need help with metal inside tube

[jonindallas]

I have a shovel ( actually 500 of them ) that were manufactured with welder's slag rattling around inside the 1.25" pipe. We've since fixed that issue but I'm trying to figure out how to either remove that slag or immobilize it ( ie: squirt some kind of adhesive inside to get it to stick to ) instead of just junking these and losing my *** ( the slag doesn't affect the performance but the rattle is maddening. My problem is that it is completed sealed. The only thing I can think of besides drilling a hole on the outside of the shovel shaft is to try to go in through the t-handle. That would require some kind of tool to go in at a 90 degree angle and drill a hole, then squirt some adhesive and tilt the shovel to get the slag to stick to it. But, that pipe is 1.25" so it is quite a small area to work with. Attached is the area I am trying to access ( the pipe making up the handle is sealed so right now there is no access to the shaft ).
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and thank you for taking the time to read this. - Jon

 

[bwringer]

I'd go with a 1/8" hole into the main shaft pipe on the back side just below the tee and "Great Stuff" expanding foam or similar. Very light weight and shouldn't really cause any other issues, and will sort of seal its own hole.

Some experimentation should tell you whether, for example, a three or five second squirt of foam is better. Squirt, let expand a bit, tilt up so the slag gets caught in the sticky foam. Once it cures, wipe off the excess and perhaps touch up the hole with a bit of paint or a quick dot of weld or epoxy, and then paint.

 

[The Cobbler]

drill a hole & spray foam . @bwringer beat me to it

 

[jonindallas]

I'd go with a 1/8" hole into the main shaft pipe on the back side just below the tee and "Great Stuff" expanding foam or similar. Very light weight and shouldn't really cause any other issues, and will sort of seal its own hole.

Some experimentation should tell you whether, for example, a three or five second squirt of foam is better. Squirt, let expand a bit, tilt up so the slag gets caught in the sticky foam. Once it cures, wipe off the excess and perhaps touch up the hole with a bit of paint or a quick dot of weld or epoxy, and then paint.

Thank you. Yes, we have this option of drilling on the outside of the shaft but we were hoping not to have that hole exposed. The shovels are powdercoated. We have a decal on the shaft that we could use to cover the hole but we are really trying to figure out a way to not have a hole exposed on the outside of the shaft which is why we would really ( if possible ) try to create a hole from the inside of the t-handle so you can't see it with the end caps on the handle.

 

[Fixr]

Dentist's drill or similar right angle tool.

 

[jonindallas]

Dentist's drill or similar right angle tool.

That's what I was thinking "right angle tool" but I haven't yet found that tool. I'm going to head up to my ACE Hardware and maybe they have some kind of tool for that. Another person local suggested a demel tool but not sure if that would work because 1. I need to put it inside that 1.25" hole about 3.25" deep and 2. I don't have any experience with a demel to know its capabilities.

 

[Fixr]

Just grabbing the first result: https://www.amazon.com/Deg-Right-Angle-Pencil-Grinder/dp/B07Z6TZRP2?tag=atomicindus08-20

Searching "right angle micro die grinder" shows some that look to have considerably smaller heads

 

[RMERR]

Maybe ditch the right angle idea, go with a straight micro die grinder and a bit akin to a slot cutter. If you can position the cutter over the long tube, you could angle down with the die grinder 'til it makes an opening. Introduce your adhesive through this. Gonna take a while to do 500. There's a couple cutters in this assortment that look like they might do this.

https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Coated-Grinding-Mounted-Carving/dp/B07YHZ1W78/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[K13]

Are you sure there is a opening between the two pieces of pipe? I would guess the vertical tube was welded straight to the horizontal. There is no need to have a hole there and would increase the cost of manufacturing which if they have left slag in 500 shovels doesn't seem like it is a priority for whoever you bought them from.

 

[jonindallas]

Are you sure there is a opening between the two pieces of pipe? I would guess the vertical tube was welded straight to the horizontal. There is no need to have a hole there and would increase the cost of manufacturing which if they have left slag in 500 shovels doesn't seem like it is a priority for whoever you bought them from.

Yeah, there is no hole between the t-handle and the main shovel shaft. I've pulled off the end caps hoping that was the case but if that was then the rattle would be up in the handle piece and not isolated to the shaft.

