Tragedy at the Brewhouse, You never think it could happen to you. Options

[awall]

I'm sorry for your loss but havent any of you glass carboy users heard of the "brew hauler"? I move my carboys from the garage to basement with no worries. When it comes time to keg I carry them up the basement stairs and keg. No worries. Just a thought.

I've only broken 1 glass carboy and that was cleaning it with the wire brush. It only cracked the glass.

+1, love the brew hauler

[Fletch]

My neck handles have long been retired. BrewHaulers all the way. As far as the straps slipping, they won't if you have them in the right place in the first place. I always check their position before lifting.
Next time you see them just let them know they'll be the first ones listed as a defendant in your lawsuit. Maybe they'll think twice before giving crappy, half assed opinions to the next guy and save someones appendage.

The OP in this thread lost his carboy because he didn't install the handle correctly. Many others have dropped them while cleaning, etc., but I still have not seen a post here from anybody who has had a carboy break due to use of the handle. Anybody?

[deerslyr]

My friends, it grieves me to tell you that there has been a tremendous tragedy at the brewhouse. I was in the process of taking the carboy to my kitchen to rack the Amber Ale to the secondary fermentor, then it happened. I placed the metal tension handle on the neck of the carboy, checked it for security, and made my way to the kitchen. In one tenth of a second, the handle slipped off, dropping the carboy to the cold, hard, unforgiving concrete floor of the garage. I witnessed 5 gallons of sweet, sweet beer flood from my garage. Hours of preparation, and hours of brewing, not to mention the money, literally made it's way down the sidewalk drain. Luckily, the Pumpkin ale is safe in the fermentation refrigerator. I wish it's twin was there with him. I am going to go cry now.

This reminds me of the scene in A Christmas Story, the movie about a boy and the Red Rider BB gun. That scene were the dogs get in to the turkey:
"The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE! "
Talk about pouring one out for the homies. I just gave props to every departed brewer in the history of civilization.

I will raise a glass to you and your health when I get home tonight. Thankfully you still have all 20 digits (we need all of those to calculate pounds and ounces when measuring grain and hops, right?) and two eyes (I actually heard of a guy who got a shard in his eye) to brew with (wouldn't want to miss a boil over). This is the reason I won't go to glass... I don't trust myself to do something bonehead. But... i can commiserate with you as I had my brew cart collapse on me during an inaugural brew session with some new pipework. Busted my pumphead, but that was replaced within the week.

[RommelMagic]

The OP in this thread lost his carboy because he didn't install the handle correctly. Many others have dropped them while cleaning, etc., but I still have not seen a post here from anybody who has had a carboy break due to use of the handle. Anybody?

Technically the OP was using a handle, but you're right, no one who has properly used the handle has posted to say that the neck broke. But I have read (from a "flyer" that came with the handle I think?) that it should never be used to lift a full carboy, and I also recall reading that a carboy should never be lifted, while full, by its' neck. I don't recall exactly where I read this however it might have been on the website where each item was purchased or documentation that came with each

[wofat]

When I dropped a full 6 gallon (full of oxyclean... therefore it wasn't quite as great a tragedy), I was in my basement with bare feet. Not good. Long hospital visit. Lots of glass removal from hands and feet. Not good.

Now I have a bunch of better bottles, and I love them!

[rebelcruiser]

The OP in this thread lost his carboy because he didn't install the handle correctly. Many others have dropped them while cleaning, etc., but I still have not seen a post here from anybody who has had a carboy break due to use of the handle. Anybody?

the gentleman that I refered to in a previous post had the bolt snap while using the handle. Does that count?

Gary

[stout_fan]

lost beer trumps lost body parts.
You are lucky man,
Always treat glass as a an accident waiting to happen and be VERY careful.

[dresselbrew]

I can feel your pain. I put my conical in my wine fridge Sunday night and left it sitting there for about 20 min. I don't have the key to the door and the conical touches the door an little. I was opening the yeast and walking over to pitch it in and the door flew open and the conical came crashing out to the ground. 6 gallons of wort all over my kitchen floor. I've been depressed ever since. I'm going to a beer fest in Asheville this weekend so I won't even be able to brew this beer till the weekend after this one.

[BISCUITSandGRAVY]

The OP in this thread lost his carboy because he didn't install the handle correctly. Many others have dropped them while cleaning, etc., but I still have not seen a post here from anybody who has had a carboy break due to use of the handle. Anybody?

Most of the shops that sell the carboy handles have a disclaimer.

[Piantini]

Note to Self: "Never buy or use glass carboy, it could be dangerous, heart breaking, & life threathing!

[Swagman]

Been using handles and milk crates for years and haven't had a bone head move yet. But it could happen if not careful. One thing I have noticed over the years when over at another's brewers house, that the handles are installed wrong. What I have seen is the handle placed around the neck in first recession and not in the second one. The first area is a lot smaller and putting the pressure on a smaller area of glass. In fact when you place it in the larger recession you have to force open the handles a bit. I also replace the bolts with SS ones to keep down the rust. I ALWAYS support the carboy with a hand under the bottom and don't carry them across the county. I place them in a milk crate and place in a two wheeler if going long distance's.

I wash and clean carboys on a drain rack horizontal and never vertical. A carboy full of water and the out side wet is like trying hold onto a greased pig.

Just use CS (common sense) and BE CAREFUL


Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cool.gif)

[Fletch]

the gentleman that I refered to in a previous post had the bolt snap while using the handle. Does that count?

Gary

Sorry for the slow reply! No, it doesn't count.

Six years later now, still hhaven't seen or heard of a properly installe handle breaki g a carboy. I still carry them full, two at a time, by the handle. I do also have 4 BBs, purchased over the last couple of years. I do like how light they are, but I miss having handles.