Crack in Mash tun

[Brett3rThanU]

So I noticed a crack in my mash tun a few months back, but since it wasn't leaking I decided to ignore it. I'm noticing now there's some trapped powder in the crack and I'm a little worried about mold. Rather than buying an entire new mash tun, what do you guys think I can use to seal the crack? It's gotta be able to resist high temp and be food safe I'd think?

 

[bniesen]

I'd start checking out some epoxy at your local hardware store. maybe some JB weld??

 

[Brett3rThanU]

I'd start checking out some epoxy at your local hardware store. maybe some JB weld??

I've got JB Weld in the garage, you think it's safe? I know it sure as hell will fix the problem, JB Weld rocks.

EDIT: Web site says it's good up to 500F.

 

[ctrlpabrewer]

You could fill it in with silicone...the stuff for aquariums is supposed to be safe (or any other 100% silicone)

 

[dbhokie]

I wouldn't think it would be bad, but Epoxy's aren't totally "hard" just as soon as they've cured, I'd let it cure for a WHILE, more than the standard 24-48 hours. It also doesn't bond great to polyethylene or polypropylene in my experience. After it is completely hardened all the way through, it is non-toxic, and I wouldn't imagine it would be continually giving off hydro-carbons or the like. I would however if possible test first (maybe on a small area outside of the mash tun), just to ensure integrity of the product with the type of plastic you are using.

I love the stuff, I use it all the time. I ran out of superglue during a project, had some JB Weld sitting there unused, and I have been keeping it around ever since.

You could go look to, there are a lot of"food-safe" resins, but I think you just want to err on the side of caution extremely when it comes to curing.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

if this is a rubbermaid/gott/lowes orange 10 gallon, the nuclear option is to carefully cut out the interior lining and replace it with a Bayou Classic 44 quart stainless stock pot that turns out to be roughly the same size. The guy i bought my mash tun from had done that to one of his - he said it worked great as far as sanitation but required him to pre-heat the tun.

I would also be slightly concerned about whether jb weld will really stick to this material properly. I might be tempted to cut a piece of plastic from some other source and install a sort of band-aid with a food-grade silicone adhesive.

 

[bja]

Duct tape.

Seriously though, JB Weld won't stick to plastic.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Duct tape.

Seriously though, JB Weld won't stick to plastic.

There are epoxies that will stick to plastic. There are also additional methods that could be used, such as using a wire wheel to rough the heck out of the area you will be applying epoxy to, and potentially brushing some acetone onto the surface just before you apply the epoxy - which should allow them to sort of melt into each other, but would greatly extend the curing time.

I still like the idea of food-grade RTV better.

 

[bja]

There are epoxies that will stick to plastic.

I still like the idea of food-grade RTV better.

It's very hard to bond anything to plastic. A solvent is needed which actually melts the plastic and welds it together.

RTV doesn't stick to plastic at all.

 

[AiredAle]

The cooler liner is most likely polypropylene. There are few adhesives that stick to it, and fewer still that are food grade and water and heat resistant. Do yourself a favor and buy a new cooler, and don't waste time and energy and money trying to make something stick to the cracked cooler.

 

[wilserbrewer]

As said above there is no permanent repair that I am aware of and you are likely best off retiring the cooler. Silicone will stick temporarily if you roughen the area w/ coarse sandpaper, then apply...how long this will last is only a guess. i would not buy materials to repair it...but if you have sealant sitting around go ahead and try it if you like.

Next cooler, never add boiling water IMO.

 

[Navy_Chief]

I agree with the above posters that your time and energy is much better spent replacing the cooler and moving on. I am sure you would not want to be brewing and find that the repair had failed and leaked moldy water into your mash.... Coolers as mash tuns all fail eventually, they are not designed for the temperatures we are using them at and the expansion causes them to fail...

 

[foos-n-brew]

JB Water Weld is available at Home Depot.

It is NSF approved also.

Works great!

 

[Brett3rThanU]

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...oreNum=4647&productId=202534988&storeId=10051

I found this variant of JB Weld which is designed for use on plastic and is NSF/Ansi Standard 61 certified for drinking water. Good up to 350F too. I'm going to give this stuff a try.

I know I really should just buy a new cooler, but honestly I don't feel like spending $60 right now on a new one.

 

[AiredAle]

This adhesive is not for polypropylene, it is designed for ABS,PVC and CPVC, according to the webpage. Plastics are so different to each other that what works for one is more than likely not going to work on another. Buy an new cooler.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Buy a new cooler, a grain mill, and some tape.

Use the old cooler as a mill base.