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The Sheet Metal Oil Bottle for rg34

Slash

Gray Ghost Moderator
Staff member
The Sheet Metal Oiler is a simplified oil bottle constructed primarily from stamped metal components. These oilers function essentially the same as the earlier finely machined metal, phenolic material, or simplified versions. Although somewhat crude, the sheet metal oilers are still designed to store lubricant in a hollow body which can be delivered from either a spring loaded spout or bottom fitting. It is my belief that these oilers are the latest and most simplified type to be designed and provided for the rg34 cleaning kit.

The oil bottle is constructed of 13 parts. Spout assembly - spout, bushing, bolt, spring. Body assembly - body, neck fitting. Bottom assembly - cup, washer, upper gasket, internal spring, base plate, rivet, lower gasket.

Research seems to indicate these oil bottles were manufactured by only one company. All of the oilers examined are remarkably similar in construction. In measuring the various parts there are only very minor variations in size. The appearance is also identical with the exception of finishes noted. All of the oil bottles of this type are unmarked without a maker’s name or code.

There are two styles of these oil bottles with only the body showing any variation. Some oil bottles were fabricated from two pieces of tube stock welded together around the body. These examples display a distinct welded seam at or near the center. In some cases the weld seam is narrow and precise while others may exhibit a wider and rather sloppy bead. In most case there is evidence of damage to the finish caused by the heating of the metal from the welding process. This would seem to indicate that the completed body was not blued or otherwise refinished after the two “halves” were joined.

Other oil bottles have a body crafted from a single piece of tube stock. They are seamless or full, without having a weld bead. Both types share the same construction with a machined neck assembly inserted at the top and a flared, crimped base with coarse internal threading. The neck assembly is pressure fit into the body and is tapped to accept the spout bolt. It should be noted that the neck assembly is unusual in that it is fully threaded; from the top face through the entire fitting. All previous oil bottle variations have a neck assembly which features recessed threading. The early machined, phenolic, and simplified metal oil bottles all have recessed threading which begins approximately 4 mm within the neck of the fitting. Threading the entire neck fitting eliminated a production step and simplified construction.

The stamped spout is internally fitted with a machined bushing at the tip. The bushing is beveled to fit against the bolt sealing the oiler from leakage. The tip of the spout is double crimped to hold the bushing in place. This crimping is very distinct on some oil bottles while nearly undetectable on others. The bright steel bolt is slotted at the tip with a hole drilled laterally beneath. The bolt is partially hollow to allow for the flow of oil. The spring is almost always ground at each end.

The bottom cup is also fabricated of metal stampings. The primary piece being the bottom cup with coarsely stamped threading. An internal spring is held in place by a single rivet extending through the base plate and the cup finishing when flattened against a small flat washer with leather gasket. A second leather gasket is installed at the bottom of the threading to abate leakage. The sides of the bottom cup have stamped or incised lateral gripping lines.

These oil bottles can be found in various finishes. Many are blued in a variety of shades. Some near glossy or even plum while other are flat or very weakly finished. Black and gray phosphate have also been observed as well as unfinished or “in the white” pieces. Any one oil bottle can be found with components in very different finishes. A blued body with gray phosphate spout as an example is not uncommon. Or even a blued bottom cup with a base plate exhibiting no finish. It seems clear that the oilers were assembled from whatever parts were available or on-hand irrespective of finish.

These oil bottles begin to appear in late 1943 and are primarily found in rg34 behälter from the Braunsweigische Blechwarenfabrik firm. It is unknown if the oilers were fabricated by Braunsweigische or subcontracted from another manufacturer. The oil bottles can be found in arr and rco coded kits from 1943 through the last examples produced in 1945. Braunsweigische manufactured an enormous quantity of cleaning kits during that period and examples can be found containing simplified steel, phenolic, or these sheet metal oil bottles. All can be correct for this maker during these years.

The oil bottles with welded body seem to be the first type produced. The welded oilers are more often observed in the 1943 kits and are very often noted with a blued finish to the body. The seamless body oilers are more frequently found in the cans from late 1944 into 1945. These oilers are also more often encountered in phosphate or without any finish suggesting later manufacture. The welded body oilers also seem to be more commonly encountered than the seamless variation. In compiling information from several hundred cleaning kits as well as “loose” sheet metal oil bottles, the welded type outnumber the seamless version by approximately two to one.

