copper fermentation barrel

[sour_grapes]

These are gorgeous!! I'm actually very impressed by the tightness of your seams. Did you just use the 10ft rolls of copper you can pick up at Menards? And did you just form the pieces or actually poxy/attach them to the fridge and DW? Thank you for sharing - they are way cooler than I was even picturing!

Thank you very much. Yes, I just used the 10' rolls from Menards.

I used medium density fiberboard (MDF) as a substrate, and then attached the MDF to the fridge and DW in the manner that the fridge/DW manufacturers expect you to.

I rounded the edges of the MDF over with a 1/4" router bit (IIRC). I glued the copper sheet to the front of the MDF using a special glue that binds to copper, as not many glues stick to copper. (At this remove, I cannot recall the name of the product.)

I then bent the edges of the copper around the MDF. I built a special jig to bend the sheet around the MDF. At the corners, you have to figure out how to cut the copper so that it does not have any gaps or overlaps when it is rolled around the edges. It turns out that, if you work out the math, the line that marks the intersection of two cylinders at right angles is a sine wave if you unroll the cylinders (which I found surprising and cool!). I therefore sketched and cut a sinusoid onto the corners before bending the sheet around the MDF. This worked surprisingly well.

 

[balatonwine]

I also covered my fridge and DW in copper sheet.

Is this a DIY or are you a pro? Darn fine job either way.

 

[sour_grapes]

Is this a DIY or are you a pro? Darn fine job either way.

Thank you! It was just DIY. (I can do moderately nice work, but I am NOT FAST ENOUGH to be a pro, not by a long shot.)

 

[housecopper]

Thank you! It was just DIY. (I can do moderately nice work, but I am NOT FAST ENOUGH to be a pro, not by a long shot.)

It's ok - it's still gorgeous! That is very very interesting about the sine wave! I wondered what you did for corners - I do a few different styles to make a seamless corner when making copper trays for vintage pieces and it sounds like you discovered yet another way to do it!

How is the MDF holding up under the dishwasher (in terms of water) or did you wrap the copper completely around the MDF so the seams of it are under the copper where it is attached? I always get so nervous with MDF and water...

Thanks for sharing the how-to!!! It is really lovely and nothing at all like what I do with copper..

 

[sour_grapes]

It is really lovely and nothing at all like what I do with copper..

OOoooohhhh, pretty. I know that you are in my area -- Where do you hawk your wares?

How is the MDF holding up under the dishwasher (in terms of water) or did you wrap the copper completely around the MDF so the seams of it are under the copper where it is attached? I always get so nervous with MDF and water...

Yeah, termite spit and water make me nervous, too. The rear is exposed, but I varnished it pretty thoroughly before adding the copper.

 

[sour_grapes]

OOoooohhhh, pretty. I know that you are in my area -- Where do you hawk your wares?

Never mind! I found it. http://www.housekeepercrockery.com

Looks gorgeous.

 

[Scooter68]

Given the average lifespan of dishwashers.... 7 years would be about all it has to last at best. Unless that leaks at the door seal... you should be good.

 

[Ajmassa]

#10characterMinimum

 

[sour_grapes]

Given the average lifespan of dishwashers.... 7 years would be about all it has to last at best. Unless that leaks at the door seal... you should be good.

Believe me, if this dishwasher kicks, I will be looking to replace it with another of the same model (or one that has the same hole pattern) so that I can still use the panel. I really like it, but have no interest in making that panel again!

 

[Scooter68]

I understand that. Before I retired I sold appliances at Lowe's - They really don't make them like they used to. Even Kitchenaid. Great machines - once you get them installed and running. Problem is they have ridiculously weak rear legs and it's not at all unusual to have a $900 dishwasher come in with those legs buckled under. Here's the crazy part of this - The door hinge bracket usually also gets bent and the door won't close correctly. Fixable, yeah but who wants to buy a brand new High dollar dishwasher that had to be 'fixed' before it could even be sold. All they had to do was provide better boxing or a temporary brace for shipping - but in this day of cheaper is better....
Just another reason I like making my own wine - I know what's in it and how much of every thing. If I buy a bottle of brand 'X' Blueberry wine, Maybe it's even all blueberry no grape of apple in it, but what quality and what quantity of blueberries are in there?

