DIY Thief Help

[bloussant]

I want a thief, but
1. I don't want to spend $15+ shipping and
2. I like ghetto fabulous equipment

That being said, I figure I can buy some pvc pipe, and install some sort of tapered tip on the receiving end and use a bulb or just my thumb at the opposite end for suction.

Does anyone know if there are any tapered-tip style fittings for pvc piping that I can use for a beer thief?

Anyone have pics of a DIY beer thief?

 

[CDbrews]

turkey baster works great

 

[bloussant]

Hmmm, considering a regular baster isn't long enough to get down into my 6.5gal carboy pass the krausen, maybe I can use some pvc as an extension to the baster. Thx mate!

 

[Bokonon]

If you just want a cheap thief grab a piece of tubing or PVC long enough and big enough to hold the volume you need. Stick it in the carboy, put your thumb over the end, pull it out, place over your sample container and remove thumb

 

[scinerd3000]

what about copper or some type of metal or glass tube(mc master) The pvc could be a ***** to clean...not as cheap but atleast you wont infect your batches

 

[bloussant]

Unfortunately, the weight of the water is too heavy for the suction in an 3/8" diameter pvc pipe. The fluid just rushes out in a second. That is why I was wondering if a tapered nozzle type end would allow better suction.

 

[ElDuderino]

I've thought about doing this before. I think you would have to drill a small hole in a cap and afix that to the end of you pipe. It would take longer to fill (as does a beer thief with a tapered end), but with your thumb still over the top, it also wouldn't dump out the moment you pulled it from the carboy.

 

[zGrubermeister]

Why don't you just make something similar to a ladle? Example: cut an 8" piece of 1/2" diameter copper pipe and attach a cap to one end. Then attach a lengthy thin rod to the side of it so you can drop it down into the wort to fill the cylinder. If you used larger diameter pipe you could even just put the hygrometer directly into the "ladle".

 

[vfinch]

I've always just used a turkey baster with a 3/8 tube stuck on the end... works like a hot damn.