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View Full Version : Looking for Contraption Ideas..



crash5050
06-10-2013, 09:24 PM
Greetings Shopbotters!

My neighbor is a "Compounding Pharmacist", basically it means that he mixes his own remedies from bulk ingredients.

He gets his bulk in 80 gram aluminum tubing.

All that being said, he stuck his head in my shop yesterday while I was carving a plaque for a wedding present, and he had this idea that since I had this wonderful computerized pile of moving parts, I was an inventor. I am not. But his question raised my eyebrows. Since I am cheap and want that last brush from the tube.

Ever try getting that last squeeze of toothpaste out of the tube? He tells me that that last squeeze from the tube of medicine is very expensive, and he is looking to build a device to push that stuff out of the tube.

Since I am not an inventor, please bear with me here. This will be quite simplistic in my description, but will probably be much more complicated in design.

1. Lay the tube on a surface that captures the cap end and holds the tube.
2. apply even pressure across the tube as to pus all of the product to the front
3. Compress the hard ring where the cap attaches to get the last bit out.

I was thinking of having it hinges at the front and a concave shape on the top lever to apply the pressure, but, as I try to theorize this complications arise in my minds eye.

If anybody just wants to think of a way to dispel product from a tube of toothpaste, I would certainly be interested in hearing them.

On a side note: Never talk to your neighbor when setting up a tool change. They will be going on and on how cool the CNC is, and you will forget to remove your alligator clip from the router bit after zeroing, and it will become a projectile!! I'm just sayin.

Thanks for reading this post (assuming you made it this far) and Have a Great Day!

David

billp
06-10-2013, 09:40 PM
It's already been done ...

crash5050
06-10-2013, 09:41 PM
you have a url to that beast?

Steve M
06-10-2013, 10:08 PM
It's already been done ...

I don't see where you can plug the USB cable in to that. How do you run the code?

gene
06-10-2013, 10:21 PM
I was thinking hook the base of the tube to the router bit , turn on the router and that stuff will come out. Catching it is the next problem you must work on solving now:D o yea , i never did find that clip!

billp
06-10-2013, 10:49 PM
NO URL, it's been in my medicine cabinet for years. Also NO USB ports, NO coding needed.Analog device.
Just build something out of 1/2" tubing and cut a slot in one side. Insert the upper end of the tube into your spindle chuck, and the bottom of the tooth paste tube into that slot. Then turn on your spindle! And stand back...This could take some practice to get really good at...

myxpykalix
06-11-2013, 02:49 AM
The first thing that came to my mind was this...do you oldtimers remember the "key" that was attached to the old time large cans of coffee and you stuck the lip in the middle and twisted the metal around the key? It looked like Bill's key.

As long as we're on the subject, when my toothpaste gets that low i usually snip off the bottom and cut up the side to open up the tube and scrape the leftovers out. You can usually get at least enough for 2 or 3 more brushings:eek::D

myxpykalix
06-11-2013, 03:37 AM
If you really want to make a "contraption" then just go find yourself an old "wringer washer" where you took your clothes and handcranked them thru the wringer to squeeze out the excess water. That would be a good prototype for what you want only make it miniature...

We spent many a day helping mom crank the wash thru wringer:)

steve_g
06-11-2013, 07:41 AM
What I remember about our powered wringer washer, was getting my fingers caught! (yes, I was that kid). I'd likely get my beard caught in a toothpaste "key"

SG

genek
06-11-2013, 10:38 AM
what i remember about our powered wringer washer, was getting my fingers caught! (yes, i was that kid). I'd likely get my beard caught in a toothpaste "key"

sg
steve you were not the only kid.. Was helping my grandmother, arm went all the way to the shoulder.. Hurt like all get out... Forgot to let go of towel...

coryatjohn
06-11-2013, 10:58 AM
steve you were not the only kid.. Was helping my grandmother, arm went all the way to the shoulder.. Hurt like all get out... Forgot to let go of towel...

Can you imagine the field day the lawyers would have over such a device today?

genek
06-11-2013, 11:19 AM
can you imagine the field day the lawyers would have over such a device today?
they would have a big field day... I really never got hurt scared me more than anything... But some lawyer would make it bigger than what it was..

coryatjohn
06-11-2013, 11:38 AM
they would have a big field day... I really never got hurt scared me more than anything... But some lawyer would make it bigger than what it was..

I can only imagine what the warning labels would look like on that gizmo.

Here's my all time favorite warning label:
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=83&pictureid=476
It's on the recharging cord for a shaver.

myxpykalix
06-11-2013, 06:02 PM
I failed to mention in my post about getting my fingers pinched in the rollers because i would feel like a boob....but it sounds like i'm in good company!:D

Ken Sully
06-11-2013, 06:58 PM
This one is real hard to get caught in. Hope the link works it's my first attempt.





http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/chamois-wringer-cw1.html?kw=chamois-wringer-cw1&cmp=googleproducts

shoeshine
06-12-2013, 01:56 PM
David, if you go to an art supply house they have a little gizmo for getting all the paint out of artist's tubes. Some of those paints are expensive
http://www.aswexpress.com/discount-art-supplies/artist-supplies-and-tools/tube-wringers-and-empty-paint-tubes/tube-wringers.html