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Technical What are they called and where do I get them

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by topher5150, May 29, 2020.

  1. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,360

    topher5150
    Member

    I spent all morning racking my brain trying to figure out what these things are called. The little rubber things that you put on the end of your air gun and blast your coworker with. I need some to plug all the emissions crap on my engine.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  2. edl-4804_xl.jpg Vac plugs they come on packets at any autoparts.

    like these right?
     

  3. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,360

    topher5150
    Member

    It's the little things in life that make one wonder how you've made it this far in life
     
    egads, Just Gary, loudbang and 2 others like this.
  4. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 4,646

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Pure luck and creative genius
     
  5. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    The auto parts store version typically sold now (from you-know-where) are complete scheisse, they last only a few months before splitting. Better than nothing, but I think McMaster-Carr and outfits like that still have the good stuff.
     
    egads, blowby, loudbang and 2 others like this.
  6. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 8,905

    Marty Strode
    Member

    They used to come in packages, labeled "Help Kits".
     
  7. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,624

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Wracked 3 tool boxes Friday looking for a good rubber 'tapered nozzle'. Found 3, 2 were split as @Truck64 mentioned.
    I concur, McMaster/Carr.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  8. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,261

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    They are called "the reason you have been written up for a safety violation" at work.
     
  9. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,077

    squirrel
    Member

    They look like Vacuum Caps to me...plugs go in the hole, caps go over the tube.
     
  10. I'll agree, the parts house rubber caps are junk. Don't know about McMaster-Carr, I haven't tried theirs. I do know if you want good ones try a motorcycle dealer; they're commonly used to plug vacuum ports used to sync the carbs, the downside is they generally don't come in the large sizes. For those I use vinyl caps. I've never bought any, I've always picked them up at work. McMaster-Carr does have a large assortment of these vinyl caps available, even in a high-temp version. Downside is minimum order is 100 for most sizes, but they're not expensive, $7 to $11 per hundred.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  11. 302GMC
    Joined: Dec 15, 2005
    Posts: 7,873

    302GMC
    Member
    from Idaho

    I've always used a piece of hose & a steel ball ...
     
    dirty old man, bobss396 and squirrel like this.
  12. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,077

    squirrel
    Member

    I can usually find a screw, I'm too lazy to look in the steel ball drawer.
     
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  13. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Rubber hose and a bolt is traditional?
     
    bobss396, RMR&C, indyjps and 2 others like this.
  14. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,541

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    :p Ain’t that the truth:D
     
  15. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Rubber hose and a golf tee. Have plenty in my golf bag. Different colors and adjustable too.
     
    RidgeRunner, squirrel and Truck64 like this.
  16. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,056

    19Fordy
    Member

    " blast your coworker with" Not a good idea admitting it on the internet..
    Hope you and your employer have great insurance.
     
  17. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,979

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Amazon shows a 90 piece assortment for 12.99 shipped or if you plan to use a lot of them https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Vacuum-Cap-Assortment-Sizes/dp/B00LC4R8CQ
    Or a lifetime supply for 37.49 https://www.amazon.com/OPK1080-Larg...HQ3PH16T052&psc=1&refRID=N1CQZ3DDWHQ3PH16T052
    Plus they have spring lock clamps to hold them on. https://www.amazon.com/Hilitchi-Spr...61M89D0WAP9&psc=1&refRID=2NH2YMN4W61M89D0WAP9

    I still have the rubber tipped one in my tool box now but back in the mid 70's not long after my tool man had sold me an OSHA approved (and labeled) blow gun saying that the non approved hand been banned. Came back from a Test drive after an alignment one day and this dude who didn't work in our shop an I had never seen was digging in my tool box and had the drawer that I had the cash payment for my SnapOn rep in the SnapOn payment book in open and was snooping though it. I picked up the truck tire iron that I had leaning against the wall and hollered "what the hell are you doing in my tool box?" I guess a 280 lb pissed off mechanic with a 4 ft tire iron in his hands scared him a bit because he started stuttering a bit an then the owner's brother came running out to see what the commotion was and after the guy fussed a bit and I told Raymond that the man was digging in my tool box without permission. Raymond Asked him if he had been and he confirmed it saying that he had to check for unauthorized blow guns. After Raymond chewed his ass out for getting in personal property without permission and not informing him or the service manager that he was there I showed him my OSHA approved blow gun and told him I had taken the other one home. I'm not sure if it ever sunk in how close he came to getting that tire iron laid against the side of his head that day but I would believe that was the last tool box he ever opened without consulting the mechanic that owned it.
     
