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

[BCRider]

The vent hole down in the tube just below the solder joint is not a bad idea at all.

I still want a way to clean away the chips once every 5 years or so. My own mental image of the tuna can style is half of a copper connector soldered to the top of the lid and then the flared inside pipe with notches slides down and is held in place with friction. I could then draw out the copper non spill tube and with some solvent swish out the junk in the can now and then.

The can would still qualify as spill resistant because it would not be on its side long enough for the oil to seep out through a typical copper pipe to copper connector sliding fit.

[MichaelP]

BCR, Tungsten,

Thanks guys. I tried those methods a while ago, but without pipe heating, and they didn't work. I thought about annealing, but never attempted to do it. I wasn't sure if rigid copper pipe can be annealed to the point when flaring or swaging won't cause hidden cracks. At least, without annealing I could see the cracks right away. Naturally, it wasn't an oiler I was trying to make.

[MichaelP]

The vent hole down in the tube just below the solder joint is not a bad idea at all.

I still want a way to clean away the chips once every 5 years or so. My own mental image of the tuna can style is half of a copper connector soldered to the top of the lid and then the flared inside pipe with notches slides down and is held in place with friction. I could then draw out the copper non spill tube and with some solvent swish out the junk in the can now and then.

The can would still qualify as spill resistant because it would not be on its side long enough for the oil to seep out through a typical copper pipe to copper connector sliding fit.

Very good idea, but the connection will be well oiled, so even removing of the brush may cause sliding the pipe out. At least, tack it with your soldering iron at one spot. Just make sure the spot is on the opposite side when you take a picture.

A compression or threaded connection would work better, but the fun of making the design simple will vanish.

[cameron]

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.

If you happen to have one of the right size, a bearing ball is a ready made push tool. Just tried it with a ball about o.688" D. on 1/2" ID copper pipe. Nice flare, but a ball slightly bigger would be better.

Heated to barely visible red under shop lighting. No cracking, but if you wanted max flare, it would be safer to go half way and anneal again. Oil helps, and of course there is no oil better for the job than good old neat's foot oil, right?

[BCRider]

Very good idea, but the connection will be well oiled, so even removing of the brush may cause sliding the pipe out. At least, tack it with your soldering iron at one spot. Just make sure the spot is on the opposite side when you take a picture.

A compression or threaded connection would work better, but the fun of making the design simple will vanish.

If it needed it i'd rather either just put a slight dent in the collar or very slightly ovalize the portion that jams into the coupling for more grip or I'd drill and tap for a small set screw.

Soldering copper is pretty much an all or nothing deal. Especially heavier items like half a coupling and a stub of tubing already slid together. The heat will be conducted so well that it's as like as not to "tack" half the joint together and at the same time re-melt the base joint of the half coupling to the tin.

From the copper plumbing I've done though I suspect that the regular fitment grip would work just fine. I'm thinking that likely the portion we want to slip down into the tin would need some sanding to slightly reduce the drag in fact. But we'll see.... Got some cans to play with and I've got a line on 6 or 8 sterno cans from some upcoming Christmas banquets.

[MichaelP]

I look forward to seeing your can in action.

I suspect that soon we'll have many re-iterations of the cans for sale.

[gambler]

I look forward to seeing your can in action.

I suspect that soon we'll have many re-iterations of the cans for sale.

[BCRider]

I look forward to seeing your can in action.

I suspect that soon we'll have many re-iterations of the cans for sale.

I've gotta get busy and eat more tuna too !

[MichaelP]

How I stole design ideas, hints and suggestions from the guys in this thread

[MichaelP]

This oiler (BCRider's design idea) has no vent because it's not needed. Just make sure you remove or retract the standpipe while refilling the can with oil.

The coupler is not protruding inside the can. It's attached outside of the lid around a 5/8" hole for the standpipe to go through.

The coupler is tinned inside to decrease the ID and make the standpipe friction fit ideal.

P.S. As a result of reading this thread, I got three oilers, a 3D printer with a multitude of accessories, books and supplies, a flare/swage tool set, a new can opener and a lot of tuna salad.

Things to do next: make multiple modifications to the printer, design and build enclosure, learn Fusion 3D, Meshmaker and slicing software and dive into the harsh realities of 3D printing. Possibly retire early to complete all these.

[Tungsten dipper]

Did you have to burn out the coating on the inside of the cans, before you soldered the edge seam? They look great!

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

I look forward to seeing your can in action.

I think you're the only one

[MichaelP]

Did you have to burn out the coating on the inside of the cans, before you soldered the edge seam?

No, I just scraped/sanded it away outside in the soldered area.

[MichaelP]

I think you're the only one

Based on your pose, you have unreasonable expectations.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

Based on your pose, you have unreasonable expectations.

Sorry, wrong can... Here you go