5 Dollar Carboy

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feedbag

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So, I was helping my dad move into is new house today and when we got there the current homeowner had all his stuff laid out to take out of the place. The first thing I spot is a pristine 5 gallon glass carboy! I asked the guy if he wanted to get rid of it and he said he would let it go for 5 bucks! It's in great shape and only needs to be cleaned. I saved around 25 dollars. Just wanted to share my happy story!! :ban:
 
homebeerbrewer said:
Make sure you inspect it very carefully, and be careful when using it. I'm speaking with experience.

Nice find though.
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Ouch I just read this thread you posted and it dosen't sound like a happy brewing experience. Was there any sign that it was going to break? What would you look for if you were buying a used carboy. Makes me want to get better bottles but I like the inert nature of glass. Hope you are doing better.

I would have bought the $5 carboy without hesitation. Good job!
 
mnm, I'd carefully look at it to see if there are any imperfections in the glass. I have one with a small bubble in the side, but I've used it for several batches. The one I was cleaning didn't have anything noticeable before I racked the beer into it, but I may have done something to it while the beer was in it. I was using it as a secondary, and the beer was in it for about three weeks. Who knows? It could have just been a week spot that I never saw. I have no idea whether that one was one of the new ones I bought new, or one of the used ones. I have two 6.5 gal that I bought new, and had three 5 gal I bought used, and two that were new. I'm down to four 5 gal, and not going to be buying any more.

I get this damn cast off tomorrow, but I still have no feeling in my index finger. The middle finger and thumb have numb areas, but they are doing much better. The doc said it could take up to a year for it to heal completely, but I may never regain full feeling. Physical therapy will be a long process.
 
homebeerbrewer said:
I get this damn cast off tomorrow, but I still have no feeling in my index finger. The middle finger and thumb have numb areas, but they are doing much better. The doc said it could take up to a year for it to heal completely, but I may never regain full feeling. Physical therapy will be a long process.
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The standard (most quoted) rule of thumb is that nerves grow back at about a rate of 1mm/day. So it can take a while but hang in there. If you start to feel burning sensations this is often from nerve regrowth. Sounds like you damaged your median nerve since your thumb, index and middle fingers are involved. Sorry for your injury...... at least you can say you're a seasoned and scarred homebrewer now. Kind of like a gangster taking a bullet for the scar. :rockin:
 
homebeerbrewer said:
mnm, I'd carefully look at it to see if there are any imperfections in the glass. I have one with a small bubble in the side, but I've used it for several batches. The one I was cleaning didn't have anything noticeable before I racked the beer into it, but I may have done something to it while the beer was in it. I was using it as a secondary, and the beer was in it for about three weeks. Who knows? It could have just been a week spot that I never saw. I have no idea whether that one was one of the new ones I bought new, or one of the used ones. I have two 6.5 gal that I bought new, and had three 5 gal I bought used, and two that were new. I'm down to four 5 gal, and not going to be buying any more.

I get this damn cast off tomorrow, but I still have no feeling in my index finger. The middle finger and thumb have numb areas, but they are doing much better. The doc said it could take up to a year for it to heal completely, but I may never regain full feeling. Physical therapy will be a long process.
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:off:

That really sucks, and I'm sorry to hear what you're still going through with that injury. Just a word of hope: I had a procedure done nearly two years ago on the inside of my lower lip (I had a busted saliva gland removed--too much fight club I guess. :D )

After the surgery I had no feeling on the entire left side of that lip for well over a year, and I figured it would never come back. However, in the last few months it has finally started to get feeling back, and today it almost feels 100% normal again. This has been about 21 months since the procedure. It can be a long process, but I'm living proof that nerve type recoveries can just take a while...
 
I just bought 2 for $15 ea yesterday and got two 1g growlers for a buck a piece. Now I do not have to go and get a 2000ml flask for starters.

