Broke a Carboy Today.

[homebeerbrewer]

I posted this on this thread, but I figured I'd quote it here too:

Here's what I did to test this idea:

I bought a 14 oz can of Plasti Dip, cleaned the outside of the carboy with soap and water, then cleaned with rubbing alcohol using a paper towel, and then painted the Plasti Dip (without diluting it with anything) onto the carboy with a sponge brush. The 14 oz can gave me enough to apply four coats to the carboy.

Once dry, I took it outside, placed it in a cardboard box, filled to about 3/4 full with water, then tried hitting it with a hammer. The box didn't allow much room to swing the hammer with enough force to break it, so I decided to try dropping it. The first couple of drops were on the lawn, which seemed to give a little when being impacted by the weight. I then placed a piece of slate under the box, and tried dropping it on that. The first two attempts weren't successful, but I was determined, so I dropped it a third time. With the final drop, I tried to direct it onto the corner. That did the trick.

I quickly grabbed my camera to take pictures of the aftermath. Notice the water level in the box. There were several small holes in the coating that were spraying water out. It won't save the beer, but it will slow the loss down.

Though it isn't 100% safe from shards of glass puncturing the skin, it does seem to add a measure of protection. I will be doing this to all of my remaining carboys in the near future.

 

[Synovia]

uglygoat, is that Bush with a bong in your avatar?

As far as plastic as a fermentation vessel is concerned, I'm not opposed to it. I'm sure it has as many, if not more, pros and cons than glass. I have two 6.5 gal and (will be down to two after my sacrificial carboy testing) 5 gal glass carboys. I don't want to go out and replace my equipment just yet. Especially when plastic has a limited life span. Glass will last as long as it's intact. I'm saving for a SS conical fermentor, but in the meantime, I need to use the equipment I have now.

Plastic has a limited lifespan? Since when.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Plastic has a limited lifespan? Since when.

Sorry, I should have said that plastic carboys/buckets will need to be replaced after a few years due to infections. Of course, plastic will last almost forever.

Also, if one is careful to not cause a small scratch in the plastic, a plastic carboy/bucket could last many years.

 

[Yambor44]

Sorry, I should have said that plastic carboys/buckets will need to be replaced after a few years due to infections. Of course, plastic will last almost forever.

Also, if one is careful to not cause a small scratch in the plastic, a plastic carboy/bucket could last many years.

True, I have a friend that has been using buckets for over 15 years.

 

[Starderup]

After tonight's mess, I am done with glass. Plastic all the way. I'm lucky I only have two teeny tiny puncture wounds.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Wow, someone dug up my old post...

Since my carboy incident, I've gone stainless. I now ferment in Sanky kegs. One is a half barrel, and the other is 13.2 gal. I also upgraded to 10 gal batches since I had the room. I still have the glass carboys but I don't use them much. I'll keep them for meads and ciders, and the occasional high gravity beer. I don't think I'd like to ferment and age in a plastic container.

How did yours break?

 

[Starderup]

Wow, someone dug up my old post...

Since my carboy incident, I've gone stainless. I now ferment in Sanky kegs. One is a half barrel, and the other is 13.2 gal. I also upgraded to 10 gal batches since I had the room. I still have the glass carboys but I don't use them much. I'll keep them for meads and ciders, and the occasional high gravity beer. I don't think I'd like to ferment and age in a plastic container.

How did yours break?

I was pouring the StarSan into a spare container, and my grip slipped. It dropped about four inches and disintegrated. No harm no foul, except I had five gallons of cooled wort that needed to go somewhere quick.
After letting the wife know the explanations would have to wait, I got an empty bucket sterilized and drilled a lid. Everybody happy now, except the wife.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Yep, mine wasn't happy either. You're lucky though, you got away relatively unharmed. I still don't have feeling in my index finger. Well, I should say that I can't feel objects like when I hold a pen or a fork, but I do feel little tingly sensations whenever I put pressure on that finger. The middle finger and thumb are about half numb, but no tingles. That and a nice crosshair scar on my wrist are the reminders if what happened.

