Refractometer

[Golddiggie]

I'm on my 3rd hydrometer now and I've only done two batches. The things are just crazy fragile.

THREE and you've only brewed two batches?!?! DAAAAAMN... I've brewed 9 batches of beer, and 4 batches of mead, and I'm still on my original one...

I don't think they're crazy fragile, unless you're used to bending rebar all day long (with your bare hands)...

 

[passedpawn]

THREE and you've only brewed two batches?!?! DAAAAAMN... I've brewed 9 batches of beer, and 4 batches of mead, and I'm still on my original one...

I don't think they're crazy fragile, unless you're used to bending rebar all day long (with your bare hands)...

Hydrometers roll. One day I'll make one with a flat side and make a million $. Duh.

 

[Golddiggie]

Hydrometers roll. One day I'll make one with a flat side and make a million $. Duh.

No sheit they roll... That's why I don't place them anyplace where they can roll off, fall, and break... It's pretty easy to have a towel, or paper towel even (wet works well) to place it on when you're not using it, or it's not in it's tube... I keep it out of the way, so that it doesn't get knocked over either.

So, instead of blaming the hydrometer, take the hit for placing it someplace you shouldn't have and suck it up... I thought the person was man-handling it, or using it as a toothpick...

 

[passedpawn]

No sheit they roll... That's why I don't place them anyplace where they can roll off, fall, and break... It's pretty easy to have a towel, or paper towel even (wet works well) to place it on when you're not using it, or it's not in it's tube... I keep it out of the way, so that it doesn't get knocked over either.

So, instead of blaming the hydrometer, take the hit for placing it someplace you shouldn't have and suck it up... I thought the person was man-handling it, or using it as a toothpick...

Easy chief. I've never broken one (lot more batches than you), but when I do I will partially blame the roundness of the hydro. Nothing made of glass should roll. Period.

 

[Golddiggie]

Easy chief. I've never broken one (lot more batches than you), but when I do I will partially blame the roundness of the hydro. Nothing made of glass should roll. Period.

Where's my home brew??

I guess that's where we differ... If I place it where it can roll, and it does, and it falls to the floor and breaks... It's MY fault for placing it in such a way that it could happen, and did. Nothing to do with the design of the tool, it's the tool on two legs that messed up...

"Nothing made of glass should roll. Period" wow... So, all bottles should be made so they can't roll? All glasses should be made so that they can't roll? Would make for a rather boring world, I think... Do you also want to rubber pad the world too?

 

[ajf]

Hydrometers roll. One day I'll make one with a flat side and make a million $. Duh.

I used to have one that had a cross section in the form of a triangle with rounded corners. It got broken when I moved to America after about 6 years of use.

-a.

 

[passedpawn]

"Nothing made of glass should roll. Period" wow... So, all bottles should be made so they can't roll? All glasses should be made so that they can't roll? Would make for a rather boring world, I think... Do you also want to rubber pad the world too?

Hydrometer's don't stand up on their own. Bottles, glasses, etc do. I'm not going to discuss this further, but let's just say the design could be improved. I design stuff for a living, so it is my job to make things better. If you can live with the way things are now, good for you.

 

[gunner65]

Hydrometer's don't stand up on their own. Bottles, glasses, etc do. I'm not going to discuss this further, but let's just say the design could be improved. I design stuff for a living, so it is my job to make things better. If you can live with the way things are now, good for you.

Carpenter pencil style. Now that would be an odd looking hydro.

 

[lou2row]

They have thermometer additions that are plastic and triangular. One should fit on the thin end. I don't know if they have them in bigger sizes, but a lab supply place may have something.


"Lay me on something unlevel and I'm headin' to the floor to bust all up in pieces. But thats how I roll, Biotch."
-hydrometer

 

[Golddiggie]

Or you could just add something to the top that makes it so that it can't roll... Plastic, maybe square shaped, that you could slip onto the top section to stop it from rolling. Or just get with the hydrometer manufacturers and get them to package it already on the unit. They would need to offset their hydrometers for the extra weight of it, so that it could be left on. Doesn't need to be large, just larger than the diameter of the thickest part... Pretty simple design actually.

Then again, if they offer such a thing, then people won't be breaking them so much, so they'll lose sales numbers...

 

[kappclark]

I like the idea of using the refractometer to boil to gravity...take samples along the way during the boil, stop when you have the reading you want.

what a pain it would be to sample boiling wort with a hydrometer..I only take hydrometer readings at pitching time (and kegging time, when I remember !)..

I have always boiled to volume, and hoped that the gravity comes out the way ProMash says.. kind of a crap shoot, but still pretty close..

I guess I am more interested in hitting gravity acurately than volume, and glad to see Bobby_M sells a good refractometer.

 

[o4_srt]

Fwiw, refractometers are also used in the saltwater aquarium hobby. Had one years ago but sold it when I got rid of my tank. Heading to the local fish store to purchase another one tomorrow.

Most, if not all aquarium refractometers measure In specific gravity. (gravity of saltwater is 1.025, +- 0.005 depending on location in the ocean).

 

[BonsaiBrewa]

Most, if not all aquarium refractometers measure In specific gravity. (gravity of saltwater is 1.025, +- 0.005 depending on location in the ocean).

Just getting into the market for one of these and this got me all excited for a few seconds. Then I looked around, loving the cheap price range of them, but noticed that most only measure up to 1.07 on the gravity, and I'll be doing plenty of beers over that range

 

[Golddiggie]

The one Bobby_M sells is a good priced model, that has both SG and Brix scales on it. It's designed for brewers, so the scale goes to a good point. I'm starting to look for one that goes into a higher scale though, for when I make something much bigger.

 

[passedpawn]

Fwiw, refractometers are also used in the saltwater aquarium hobby. Had one years ago but sold it when I got rid of my tank. Heading to the local fish store to purchase another one tomorrow.

Most, if not all aquarium refractometers measure In specific gravity. (gravity of saltwater is 1.025, +- 0.005 depending on location in the ocean).

I wouldn't do that. The one for the fish tank won't work for the wort. I have both (I have one for my saltwater tank, a lighted one!).

[edit] ugh, old thread.