid

What method and tool did you use for pipe flaring? Will it work with a regular 1/2" hard copper pipe?

[Paul Alciatore]

Yes, yes, yes! You really do not need a vent. And the threads belong on the TOP, not the bottom. If you put them on the bottom you will need a perfect seal to prevent the oil or other fluid from eventually seeping out. On the top the seal only has to resist seepage for a minute or two until you notice that the oil cup has toppled over. Besides, if you analyze it, no matter where you put the vent hole, it will allow oil to leak out in some orientation. Without a vent, there is no way to get the oil to leak out unless you unscrew the TOP.

And if you overfill one without a removable TOP, you can just tilt it to redistribute the oil. The vent is not needed. But if you insist on having one, thread it and use a screw with an O-ring to plug it when not needed.

First one has a threaded bottom, fill from there.

Went back and looked at them and it seems any would work super without the vent. I don't see a vent on spillmaster or any others shown here. Take off lid to fill, no vent needed

[Paul Alciatore]

Those look terrific! Good job!

But remember to pick up a can of Brasso to keep those copper tubes polished. There will be inspections.

Just finished my two. One for steels and one for aluminum.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BCRider]

......What method and tool did you use for pipe flaring? Will it work with a regular 1/2" hard copper pipe?

Use a propane torch to anneal or at least soften the copper tubing. It doesn't need to get up to a dull red but if you get that hot it'll be neatly soft. Just a good dark oxide color indicates that it's taken away a lot of the hardness. Then make up a button like little stubby, well polished, tapered flaring push tool in the lathe. Use this simple flaring button with your bench vise or arbor press to flare the annealed end of the tubing.

[Tungsten dipper]

Thanks!
As far a chips go I will use compressed air to clean it. Also try to keep my brush free of chip when in use.
I thought of a vent in the top of the can lid but that would make it leak. Your idea at the top of the tube is better! I found if I fill it slowly and keep the level of oil below the notch it works well. Since I didn’t have a flaring tool that large (3/4” ridge copper pipe) I made a mandrel to do the job. One for each end of the pipe.I found if I heated the end of the copper pipe and using the flared mandrel like drilling a hole, with the tailstock, it gave the desired flare. You also can do it with a dead center. (My first I did with a live center). This would work better with your 1/2” pipe.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alanganes]

This thread inspired me to document a brief mathematical analysis of tuna-can style nospills I did. Some may find it interesting...

http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/n...198#post121280

Thanks for posting that Marv. I always appreciate this sort of analysis, just for its own sake. I am pretty rusty at doing that sort of thing but I like working through the logic you present. Reminds me that I at least used to be able to do stuff like that at one time. Guess I should make a point to try more often I suppose.

[mklotz]

Thanks for posting that Marv. I always appreciate this sort of analysis, just for its own sake. I am pretty rusty at doing that sort of thing but I like working through the logic you present. Reminds me that I at least used to be able to do stuff like that at one time. Guess I should make a point to try more often I suppose.

Thanks for the kind words, Alan.

I didn't mention anything about vents in the referenced article but, since it's surfaced here, let me explain why I wouldn't want one.

If the extension of the tube into the can is set to the value Lmax that I calculated, then it will automatically signal when the correct amount of oil has been entered. When the oil reaches the bottom of the tube, the correct amount has been entered to avoid spills if the can is rolled on its side. The resulting air lock will then cause oil to rise in the tube signalling that no more should be entered. Any oil in the tube can be poured back into the oil container leaving the correct amount in the can. Obviously, this wouldn't work with a vent that prevented an air lock.

If the can is completely inverted, ensuring that the extension of the tube is at least my calculated Lmin will prevent spilling with this amount of oil.

And, yes, math is definitely a "use it or lose it" discipline. Practice whenever the opportunity arises. You don't need my analysis to build a no-spill can but you do need to be able to analyze it so you can handle the next problem to arise where analysis really is needed.