# Does anyone know...



## Joanie (Sep 15, 2006)

...what size hole to make for the airlock in the lid of a primary? I don't want to take the grommet out of mine because I'm afraid I won't be able to get it back in!

Thanks!


----------



## Waldo (Sep 15, 2006)

I take mine out frequently Joan and it's really not that much of a challenge getting it back in.


----------



## Joanie (Sep 15, 2006)

OK, I'll be brave! =)


----------



## OldWino1 (Sep 15, 2006)

I hav accedently knocked mine out and just put it back in. I assume its for clearing from a batch that the yeasties liked alot.


----------



## Joanie (Sep 15, 2006)

Come to think of it I almost pushed the grommet thru the hole into the must! It skert me!


----------



## Wade E (Sep 15, 2006)

When I first started I bought 2 primaries with the grommets, both
leaked and for 3 days I thought I had a problem and that my kits were
not fermenting(no action at airlock). I finally open them up and
discovered that I did have a problem, the grommets! I redrilled the
lids for # 8 rubber bungs and whaalaa. lots of bubbling.


----------



## Waldo (Sep 16, 2006)

Great idea wade.


----------



## paubin (Sep 17, 2006)

Great idea Wade, you should put that in the tips area!


Pete


----------



## kutya (Sep 21, 2006)

Wade, great idea.... Joan, I know this is going to cause some discussion, but I just cover my primary with a clean dish towl. Yeast need to breath at first.. I got the idea from Jack Keller's web page...


----------



## Wade E (Sep 21, 2006)

Kutya, a lot of people do that but I can not because I have a cat that
goes in my basement and likes to sleep on everything. If I do that I
will be having a cat fermenting. Anybody ever try feline wine?


----------



## pkcook (Sep 21, 2006)

Joan,


On my 1 to 2 gallon batches, I use a clean dish towel and a cord to secure it with. Works like a champ!


----------



## kutya (Sep 21, 2006)

Glad to hear others are doing this. Wade, nothing like a little cat hair in the must....lol...


----------



## Joanie (Sep 21, 2006)

I've read about folks covering the primary with a towel or cheesecloth but I've never done it. Must be I made just enough kit wines to do it that way.


----------



## pkcook (Sep 21, 2006)

I have a 6.8 gallon with a lid, a 5 gallon with a lid, a 4 gallon with a lid and a 2 gallon without. I only use the lid on my 6 gallon batches.


----------



## Joanie (Sep 21, 2006)

Why wouldn't you do them all either with or all without a lid? Is there a benefit I'm missing out on?


----------



## pkcook (Sep 21, 2006)

To me, it's easier with a cloth, and my wife's dish cloths are not big enough to go over the 6.8 gallon, so I use it's lid.


----------



## Joanie (Sep 21, 2006)

Thats an excellent reason! 

I suppose one could buy a square of fabric to fit the 6.8. In fact it might not be a bad idea to have dedicated cloth "lids" of correct sizes for all the primaries. OR one could make round "lids" and put elastic on the edges and make caps.

Hmmm... that gives me something to think about. Thanks!


----------



## Wade E (Sep 21, 2006)

If you use a lid, open it up often to give the yeast lots of
oxygen. I use the lid also and have never had a problem but I know that
everyone who has lots of experience says to let it breath with a cloth.


----------



## pkcook (Sep 21, 2006)

Joan,


I've read where people with sewing talent have made cloth lids with elastic built in. My wife can sew anything, but I've never asked her to do this. Might be something to consider!


----------



## Wade E (Sep 22, 2006)

Thats a pretty darn good idea. I've never heard of that but it would be cool.


----------



## Joanie (Sep 22, 2006)

It took me longer to find a saftey pin to run the elastic thru the casing than it did to make! I'm thinking of calling this a "wine toque".


----------



## Wade E (Sep 22, 2006)

It looks like a tribal drum/


----------



## Waldo (Sep 23, 2006)

Dang Joan..I believe you could sell those...Might even get George to offer them.


----------



## PolishWineP (Sep 23, 2006)

Nice job!



Looks nicer that our big dish towel with the string and rubber band...


----------



## pkcook (Sep 23, 2006)

Joan,


That is exactly what I was talking about! Now I've got a photo to show my wife. 


Ingenuity at its finest!



I am impressed!


----------



## Joanie (Sep 23, 2006)

Thank you all!





Pk,

Tell your wife I cut a square of some leftover fabric about 4" larger than the lid's diameter, folded the square in 4ths, then cut the edge in and arch so it was round. The elastic I happened to have on hand was half inch wide so I turned the edge of the fabric under about an inch and stitched to almost all the way around to make the casing, ran the elastic thru it, stitched the ends of the elastic together after adjusting it a bit for size, then stitched up the rest of the casing. Easy as pie! 

Wade, 

I just hope my cat doesn't think she can sleep on my tribal drum! I'm guessing she'll only do it once!


----------



## Wade E (Sep 23, 2006)

Once is all it takes.


----------



## pkcook (Sep 23, 2006)

Thanks Joan,


I'll show her your post!


----------



## kutya (Sep 25, 2006)

Joan:


Nice lid....... I agree it looks much better than a towl and rubber band....


----------



## sangwitch (Sep 25, 2006)

very cool! Hmm... my wife likes to sew as well...


----------

