Making a glass carboy shatterproof?

[IffyG]

Yes......

And the results, I'm not going to answer, you can skim it yourself. I skimmed it earlier. It took all of 5 minutes. A scroll button is a great thing for skimming forums.

Thanks for being helpful....

Anyways, the only test that I was able to find via pictures wasn't enough to convince me that plastidip would do anything more than contain the largest glass debris. Dropping a carboy into a cardboard box onto slate in the grass is far from a worst case scenario. I'd venture a guess and say a full, plastidipped glass carboy dropped from waist height onto a concrete floor would still explode into glass shards.

 

[Golddiggie]

Thanks for being helpful....

Anyways, the only test that I was able to find via pictures wasn't enough to convince me that plastidip would do anything more than contain the largest glass debris. Dropping a carboy into a cardboard box onto slate in the grass is far from a worst case scenario. I'd venture a guess and say a full, plastidipped glass carboy dropped from waist height onto a concrete floor would still explode into glass shards.

IMO, your best bet would probably be with the spray-on bed-liner material. It's cheap (under $10 for the can I linked to earlier) and should do a good job. The stuff is typically designed to withstand impacts of decent intensity.

You could do a test with a glass bottle (so you don't risk your carboy) and see how it worked. If it seems good, ramp up to the carboy and go at it. I do think that Revvy's earlier suggestion about adding mesh screen is a good one. Especially if you use the metal screening (less risk of it being cut).

I don't use carboys (glass or plastic) to ferment in anymore. Nor do I use buckets. So, I don't have anything to test with here. :rockin: What I use to ferment in has more potential to damage what it gets dropped onto than itself.

 

[tinman1]

I use a cobination of web holders I made myself or the milk crate transport method. They are an inherent danger, but for long term storage, nothin beats glass. Just a note to ponder.... My LHBS had "trade in days" last year that allowed you to swap your good clean non-chipped glass carboys for better bottles. You might ask your LHBS if that is something they would consider...IF using glass has got you worried.

 

[Golddiggie]

I use a cobination of web holders I made myself or the milk crate transport method. They are an inherent danger, but for long term storage, nothin beats glass. Just a note to ponder.... My LHBS had "trade in days" last year that allowed you to swap your good clean non-chipped glass carboys for better bottles. You might ask your LHBS if that is something they would consider...IF using glass has got you worried.

Actually, that myth has been busted already. HDPE is just fine for long term aging (members here have done it for over a year without negative impact).

Personally, stainless beats the snot out of glass (and plastic). NO light can penetrate stainless, where some can penetrate the plastic buckets used.

 

[highgravitybacon]

After the extreme fascination of studying my first few beers as they fermented and buying as many glass carboys as my wallet and fermenting closet could handle... i became a little more practical and switched to plastic buckets.

I have a bunch of glass carboys, but I really like buckets. They just work so well. Easy to use, easy to clean. And since I can't see what's going on, I don't dick with them as much.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I might be wrong, can't find what I read before. But IIRC, PET/PETE only leeches chemicals if they get really hot (like leaving water bottles in your car in the summer) or after very long storage. Since most beer is only in the bucket for 3-4 weeks it is not a long enough time to leech anything significant.

If I remember correctly, there have also been lots of threads about PET/PETE and glass carboys containing lethal amounts of dihydrogen monoxide. It's a wonder any of these things are considered safe for anything.

 

[adamjackson]

Just switch to better bottles. Shipping them to your house is cheaper, they themselves are cheaper, easier to clean and tote around..just all around better.

I've had two carboys break in 6 months and I'm done.

 

[Revvy]

Just switch to better bottles. Shipping them to your house is cheaper, they themselves are cheaper, easier to clean and tote around..just all around better.

I've had two carboys break in 6 months and I'm done.

I have a bunch of glass carboys, but I really like buckets. They just work so well. Easy to use, easy to clean. And since I can't see what's going on, I don't dick with them as much.

Have you guys not read the comments in here about NOT making this a plastic vs glass vs bucket thread? The PREMISE OF THIS THREAD is to share ideas about how one WOULD MAKE A GLASS CARBOY SHATTER PROOF. The MODS have even come in and said to keep conversation to the topic at hand.

From the mods

Moderator note: There are plenty of other threads encouraging brewers not to use glass carboys. Please feel free to add to those threads or start a new one on that topic. Lets keep this thread on the OP's topic - using glass carboys safely.

Pappers_

We ALL know about plastic, hell, I prefer it, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE THREAD IS TO COME UP WITH IDEAS TO MAKE GLASS CARBOYS SHATTERPROOF for those who want to have this discussion.

 

[jcam91]

How about foam wrapped around and under carboy. Seems to me if it was thick enough a 4 foot drop wouldn't mean buying a new carboy. Also would keep it insulated and light proof. Not permanent either.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Have you guys not read the comments in here about NOT making this a plastic vs glass vs bucket thread? The PREMISE OF THIS THREAD is to share ideas about how one WOULD MAKE A GLASS CARBOY SHATTER PROOF. The MODS have even come in and said to keep conversation to the topic at hand.

