Question: integrity of glass carboy

[Brewgrrrl]

I recently obtained two used glass carboys for my growing family in the basement. One has what appears to be a superficial scratch on the outside bottom, but I was wondering - does anyone have a good way to check the integrity of a glass carboy? I filled this one with water and it seems fine, but I was wondering if there was another way to make sure. This is a six and a half gallon carboy so it would especially suck if it suddenly broke apart with wine in it.

Also, is there any way to reinforce this scratch just in case? I was thinking of maybe filling it with epoxy or something just to make sure it wouldn't weaken any more.

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[xanxer82]

Maybe the epoxy that is used for car windshields.

 

[Wade E]

No known way to my knowledge besides the leak check which you have already done.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

Car windshield epoxy - good idea!

 

[Goodfella]

it would have to be a pretty major scratch to worry me.... But I am pretty easy going.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

It's definitely a scratch and not a crack, but I don't like it - I'd feel a lot better if it was reinforced. I do have some older glass carboys from old water coolers and some of those are similarly scratched on the bottom, but this just seems a bit deeper. Better safe than sorry... especially when there's wine involved.

 

[Tom]

I hope its on the outside. If not watch what you put inside. You dont want anything messing up your wine.

 

[PeterZ]

I have a feeling that a repair with car window epoxy will cost more than a new carboy. Asmall rock chip here costs $40-50 to repair.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

It's a long scratch on the outside bottom of the carboy. I would never use anything that was scratched on the inside. The windshield repair kit is $10 and I haven't decided whether I even need to use it. I may shop around for just regular epoxy - I don't need it to be pretty, I was just thinking of reinforcing the bottom just in case the scratch wants to get bigger or turn itself into a crack.

I'm just being cautious because this is a big glass carboy so I was thinking (1) more weight from more liquid and (2) more likely that I might accidentally set it down hard.

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Brewgrrrl]

After all this I had the urge to start a batch so I just went for it as-is. The carboy is fine. I'm still thinking that at some point I'll reinforce it with all-purpose (read "cheap") epoxy just to be safe but right now it's holding five gallons of must just fine.

 

[Joanie]

Maybe you need something like this...

 

[Brewgrrrl]

Oh no! ROTFL...

Hilarious (and yet also a scary thought). I'm going to try and get that image out of my head now.

 

[Big Ike]

I would recommend filling it 3/4 with water and then putting a vacuum to it outside (I mean outdoors). Let it exist under some pressure (induced by you) and determine whether or not it is structurally sound.

That's what my wife did to me, anyway. I think I passed...

 

[Joanie]

 

[rrawhide]

yeah joan

done it again

 

[Joanie]

I was just goofing around, Rawhide.

 

[Goodfella]

I would recommend filling it 3/4 with water and then putting a vacuum to it outside (I mean outdoors). Let it exist under some pressure (induced by you) and determine whether or not it is structurally sound.

Good call!!!

 

[bbrown]

If you do decide to reinforse it with epoxy, take a look in your local hobby shop.


Go with the "slow cure" epoxy. The longer the cure, the better the bond.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

Thanks. There is actually a second batch sitting quietly (and apparently safely) in the carboy as I'm typing this. I have been thinking about getting a vacuum pump for transferring/bottling though, and if I do I will probably epoxy and then pressure test it. I do like having a six and a half gallon carboy though - it's been good for 1st fermentation in wines and I suspect that I will also be able to do my 5 gallon beer batches in it without worrying about the need for a blow-off tube.