Mr Sellers, I'm 75, been doing simple carpentry, shed-building, minor woodworking projects for over 50 years. I've always kept an oily rag hanging on a hook, but it was always too dry (had to add oil) or too wet (...because I just added some oil). I've tried various methods to improve my oily rag, such as rolling it up and pounding on it with a hammer to distribute the oil. Nothing worked all that well. Now, I subscribed to your channel for woodworking tips, sharpening tips, tool tips...but this rag-in-a-can oiler is a perfect example of why I love your videos -- simple ideas to resolve everyday issues faced by ANY man or woman with a need to use hand tools. Thank you.

At last! A project where I definitely won't end up tearing the wood!

Sellers, in my opinion, is such a great instructor. I think it's how he varies his tone of voice and his choice of words that keeps my attention and makes his instructions easy to follow. If my teachers growing up could hold my attention half as good as Sellers, I would've enjoyed learning and had been excited to go to school.

I feel very lucky to watch a man just for the way he works. You make the specific project seem like a secondary issue. The most important thing is the state of mind of the artisan. Though I'm not even a moderate hobbyist woodworker, as a farmer - mastic grower, I want to thank you for helping me so much to calibrate my state of mind and use my body effectively on my farming. Greetings from Chios - Greece!

I completely underestimated how much this would reduce the friction on a plane. The first time I tried it I pushed with the usual amount of force and flopped belly first onto the bench and nearly threw my plane across the shop.

I am going to make Rag in a can this weekend. I am 70 years old and setting up shop in garage to make some picture frames. Been watching about one year. Made my first hand cut dove tail box. Thank God for wood filler. Franklin in Chattanooga TN.

I just spent 9 minutes watching a guy put a rag into a can. There is only one guy that could do that and keep my interest: Paul Sellers.

After too many years in a tiny city-centre flat I now have the workshop space and a house to fill with furniture. I have been binge-watching your videos for the past month, I have just made a rag-in-a-can oiler. My first project; now I need to get on and make the workbench, restore an old plane, acquire a spokeshave, sharpen tools properly… Thankyou, every moment of your presentation is informative, a pleasure to watch and listen, and learn.

This thing works great and has become a staple on my workbench ever since I heard about it. And for everyone trying to find every possible issue with it, Sellers has been using it for OVER 50 YEARS. I think if there were any issues at this point he would be well aware of it.

Brilliant idea!! I found it hard to get the rolled up fabric into the can so, I used a large screw band hose clamp around the fabric about 10-15mm above lip of the can to compress the fabric then push it in. Once pushed in loosen the clamp, move it up 15 mm and repeat. Great thing to have around.

This is what makes KZfaq so special. Little known down home ideas from around the world that are so simple yet so obscure. My grandfather actually taught me something similar to this years ago as well. He also taught me how to clean lawnmower air filters with gasoline and how to use asbestos for insulation but who's counting! ... Haha! 😂😂 Great video Paul!

Wife: lets go, we're late, wtf are you doing Me: hold on, im learning how to put a rag into a tomato can, only 7 minutes left Wife: rethinks her life choices Me: well, she left, guess i can test it out!

It's amazing how I just watched someone stuff a shirt into a can and enjoyed the whole thing. Great job Paul. Your ability to teach is amazing. Keep up the great work

My late big brother was an apprenticed carpenter. He showed me the rag in a can idea many years ago and I'm really glad Paul has this media to be able to share the idea. This video prompted me to make another one partly because after a while you can't trim the frayed cotton anymore and partly because I had a long piece of 5mm thick by 40mm wide leather to try. I prepared the can as Paul instructs, Packed the bottom with some of the oil filled tee shirt from the last can. Then I coiled the leather real tight a forced it into the can before re-charging it with 3 in 1 oil. This comment is over three years later April 2020. I'm using the same can which works no better than the rag idea but the upside is there is no fraying and it doesn't catch on saw teeth.

Thanks for letting me see that demonstrated again. It brought back memories, because it's a technique my Granddad taught me. I'm blowing my own trumpet here, but I've refined it a tad. If you use a plastic pot instead of a tin can and warm it up a bit, the plastic expands sufficiently to get the rag in easily without all the faffing about, and contracts to hold firmly, as it cools. In addition there is absolutely no chance of damaging tools with metal to metal contact when you use it.

The can I used tended to slip on the bench top. I glued a piece of rubberized drawer liner to the bottom of the can, and now it works as intended.

What to give to someone who already has everything ! Oil in a can, love it.

I just love these videos were you teach us the real know how, the tiny details, the little tools we can make. Thanks, Paul!

It's the little things that make me smile. Sticking the partly made role of cloth in the vice to hold it. Why didn't I think of that?

Great idea. My wife did the cutting/rolling after she heard me saying I needed one. Thank you.