 

[Starderup]

Yep, mine wasn't happy either. You're lucky though, you got away relatively unharmed. I still don't have feeling in my index finger. Well, I should say that I can't feel objects like when I hold a pen or a fork, but I do feel little tingly sensations whenever I put pressure on that finger. The middle finger and thumb are about half numb, but no tingles. That and a nice crosshair scar on my wrist are the reminders if what happened.

Best wishes for a full recovery, bud. I got off easy, I think. Not going to risk that again.
Plastic or SS from now on.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Look into getting a Sanky keg or two. They are pretty much indestructible, even around me. And, they make perfect fermentation vessels. The only problem I've had is the weight. 10 gal of fermenting beer isn't light, so moving it around is a little tough. Other that that, cleaning and sanitizing are easy, the beer isn't exposed to light, and, once I get a couple of these, lifting them up to syphon into my Cornys won't be a problem. I sanitize by pouring a gallon of water in it, covering the opening with aluminum foil, and placing on my burner for about 20 minutes.

 

[Yambor44]

Yep, mine wasn't happy either. You're lucky though, you got away relatively unharmed. I still don't have feeling in my index finger. Well, I should say that I can't feel objects like when I hold a pen or a fork, but I do feel little tingly sensations whenever I put pressure on that finger. The middle finger and thumb are about half numb, but no tingles. That and a nice crosshair scar on my wrist are the reminders if what happened.

I had the same experience with one of my index fingers. It may take a few years but it should get back to normal. Mine was tingly too, like half asleep. If I barely banged the side of it where the most scare tissue was it was an excruciating pain (burning). Now there is none and the feeling is back to normal.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Glad to hear that Yambor. Hopefully I'll recover as much as you, but my injury is with my wrist. The scar tissue is on the palm side of my wrist, and if I rub it, I feel electric shocks in the middle finger and thumb, and some pin pricks in my index finger. I know it'll take a while, but damn, it's taking forever. It'll be a year in a few days. Hopefully, I'll be able to say that I'm back to normal by this time next year.

 

[passedpawn]

I did a nice job with my thumb about 5 years ago, getting it caught between a sledge hammer and a concrete block. Popped it like a cherry tomato.

After it healed, it was numb. After about a year, only the tip was still numb. Now (5 years later) I have feeling all the way through it. The tip still feels a little weird, but the feeling is back.

So, maybe there is hope yet for your index finger. Good luck. (BTW, after breaking a glass carboy in my pool I am now exclusively better bottles. I would have nothing else).

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Passedpawn, I still have my carboys, but they aren't used much anymore. I ferment in Sanke kegs now. They're pretty much indestructible.

 

[Yambor44]

Glad to hear that Yambor. Hopefully I'll recover as much as you, but my injury is with my wrist. The scar tissue is on the palm side of my wrist, and if I rub it, I feel electric shocks in the middle finger and thumb, and some pin pricks in my index finger. I know it'll take a while, but damn, it's taking forever. It'll be a year in a few days. Hopefully, I'll be able to say that I'm back to normal by this time next year.

It should be better but don't be surprised if it takes several....years.

 

[hoplobster]

This is why my carboy never leaves the milk crate. Scary story, I hope all goes well.

 

[Revvy]

I'm glad you're ok. Yesterday I was helping a physically challenged brewer brew, and was carrying one of his better bottles in a brew hauler into the house for him. The bottle slipped out of the carrier and hit the gorund all that happened was that the orange stopper went flying and maybe a half gallon or less of wort shot out before I righted it, re-sanitized the stopper and replaced it. I kept thinking if that had been a glass carboy that would have been a lost batch, and maybe an injury on my part. There wasn't even a dent in the plastic of the BB.

I think that's another vote for plastic over carboys anyday.

 

[AnonyBrew]

Good to hear you're doing ok. I own many glass carboys and you have me scared now. I have so many that I probably won't get rid of them, but will surely reconsider my handling technique and cleaning processes.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Soper, you may want to try the Plasti-Dip. A few pages back, I posted a test I did with my sacrificial carboy. It held up pretty well. I don't think it'll save a batch in a scenario like Revvy's, but it is likely that it'll prevent a serious injury.

