Tell us about your mistakes.

This hobby is fun & enjoyable, but it is not tiddlywinks. Be safe!

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spiff
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by spiff »

Just bought a serious 4in column unit and was jonesing to run it. So I ran it on my day off even though it was over 100 degrees outside which I wouldn't normally do. When I got up, turned off the AC, and an hour or so later once the house was miserably hot I opened all the windows and started my run. It was a stripping run so might as well reboil my sugar wash refills while I was at it while I'm not worried about more heat in the house. So I got my 2 6 gallon pots heating up.

By now the house is hot and even more miserable even though windows are open. It had me just in my underwear.

And then I go to dump the sugar into the super heated pot. The burns didn't bother me as much as the mess. Now i know to heat it up with the sugar and paste in already.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Aussiedownunder01 »

Welding up my new boiler almost put the 2- 4 in tryclamp fittings on top to close had to grind a bit off the clamps :oops:
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by shadylane »

Nice looking boiler ADU1 :thumbup:
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Kegg_jam »

cuginosgrizzo wrote:I finally got some american oak (JD smoking chunks) so yesterday I got some ready and went to oak some UJ that had been sitting white for a coupla months in a glass jar. Before dumping them in I gave it a go and tasted a diluted sample. OMG is that lemon that I am tasting? Yes it is. The jar had been previously used for my limoncello, and although it had been washed, I now have two liters of lemon scented UJ...
Ha! At least it wasn't pickles in that jar...
spiff
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by spiff »

This story is for entertainment purposes.. just reading more of this thread and saw the one of the guy lighting his BBQ with his feints and it had me remember a time when I used to ATV ride.. group of buddies would drive down on a friday night and camp and then ride all weekend..

anyway.. the neighboring camp I see this guy going to stoke his camp fire by doing a little splash from his gas can... the fire climbs the stream of fuel and his reaction was to wing the can in a huge arc over his head and behind himself... which just flung a huge flaming arc of lit fuel perfectly over his campground. He got some on his buddies and their vehicles and i'm sure other stuff as well. It wasn't a big deal, but watching it in action I remember to this day as one of the best laughs I ever had.
spiff
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by spiff »

whew.. that was a long read.. finally finished it.. was some things i was surprised i didn't see here..

1- when my meter sits in my parrot with the bottom valve open, the bottom glass blob actually goes down into the valve piece. So if I try to close it with the meter still in it I'm presuming it'll break my meter very easily. So I always remove the meter before closing the valve

2- saw several threads of people fermenting in closets where their water heater was for the heat generated... curious that co2 build up never kills a pilot light.

3- no one thought turbo yeast might be like pop rocks and put it in their mouth?
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by rad14701 »

spiff wrote:2- saw several threads of people fermenting in closets where their water heater was for the heat generated... curious that co2 build up never kills a pilot light.
It is entirely possible that they were talking about an electric water heater... If it was gas fired there should already be ample ventilation, otherwise there would be a potential carbon monoxide hazard even without the addition of CO2...
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Chucker »

Thought I had stuff all figgered out I did. And it was working well, too. Who needs a condenser tube bigger than 1\4" says i? Well, I got a strip run going earlier this year with some free raw material and was working on some stuff in the garage after I got the flow stabilized and such. All of a sudden I hear a nice 'pop!', whoosh, splat! And get greeted by a bunch of boiling liquid raining down. Seems that I didn't turn my burner down quite enough once takeoff started and it was just too much for the condenser to take (1/4" graham, vertical). Well, made a hell of a mess and I go immediately to shut down the burner. I got flame inside the keg after it took off the cap with the column assy. which was put out quickly enough with a metal lid.
All in all it did what it was supposed to do and relieved the pressure but it was ignorance that caused the pressure in the first place.
The fall broke a condenser connection, which is just as well since I won't be tempted to rescue it. I rebuilt the condenser using a 3/8" coil so oft cited as the minimum. This was the only real damage. I see better now why the bigger tube is recommended. This also demonstrates the need to be at the equipment while running. Everything worked out ok (except for the 10 gal of beer splattered EVERYWHERE in the garage) but it could've been worse. DON'T GET COMPLACENT! Stay safe, everyone.
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Brutal
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Brutal »

Chucker, the term "ignorance" implies that you did not know. We all know better than that. You have been a member here since 2014 and we all know you knew better. It's alright though because you learned from it. You had a close call and lived to tell about it. Count yourself lucky and heed the advise of the forum in the future brother.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Chucker »

That was the point of mentioning it; that others might profit from my lesson as well. You never really know everything and we're always learning something as we go. This incident continues to give me reminders as every time I move something around in the garage I find something still crusty or sticky. It should also serve as a reminder to ANYONE who contemplates leaving their still running unattended. Had I not been right there to shut down and get a lid on the pot things could have turned out differently.
Personally I think this thread should be considered as much a mandatory read as any other here.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Chucker »

...and you're right. I did know better. But ignorance because I chose to ignore it.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Hank Reardon »

muscashine wrote:Fermenting Brown sugar and bananas in the trunk of my old car (because wife didn't want to smell it in the house). Everything going along very nicely until I somehow cracked one of the buckets and didn't know it. Checked on the ferment - all that's left in the bucket is banana mush and foam. The liquid and yeast soaked through the carpet and was now fermenting around the spare tire. Took forever to clean it out and air out the car.
The other bucket ran nicely though. I call it "Trunk Monkey" rum.
Time to design a label. Very funny.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by DSM Loki »

Well I discovered one I think. I've had 50 gallons of gen 5 ujssm wash sitting for about 6-8 weeks. I checked on it today with hopes I could run this weekend. When I pulled the lid off a small swarm of tiny red flies came out. It no longer smells or tastes of alcohol so I'm pretty sure I've got about 50 gallons of vinegar in my fermenter.

