Making a glass carboy shatterproof?

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....I think I'm at minimum, putting a thick coat of plastidip on the bottom makes sense for avoiding chipping the glass on concrete floors...

I'm interested in how well plastidip adheres to glass, so if you end up trying this out please report back your results, specifically adherence to glass. I also would consider their other product 'rubber dip', or some other rhino-lining-type product.
 
I'm interested in how well plastidip adheres to glass, so if you end up trying this out please report back your results, specifically adherence to glass. I also would consider their other product 'rubber dip', or some other rhino-lining-type product.

They talked about it in the original thread I posted.
 
To make your glass carboys shatterproof, just... Be careful with them!! Otherwise, buy plastic.

Long discussion for such a short answer.


#2. From a clogged airlock or blowoff?
And I'm guessing #1 was dropping it. A clogged airlock will not shatter glass, unless you've already dropped it on it's head a few times and even then I doubt it. Just be careful with your glass and it won't break or shatter and it can keep you happy for a lifetime. I love my glass carboys.
 
There is only one way....and it involves a hammer.

The longer I brew, the more I wonder why anyone would ferment in a breakable light whore.;)

I actually had my bucket sitting wher the sun hit it for a few minutes. I moved it.

I am wierd though. I brew, seal it up with airlock and don't peek until I syphon. No samples, no readings, no peeking.

That's my method. Into the bucket where it sits in the "freezer" for 3 weeks. Then right into the bottles. That's when I take the first SG reading since putting it into the fermenter.
 
That's my method. Into the bucket where it sits in the "freezer" for 3 weeks. Then right into the bottles. That's when I take the first SG reading since putting it into the fermenter.

:mug:

:off:It works. I just made a really light pale ale after doing tons of very flavorful beers. I was actually a little concerned that such a clean light beer would reveal some off flavors the big beers had been hiding...

A buddy brought over a sixer of 2 hearted. He drank one, and after tasting my new brew left the remaining five bells here after having 6 or 7 of my brews. All is as it should be!
 
How about coating in polyurethane? It'd still be somewhat more transparent then plasti-dip and you could probably go thicker on the coatings.

Maybe wrapping the carboy in chicken wire for some mechanical blast insulation and then putting a layer of poly around that would secure it for the most part.

Safety glass is two pieces of glass sandwiched between polycarbonate - not quite sure how they bond it. Keeps the whole glassy mess stuck together rather than fragmenting into people.
 
Ii would say there is two sides to the coin of this predicament. As far as if you were to use a material to protect the carboy from shattering into dangerous sized pieces, using a dark colored material would be beneficial for protecting against light damage but it could be detrimental to the cleanliness of your carboy. That can of flex seal if it adhered to glass well would most likely do the trick but like I said would also make it a pain in the neck to make sure you got all of that pesky krausen ring off from your last batch.

I would personally IMHO try either a clear somewhat permanent material like maybe carpet tape which is extremely strong and store where there is no worry of light exposure Or maybe go with something removable like a black yoga mat which has nice grip but would need to be reconfigured maybe cut out and made into an almost carboy sized "beer coozie". Which you can use for light protection and shatter protection when moving your carboy and be removed when cleaning those pain in the ass spots in your carboy so you can visually see that you got all of that beautiful gook out of there.

Good luck. Let us know which route you decide to take. Cheers.
 
I'm curious if the protective layer is going to allow a fracture to end up with less energy behind the final blowout or if it is going to stall the blowout until higher pressures are achieved and the vessel gives way more spectacularly. Like if this were to be applied to bottling with growlers you might go from bottle bombs to bottle nukes.

I was doing some volunteerwork down South a few years after the hurricanes and Anheuser had sent over a ton of palettes of canned water which went horribly bad (strange metallic taste from the aluminum, I don't think there was an inner coating/barrier to the cans; stagnant water). No one was drinking these. So with some scrap metal twists kicking around we wrapped up the cans and threw them in a bonfire we had going at camp. The reinforced cans lasted longer in the fire but gave a much bigger bang when they went off.
 
I'm tempted to make a new thread: "How to commit to glass... a guide and prep guide on how glass is awesome but it allows light and it will shatter itself all over you randomly. Know thyself and make the right decision." PS I'd rather buy a huge unwieldy glass carboy and take my chance than buying all new better bottle bungs. I've already paid $5 on 5 bungs which is totally ****ing out there. Give me free bungs or give me death.

If you are trying to make glass shatterproof for real then you are too sexy or awesome.
 
I guess this guys invention is pretty shatter proof. I think this product would be great if it included straps or handles to assist in lifting the carboy. He had a crowd-source funding site on indiegogo, but not sure if he is still pursuing this project. Check out the video. I can't believe he held on to the bottle as he was slamming it on the concrete.

 
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the vessel gives way more spectacularly

That's what I was thinking about this subject. I don't know that it's a good idea to even try to make glass shatter-proof. You might get more then you bargained for. And I don't think what that guy in the video is doing is a good idea either. Don't try this at home, kids.
 
That's all well and good but when and if you drop your carboy how likely is it that the carboy will land perfectly vertical and not tip or land on its side or diagonally. I'd like to see a video of what happened to that carboy in a scenario like I described above.
 
Rather than shatterproof I picture a safety glass type deal. Some sort of coating, like plastic dip or bedliner which would contain the carnage of a shattered carboy. Car windshield are designed to break into tiny pieces so they don't gore you open. Follow? The only way to be shatter proof, emphasis on proof, would be fiber glass. My two cents
 
Rather than shatterproof I picture a safety glass type deal. Some sort of coating, like plastic dip or bedliner which would contain the carnage of a shattered carboy. Car windshield are designed to break into tiny pieces so they don't gore you open. Follow? The only way to be shatter proof, emphasis on proof, would be fiber glass. My two cents

Kevlar is the way to go. It is extremely difficult to puncture, which is why it can stop a bullet. This is exactly the type of protection you want around the carboy.

Kevlar can come in a woven fabric: they do make clothes out of it. I suppose a carboy cover could be made from it, sort of like a brew hauler. Believe me, the shards aren't coming through that stuff.

Check this out - Kevlar Clothing for Glass Handlers


GJ24-480-glass-handlers-kevlar-jacket-IMG.jpg
 
This idea is moot and really not worth investigating. Want a shatterproof carboy? use a sanke keg.

The reason the idea of wrapping up/coating a carboy is silly is because anything that will do what you want will also insulate the heck out of it and/or be hard to clean. Even with a temp controlled environment the internal temp of that carboy is going to get WAY to high...

HOWEVER, If you REALLY are hell bent on doing it this is what I would do: I would take sand paper to the outside of the carboy to scratch it up. Head to Walmart and buy a roll of blue camp pad (used under a sleeping bag) cut the appropriate circle for the bottom then a rectangle for the side, sand the surfaces that are going to be against the glass. Take an old paint brush and a can of DAP woodweld apply it to the bottom of the carboy and the sanded pad when the DAP is tacky carefully roll the pad on. Repeat the process for the side piece. Cover the edges with Gorrilla tape to hold the pad in place while the DAP dries. Apply as many layers of foam until you feel it is "safe" Once it is all dry, Plasti-dip it.

Note: you will get 1 attempt at the application. DAP is HIGHLY flammable and so is it's fumes, which are heavier than air. Use it outside! When you get it on your skin use cooking spray like Pam to get it off.
 
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