DIY Oil transfer pump

[Hughman]

Getting ready to change the hydro oil on my tractor. Last time I used one of those cheap harbor freight plunger style hand pumps. Not fun with 10+ gallons of oil. This time I started research on buying an electric transfer pump. Then I remembered I had an old fresh water diaphragm pump out of an RV. It had developed a leak and wouldn't hold pressure. Kept the old pump thinking I would rebuild it someday and keep it as a spare. Added a couple of 1/2" hoses for suction/discharge and wired it to a 12v battery charger. Works great, fast and since oil is thicker than water and I'm not trying to hold pressure in a closed system, the pump doesn't even leak. The wife makes fun of me for never throwing anything away. Ha!

 

[Dwellonroof]

I like the way you think.

 

[TractorGuy]

I've used a cheap diesel fuel pump to change the 25 gallons out in my backhoe. Takes a while but as long as all I got to do is make sure the 5 gallon pails don't overfill I'm happy.

Wife is always asking if I need to keep everything in my garage. This morning she asked if I needed that big ol band saw in the corner. I told her when I did need it it was great to have. An hour later I needed to cut some wedges to fix our wheelbarrow. Set the saw up in vertical mode and made what I needed.

 

[PILOON]

LOL, yep, I'm sure I have one of those somewhere.
For sure the day you toss out that thing you will need it within a week.
Problem is that as you get more senior you remember you have it but the 64K question is where.
Now a shop cleaning/reorganizing is one fun session as you find all those items you blamed your better half for having tossed them out.
PS, she id the same way. Must have 250 cook books! -- but we eat well.

 

[newbury]

Getting ready to change the hydro oil on my tractor. Last time I used one of those cheap harbor freight plunger style hand pumps. Not fun with 10+ gallons of oil. This time I started research on buying an electric transfer pump. Then I remembered I had an old fresh water diaphragm pump out of an RV. It had developed a leak and wouldn't hold pressure. Kept the old pump thinking I would rebuild it someday and keep it as a spare. Added a couple of 1/2" hoses for suction/discharge and wired it to a 12v battery charger. Works great, fast and since oil is thicker than water and I'm not trying to hold pressure in a closed system, the pump doesn't even leak. The wife makes fun of me for never throwing anything away. Ha!

Same type here. I've got lot's of things I probably should have thrown away but I'm constantly finding that with a little modification they can be repurposed. Just recently had a stain on a small area on a ceiling with a popcorn surface I needed to spray bleach on. I've an old Waterpik that didn't quite work. Repurposed it to spray bleach.
Sort of a micro pressure washer.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

One of the tricks is to remember where you put it and on occasion that's the part that pisses me off, when you know dam well that there is one in there somewhere.

Worked with #1 son last weekend adding cruise control to his motorcycle and he showed up totally prepared. Finished everything up except for the LED indicator and I asked him for the resistor it showed on the diagram so oh ****. I smiled as the brain kicked in and pointed to a set of wall bins and said there should be an extra 2 pack on top from the LED we did on his Jeep. Love it.

 

[newbury]

The trick to remember is to have places you can easily file stuff. AND THEN FILE THE STUFF.
I've 4 "workshops" total of about 5,500 sq feet arranged in an L shape. It's often about 50 yards between tools and projects and I have a bum leg.
I used to be limited to about 100 sq ft of space and everything was within reach.