Crack in mash tun

[standpoint]

I've been working on building a new mash tun, a big blue igloo cooler. My previous cooler is no good anymore, and also needed a larger one to upgrade to 10 gallon batches. The igloo was the right size, and I already owned it, so did not have to spend any money to upgrade.

The igloo cooler was super dirty, so I worked at cleaning it out w/ oxyclean and got it looking like new - however, I then discovered about a 1 1/2 inch crack in the bottom of the inside of the cooler. Not a wide crack, but enough to let liquid escape into the insides of the cooler walls and eventually out the cooler.

I could buy a new cooler, but I'm wondering if anyone has an idea on how to seal up the crack. I'm thinking JB Weld, etc would work, but don't want glue on the inside, due to my fear that bad stuff would get into my wort.

Any thoughts?

 

[Toga]

If I were to try anything I would use a plastic weld kit. They make HDPE rods and PP rods. what to choose depends on the type of plastic you are welding. It may be easier to just buy a cooler.............a 10 gallon round beverage cooler at Home depot is $45

 

[iijakii]

There's food grade sealants out there. You're probably looking at a good $20 for a tube though. Plus yeah it is a chemical still. I vote new cooler as well.

 

[kh54s10]

I wouldn't waste any money trying to fix it. A heated butter knife to melt the plastic and try to seal it would be all that I would try. Draw the flat side across the crack. You might have to use an old one and bend it so you can draw it along the crack.

 

[standpoint]

Thanks for the replies. Yea, definitely don't want to spend too much on the fix.

I need a big cooler, I'm thinking at least a 96 quart cooler. I'll have to price it out.

I'm super cheap with my homebrewing, almost everything I use is DIY, which has saved me tons of cash.

 

[bluemoose]

Read the title and figured you were trying to mash with, uh, recreations substances.

 

[royal1911]

Crack is whack. Sorry, couldn't help it!

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the replies. Yea, definitely don't want to spend too much on the fix.

I need a big cooler, I'm thinking at least a 96 quart cooler. I'll have to price it out.

I'm super cheap with my homebrewing, almost everything I use is DIY, which has saved me tons of cash.

If you have a big enough kettle to do your 10 gallon batch you might want to give BIAB a try before you buy a new cooler. It will cost you a bit for the Swiss voille to make the bag or you could get a pair of 5 gallon paint strainer bags (they come two to a package, about $4). If you don't like it, you will only be out the cost of the material or bags. In the meanwhile, you'll have another 10 or 20 gallons of beer.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Does crack in the mash help with residual alkalinity?

 

[zachattack]

A dab of food-grade silicone would be cheap (might already have some laying around) and easy, but I'd worry that liquid already leaked into the insulation. And wet insulation doesn't insulate very well.

 

[IslandLizard]

A dab of food-grade silicone would be cheap (might already have some laying around) and easy, but I'd worry that liquid already leaked into the insulation. And wet insulation doesn't insulate very well.

Right, if it's porous foam, it maybe be soaked already. You could find out...

Food grade silicone, melting a piece of similar plastic on top, JB Weld (if it adheres), or even hot glue (that stuff sticks to about anything) are good options for repairs.

Good cleaning (alcohol / acetone) and roughing up the surface always makes for better adhesion.

A bulkhead and a CPVC manifold and you're all set.

 

[msa8967]

I have used food grade silicon sealant several times with good results. A person that teaches in the culinary arts at a local college suggested it to me. It is what they use for small repairs.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0063U2RWU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[standpoint]

Well, I think I'm going to go out and get that silicone and see how it goes.

I have JB Weld and was thinking of using it, but wouldn't the chemicals from it leech into the beer? Stuff is pretty toxic by itself, not sure how bad it would be diluted.

 

[msa8967]

Well, I think I'm going to go out and get that silicone and see how it goes.

I have JB Weld and was thinking of using it, but wouldn't the chemicals from it leech into the beer? Stuff is pretty toxic by itself, not sure how bad it would be diluted.

This is available at most hardware stores or big box stores in case you can't find the first one.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KE4PBQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[IslandLizard]

Well, I think I'm going to go out and get that silicone and see how it goes.

I have JB Weld and was thinking of using it, but wouldn't the chemicals from it leech into the beer? Stuff is pretty toxic by itself, not sure how bad it would be diluted.

You'd cover the JB Weld patch up with something else that is food grade. Like silicone.

Thinking about it, this may be better. Use silicone to fill and cover the crack and the weak area around it and put a patch of something durable on top of it. Something like thin Stainless or plastic. Silicone by itself may work loose, but as a "glue" sandwiched between the cooler's shell and the protective patch would be much more solid.