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  18. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,391

    jnaki







    upload_2020-5-30_5-51-18.png
    Hello,

    I knew our local auto parts stores carried those in their flip top, separated boxes. But, the local Ace Hardware Store is closer and also carries them in their specific drawers for nuts and bolts, too. Finally, the local Lowe’s had a huge area of slide out drawers that have just about any size of each black rubber tip. Uses? Plenty for the mind to wander and identify the fit for each thing that needs a protective tip.

    We used these on our in sink dish drainer for their little feet. It kept the stainless steel kitchen sink spot free and dent free. So, there is an alternate use for these little tips. That went on for many dish drainers until we got a new sink and drainer from the same company. Their tips were the same size, but they somehow made clear ones to cover the stainless steel dish drainer’s little feet. So, those little black ones I bought at Lowe’s sit in my tool drawer for some modification at a later time. (a modified, small Moon Tank for die cast model hot rods?)
    upload_2020-5-30_5-53-28.png
    Jnaki

    The second set has also taken hold in our garage drawers. They are good for capping anything, from kitchen stools to metal feet of desk chairs, to tripod legs…(if your tripod has spikes in the bottom, a small drill will make a hole in the black rubber tip, sliding neatly in place ready for the spike to come out.)

    These rubber tips are just handy, are sold in many places, have different sizes and fit the most unusual rod ends in the household. Flexible/adjustable tent poles used for portable Christmas light displays? The caps make it scratch free for any surface.
     
  19. Golf tees were high tech back in the day.
     
    Special Ed likes this.
  20. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,391

    jnaki





    upload_2020-5-30_6-22-37.png

    upload_2020-5-30_6-22-55.png
    Hello,
    I knew there were some adjustable tent poles that were used for various stuff in the house, garage and elsewhere. The rubber tips are fairly standard for just about any size in those pull out drawers at the hardware stores. If permanence is mandatory, a little glue inside before sliding them on helps.

    Jnaki
    These days, I carry one around in our backyard to ward off a family of coyotes that live just down the street. They have been known to jump over three foot block wall fences to get a meal if they sniff around. Our little dog once fought a teenage coyote and almost got nailed. He did require stitches and weeks of recovery, but the stick is always in hand, these days.

    Be safe and healthy, while "locked in place."
     
  21. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,918

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    What the hell is an OSHA approved blow gun and why would it need a rubber tip?
     
    texasred likes this.
  22. The ones I posted are Moroso and are used to block off vacuum nipples on a carburetor.

    There have been some complaints about quality. Rubber products are susceptible to carbon based emissions which are prevalent in most larger cities more than in the country. Neoprene like most of the better caps are made from is less susceptible but still will eventually crack and split. heat adds to the problem.

    Basically if it is a rubber based product it is going to fail eventually. Being in a larger metropolitan area makes them fail sooner.
     
  23. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,263

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Back in my prototype days we'd add extensions to our blow guns and put a dab of modeler's clay in the end. A zap in the ass cheeks did sting a little, and we had "rules" to it, nothing above the waist or beat down was given. Nobody got beat down. A 16' ceiling in that building, and for some reason :rolleyes: our department had several dozen little blobs of clay up there. When you work 10+ days 12 and 16 hour shifts, ways of lightening the mood were as varied and juvenile as you can imagine. Where was this? Kar Kraft. Yeah, THAT Kar Kraft. We even set one of our HAMB brethren up with a 3 Stooges style bucket of water on top of the bathroom door. He still gets his knickers in a little bit of a twist when I remind him:D
     
  24. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,360

    topher5150
    Member

    Prototyping and design especially in the automotive area has always been my dream job
    Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  25. I worked in one car shop... zero tolerance for anything shot out of an air hose other than air. Do it once and you were fired on the spot. I recall getting a heads-up when OSHA was doing a sweep and we got anything non-compliant out of sight.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  26. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,754

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    Those crutch tips work good until they crack open. I'm bad to just use a piece of vacuum hose with a bolt stuck in it. Black bolts fade out of sight, shiny ones draw attention...
     
  27. Wrench97
    Joined: Jan 29, 2020
    Posts: 680

    Wrench97

    OSHA approved blow guns have holes around the outside of the tip to prevent them from working correctly.............................[​IMG]
     

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