I guess it's time to try making that batch of sweet feed I've been considering...
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Truckinbutch
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Truckinbutch »

DSM Loki wrote:Well I discovered one I think. I've had 50 gallons of gen 5 ujssm wash sitting for about 6-8 weeks. I checked on it today with hopes I could run this weekend. When I pulled the lid off a small swarm of tiny red flies came out. It no longer smells or tastes of alcohol so I'm pretty sure I've got about 50 gallons of vinegar in my fermenter.

I guess it's time to try making that batch of sweet feed I've been considering...
Did you get a pull of that UJ vinegar I had for show and tell at S316 Truckorama ? It came from a 44 gallon batch I lost .
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by cranky »

DSM Loki wrote:Well I discovered one I think. I've had 50 gallons of gen 5 ujssm wash sitting for about 6-8 weeks. I checked on it today with hopes I could run this weekend. When I pulled the lid off a small swarm of tiny red flies came out. It no longer smells or tastes of alcohol so I'm pretty sure I've got about 50 gallons of vinegar in my fermenter.

I guess it's time to try making that batch of sweet feed I've been considering...
Run it anyway, One of my apple ciders turned and made both a great brandy and a great apple cider vinegar.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by DSM Loki »

Yeah truck, I did get a pull off that. I figure I'm going to run it and see what it makes. Worst case it gets dumped, best case it still makes liquor.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Truckinbutch »

DSM Loki wrote:Yeah truck, I did get a pull off that. I figure I'm going to run it and see what it makes. Worst case it gets dumped, best case it still makes liquor.
There ya go :thumbup: MCH and Jed always told me : "Run it . Then you know for sure ."
Good advice in the long run .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by jb-texshine »

I got some uj vinegar ageing on oak... hoping it comes out like aged malt vinegar. If it does I'll use it sparingly on fried fish lol!

From earlier today:
Started a yeast bomb in the kitchen and then went to the shop to start a sfwash. Came back to discover yeastyness all over the top of microwave and bottom of cabinet... woopsie!
Remember not to blow yourself up,you only get to forget once!


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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Hound Dog »

DSM Loki wrote:Well I discovered one I think. I've had 50 gallons of gen 5 ujssm wash sitting for about 6-8 weeks. I checked on it today with hopes I could run this weekend. When I pulled the lid off a small swarm of tiny red flies came out. It no longer smells or tastes of alcohol so I'm pretty sure I've got about 50 gallons of vinegar in my fermenter.

I guess it's time to try making that batch of sweet feed I've been considering...
I rack into buckets to clear then I never have any trouble. I racked 6 buckets of sweet feed from my fermenters and let it sit in my garage for 4 weeks when the the temps outside were tickling triple digits and had no trouble with it. 5 gallon buckets with lids.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by DSM Loki »

Yeah, I had been racking into another 55gal barrel to clear but hadn't had time to mess with this one. My downfall on this is that the lid on my primary doesn't have a seal because I don't run a blow down tube and I didn't put the locking ring on so vinegar flies were able to get in. Time for sanitizer, and a new batch.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Johnny6 »

It finally happened to me... fermenter blow-out. I just loaded up some 5-gallon fermenter pails with DWWJ. I've recently been increasing the amount of wheat germ (due to convenience, availability and just plain curiosity). That was probably my downfall, much thicker, added to foaming. Not too much to clean up, thankfully, but it is a wonder that I didn't hear something when the lid popped open. Maybe that is why the dog was so nervous this morning. Perhaps a bit more headroom in the fermenter next time, or maybe I'll leave out the air locks for 24 hours until things settle down. Probably won't leave them in a carpeted room EVER again.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by thecroweater »

Truckinbutch wrote:
DSM Loki wrote:Yeah truck, I did get a pull off that. I figure I'm going to run it and see what it makes. Worst case it gets dumped, best case it still makes liquor.
There ya go :thumbup: MCH and Jed always told me : "Run it . Then you know for sure ."
Good advice in the long run .
Normally I would agree but having seen this ferment I would say forget it. You will get bugger all and anything you might get will be not pleasant
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Kegg_jam »

Not sure if this is a bad mistake or good one.

Never malted corn before. Didn't turn out as good as I had hoped but wanted to test its ability to convert itself. Did a small batch to see how it would mash... Crap only 5 brix. Left it wrapped up over night and thought I would cook it good and proper next day.

Popped the lid and found this:

Image

Smells like cheesy bread.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Kegg_jam wrote:Not sure if this is a bad mistake or good one.
Let 'er rip, then run it!
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by jedneck »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:
Kegg_jam wrote:Not sure if this is a bad mistake or good one.
Let 'er rip, then run it!
yeppppy. then throw a sugar head back on it
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by muscashine »

Soldering.
Every time I do a project involving hot copper tubing I get burned. Today I didn't have enough solder sticking off the spool and got my thumb in the way of the hot blue stuff coming out of the torch. Nice painful blister on the end to remind me not to be stupid. It's amazing how long those pipes hold heat. I knocked over a 2" pipe once that I had just finished soldering a T onto. Bad move to reach out and catch it. Really painful lesson there.
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by HDNB »

ummm...yeah.

picture is worth a thousand words.

(most of the words started with "F" anyway...)
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by jedneck »

HDNB wrote:ummm...yeah.

picture is worth a thousand words.

(most of the words started with "F" anyway...)
real men use electrical or duct tape. not fufu girly gauze. :moresarcasm:
hope its not to bad
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Snackson »

HDNB wrote:ummm...yeah.

picture is worth a thousand words.

(most of the words started with "F" anyway...)
Ouch! No keys to the jet for you, that's for sure!
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Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

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