I’ve been making my own chapstick for several years, and always had to hold each tube while pouring. I know you can buy tube filler stuff for around $20, but I have a Glowforge!
So a few months ago I made this little tube holder, and finally used it yesterday when I had to make more chapstick. It worked out great, except for the fact that I was trying to pour with a large silicone mitt on my hand because my little melting pot was too hot to hold barehanded! So I spilt a little, but the tubes fit tight enough that it didn’t run all the way down the tubes. Overall I am happy with how it worked for me, and I didn’t have to worry about spilling hot liquid onto my hand.
I may make another one with the top at the level of the tube, and maybe make the top out of acrylic. Then I could easily scrape the overpour/spill into the tubes.
I wonder if it could be as simple as making a little topper add on with legs on it. Since it looks like the top of the tube is a bit smaller for the cap you could make the holes on the top piece smaller also.
Could be more trouble than it’s worth but just a thought
My first try fit the tops and I had to redo it for the tube to fit in! I don’t think I kept the original, so I’ll have to redo it. I like the thought of just a top with extension legs. Because it does make for a nice holder for them instead of them rolling around in my drawer. I’ll definitely work on that. Thanks!
I really haven’t thought about making homemade Chapstick, however chapped lips is not as big of a deal here.
What goes into the secret sauce?
That is a pretty cool holder/filler.
Maybe the top could be designed with a 3d engraved recess around the holes/funnel.
They have a video of it in action. Basically it pours only a very specific amount of a liquid. I don’t know how big your tubes are but maybe there’s a pourer out there that matches it.
The tiny stop valves in the liquor measuring ones would probably get clogged up. The 2nd ones are great - I have liquid nutrients for indoor growing and keep the used ones as they are very simple to use. Too small for this application, though. Again, designed for low-viscosity liquids.
Yeah I wondered about that. I also wonder if the density of the liquid is part of the equation, liquid chapstick will be less dense than water-based liquids.
As for clogging, if it’s hot enough I bet it’d be ok, but you’d have to work fast and be sure to flush it with hot water at the end.
Brilliant! I did something similar a few years ago. I had to fill gelatin capsules with ground up meds for my cat. I cut a series of appropriately sized holes in some 1/4” acrylic sheet, and the gel cap bottoms would fit in the holes fairly tightly. You would push the caps down until the tops were level with the acrylic, then scrape the meds in while tapping. Worked perfectly. I still have a bunch of those capsules, ready for the next chronic cat disease.
OT: where do you get the gel capsules? I’m having to give my cat a liquid medicine and he goes from a 12lb cat to a 200lb tiger. I’d rather stuff a capsule down his throat: 1-and-done.
I just got them from Amazon (search for gelatin capsules). You can get them in all sizes. Not sure they would work for liquids though. They dissolve pretty quickly.
I’ve gotten some from a local health food store in the past. They were pretty cheap. I’ve used them with liquids before. I’d probably pop them in the fridge or freezer to make sure they don’t melt.
