Tube filling salt funnel

thingiverse

I needed a simple way to fill tubes with salt without them getting crushed, so I created this quick funnel. Initially, I wanted it to rotate the salt inside, but it ended up working fine on its own. If you encounter any issues, just give the crank handle a few firm taps up and down to clear the jam. To shape copper tubing into a coil, start by crimping or soldering one end, then fill the tube with salt. When filling, gently tap the sides of the tube with a soft object, like a rubber-handled needle-nose pliers. Make sure both ends are securely crimped and the tube is packed tightly with salt to prevent collapse during bending. Once the tube is bent into shape, use a tubing cutter to cut one end and remove the salt with hot water. Pickling salt might be a better choice for this task since it doesn't contain any anti-caking agents. The nipple end measures 7.5 millimeters wide. I'm using some soft L-type 3/8-inch O.D. tubing for my project, which is working out well so far.