Another observation after comparing the details of a large quantity of sheet metal oil bottles is a difference in overall length. In almost all cases the seamless oilers are longer than the welded oil bottles. Average overall body length of a seamless version is 101.82 mm. The welded version’s overall length is 99.10 mm on average. As mentioned previously, the construction of these oil bottles and the dimensions of their component parts are extremely consistent. After careful examination, the exception to this statement is the length of the oiler’s body. The body section of the welded oilers are shorter than the seamless versions creating the difference in overall length. The average body length of a welded version is 63.25 mm. While the seamless version body length average is 65.00 mm. Measurements for the other components (spout, bolt, spring, bottom, base, etc) do not exhibit significant variance. For whatever reasons the welded body oilers are consistently shorter than the seamless style.

1) A selection of sheet metal oil bottles, welded and full or seamless. Note different finishes.

2) Two seamless and two welded oilers for comparison. The welded pattern slightly shorter than the full. Note also the difference in finish, weld seams, and spout crimping.

3) A welded oil bottle disassembled into its three primary segments. The grinding to the end of the spring is visible. Note also the heat damage to the blueing from the welding process.

4) Two seamless oilers with gray phosphate bodies, blued bases, and “in the white” (no-finish) spouts.

5) Oilers from photo 4 showing the different bluing of the bottom cup and base plates (one blued, the other in the white).

6) A seamless oiler with body and bottom cup in the white, the spout blued.

7) Oiler from photo 6 which also shows the very distinct crimping to the spout

8) A seamless oil bottle with black phosphate body, blued bottom cup, and plum spout.

9) Oiler from photo 8. The spout appears to be without any crimp markings.

10) Rearview of three full body oil bottles showing the different finishes of the bottom cups and base plates.
 

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A very few sheet metal oil bottles in a variant pattern have been observed. These oil bottles are of the seamless variety with a blued finish. The readily observable primary difference is the variant shaped spout. The spout has a unique profile featuring a very short collar section. The angle or slope of the “cone” is also shorter and less pronounced. The final tip section of the spout is longer than the typical version. The overall size of the spout itself however is shorter than the standard configuration. The average typical spout is 27.15 mm while this variant style is 25.50 mm in length.

The oil bottle is also interesting in that although seamless, its overall length of 98.00 mm is more consistent with the typical welded type. Once again the difference is in the body. As mentioned above the average lengths for standard oiler bodies is 63.25 mm (welded) and 65.00 mm (seamless). This oiler body is 63.81 mm in length which is notably shorter than would be expected for a seamless version. Measurements for the other components (bolt, spring, bottom, etc) are consistent with those of the more commonly encountered sheet metal oilers. In fact these components are interchangeable. Length of the spout and body are the only significant differences in dimensions.

There is also a difference in the fabrication of the neck assembly. As mentioned previously the sheet metal oil bottles feature a fully threaded neck fitting. This oiler is tapped with recessed threading as are the earlier oil bottles (machined metal, phenolic, or later simplified). The recessed space in this case measuring 3 mm.

Lastly, the stamped circular base plate of the bottom cup assembly is slightly different in shape and appearance as is the securing rivet. All of these sheet metal oil bottles are scarce and desirable. The variant pattern sheet metal oiler is very rarely encountered. In many years of collecting and research I have only recorded three examples.

1) Comparison view of three oil bottles; from the top - seamless, variant, and welded. Note the lengths.

2) Same oil bottles photo 1 in detail for comparison. Note the very crude bead on the welded body.

3) Additional image of the spouts for comparison. The typical pattern with welded body is at the right in each.

4) Additional image of the spouts for comparison.

5) Details of the variant spout. The spout crimping is very distinct on the standard piece.

6) The spouts removed for additional comparison.

7) Good image of the removed spouts showing the beveled internal bushing as well as crimps. Variant at left.
 

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Great post!! Alan it like a book chapter......

