Hey everyone! I'm currently working on an exciting DIY project that involves creating a gravity fed system for precise liquid measurements. I'm aiming for high accuracy, around 1mL, and I want the setup to be completely mechanical, relying on hydrostatic pressure from bottles positioned upside down.
One application I have in mind is a cocktail bar, where instead of manually pouring 1 shot of a liquid, I want the system to dispense it for me. I've considered a design similar to a gumball machine, where each turn of a valve could release a preset amount, like 5mL. Does anyone have suggestions for existing products or innovative ideas to help achieve this?
2 Answers
You might not find a 5mL option easily, but liquor bottle pour tops that deliver half-ounce portions are pretty common. Just turn the bottle upside down, and they do the measuring for you!
The question's a bit broad, but if you need precise measurements, you could look into lab equipment like pipettes or industrial fluid metering devices. While you can find pump tops, the gravity-fed aspect makes things trickier.
For fluid metering, devices tend to focus on constant flow rates, but there are various options that dispense set volumes. Just make sure all components are food-grade and resistant to whatever you’re dispensing—especially if it’s for beverages!
If you're considering alternatives, you might want to check pharmacology sites, although those can be pricey. There's a dispenser I found that gives you 1mL increments ranging from 5 to 150 mL.