I'm not sure how this part is actually used but after watching a video on how to shake paint cans more easily there was a hack to get around one of these drains to take plug, remove the wing nut and attach a 12 inch pipe to the other end. Insert the threaded part into the drill, insert the paint can into the tube and twist. The little ball in the paint can spins like crazy and you can pulse your drill to mix the paint. In fact, up to 10 seconds is enough and you save yourself minutes of shaking. Works like a charm and costs less than $10 to set everything up.