Does anyone know of a jig to help load insulin into t:slim cartridges?
It seems that this is the most mechanically demanding step in dealing with a Tandem pump and worsening vision and/or hand stability make this more challenging as we get older. I’m now 73 … Hitting the little white rubber seal with a comparatively fat needle is getting to be more of a challenge.
If there is not a pre-existing jig, I would be interested in helping develop something suitable for this task and would welcome thoughts and suggestions relative to designing something suitable.
I am legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and not from diabetes. I do have a bit of central vision left. I have always held the pump vertically for all the filling operations. I was still able to find the “white” spot even when I had a broken arm. Keeping the pump in a vertical position for all operations helps pump any residual air out of the cartridge when filling the tubing. And it is very easy to stick the needle into the “white” spot, which is not critical for centering. You may want to try this before buying anything.
Not totally relevant, but I’ve never seen the word jig used in this sense before. Is it a regionalism? Shortening of thingamajig?
(To me, the original poster is asking for a jaunty dance to load the cartridge which sounds like an excellent idea!)
Jig in this sense has fallen out of common use. It could be a device that acts as a template or to hold a piece while a particular machine work is being done. Jigs or fixtures were often used in woodworking. I know I haven’t been clear. This site is better,
: any of several fishing devices that are jerked up and down or drawn through the water
b
: a device used to maintain mechanically the correct positional relationship between a piece of work and the tool or between parts of work during assembly
c
: a device in which crushed ore is concentrated or coal is cleaned by agitating in water
I am using it in the 3b definition. I spent my career working in a research lab, where it was a frequently used term. Clearly not so much in the real world …
It’s still a really common word in the world of craftsmanship. On our homestead we have jigs in the barn for woodworking, and I have jigs I use for wirework/chainmaille, sewing, and leather work (though those are also called clams???).
I think the problem is that in modern society we’ve moved away from making things ourselves. Most people get everything they need from the store now, so have never had need of a jig.
That’s no fun, 2 of my sisters were in SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). I never got into that, but I looked into ways to make chain mail armor as a brain exercise.
If anyone needs a jig to load the cartridge (which I understand as my wife has vision problems and has a very hard time ejecting the cartridge) then tandem is not doing their job. The amazon one had horrible reviews. The problem with making a jig is that the needle can be spot on and still not want to bottom. I will think about this as I am half a fabricator sometimes.
I use the word jig all the time in this sense.
Reality is if you wet the cartridge with water or if you lick it, it will slide into place with no issues.
In the machining process, as the tool cuts off the unnecessary material from the workpiece, a cutting force will be generated on the workpiece. To resist the cutting force and allow the cutting process to be completed, the workpiece must be firmly clamped on the machine tool. The device that positions and clamps the workpiece is called a fixture. The device that holds and guides the cutting tool is called a jig.