When I started buying grown up tools, this is the first thing I made. lasts ages and REALLY SAVES the tools. Brilliant. Having paul sellers on my phone has saved me immeasurable work. Thank you Paul.

I just made myself one and will start using it tomorrow! I only came here to warn anyone willing to go for it that watching the oil dripping on the rag and getting soaked in is ADDICTIVE!!! I lost 2 hours of my time watching it go slowly drop by drop and put the whole oil container into my rag in a can! That is not a problem, but just wanted to warn you that if you're not relaxing at 10pm like I am this could cause time budgeting issues! Thanks Paul for the knowledge you pass onto us.

Simple, practical and cheap, useful for many trades not just carpentry, very nice video Paul.

I very much appreciate the improved video quality. High end cameras are not cheap, those.

Of course I'd already made one from watching Mr. Sellers' videos. Watched the video anyway. Paul's video team makes good vids.

I've been working with wood since I was five when my grandfather introduced me to woodworking, but made a rag in a can two years ago when I first saw your video and it work really well, I'm now retired so you are always learning. Thanks Paul

I made two of these for my current shop. One lives on the bench and one lives where I keep my tools.

Genius + Creativity + Simplicity = Paul Sellers . Bless you Paul, you are such a life saver 👍🙏

Thank you for the great idea. I watched the video with my wife and we made a couple of these the next day. to make things easier for my wife, I put a couple of large hose clamps around the roll of fabric to compress it when putting it into the can. She was able to put almost an entire long sleeve XL cotton shirt into an 8 ounce can - amazing!

Thank you so much for showing this to everyone, it much appreciated 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Thanks Paul! So glad you finally did this video!!

finally made one of these and all i can say is that i wish I had done so a long time ago. Wonderful tip thanks Paul!

It's funny how we think we know. I've used the same rag in a can oiler and worked with men who taught me and did the same for over five decades now and never once did I see this supposed problem occur. It just sits there on my bench wide open for daily use over a lifetime.

Today I just made my rag in a can oiler. I am excited in a few days I will have my perfect tool to oil my tools. Before I experimented with light machine oil and it is like Paul said, it leaves no markes. Thank you Paul for this awsome tip.

Your videos make me happy. Thank you.

Thank you Mr. Paul Sellers, you are the man.

Excellent - I'd made one about a week ago and I can see it's Rag-in-a-can 1.0 without some of the refinements here, but it works :) I'd suggest, not the least flippantly, that if you sold Paul Sellers t-shirts without your name on them, but with a prominent Rag-in-a-can in the center, any of your regular viewers would know who was behind it!

This is one of the very best sites I have ever found on KZfaq-! I am preparing my own workshop in the garage and a lot of the inspiration for this has come has come from watching these Paul Sellars videos, I have had the deep desire to make things with wood for many years but have been put off by my lack of knowledge, Mr Sellers is helping me overcome that and I am deeply grateful to him. Thank You Paul.

Thank you for sharing your amazing wisdom

Great tip! Thanks, Paul ... for all that you've done to advance the art of woodworking.

Paul, thanks for the great idea. I immediately saved back a can from the trash and with an old tee shirt I now have a can oiler. Two thumbs up!

Mr. Sellers I enjoy your wisdom and simple solution to things. What a great idea.

It's just timely topic for me , thank you!

Freaking Brilliant!! it's always the simple ideas that are the most powerful

Absolutely Brilliant ...... i remember my dad using one when he worked for the CO-OP cabinet / furniture making. when i was little.........thanks Paul........for sharing ..........

Thanks very much for showing us. Made one yesterday after watching this. Used a small tuna can and found a whole pillow case was the perfect fit.

I made one of these after seeing someone credit you with the idea. It's invaluable. Thank you, and I hope you're well!

Watched this several years ago and love it. It's a fixture in my shop now.

Awesome little trick!

These work great. I've used mine for awhile now. Ever since I saw it on an older one of you videos using a plane.

Fantastic Paul! Thank You, been making Sawdust for 52 of my 61 years and Honestly never thought of Your Rag in a Can. Not saying that I don't Lubricate Bladed and Irons. Far from it, but I've been more the Hunk of Bees Wax, Can of squirt oil and a rag to wipe off the excess. again Thanks ... And we Yankees might say, "Cool Tool" my friend... Have Great Week, Joe

I'm going hunting for a can now. Many thanks Paul.

You gotta just love this guy.

Wonderful idea. I’m going to make one tomorrow. You are an inspiration. Thank you.

You Sir, are a genius...

Interesting. I've worked with wood for 40 years and your the first woodworker I've seen with this. Love your videos. Thanks for sharing.

Just found your channel, I wish I had your patience You are a legend!

Pretty much every one of your videos are inspirational.

Hi there from Portugal, I use this and is great :D Obrigado(thanks)

Great idea, nice little project. Thanks for sharing!

