Ever used a gamma lid on a primary fermenter bucket?

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sparegeek

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The fermenting bucket that I got with my kit has a snap on plastic lid with a seal in the lid. Every time I try to take off the lid to take a hydrometer reading I find my self struggling to get the dumb thing off!

Has anyone ever tried using a gamma lid and drilling a hole for the grommet and air lock?

Just wondering if that would make it easier to get into the bucket for readings.

Can anyone think of any cons of this idea?
 
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Im not saying your weak or anything but have you ever thought about training your grip? Theres a company i buy things from called ironmind they just about have everything from grip training to power lifting. They used to have tips on training for "home made" methods just dont try the big sledge hammer touch your nose one b/c thats just plain dangerous i dont care how tough you are. But training pinch grip and crushing grip timed holds etc.... Its not a bad idea i do it all the time! I snatch my lids off like nothing. I have gorilla hands lol! Like i said im not saying your weak or anything even powerlifters need to train grip b/c thats first thing that goes they can move the weight but cant hold onto it so.... Bending nails and grade 8 bolts too. Tearing phone books the "none" cheater way and take 5 pound sledge hold at end in front of you and rotate side to side forward and backwards. Grab a newspaper crinkcle it up into hands into a ball with finger tips. Have a 2x4 on floor grab it thumb up and fingers under(end though not sideways) and try lift level then when can add weight. Theres so many things you can do to help hand strength its crazy i do time holds for pinch grip with 50 pounds of sand in a bucket with a make shift board and eye hooks thru 5 gallon bucket handle. Captain of crush grippers i lock out number 2 still cant get consistent though supposed to be rated at 195 pounds but i want to slam 3 and 4. Like i said im not saying weak or anything but training your grip might help out for things like this :rockin:

OH or lifting the blob is another one and hub training Google it :) Train hand power though you will be tearing everything apart :)
 
@jonmohno

Yes they do, they're designed to be air tight. They used a lot by survivalist that store food in buckets a lot. They are and water tight.

@DeRim

I've never seen those I'll have to take a look at them. The other bucket just look so easy to open.

My grip is probably not the strongest but Those buckets are just not easy to open either. Besides if I can make it easier to open and and work s,arter then I will.

I might give it a try and see how they work.
 
Im not saying your weak or anything but have you ever thought about training your grip? Theres a company i buy things from called ironmind they just about have everything from grip training to power lifting. They used to have tips on training for "home made" methods just dont try the big sledge hammer touch your nose one b/c thats just plain dangerous i dont care how tough you are. But training pinch grip and crushing grip timed holds etc.... Its not a bad idea i do it all the time! I snatch my lids off like nothing. I have gorilla hands lol! Like i said im not saying your weak or anything even powerlifters need to train grip b/c thats first thing that goes they can move the weight but cant hold onto it so.... Bending nails and grade 8 bolts too. Tearing phone books the "none" cheater way and take 5 pound sledge hold at end in front of you and rotate side to side forward and backwards. Grab a newspaper crinkcle it up into hands into a ball with finger tips. Have a 2x4 on floor grab it thumb up and fingers under(end though not sideways) and try lift level then when can add weight. Theres so many things you can do to help hand strength its crazy i do time holds for pinch grip with 50 pounds of sand in a bucket with a make shift board and eye hooks thru 5 gallon bucket handle. Captain of crush grippers i lock out number 2 still cant get consistent though supposed to be rated at 195 pounds but i want to slam 3 and 4. Like i said im not saying weak or anything but training your grip might help out for things like this :rockin:

OH or lifting the blob is another one and hub training Google it :) Train hand power though you will be tearing everything apart :)

Whoa....
 