BTW, if you look at the date of the original post, I broke the carboy on June 9th of last year. In a few days, it'll be my first anniversary of the divorce from feeling in my index finger. It's kinda funny that this thread keeps getting dug up though.

 

[dfc]

Damn. This is giving me second thoughts on using a carboy.

 

[Starderup]

Damn. This is giving me second thoughts on using a carboy.

Invest in one of those carriers, and you might want to do the Plasti-Dip too. Then you are pretty safe. Or just go the bucket route. Just be safe.

 

[Bashiba]

I had one break on me earlier this summer and that made up my mind to start switching the glass carboys with all better bottles.

 

[jamest22]

I broke my last 6.5 gallon glass carboy a couple weeks ago while dumping out the pbw. it slipped right outta my hands and into the rubbermaid tub that i was fortunately emptying it out into. Here is what was left:

thankfully i was not injured. i too am a better bottle home brewer now (well, except for my 14 gallon glass carboy. I just cant give that one up for 10 gallon batches.)

 

[bmckee56]

Wishing you well in your recovery! I own 10 carboys made of glass and have been fortunate to date (knocking on wood right now). I am terrified of glass, but it was necessary to use cause I love my beer so much. I had a window fall from a second floor and hit me in my back left shoulder then spin across the back of my right leg below the calf. I had shorts on at the time, so the effect was a severed right achilles tendon on an angle down to the bone. I was lucky and it was repaired and I can still walk. Lost all feeling in my right foot though from nerve damage and it eventually led to me leaving the Army in later years.

Glass is freigthening and devistating when it breaks, but until I can afford to switch, I am extremely careful and always thinking about the danger. It will be Better Bottles or a Conical someday for me too.

Again, wishing you well in your recovery.

Salute!

 

[homebeerbrewer]

This thread keeps coming back to haunt me... But I guess that comes from linking to it when someone asks about glass carboys.

I broke the carboy a little over a year ago. I still don't have feeling in my index finger, but the thumb and middle finger are slowly regaining the feeling. I can pretty much use my hand normally, with the exception of doing fine motor functions without actually watching what my fingers are doing. Picking up a paper clip takes my full concentration.

I now ferment in Sanke kegs. It's much better in many ways than glass carboys. My beer never sees light during fermentation, I can pressurize it, either to transfer, or to force carb, not to mention pressurized fermentation. And to sanitize, all I do is pour a gallon of water in, put aluminum foil over the opening, and place it on my burner to boil for about 10-15 minutes.

 

[gfinockio]

Broke a carboy tonight - was cleaning it, sort of swishing it around, and out of my hand it went. Took a good chuck of skin out of my left hand, and my left foot. First thing I thought of was this thread! (Actually second thing, first thing was to stop bleeding.) Thanks to the significant other, it's all cleaned up and I'm all bandaged up. I'm thinking maybe I look into something to protect the carboys I have left a little better...

 

[wilserbrewer]

...it's all cleaned up and I'm all bandaged up. I'm thinking maybe I look into something to protect the carboys I have left a little better...

F@ck them carboys, I would protect yourself and put the glass In the dumpster.

JMO
Cheers to a speedy recovery!


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[gfinockio]

I'm just glad the carboy was empty - I can handle losing a pint of blood, but not 36 pints of beer.

I'm thinking of spraying my remaining carboys with "Flexi-Seal" to see if that protects them a bit better.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'm just glad the carboy was empty - I can handle losing a pint of blood, but not 36 pints of beer.

I'm thinking of spraying my remaining carboys with "Flexi-Seal" to see if that protects them a bit better.

Better yet, spray yourself with the flex seal, dump the glass.


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[Cider123]

Better yet, spray yourself with the flex seal, dump the glass.


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

+1

Lousy glass carboys...they are ticking timebombs

I have used carboys, glass and better bottles. I tried the SS brew bucket too.

In the end, for me, you just can't beat a plain old plastic bucket. Easy to clean, hard to slice your arm off.