Help Needed Pumping It Up - but only 4 oz at a time.

October 26, 2010 3:15 PM

PortionControlFilter: Help me find a pump/dispenser/whatever-setup that can accurately dispense two fixed-portion volumes of fluid (4 oz and 2 oz) from bulk containers into small containers? Oh, did I mention I need to repeat it several hundred times with several different liquids.

One would think this is simple portion control, but my google-fu is totally failing me. I need a simple, reliable, and accurate method of portioning out 4 and 2 fluid oz. of a food liquid from large bulk containers into small bottles. Only other limitations are: 1) setup has to be food safe; and, 2) either fit a 38 mm threaded spout on the bulk container or be able to siphon from it. I'm going to need about a dozen of these setups to keep from cross-contaminating various flavored liquids and to avoid frequent washing/cleanups.

The best I've come up with so far seem to be the far extremes of the portion control world: a) a 1 oz. hand-pump (like a syrup/condiment dispenser) or, b) outrageously expensively biomedical/chemical fluid dispensers that can dispense down to the picoliter.

Surely there must be a inexpensive (less than a grand) middle ground that can accomplish this simple task. Any suggestions?

posted by webhund to food & drink (11 answers total)

Well, you'd somehow have to get the bulk into the flask, but these things come in various sizes.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 3:33 PM on October 26, 2010

This is probably too expensive but I know that I saw a story about some guys who used breast pumps to build a drink mixer. It will be food safe, each pump should give you a consistent amount of fluid, and be flexible enough for what you need.
posted by VTX at 3:40 PM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Maybe I'm missing something, but would a syringe (either like this or this) work?
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 3:44 PM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Go into a Target or something and in the "medicating babies" section you'll be able to find a variety of spoons, syringes, bulbs, pipettes, etc. They'll all have volume measures and you should be able to find something that works for your purposes.
posted by phunniemee at 3:50 PM on October 26, 2010

Pumps like this dispense 1 fl. oz at a time. A 2 or 4 oz pump would be pretty big.
posted by zsazsa at 3:51 PM on October 26, 2010

I came in also to recommend syringes -- I would go for 2 oz and 4 oz catheter-tip syringes
posted by brainmouse at 3:51 PM on October 26, 2010

You could get a 1 oz pump like zsazsa suggests, and pump twice for 2 oz, or four times for 4 oz? You run the risk of achy wrists, but it would be economical, if not 100% accurate.
posted by Everydayville at 4:09 PM on October 26, 2010

This device looks like exactly what you're looking for. For some reason the website doesn't say what volumes of liquid it can dispense, but it seems like adding milk to coffee would involve volumes of a few ounces or so. Here it is on eBay for $300.

I found that by googling "shot dispenser"--I was thinking of something like this, for making mixed drinks. So that's another avenue you could try. The one I just linked dispenses 1.5oz shots, but others might be more configurable.
posted by fermion at 4:47 PM on October 26, 2010

http://www.server-products.com/en/equipment_guide/Choose_Pump.htm
posted by gjc at 5:03 PM on October 26, 2010

2 part epoxy dispensing pumps - available at any marine supply store.

Cheap too.,
posted by BrooksCooper at 8:45 PM on October 26, 2010

I venture to say that if it ain't here, it don't exist.
posted by Diablevert at 6:35 PM on October 28, 2010