Carboy flaws.

[vinny]

I'm not as worried about these as I would be about something lower. I can't see it causing a failure unless I was lifting by the neck. They have been there since I purchased the carboy used, and I can feel them on the outside as a scratch a finger Nail over them. I was just wondering if anyone knows what its from. It's not the only one i have that has it. I thought maybe a metal carboy handle scratching or stressing the neck?

 

[cmason1957]

You hit the nail on the head. Or the scratch on the metal handle. Those things are the devil.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Glass testing is done with polarized light. If it looks good/ solid under polarized this is a surface defect.

 

[vinny]

Glass testing is done with polarized light. If it looks good/ solid under polarized this is a surface defect.

Yes, I watched the video on broken carboys a couple of times. I've considered buying a lens. It's a small investment considering the value of a kit, and the trouble of getting wine stink out of flooring.

I'm also wondering if I can find buckets that will fit my carboys. then I have a lifting handle and spill protection.

 

[Shurt1073]

After four Internet purchase fails, I'm going to buy (sorta) local where I can inspect the carboys. I also have 1-2 with the same type marks but Dave mine are in the same place but different direction. Wondered if it was caused from being under pressure? I will follow your post to see what others are saying. My plans are to buy 3-4 more for bulk aging in the next few months.

 

[vinny]

I also have 1-2 with the same type marks but Dave mine are in the same place but different direction.

Interesting. Used, or did you buy it new?

 

[Shurt1073]

Interesting. Used, or did you buy it new?

New ... 5 yrs old. I've always used vacuum pressure when degassing with a hand pump or food saver.

 

[vinny]

After four Internet purchase fails, I'm going to buy (sorta) local where I can inspect the carboys. I also have 1-2 with the same type marks but Dave mine are in the same place but different direction. Wondered if it was caused from being under pressure? I will follow your post to see what others are saying. My plans are to buy 3-4 more for bulk aging in the next few months.

lots of posts about scratches from a carboy brush on the inside of the neck. That would make sense if yours are vertical. Do you use one?

 

[Raptor99]

Glass testing is done with polarized light. If it looks good/ solid under polarized this is a surface defect.

I bought a polarizing lense for my camera and tried to test my carboys according to what I read online, but I couldn't get a clear result.

 

[vinny]

I didn't dig them all out, but on a quick look I have 3 with the marks. All 6 gallon, and all eternal scratches. They are smooth inside the neck which gives me more confidence.

 

[vinny]

I bought a polarizing lense for my camera and tried to test my carboys according to what I read online, but I couldn't get a clear result.

My sunglasses are polarized, I'm going to do a quick experiment with those one day soon.

 

[sour_grapes]

I bought a polarizing lense for my camera and tried to test my carboys according to what I read online, but I couldn't get a clear result.

My sunglasses are polarized, I'm going to do a quick experiment with those one day soon.

You also need a polarized source of light. Or, you can use TWO polarizing filters (or two pairs of sunglasses ).

 

[balatonwine]

I have two demijohns with large gas inclusion flaws in the glass. I have had them for 20 years. They are fine. No problems. I consider those scratches trivial... Sort of. Read more below.

But.... I do not pressure vacuum transfer my wine. So they only have had atmospheric pressure applied. I state this only as a caveat.

What I am saying is... don't try to over think such things. Especially glass. Glass can be weird. In all cases. The most scored glass can take a beating beyond expectations, while the beautiful visual glass can shatter without notice.

How funny is glass? When I was a Chemistry student at University, I remember I dropped a flask into the wash basin. It bounced all over the wash basin like a golf ball teed off in a tiled room... without breaking. And only when it was "settling down" with low bounces, it shattered. Glass if weird.

So my point? Just use your glass. If they will break, they will break. Or not. So just use them.

 

[vinny]

I have two demijohns with large gas inclusion flaws in the glass. I have had them for 20 years. They are fine. No problems. I consider those scratches trivial... Sort of. Read more below.

But.... I do not pressure vacuum transfer my wine. So they only have had atmospheric pressure applied. I state this only as a caveat.

What I am saying is... don't try to over think such things. Especially glass. Glass can be weird. In all cases. The most scored glass can take a beating beyond expectations, while the beautiful visual glass can shatter without notice.

How funny is glass? When I was a Chemistry student at University, I remember I dropped a flask into the wash basin. It bounced all over the wash basin like a golf ball teed off in a tiled room... without breaking. And only when it was "settling down" with low bounces, it shattered. Glass if weird.

So my point? Just use your glass. If they will break, they will break. Or not. So just use them.

This is also my thought process as well. I just wanted to identify them. I am aging my wines in the office of a 1 year old home with 'hardwood' flooring. I am thinking I am going to find buckets that fit my carboys, then I have a lifting handle and a plan B.

 

[Gilmango]

This is also my thought process as well. I just wanted to identify them. I am aging my wines in the office of a 1 year old home with 'hardwood' flooring. I am thinking I am going to find buckets that fit my carboys, then I have a lifting handle and a plan B.

Buckets sound like a great back up in case of a carboy crack. However, I would still put the carboy (and bucket) in a milk crate for lifting purposes, and not use the bucket's lifting handle. I say this after having a bucket shatter on me when lifting it up to start a siphon. It was full of beer and that was a fun couple hours of cleaning. It was an older bucket and the plastic must have lost its suppleness over time. I now try to keep buckets in milk crates just like I keep my carboys. Never done the full carboy in a bucket but the 5 g. ones seem to fit well enough.

I don't think the scratches you have on the exterior will ever lead to a carboy failure, but no harm in being extra careful in your new home.

 

[Raptor99]

You also need a polarized source of light. Or, you can use TWO polarizing filters (or two pairs of sunglasses ).

How does that work? I remember a high school chemistry experiement (long ago!) in which we put plastic wrap between two polarizing filters and saw cool colors when we stretched it. So I guess with two filters, you would put one in front of the light source on one side of the carboy, and the other on the other side? Do you orient them so that the polarizing direction of the filters are at 90 degrees to each other?

Has anyone tried this?

 

[vinny]

I have not! My quick experiment was simply to turn on my TV. I went to Youtube and typed in White Screen. Low and behold someone had time in their day to make a 24 hour video of what? Whitesceen! Just for this occasion.

I put on my sunglasses and VOILA beautiful clear class with 4 little imperfection in the bottom.

No sunglasses

This is very hard to do by yourself, just so ya know. This is me balancing a carboy on a stool, lying on the floor while holding my phone with sunglasses over the lenses trying to reach the capture button.

All in the name of science!

Sunglasses.. ie. Polarising lense


I'm calling it a pass. They are even and nothing wraps up the sides. Just the faint hint in the bottom..

So there you go. An led tv screen, a polarized lense (or sunglasses), and the inspection process is born!

 

[vinny]

And because someone will likely ask, this is the scratches through the lenses.


Hard to get the scratches to show up in the light, but no stress to be seen.

 

[Raptor99]

I did try a white image on my monitor as light source, with a polarizing filter on my camera. I could not see any defects, but I'm not 100% sure that this is working.

To be sure that this setup works, I'd like to see a carboy or glass jar with definite defects, to see how it shows up. What happens when you check a cheap glass jar with this setup?

 

[vinny]

I did try a white image on my monitor as light source, with a polarizing filter on my camera. I could not see any defects, but I'm not 100% sure that this is working.

To be sure that this setup works, I'd like to see a carboy or glass jar with definite defects, to see how it shows up. What happens when you check a cheap glass jar with this setup?

let me check... One moment, please.