Sample Cylinder

June 14, 2010 3:12 PM

I work in an analytical lab. We work with a lot of sample cylinders that have valves that we open and close. The valve knobs are round textured metal disc, kinda like a really thick quarter (maybe little larger). I am looking for an power tool that would allow me to open and close these valves. Here is a link of how the cylinder and valve looks like Thanks Noodles
posted by Noodles to Science & Nature (8 answers total)

Take one of the knobs to Sears and see if you can find a Grip-Tite socket that fits it snugly. (Their video is crap, but skip to about the halfway mark for a good view of the business end.) These are a weird design with loose "fingers" in each corner, which cam against the head as you turn.

If the O.D. of the knob is fairly close to either an inch or metric socket size, I bet the Grip-Tite will squeeze it snugly, allowing you to turn it with anything that can turn a normal socket.

(My initial thought was a 3-jaw self-tightening oil filter wrench, but this only works in one direction, and they're not available in the size you need.)

As for power tools to spin the thing, there are oodles of small power drills and screwdrivers which, through a cheap adapter, can spin a socket. Pick one with an adjustable torque clutch, so you don't inadvertently snap the valve stem.
posted by Myself at 3:38 PM on June 14, 2010

Yeah, what Myself said. Take it to Sears, or really any other tool-centric place, explain your problem, and they will help you find a solution. It's what they're there for.
posted by jeffamaphone at 3:40 PM on June 14, 2010

Strap Wrench
posted by lee at 4:01 PM on June 14, 2010

Do you need it to put a lot of torque on the valve operators, or is it just that your wrist gets tired after doing a thousand of them a day? Because if the torque doesn't need to be high, I'd just get a skil-twist electric screwdriver or dremel, put in a flat disc-sander-like bit, then stick some soft rubbery material to that. Maybe even double-stick tape, but that might not come off of the valve easily enough. Then I'd just press on the top of the valve handwheel and let friction provide the force.

If it's the torque you need, there's this?
posted by ctmf at 4:56 PM on June 14, 2010

I would be careful using power tools on the valves on those cylinders. A better solution may be to hook a solenoid valve to each cylinder and use that to control the flow from the cylinder. It is relatively easy to create a bank of valves for as many cylinders as you need.
posted by troll on a pony at 5:27 PM on June 14, 2010

What troll on a pony said. I work with industrial, flammable gases in similar cylinders, but with different valves. Anything we want opened and closed automatically, we have used solenoid and pneumatic valves on.

I sympathize with your goals (I'm guessing the valves are annoying, the work repetitive, and being there at the right time interrupts other work), but the main considerations for us have been safety and cost.
posted by whatzit at 10:41 PM on June 14, 2010

"industrial, flammable gases in similar cylinders, " ... "but the main considerations for us have been safety and cost.".

I would think that some sort of an attachment to a Brushless battery powered screwdriver would make such equipment safe in a potentially flammable atmosphere because such equipment doesn't spark. But I do have not direct experience, much less know the safety codes.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 1:27 AM on June 15, 2010

I 've worked in a couple of a labs that had a pressure manifold like this. We used pneumatic valves for this exclusively. They're fast, can be made intrinsically safe if fire is a concern, and highly reliable. Solenoids can work too, but only with non-flammable gases.

Using a power tool on a rotary valve is a recipe for a broken valve, imo. It's very easy to overtorque a relatively delicate valve like that.

Electric motors are quite dangerous in flammable or acid gas atmospheres. Explosion and/or a fire caused by a corroded motor are very possible. What happens if the valve stem torques off and and gas blows back up the stem? A couple hundred open and close operations with a high-torge electric motor could easily shear off a 3-4mm rod.

I'd either adapt the valve head by clamping on a vise grip for immediate manual operation (which itself isn't a great way to do things) or switch to pneumatics.
posted by bonehead at 3:05 PM on June 15, 2010