Cracked my hydrometer!

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wpkluck
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Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by wpkluck »

It was bound to happen. Dropped it into my metrology tube. Thankfully, I followed the advice to buy TWO!!! One of the challenges in doing a double run today...
- The Doubler (5 gal pot w/thumper)

Run it, X. Thump it, XX. If you get 1.5, well, I think you can do better!
It's EASY to make good liquor. It's even EASIER to make bad liquor!
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MartinCash
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by MartinCash »

I went for a few years without a broken hydrometer and then broke three in a couple of months. Then a couple turned up broken in the mail, so definitely an object to buy in person at the HBS if you can.
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Deplorable
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by Deplorable »

All four of my hydrometers are stored in nestec plastic tubes. And my glas lab cylinder has a roll of copper mesh in the bottom to reduce the chance of one itching the bottom and breaking. Same as my parrot.
Copper mesh makes a good rebound spring on the bottom.
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Demy
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by Demy »

It happens to everyone. Despite being well preserved, he once slipped out of my hands and tracK ... broken.
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higgins
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by higgins »

I recently broke one of mine when I took it out of my Starsan bucket. I gave it a little shake to try to get more water off of it and it just snapped in two. It was my proof & tralles hydrometer, so for now I'll just use my ABV refractometer for stilling and proofing. That's the first one I've broken in several years.
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Bushman
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by Bushman »

Demy wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 4:34 am It happens to everyone. Despite being well preserved, he once slipped out of my hands and tracK ... broken.
I’ve gone 12 years without breaking one....did I just jinx myself?
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wpkluck
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by wpkluck »

Bushman wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:17 am I’ve gone 12 years without breaking one....did I just jinx myself?
Well, if science is about measuring things (and the fact we're having a hydrometer discussion points us in that direction), it likely means that jinx (as subset of karma), is probably not a thing. But there is enough unknown in the universe to allow for some mystical particle, that can detect smugness on some level, with the ability to somehow direct force or energy toward those items which are the focus of our smugness. This could be thought of as the 'karmic jinx force', and it could provide that little extra push to the hydrometer you left on the table, just enough to get it to roll off, crashing to the floor in some universe balancing, momentum-correction sort of way.

So ya, you might have just jinxed yourself. Let us know if new data comes in.
- The Doubler (5 gal pot w/thumper)

Run it, X. Thump it, XX. If you get 1.5, well, I think you can do better!
It's EASY to make good liquor. It's even EASIER to make bad liquor!
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by v-child »

wpkluck wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:14 pm It was bound to happen. Dropped it into my metrology tube. Thankfully, I followed the advice to buy TWO!!! One of the challenges in doing a double run today...
You must be starved for attention.
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by Twisted Brick »

Bushman wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:17 am
I’ve gone 12 years without breaking one....
Still coddling the one I originally bought for brewing 30+ years ago...
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wpkluck
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by wpkluck »

v-child wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:00 am
wpkluck wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:14 pm It was bound to happen. Dropped it into my metrology tube. Thankfully, I followed the advice to buy TWO!!! One of the challenges in doing a double run today...
You must be starved for attention.
No, I just like conversing with fun people. I'm not trying to bother anyone. I assume that if people don't want to interact with me, they can either ignore me, or block me. But if people want to chat, this is a cool hobby to rally around! :thumbup:
- The Doubler (5 gal pot w/thumper)

Run it, X. Thump it, XX. If you get 1.5, well, I think you can do better!
It's EASY to make good liquor. It's even EASIER to make bad liquor!
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by jonnys_spirit »

https://www.arishtam.com/diy-hydrometer/equipment/

Easy enough to to diy a temporary hydro to gauge when your beer or wash is done if you break one.

Cheers!
Jonny
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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wpkluck
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by wpkluck »

Twisted Brick wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:05 am
Bushman wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:17 am
I’ve gone 12 years without breaking one....
Still coddling the one I originally bought for brewing 30+ years ago...
I can imagine the Murphitrons lining up now (those are the particles first postulated by Edward A Murphy, who formulated Murphy's Law). These same particles may be responsible for stalled fermentation, pot puking, and other phenomenon!
- The Doubler (5 gal pot w/thumper)

Run it, X. Thump it, XX. If you get 1.5, well, I think you can do better!
It's EASY to make good liquor. It's even EASIER to make bad liquor!
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wpkluck
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by wpkluck »

jonnys_spirit wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:16 am https://www.arishtam.com/diy-hydrometer/equipment/

Easy enough to to diy a temporary hydro to gauge when your beer or wash is done if you break one.

Cheers!
Jonny
Jonny! Thanks for the cool hack! This is why we share like this (at least one of the reasons I do!). Very helpful, I'm going to try this, and foil those mischievous Murphitrons!
- The Doubler (5 gal pot w/thumper)

Run it, X. Thump it, XX. If you get 1.5, well, I think you can do better!
It's EASY to make good liquor. It's even EASIER to make bad liquor!
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Demy
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by Demy »

jonnys_spirit wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:16 am https://www.arishtam.com/diy-hydrometer/equipment/

Easy enough to to diy a temporary hydro to gauge when your beer or wash is done if you break one.

Cheers!
Jonny
Interesting jonnys, it would be nice to make an alcohol-proof typology, but it should be glass ...
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Agree Demy - Glass only for high proof but a straw and some ingenuity for beer and it’s disposable lol. Doesn’t need to be too accurate and easy to calibrate to water.

Cheers,
Jonny.
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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jward
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Re: Cracked my hydrometer!

Post by jward »

Twisted Brick wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:05 am
Bushman wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:17 am
I’ve gone 12 years without breaking one....
Still coddling the one I originally bought for brewing 30+ years ago...
Same here, except it's only 15+ years. The paper scale can move around and be adjusted by gently tapping. At this point it's more of a keepsake as I use either a wider or narrower range hydrometers.
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