Trouble opening Sceptre MFC? Story including a solution

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sirenmoses

sirenmoses

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Threads
143
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3,269
Location
7400', central NM
Bought mine from a known Mudseller, no issues. Inspected and rinsed all w/str8 gas upon receipt. Filled a couple w/regular fuel for the 60 in the fall, no issues. :)

Took another set in w/me for premium fuel so's I could keep the DD's on the road this winter. One opened easily, the next, not so much. :mad:

Tried altitude and temperature changes, wd40, bench vise and a spanner... that beast wouldn't open. :manybadwords: :censor:

A Very Wise Mechanical Person suggested inserting the cap into the vise and turning the body of the can. Tried it once, no luck. VWMP tried it, success. :clap:


Tip: if you resort to a vice, put the lid in, keep the handles out, and be prepared for minor spillage. :whoops:
 
All's I can think is "Don't try this at home."
:p
:D
 
Strap wrench.
 
I made a spanner out of pipe. The pieces that fit on the cap are large-ish diameter so that the fit in the curved indentations of the cap. It works much better than any thing else I tried, including a strap wrench.


Mark...
 
CJ-

Sorry to hear about this issue. I would go 2x with a pipe strap wrench if this happens again- this is what I have..... How badly is the cap damaged? I would double check the gasket and flange to make sure they were not damaged in the said wrestling match. If I was your supplier for the MFCs PM me, I maybe able to help out if the cap is not in suitable working condition.



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Even with diesel they can be stiff. Dont forget when you go up in altitude the fuel inside pressurizes making it even harder to open.
 
Strap wrench works if you have one but...what if you dont? I got lazy the other day and didnt take the filler nozzle off after filling up and went back to the camp fire to eat. couple hours later, the temp dropped and the nozzle was practically locked on for good.

after some choice words...thought to use a ratchet strap doubled back on itself and used the ratchet as the handle, something similar to the strap wrench. One good pull and it was off!
 
no strap wrench handy, did try a spanner and backboard strap, in all their permutations. Gasket and lid was fine once opened.

Alt diff is less than 1k, temp dif around 40.

Will pm vendor once I try the rest of the items purchased.

Mark W said:
I made a spanner out of pipe. The pieces that fit on the cap are large-ish diameter so that the fit in the curved indentations of the cap. It works much better than any thing else I tried, including a strap wrench.


Mark...
Click to expand...

could you set up a pix? the outside lugs beg to be turned, while the inside resisted a 1 3/4" spanner, as the lugs weren't tall enuf for proper grip.
 
Been using a strap wrench for a few years now, opened dozens and dozens of cans with them. I too would prefer a spanner wrench, we actually drew one up that was big enough to cleanly secure the cap yet compact enough that it would drop into the Scepter spout storage bag. Not long after that they announced they would no longer be importing them in the US and it let the steam out of a mass production of the spanner wrenches.
 
sirenmoses said:
could you set up a pix? the outside lugs beg to be turned, while the inside resisted a 1 3/4" spanner, as the lugs weren't tall enuf for proper grip.
Click to expand...



I seemed to have misplaced my spanner. :(I have a vague memory of it getting left behind on the trail. :(

I'll see if I can do a rough sketch in Pain or some other quick and dirty sketch program sometime soon.


Mark...
 
A friend sent me this link which has prompted me to make my first post here. A trip down the Kokopelli had me cussing up a storm as I was unable to open the cans. I finally found two small allen wrenches and put them in the holes around the cap. I used a breaker bar, fighting with it every step of the way, and finally coerced the cans open. I knew that I could do better so I invented the "Scepter Wrench". As a custom woodworker, I have all the tools to do the job right so I figured I should just solve this problem. My revised unit also includes a cutout to permit tightening and loosening the pour nozzle. Interestingly, I showed this to my brother who has been in the military for 24 years and he said that he can't believe Scepter doesn't mold handles like this from plastic. He said a tool like this would have been very welcome when he was in Iraq.

Scepter2.jpg

Scepter3.jpg

Scepter5.jpg
 
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I had just posted up on Rising Sun, telling him to put them into production and make some money.
 
I can make 'em for anyone that wants them. I step lightly as every forum has different rules. PM me.
 
Very nice approach. Very well done. The two handle design is much easier to use then a single handle.

What would the cost be?


Mark...
 
See your PMs, Mark.
 
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