If you travel, you have probably purchased a small quantity of some product that you already buy in regular quantity or bulk.
Toothpaste often comes in 6.4oz tubes or greater, but the TSA allows 3oz or less.
For the last several years, I have occasionally transferred toothpaste from a large tube into a small tube in order to travel by plane, and actually, I am a minimalist and I prefer using a travel tube at home so that it takes up less room on the vanity.
I am frugal, and creative, and for years i simply made a little bit of a mess while squeezing the big into the small and I end brushing my teeth with the over-fill or spillage (quantity 3-5 times more than normal brushing)
This easy tool will save me time and money and will probably last the rest of my life.
Step 1: WHAT DO YOU NEED???
WHAT DO YOU NEED???
- at least 2 toothpaste tubes(or LIDS) to start with.
one "sachet" of SUGRU (uncured silicone rubber)
scissors (to carefully open SUGRU)
drill with proper drill-bit
OPTIONAL:
Tweezers to remove drilling shreds if there are any
- at least 2 toothpaste tubes(or LIDS) to start with.
one "sachet" of SUGRU (uncured silicone rubber)
scissors (to carefully open SUGRU)
drill with proper drill-bit
OPTIONAL:
Tweezers to remove drilling shreds if there are any
Step 2: SUGRU is awesome 1 million uses
I used this one sachet for 5 purposes:
1) 1st toothpaste converter
2) 2nd toothpaste converter
3) a dab for the top of a silly towel-hook that always lets the towel slip off
4) 6 dabs to make the spigot near my garage a little grippier
5) a cord holder on the rear edge of my desk
all in about 30 minutes
and after 24 hours I was ready to finish the toothpaste converters
Step 3: Less is more! It is very Powerful stuff.
There are plenty instructions on SUGRU so read 'em
Make a ring on one of the lids first.
Step 4: Mold the SUGRU to create a good bond.
i guess you could do this with just about anything you use often
this application is really ideal given the grooves in the items being stuck together.
Once the shape is right set the tubes down and let them dry for 24 hours.
it may take a little less than 24 hours, but don't rush it.
in 24 hours you won't be able to pull them apart, yeah, go ahead, try it, haha
this application is really ideal given the grooves in the items being stuck together.
Once the shape is right set the tubes down and let them dry for 24 hours.
it may take a little less than 24 hours, but don't rush it.
in 24 hours you won't be able to pull them apart, yeah, go ahead, try it, haha
Step 6: Drill a hole throuh the converter
if you get lucky there will be no plastic shards that don't stick to the drill
Step 7: Perfect Hole for Toothpaste to flow through
all of the gunk is toothpaste, but to be safe brush out the lids with a toothbrush. whooda thunk?
Step 9: A FULL TRAVEL TOOTHPASTE for less with no mess
Once you have squeezed the little guy full you should screw and old empty back on the regular sized tube to keep it fresh.
Good Luck
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Good Luck
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But now conventional wisdom might have to rethink the cliche about putting toothpaste back in the tube. Nice instructable!
Thanks for putting this out there.
Great idea!
EG
This is what SUGRU is all about. :)
to buy toothpaste in the least economical amounts,
no really,
if you don't get it, it's not for you!
More often than not, I just grab the two tubes of toothpaste, hold them firmly together and squeeze from the large tube to the small tube. If you don't do it right, you will have a bit of a mess on your hands...
just kidding,
I consider myself incredibly coordinated, but it is tricky to get the transfer to work when the source tube is nearly empty, let alone trying to keep it neat, and this device really makes it super easy, even for my wife, whose thumbs bend like Gumby
I also have several of these 'Tube Keys' that we use on toothpaste, hair color,Neosporin, Hydracortzone cream, hand lotion and anything else that comes in a tube. They are $2 each but we didn't pay that much for ours because we got them at a beauty supply store in packages of 12. Add this to your cool refiller and you'll save some money and feel better about not being wasteful. It keeps a lot of empty tubes out of the landfill, too.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=tube+key&hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4MOOI_enUS441US442&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&ion=1&biw=1366&bih=554&wrapid=tlif132096847324410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9834854737315582061&sa=X&ei=KGG8ToekNpGlsAKU85jdBA&ved=0CGIQ8wIwAA#
you can also find it by google paint tube wringer or paint tube squeezer
If I were to make the refillable thingy, I'd make one for each member too. I'm not really a big germ-a-phobe in other areas. But when I heard about how often to change toothbrushes and how they should be covered when you flush the toilet, I got a bit anal about it. (ohh. no pun intended).
http://www.instructables.com/id/Toothpaste-Tube-Refill/
will show you how!
In step three you'll notice that most caps have a sizable indention opposite the threads. I use epoxy for these 'adapters' and fill the indention. This makes it easier to clean out the adapter after the filling is done. I keep a 'set' of adapters in a drawer rather than on the big tube.
The variety of thread sizes keeps expanding.
The fewer materials needed the better.
I want to see pictures of your version.
The whole point is to save time, and for that reason I am just gonna leave the tubes connected to empty travel tubes and never clean anything. it is actually easy to keep the toothpaste off the threads.
I used epoxy BETWEEN the caps instead of your RTV AROUND the caps.
I chose a slightly larger drill bit also (or so it would seem).
I gave 'adapters' to two friends who also appreciate the ability to 'put toothpaste back into the tube'.
I rinse the 'adapter' after I use it.
Don't use it that often now that I'm doing less backpacking and other traveling.