Friday 6 March 2015

Fast Steel Jerry Can Pourer

I have struggled to find a fast steel Jerry can pourer/spout. Many don't have vent holes which makes the pouring process very slow, some have the vent hole facing the wrong way which I think makes it even slower. The long and the short of it is you need to have a spout with a vent hole that faces into the Jerry can like the
Proquip one linked to here.

I then purchased a 19mm siphon hose for the fuel hose such as this.

I forced the hose over the end using hot water to soften the hose, multigrips to stretch the hose on the inside and a prytool to help force the hose on over the pourer. I now have a long reaching pourer. I should note the 19mm ID pipe did have an OD slightly larger than an unleaded fuel filler port as the hose has to be slightly forced in but its easy enough.

Just be careful your Jerry can mouth is the right size, mine were 67mm but one was 68 and the Proquip spout wouldn't fit without filing the edges of the jerry can down and bending the spout frame.

By the way the army jerry cans look to be identical to the proquip ones super cheap sell.

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Best Flycatcher/Trap Ever

Need a great low maintenance flycatcher/trap? After 3 years I have stumbled on the perfect design shown below


I live amongst cattle so we have lots of flys. The bought designs have a few problems.
1. Not large enough, they completely fill within weeks or days of flys.
2. They dry out, too small a volume and the bought designs do not condense the evaporation and reuse the moisture.

The solution is a result of a accident and time. My last fly catcher has begun working again more than 12 months after  setting it up.

What you require
1. Two 2 litre soft drink bottles (straight sides not shaped like a coke bottle)
2. Box cutting knife (stanley knife)
3. Inch wide clear tape.


Cut the top off one bottle leaving 15-20mm of taper. Throw away the top.



Cut the bottom off the 2nd bottle at the point of the maximum diameter.



Cut the top off the 2nd bottle at the point of the maximum diameter.



Join bottle 1 and 2 together with tape (taper on bottle 1 should help)


Turn the top of bottle 2 upside down and force it into the top of bottle 2 (place smelly food inside if this can't be pushed through the small opening. Dead flys from a functioning fly trap works best but don't get it on your hands).


Drill a small hole in the opposite side to install a screw  or hook later.


Place starter powder into the fly catcher.


Attach to post or hook through the hole.


The reason it works

The large storage of water (2 litres) and the funnel that condenses and returns evaporated moisture to the storage means it can be up to 1 month before water needs to be replenished. Also the join with the sticky tape is not water tight and if it rains (over winter) the container will drain and continue to function.