 

[jonindallas]

Just grabbing the first result: https://www.amazon.com/Deg-Right-Angle-Pencil-Grinder/dp/B07Z6TZRP2?tag=atomicindus08-20

Searching "right angle micro die grinder" shows some that look to have considerably smaller heads

Thank you, yes so far we haven't been able to find one yet that with the drill bit attached will fit inside the 1.25" hole end of the pipe.

 

[no704]

Stick a neodymium magnet 1/2 way into the handle. Invert shovel. Should capture any stray welding beads.

 

[bwringer]

Stick a neodymium magnet 1/2 way into the handle. Invert shovel. Should capture any stray welding beads.

I like the way you think.

Leave the magnet in place. Cheapest labor cost by far of any of these options, and will take only a few seconds per shovel.

If the user sees it and thinks "ooh, free magnet", then they'll have to just put up with the slag bouncing around.

Experiment with some magnets from Harbor Freight or Home Despot to make sure this will work, and suss out what size magnet will do the job. There are specialist magnet suppliers that can send you 500 magnets for a reasonable price.

 

[no704]

 

[PCustoms]

So do we all get free shovels when we solve your manufacturing issue?

 

[Beerhippie]

Advertise it as a feature--it's an in-use indicator. If you don't hear the rattle, someone's slacking off on the job.

 

[Fixr]

Stick a neodymium magnet 1/2 way into the handle. Invert shovel. Should capture any stray welding beads.

If the welding beads are usefully magnetic.

 

[WWheeler]

According to the OP's first post, the manufacturing issue has been resolved.
They don't need a magnet inserted during production. They are looking for a way to resolve the slag sliding around inside the 500 shovels already made before the manufacturing issue was caught.

The drill and spray foam suggestion seems the best bet. How best to hide the hole needed to do so in the powder coated handle is the new problem. What's the best method to take is going to depend on how much effort and coin the manufacturer wants to spend. Cover with a sticker and call it a day? Insert some sort of plug in it and call it a day (and maybe cover it with a sticker)? Experiment to find a suitable touch up paint (and maybe cover it with a sticker)? Tap the hole with threads and insert a bolt/screw into it, perhaps a one-way fastener, and/or perhaps with a healthy plastering of red loctite. Maybe a stainless rivet? Weld the hole solid and flush and drop them in a chemical stripper to remove the old powder coat before re-powdercoating them?


Or just sell them as is on the factory seconds / overstock market, sold through the outlet stores / auctions / etc we collectively call 'Burnt and Bent'. That slag rattling around aint going to be a problem for someone who was willing to forgo any warranty for that 15%-20% off they got.

 

[Fixr]

Thank you, yes so far we haven't been able to find one yet that with the drill bit attached will fit inside the 1.25" hole end of the pipe.

There was one made to cut tile that looked like it might fit. I'll take another look.

 

[PCustoms]

If the welding beads are usefully magnetic.

Whut?

 

[Fixr]

Whut?

Lots of welding beads are more slag than steel. A magnet might not capture them.

 

[Fixr]

Pardon Our Interruption...

The cutting wheel appears to be held on with a screw. Substitute a really short drill bit or cutting burr with a matching threaded shank, and maybe it would work for making a hole.

 

[no704]

Drill the hole in the bottom of the tube and call it a drain. That it should have any way. Touch up with nail polish. Should be able to find a close match.

 

[Fixr]

Pardon Our Interruption...

The cutting wheel appears to be held on with a screw. Substitute a really short drill bit or cutting burr with a matching threaded shank, and maybe it would work for making a hole.

Or it may be bigger than it looks. Dental drill may still be a better choice.

 

[Fixr]

Drill the hole in the bottom of the tube and call it a drain. That it should have any way. Touch up with nail polish. Should be able to find a close match.

I like that better than my suggestions.

 

[no704]

Shake it all down to the bottom and burn thru with the welder.

 

[PCustoms]

What is this, a $30 shovel?

Sell them to a discount retailer and order another batch from wherever.

Trying to rework these for something like this is going to cost more then the shovel is worth.

 

[Beerhippie]

What is this, a $30 shovel?

Sell them to a discount retailer and order another batch from wherever.

Trying to rework these for something like this is going to cost more then the shovel is worth.