We ALL know about plastic, hell, I prefer it, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE THREAD IS TO COME UP WITH IDEAS TO MAKE GLASS CARBOYS SHATTERPROOF for those who want to have this discussion.

But Revvy, replacing glass carboys with Better Bottles DOES make the glass carboy shatterproof. I mean, duh!

 

[mikescooling]

Do you think a thick denim jacket for the carboy would work?

 

[Golddiggie]

Do you think a thick denim jacket for the carboy would work?

Infuse it with resin and it will/should.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I would imagine that the same technology that kids use to drop an egg from 4 feet without breaking would be necessary.

Any of the methods I see would work for an empty carboy, but not for a full one.

 

[Golddiggie]

At worst, the better methods will contain the shards. I believe that's the OP's goal here. Not to prevent it from breaking, but make it so that he won't get killed by a shard from the breaking.

 

[JordanThomas]

Buckets.... I'm so glad I switched. Buckets and a sponge. Life is good.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Buckets.... I'm so glad I switched. Buckets and a sponge. Life is good.

You evil bastard!!!!

That is like going into a thread called "How do I make my chicken Bulletproof?" and saying that you switched cast iron safes to hold your chicken feed!

That is a debate for another time!!

 

[DerekB]

If I remember correctly, there have also been lots of threads about PET/PETE and glass carboys containing lethal amounts of dihydrogen monoxide. It's a wonder any of these things are considered safe for anything.

I am personally not too worried about the lethality of H2O. Lol.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I am personally not too worried about the lethality of H2O. Lol.

With a mortality rate of 388 thousand people a year, you SHOULD be!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Buckets.... I'm so glad I switched. Buckets and a sponge. Life is good.

Try Reynolds turkey bags for bucket liners and your world will NEVER be the same again!

 

[cheezydemon3]

Try Reynolds turkey bags for bucket liners and your world will NEVER be the same again!

Anyone see the thread on BOILING in a bucket?

I accused them of being insane, but everyone else seemed fine with it.

 

[Golddiggie]

How about going really high end here?? Get some really good shock absorbing foam, wrap the outside of the carboy with it. Then get some sheets of carbon fiber, heat it up until it's pliable and form it all around the carboy. Then it will be a CARboy... I suppose you could use fiberglass (and resin) instead, if you can't get carbon fiber sheets. But it won't look so cool.

 

[passedpawn]

How about going really high end here?? Get some really good shock absorbing foam, wrap the outside of the carboy with it. Then get some sheets of carbon fiber, heat it up until it's pliable and form it all around the carboy. Then it will be a CARboy... I suppose you could use fiberglass (and resin) instead, if you can't get carbon fiber sheets. But it won't look so cool.

This is the vehicle wrap I was talking about before. Carbon Fiber carboy baby!

 

[cheezydemon3]

Smurf snot. Lighter than air and stronger than Gargamel.

 

[StMarcos]

How about taking some strips of fiberglass, then rolling them lengthwise into tubes, say an inch in diameter. Take one of these strips, and wrap it from the neck, under the bottom of the carboy, and back to the neck on the other side. Hold temporarily with tape or string. Repeat three more times. Now you have eight vertical strips going up the sides, several layers of fg thick. Maybe do a few around the circumference of the carboy. Apply epoxy to all of the fg.

Not going to stop all glass separating if it breaks, but should help a lot. Would protect the bottom from scratches when setting on concrete or stone. Still would allow viewing between the strips.

 

[cheezydemon3]

A Leather sack.

 

[Golddiggie]

A Leather sack.

You just wanted to say 'sack' didn't you? You just couldn't get enough of my other thread.

 

[phoenixs4r]

A fiber glass or carbon fiber wrapped carboy in the shape of the Linux penguin would rank pretty high on my list if most epic thing ever.

I would rhino line mine if I was worried. I have taken measures against moving any filled carboys so I am not worried at all.

 

[Revvy]

A fiber glass or carbon fiber wrapped carboy in the shape of the Linux penguin would rank pretty high on my list if most epic thing ever.

I would rhino line mine if I was worried. I have taken measures against moving any filled carboys so I am not worried at all.

But but but, you could do the R2D2 with working servo motors so it could wheel the full carboy wherever you wanted to put it.

As much as I came up with both of them, articulated R2D2 fermenter trumps penguin anyday...unless the pingu moved too.

 

[phoenixs4r]

But but but, you could do the R2D2 with working servo motors so it could wheel the full carboy wherever you wanted to put it.

As much as I came up with both of them, articulated R2D2 fermenter trumps penguin anyday...unless the pingu moved too.

Touché.

 

[Golddiggie]

But but but, you could do the R2D2 with working servo motors so it could wheel the full carboy wherever you wanted to put it.

As much as I came up with both of them, articulated R2D2 fermenter trumps penguin anyday...unless the pingu moved too.

How about an animated wookie? You'd need to brew something epic in that. Also might need to use a larger fermenter, if you wanted it more life sized, or not look like an ewok.