They are very interesting oilers, and one I’ve yet to get
 
Have tried to provide pics to show the details of what has been discussed. Especially to show and contrast the differences between the standard and variant style oilers. Anyone having additional examples, especially of the variant pattern are encouraged to post here.
Thoughts and/or comments of any type are of course welcome.

1) The body example at left is the type seen on all standard pattern sheet metal oil bottles. The neck fitting is fully tapped or threaded. The variant body is at right showing the recessed threading to the neck fitting.

2) A more detailed view of photo 1. Also note the better quality and finishing of the neck fitting through the upper body of the variant. Almost appears to be machined. The neck fitting to body joining on the standard pattern is rough, appearing gapped, and out of tolerance. Variant at right.

3) Three oil bottles showing details of the bottom cup. The variant example is at center. Standard pattern welded at left and full body on right. Note the different shape of the variant base plate - shallower center and wider circle stamping. The rivet is also slightly smaller and with a different head.
 

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A definitive study of the sheet steel oiler...thanks Slash for both sharing and the effort undertaken with your research. Albert Speer would have approved!
 
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I often wonder if they made the first batch slightly too long and had to go back and shorten them by cutting the body in the middle and welding It. I’ll have to see how many variants I have.


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I often wonder if they made the first batch slightly too long and had to go back and shorten them by cutting the body in the middle and welding It. I’ll have to see how many variants I have.


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Interesting idea. There sure isn’t much room to be too tall.
 
Seems possible but IMO unlikely. Is it possible these were two piece by design? Maybe to save on material, using smaller metal "blanks"?

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
 
Also possible. Maybe a piece of tube cut X number of pieces and one half, and they salvaged it.
 
Without a doubt, a careful and detailed study of the sheet metal oiler. Thank you very much Slash for your hard and splendid work!

Very interesting to know about the existence of the variant in the mouthpiece, I was unaware of this.

I totally agree that the sheet metal oiler was the final evolution of the Ölkanne patented in 1933. Gustav Appel in his patent already stated the possibility of manufacturing the oiler in different materials such as Blech (sheet metal). The most obvious differences between this sheet metal oiler and the patent's design were the elimination of the ventilation holes (Lufteinlaßöffnungen) in the base and the incorporation of a sealing washer in the base spindle. Another interesting aspect in these sheet metal oilers was the use of washers made from Presstoff or artificial leather. Presstoff was made of specially layered and treated paper pulp.

Regarding the issue of the oilers with the welded body, although other hypotheses cannot be ruled out, I am of the opinion that perhaps the first batch could have been manufactured out of tolerance (longer) and were cut and reassembled by welding. This would explain the difference in length of these, shorter, compared to those manufactured in one piece, as well as the fact that these are mainly found in assembled kits from late 1943 to early/mid 1944.

Attached several photos of the bottom piece:
1. Note that the washer on this oiler is somewhat worn out and the layers are separating.
2. The sealing washer in the base spindle with the bottom plate actioned.
3. With the sealing washer in good condition it is more difficult to appreciate the layered material.

Antoni
 

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Hello all -

I was watching a GB auction (which just ended above $281) that featured an RG34 with a sheet metal oiler. I was hesitant to enter the race as the pictures reflect an example that does not marry up with any of the examples included in this thread nor anything I could find in multiple internet searches. Does this appear to be a valid example?

Thanks,

Ernie
 

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Take a look at Slash's post #2. Oiler is the "short cap" type. This arr42 kit with arr43 HKW and oiler looks pretty square. I would not discount the likelihood the kit is original as issued based on what I see. It was probably assembled very early in 1943. If so, it may indicate the "short cap" sheet steel oiler was a first pattern. Perhaps the cap did not provide enough support and is why most sheet steel oilers have longer ones. Was going to take a shot at the kit as well, but in short order bids had already exceeded my max, so watched it take off into the wild blue yonder...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/900967462
 
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Slash,
fantastic write-up!

In terms of resource use & manufacturing processes, I find the welded-tube sheet metal oilers amazing. To fabricate the device as 2 pieces joined by a liquid-tight weld makes no sense economically, (energy use) & that these are the majority of examples extant, boggles the mind. I’d love to have been a fly on the wall at meetings where this was planned & executed. Small wonder they lost the war.....
 

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