Oh, there you go with the rationality again.

 

[PCustoms]

Oh, there you go with the rationality again.

****, my bad

 

[no704]

Ship one to me. I’ll let you how bad ir is to have a little rattle! Pretty sure I’ll be more worried about the pile of **** that needs shoveling. I’ll probably be wearing my noise canceling headphones anyway.

 

[WWheeler]

Leave the slag in and use clever marketing claiming they are a 'deadblow shovel' to reduce effort required and reduce joint fatigue.

Doesn't matter if it's true or not. Now you can charge extra for them.

 

[jonindallas]

According to the OP's first post, the manufacturing issue has been resolved.
They don't need a magnet inserted during production. They are looking for a way to resolve the slag sliding around inside the 500 shovels already made before the manufacturing issue was caught.

The drill and spray foam suggestion seems the best bet. How best to hide the hole needed to do so in the powder coated handle is the new problem. What's the best method to take is going to depend on how much effort and coin the manufacturer wants to spend. Cover with a sticker and call it a day? Insert some sort of plug in it and call it a day (and maybe cover it with a sticker)? Experiment to find a suitable touch up paint (and maybe cover it with a sticker)? Tap the hole with threads and insert a bolt/screw into it, perhaps a one-way fastener, and/or perhaps with a healthy plastering of red loctite. Maybe a stainless rivet? Weld the hole solid and flush and drop them in a chemical stripper to remove the old powder coat before re-powdercoating them?


Or just sell them as is on the factory seconds / overstock market, sold through the outlet stores / auctions / etc we collectively call 'Burnt and Bent'. That slag rattling around aint going to be a problem for someone who was willing to forgo any warranty for that 15%-20% off they got.

Thank you for the time you put in to this reply. We pretty much went with as you suggested: "some sort of plug in it and call it a day"

The problem
We wanted to go through the T-Handle but we just could not find a 90 degree tool that with the bit attached would fit inside the hole of the tube. We also couldn't locate locally an extender for the dremel to be able to reach 3.5 inches in to the pipe to attempt a hole but we did try using a dremel on the outside of one of the shovels and it really didn't cut very easily. Each shovel comes with an extra decal so we thought maybe we could just peel off the old sticker and drill a hole and cover that hole with the replacement sticker but when trying to peel it off ( even with a heat gun ) the sticker comes off in micro pieces which will drive you insane.

So what did we do?
We drilled a small hole in the back of the shovel.
We used Great Stuff and sprayed about a 1 second amount inside the shaft.
We then tilted the shovel back and forth to pick up the slag.
We found a Automotive Panel Fastener from ACE hardware and inserted that in to the hole.

 

[jonindallas]

What is this, a $30 shovel?

Sell them to a discount retailer and order another batch from wherever.

Trying to rework these for something like this is going to cost more then the shovel is worth.

3X that It is a speciality shovel for a specific purpose.

 

[PCustoms]

3X that It is a speciality shovel for a specific purpose.

$90 for a shovel with quite possibly the most uncomfortable handle I've ever seen?

 

[Rabid Badger]

I have a shovel ( actually 500 of them ) that were manufactured with welder's slag rattling around inside the 1.25" pipe. We've since fixed that issue but I'm trying to figure out how to either remove that slag or immobilize it ( ie: squirt some kind of adhesive inside to get it to stick to ) instead of just junking these and losing my *** ( the slag doesn't affect the performance but the rattle is maddening. My problem is that it is completed sealed. The only thing I can think of besides drilling a hole on the outside of the shovel shaft is to try to go in through the t-handle. That would require some kind of tool to go in at a 90 degree angle and drill a hole, then squirt some adhesive and tilt the shovel to get the slag to stick to it. But, that pipe is 1.25" so it is quite a small area to work with. Attached is the area I am trying to access ( the pipe making up the handle is sealed so right now there is no access to the shaft ).
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and thank you for taking the time to read this. - Jon

The tube shouldn't be sealed. You definitely shouldn't be drilling holes and squirting in spray foam. You should have a drain hole so that any moisture that finds its way inside the handle can drain out/dry or the handles will eventually corrode from the inside out.

So: Drill a hole big enough for the slag to fall out, and leave it. Also, alter the design going forward so the tube is open at the bottom.