Im not saying your weak or anything but have you ever thought about training your grip? Theres a company i buy things from called ironmind they just about have everything from grip training to power lifting. They used to have tips on training for "home made" methods just dont try the big sledge hammer touch your nose one b/c thats just plain dangerous i dont care how tough you are. But training pinch grip and crushing grip timed holds etc.... Its not a bad idea i do it all the time! I snatch my lids off like nothing. I have gorilla hands lol! Like i said im not saying your weak or anything even powerlifters need to train grip b/c thats first thing that goes they can move the weight but cant hold onto it so.... Bending nails and grade 8 bolts too. Tearing phone books the "none" cheater way and take 5 pound sledge hold at end in front of you and rotate side to side forward and backwards. Grab a newspaper crinkcle it up into hands into a ball with finger tips. Have a 2x4 on floor grab it thumb up and fingers under(end though not sideways) and try lift level then when can add weight. Theres so many things you can do to help hand strength its crazy i do time holds for pinch grip with 50 pounds of sand in a bucket with a make shift board and eye hooks thru 5 gallon bucket handle. Captain of crush grippers i lock out number 2 still cant get consistent though supposed to be rated at 195 pounds but i want to slam 3 and 4. Like i said im not saying weak or anything but training your grip might help out for things like this :rockin:

OH or lifting the blob is another one and hub training Google it :) Train hand power though you will be tearing everything apart :)

Does masturbating count?:confused:
 
Just leave the lid loose. Lots of people do this... I don't, but maybe that's cuz I got "uber grip" like mtk6006 describes above :rolleyes:
 
I use one of the "Vittles Vaults" (food safe pet food container) as a 10+ gallon fermenter. They use the same style gamma lid. I drilled holes and added grommets to support an airlock and a thermowell. The thermowell doesn't fit air-tight so the airlock is a bit redundant. I remember seeing a thread about not drilling holes in the center of the lid to avoid cracking due to residual strains from the injection molding but can't seem to locate it now.

It works well and cleans as easy as a bucket. Here is another thread regarding using the pet food containers as fermenters and I'm sure there are others around.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/brew-cube-fermenter-vittle-vault-anybody-got-one-291884/
 
Yep, those are the same lids. I think I'm going to give it a try. I'm looking to put together another primary fermenter and if it works as well as I think it will I may put one on the primary I have now!
 
mtk6006 said:
Im not saying your weak or anything but have you ever thought about training your grip? Theres a company i buy things from called ironmind they just about have everything from grip training to power lifting. They used to have tips on training for "home made" methods just dont try the big sledge hammer touch your nose one b/c thats just plain dangerous i dont care how tough you are. But training pinch grip and crushing grip timed holds etc.... Its not a bad idea i do it all the time! I snatch my lids off like nothing. I have gorilla hands lol! Like i said im not saying your weak or anything even powerlifters need to train grip b/c thats first thing that goes they can move the weight but cant hold onto it so.... Bending nails and grade 8 bolts too. Tearing phone books the "none" cheater way and take 5 pound sledge hold at end in front of you and rotate side to side forward and backwards. Grab a newspaper crinkcle it up into hands into a ball with finger tips. Have a 2x4 on floor grab it thumb up and fingers under(end though not sideways) and try lift level then when can add weight. Theres so many things you can do to help hand strength its crazy i do time holds for pinch grip with 50 pounds of sand in a bucket with a make shift board and eye hooks thru 5 gallon bucket handle. Captain of crush grippers i lock out number 2 still cant get consistent though supposed to be rated at 195 pounds but i want to slam 3 and 4. Like i said im not saying weak or anything but training your grip might help out for things like this :rockin:

OH or lifting the blob is another one and hub training Google it :) Train hand power though you will be tearing everything apart :)

I just use Rex Kwon Do. *shrug*
 
There is a bit of a trick with the sealing lids.

You have to start at one point of the lid with both hands and kind of "peel" the outer lip up over the edge of the pail, then start working your hands apart around the outside edge of the lid lifting the outer edge up as you go.

It is a bit of a pain, but I only have to do it twice for a brew, once after 3-4 weeks to check the gravity, and again the following weekend to bottle (I check the FG again when I do, but it's always been stable by that point).