That’s genius. I watched you use that oiling can and said to myself that I have to make one. Thank you for sharing!

Great idea. Looking forward to the next video on the stool!

thanks for making this video, love the great quality of this recording!

Thank you Paul, I have been hobby woodworking for a while and just made an oil can. I cannot believe the difference it made when I was planing some wood, like it had just been sharpened.

Nice video, Paul. I built an oiler last year, where I had seen the oiler with you. I also took an empty can of tin and then took the pants leg of an old jeans pants and then soaked with oil. I also use the oiler for my saws and planer. Thanks for the interesant and educational videos. Greetings from Germany.

Its a useful thing, I have something similar I made using one of those tubes you get drill bits in, that way I have a lid on it. I can then keep mine in the tool box without making a mess. I use mine with cheap motor oil as its for rough outdoor work and preventing tools rusting.

Excelent gadget and superb filming and music. So appropriate metal string on a wooden guitar and that's the essence of woodworking steel and wood. Bravo!

Great idea Paul. Seen you use this many times. Thanks for sharing how you make one. I'm surprised how much rag you can get in a can. All the best. Really enjoy the videos thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

I wish I had the means to bring you to my shop and keep you for several days; you've likely forgotten more of what interests me than I'll know. Thank you for what you're doing here on KZfaq.

I made one and it works great!

I've been waiting for this video for 2 years!

Who would ever think I would watch Paul folding and rolling some cloth, lol. I'm an addict :) ty

I will definitely make that for myself. Thanks!

Great tip thanks Paul.

Will probably make one to keeo my milling machine table oiled, no more oily hands from oily rags!

Perfect as always.

Thanks great tip! Made mine a couple weeks ago.

I made one tonight... I used flour sack cloth dish towels and a $0.26 can of tomato sauce. I ironed two of the dish towels and this made them easier to roll and put in the can. Thanks!

Thanks for the video, it's an amazing idea and easy on the wallet. I just made one with an empty fruit can that I cut in half and a few washcloths I cut into strips to fit. I found the washcloths would slide in and out pretty easily, probably due to my can not having a rim. So I anchored the cloths in place by drilling a couple screws in the side of the can. I noticed the screw heads that stick out also help me grip the can and manipulate it around easier.

thanks Paul, i like the oil /rag can, I saw you use it in a lot of your videos, was wondering about it, now I know, again thanks for the tip

Thank you Paul

Finally!! A project i CAN make without even sharpening & it smells good too!! I guess covering the face of your vise with leather is another of those SECRET ideas.. Thanks Paul.. Gary/Hk Luthier in Training @ 51 years old..

Hi Paul. My tools tend to rust very quickly in my workshop. Your video inspired me to make one of these today. I used an old towel, which I'm hoping will be just as good. Thank you.

Wonderful & thanks. I'll go make my own now.

Thanks, I made one last weekend using a can and some old bath cloths. I think it will work out fine.

Made one of these a few years back. Was surprised that it took like 500 gallons of oil to fill! LOL But after a few days of filling and letting it sit, it puts on a perfect amount of oil to any tool. Not too much, not too little with no drips or leaks. Brilliant!

I’m eating beans on toast just to make one , in the bin go my oily rags thank you

Thanks! When lubricating saws and planes at school, most people looked for a can of paste wax, which was messy and did not provide full coverage to the saw or plane. This is perfect. I used a regular sized Campbell's Soup Can and 1½ TShirts, cut in a strip, and about 8oz of 3-in-1 Oil, about 2 bottles. Works perfectly.

Awsome! I am going to try this to use to finish my blacksmithing pieces. Although I think the rag would have to be quite a bit more soaked with oil. It would also work for keeping a protective coat on my hammers and tongs.

Thanks Mr.Sellers

In addition to a rag-in-a-can, I also have a second one that is the same, except for being tied with sisal around it instead of being stuffed into a can. That one, I use for oiling and cleaning my oil stones and anything cast iron, and as it gets dirty, I shave off the top with a knife, and it's ready again.

i looove videos like this!

Thanks for sharing!!

Wonderfull, I'll make one rigth now. Thanks Paul

Great tips!! Thanks for sharing : )

I made a second Rag-in-a-can Oiler for the bathroom. I use it to coat my razor after shaving. I have a Dovo Bismarck and an antique made by the Electric Cutlery Co. I refer to it as my Electric Shaver. You may not want to hone a chisel or plane iron on a 15000 grit Shapton stone, but I can sure feel a difference on my face! Smoothest shave I have ever achieved!

Paul you are such a funny fella ya know . quite simplicity but they way u did it made me chuckle god bless always

My grandfather kept cotton waste around for wiping oil off, and used the oily waste to wipe down his tools. Mr Sellers has a neater method. I will watch the pantry for just the right size can. Thanks!

Made one a couple of months ago, and using it frequently.

Thanks for that Paul will do.