Retail is for suckers...lol
 
mnm129 said:
The standard (most quoted) rule of thumb is that nerves grow back at about a rate of 1mm/day. So it can take a while but hang in there. If you start to feel burning sensations this is often from nerve regrowth. Sounds like you damaged your median nerve since your thumb, index and middle fingers are involved. Sorry for your injury...... at least you can say you're a seasoned and scarred homebrewer now. Kind of like a gangster taking a bullet for the scar. :rockin:
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Yeah, the doc mentioned the mm/day thing, so I'm just counting the days... :cross:
I've had the burning sensations for a while, but they are easing up. When they first started, it felt like someone was pouring boiling water on my fingers. I'd flinch, look at my hand, and see that they were dry. It was very weird. Now, it's just like hot flashes in my fingers. And, I wish the bullet missed me, I could do without the scar, I have enough already.
 
homebeerbrewer said:
Yeah, the doc mentioned the mm/day thing, so I'm just counting the days... :cross:
I've had the burning sensations for a while, but they are easing up. When they first started, it felt like someone was pouring boiling water on my fingers. I'd flinch, look at my hand, and see that they were dry. It was very weird. Now, it's just like hot flashes in my fingers. And, I wish the bullet missed me, I could do without the scar, I have enough already.
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When I got hurt at the PD I got the same thing in my right arm. Loss of feeling in three fingers and then the hot flashes up my arm . My hand would get ice cold and turn blueish. I was diagnosed with Reflex sympathetic dystrophy It ended my career with the Dept. No cure for it I just have to take pain meds 17 years later It still flairs up. Not saying thats what you have .
 
Hey guys thanks for the congrats and tips. It looks really good and I inspected for chips, cracks, bubbles, etc. I think it's going to work just fine. I might use it for a while and switch to a Better Bottle, the glass kinda makes me nervous. Especially people talking about nerves growing back and stuff. Sorry about your accident homebeerbrewer, I hope everything comes back together OK. I do have one question. I have been fermenting in buckets and setting them in my spare tub in case of a mess. Would this be an issue with glass? I'm just worried about all that weight putting pressure on the bottom and cracking against the rough bottom of the tub.
 
Use "brew haulers" or milk crates, either or both will make carrying easier and give some cushion to the bottom.
 
Feedbag, good luck with it. People have been using glass for years without problems. I just wasn't lucky that day. As bdavanza said, brew haulers or milk crates are a good idea. I use the brew haulers myself, but I took it off to wash the carboy. I think I'll be leaving it on next time.
 
springer said:
When I got hurt at the PD I got the same thing in my right arm. Loss of feeling in three fingers and then the hot flashes up my arm . My hand would get ice cold and turn blueish. I was diagnosed with Reflex sympathetic dystrophy It ended my career with the Dept. No cure for it I just have to take pain meds 17 years later It still flairs up. Not saying thats what you have .
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I don't think that my case is Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy since I actually severed my nerve. My fingers swell when I let my arm hang down, and they get a little mottled and cold when that happens, but I just prop it up and the swelling goes away.

I too had a shortened career from an injury. I was a firefighter until about five years ago when a roof collapsed on me. Neck and shoulder. Several surgeries later, I still have pain. I guess you can call me a klutz.
 
homebeerbrewer said:
Feedbag, good luck with it. People have been using glass for years without problems. I just wasn't lucky that day. As bdavanza said, brew haulers or milk crates are a good idea. I use the brew haulers myself, but I took it off to wash the carboy. I think I'll be leaving it on next time.
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I was just originally posting to brag about my deal, but now I'm getting curious. What is the recommended way to safely (or at least as safely as possible) wash these things? Here is what I was thinking to do: fill it with warm water and oxy clean, let sit for several hours, siphon out water since lifting and poring a heavy slippery carboy sounds dangerous, maybe brush any tough spots and rinse clean. Any other tips? Thanks again guys for your help.
 
I think that sounds good. If you can find some milk crates a lot of people actually keep them in the crate while they are washing it. Once you siphon the majority of the fluid out you could then scrub and and pick it up and dump it. They aren't hand grenades just heavy objects made of glass that become slippery when using the cleaners we use. Just treat it with respect and it will go smooth.
 
feedbag said:
I was just originally posting to brag about my deal, but now I'm getting curious. What is the recommended way to safely (or at least as safely as possible) wash these things? Here is what I was thinking to do: fill it with warm water and oxy clean, let sit for several hours, siphon out water since lifting and poring a heavy slippery carboy sounds dangerous, maybe brush any tough spots and rinse clean. Any other tips? Thanks again guys for your help.
Click to expand...

I don't trust non tempered glass with hot water, so I use luke warm water. Your method may be better than what I do, but brewing a batch a month for three years, and washing just as many carboys (more because many went into secondaries), I don't think my technique was wrong. I filled it half way with luke warm water and a drop of Ivory dishwashing detergent, inserted a carboy brush, scrubbed the kroisen ring, turned upside down to drain, rinsed, and let sit upside down while it dries. I'm going to siphon it out before doing the manipulation of turning upside down in the future.
 

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