Maybe we all need one of these http://www.hardwareandtools.com/Linzer-5425-Plastic-Lid-Opener-5-Gallon-6279434.html?utm_source=Google%20Products&utm_medium=Product%20Search&utm_campaign=Google%20Products, or some conicals :rockin:
 
Another option to consider if strength traning isn't your style is to use snap ring pliers. These are pliers that expand the jaws when you squeeze the handle. If you are gentle with them there should be no fear of damage when removing the lid. Iirc I saw an episode of homebrewerTV on youtube where this was suggested. Cheers!
 
My concern with the Gamma lids is that you still have to remove it entirely in order to sanitize the joint between the lid and the bucket. If you have had a vigorous fermentation there will be some krausen at this joint that won't necessarily come off easily.
 
Thanks for this tip, it does help make it easier. I've been considering getting one of those bucket openers but my main goal is to just not slosh the beer while trying to get the top off so I don't stir up a lot of junk. The "peel" process does help a lot with that.

Just got my first batch into bottles and I'll be starting another batch this weekend so I'll have to try this more this time.

D0ug said:
There is a bit of a trick with the sealing lids.

You have to start at one point of the lid with both hands and kind of "peel" the outer lip up over the edge of the pail, then start working your hands apart around the outside edge of the lid lifting the outer edge up as you go.

It is a bit of a pain, but I only have to do it twice for a brew, once after 3-4 weeks to check the gravity, and again the following weekend to bottle (I check the FG again when I do, but it's always been stable by that point).

Maybe we all need one of these http://www.hardwareandtools.com/Linzer-5425-Plastic-Lid-Opener-5-Gallon-6279434.html?utm_source=Google%20Products&utm_medium=Product%20Search&utm_campaign=Google%20Products, or some conicals :rockin:
 
ChuckO said:
My concern with the Gamma lids is that you still have to remove it entirely in order to sanitize the joint between the lid and the bucket. If you have had a vigorous fermentation there will be some krausen at this joint that won't necessarily come off easily.

Yeah I did notice that but I'd be okay taking it apart to clean and sanitize in between batches. Although after reading more I'm thinking I was opening it to much anyway.

I waited a week after pitching and opened it to take a reading and then opened it again two days later to take another reading to see if it had stabilized. I did that each week for three weeks until i saw a stable readings. Now I think I'm just going to leave it three weeks and then open three days apart. I figure it should be done by then and I'll have less chance of introducing a nasty too.
 
mtk6006 said:
Im not saying your weak or anything but have you ever thought about training your grip? Theres a company i buy things from called ironmind they just about have everything from grip training to power lifting. They used to have tips on training for "home made" methods just dont try the big sledge hammer touch your nose one b/c thats just plain dangerous i dont care how tough you are. But training pinch grip and crushing grip timed holds etc.... Its not a bad idea i do it all the time! I snatch my lids off like nothing. I have gorilla hands lol! Like i said im not saying your weak or anything even powerlifters need to train grip b/c thats first thing that goes they can move the weight but cant hold onto it so.... Bending nails and grade 8 bolts too. Tearing phone books the "none" cheater way and take 5 pound sledge hold at end in front of you and rotate side to side forward and backwards. Grab a newspaper crinkcle it up into hands into a ball with finger tips. Have a 2x4 on floor grab it thumb up and fingers under(end though not sideways) and try lift level then when can add weight. Theres so many things you can do to help hand strength its crazy i do time holds for pinch grip with 50 pounds of sand in a bucket with a make shift board and eye hooks thru 5 gallon bucket handle. Captain of crush grippers i lock out number 2 still cant get consistent though supposed to be rated at 195 pounds but i want to slam 3 and 4. Like i said im not saying weak or anything but training your grip might help out for things like this :rockin:

OH or lifting the blob is another one and hub training Google it :) Train hand power though you will be tearing everything apart :)

What the f**k?!!!
 

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