Why do oilers always leak?

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
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I have all sorts of oils cans in the shop. Some plastic some steel some old some new. Some just squirt bottles some have little pump thingies.

They ALL leak! :mad:

Some I can understand that it may have to do with poor design.
But some are completely sealed and leak by the top even if the can is half full and the oil doesn't even reach the top for Pete's sake! :grumpy:
 
Oil is good at finding its way through seals that is certain. Every single self oiled machine I have ever used leaked all over itself, the best one had brass fittings but it still leaked.
 
Patrice, Im glad you mentioned this, I went to the shop this morning to do nothing but feed the dogs and noticed 3 different oil containers, one hasnt been opened in a week and they all had small rings around them where they were sitting...odd
 
Patrice Lemée;7941577 said:
Yes but how is it that the oil is climbing up the darn thing a seeping at the top?

Patrice
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I would almost blame superfluidity, but that's not too likely (if you've never heard of that, look it up - totally bizarre effect). Most likely, it's a combination of penetrating oil plus enough viscosity to cling around the tops and spouts and lids of the oilers plus ambient temperature changes changing the air pressure inside the oilers, essentially "pumping" the oil out over time.
 
Capillary action - it works on the same principle as soldering.

Wikipedia link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action

I have noticed it a lot too, especially on roll-seamed metal pails and containers. A bead of RTV sealant around the seams with help keep them from leaking (unless it is a quench pail - industrial sealants and fire generally aren't a good mix)
 
I have an oil squirt can that was made in China. When you look down into the can, you can see they recycled a soup can for the bottom and just turned it backwards. There is food text printed on it. Bizarre. It doesn't leak though...
 
Oil is a fluid that tends to creep, which is one of its qualities that makes them a good lubricant and water displacer.
 
I bought a old pump type oil can from a business that was closeing, it does not leak, I leave it setting on my bandsaw and on my mill and never saw a leak. I have one of the new 3 in 1 oil bottles, plastice with a extendable tube, what a POS it takes forever to get oil out the tube and then it just dribbles out and down the tube. It just sits there I wish they had the old square cans back.
 
Try a 5cc syringe with a really thick needle with the tip chopped of. Works great at getting just a little oil right where you need it. And, if you pull the plunger back a bit, it doesn't leak.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
I have an oil squirt can that was made in China. When you look down into the can, you can see they recycled a soup can for the bottom and just turned it backwards. There is food text printed on it. Bizarre. It doesn't leak though...
Click to expand...

THAT is funny, a soup can. I picked up an American made pump oil can with the flexi neck and it does not leak. The brand name is Goldenrod.

http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/product_id/5737/nm/Industrial_Pump_Oilers_USA_
 
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