(How's that for a long way around to make a cconnection to wine making?)

 

[Redbird1]

I understand that. Before I retired I sold appliances at Lowe's - They really don't make them like they used to. Even Kitchenaid. Great machines - once you get them installed and running. Problem is they have ridiculously weak rear legs and it's not at all unusual to have a $900 dishwasher come in with those legs buckled under. Here's the crazy part of this - The door hinge bracket usually also gets bent and the door won't close correctly. Fixable, yeah but who wants to buy a brand new High dollar dishwasher that had to be 'fixed' before it could even be sold. All they had to do was provide better boxing or a temporary brace for shipping - but in this day of cheaper is better....
Just another reason I like making my own wine - I know what's in it and how much of every thing. If I buy a bottle of brand 'X' Blueberry wine, Maybe it's even all blueberry no grape of apple in it, but what quality and what quantity of blueberries are in there?

(How's that for a long way around to make a cconnection to wine making?)

And all of that in a thread on copper fermentation barrels!

 

[Scooter68]

I'm blaming it on the summer heat . That's my story and I'm, sticking to it.

 

[sour_grapes]

I understand that. Before I retired I sold appliances at Lowe's - They really don't make them lik

e they used to. Even Kitchenaid. Great machines - once you get them installed and running. Problem is they have ridiculously weak rear legs and it's not at all unusual to have a $900 dishwasher come in with those legs buckled under.

Ha, that is funny. In fact, this machine is a high-$ (~$1200) GE Profile that I bought at Sears Outlet scratch-and-dent for small $ (~$300). It had been dropped, and the leg levelers, which were just 1/4-20 threaded pieces, stripped through the threads in the stamped sheet-metal legs. I just put a couple of nuts on the leg levelers, and problem solved!

I don't understand why "panel-ready" appliances cost MORE than appliances that have a finished appearances. Well, I guess I do, but it involves the same reasons that dogs perform some elements of personal hygiene!

 

[Scooter68]

It's because they are Special! Your are correct, they provide less and charge way more. It's like the "Counter Depth" refrigerators. They are the same price or more than standard (Deeper & Higher Capacity) fridges but you get less storage space because..... yep they too are "special." Anything they don't produce in mass quantities sells at a higher price. Nowadays I feel sorry for folks with low opening area for their fridge because of that same thing. AND selection is so poor.

 

[housecopper]

Never mind! I found it. http://www.housekeepercrockery.com

Looks gorgeous.

Thanks! Hahaha glad you found it! www.housecopper.com works too.

 

[housecopper]

I understand that. Before I retired I sold appliances at Lowe's - They really don't make them like they used to. Even Kitchenaid. Great machines - once you get them installed and running. Problem is they have ridiculously weak rear legs and it's not at all unusual to have a $900 dishwasher come in with those legs buckled under. Here's the crazy part of this - The door hinge bracket usually also gets bent and the door won't close correctly. Fixable, yeah but who wants to buy a brand new High dollar dishwasher that had to be 'fixed' before it could even be sold. All they had to do was provide better boxing or a temporary brace for shipping - but in this day of cheaper is better....
Just another reason I like making my own wine - I know what's in it and how much of every thing. If I buy a bottle of brand 'X' Blueberry wine, Maybe it's even all blueberry no grape of apple in it, but what quality and what quantity of blueberries are in there?

(How's that for a long way around to make a cconnection to wine making?)

I completely agree about knowing the provenance of your wine. Any your food. And your cookware...but of course.

 

[sour_grapes]

Y
As for copper and acidity...think of all those moscow mule mugs and all the limes they are coming into contact with...acidity is not so instant or so dramatic with copper...(or every bar serving moscow mule mugs in copper should be now warned about the copper mixing with the acid of the limes! or...perhaps they are polishing heavily after every use...)

Well, now that you mention it:

The Moscow mule — that Instagram-ready cocktail that has surged in popularity in recent years — has only a few ingredients: vodka, ginger beer, lime and ice. But perhaps the most crucial component of the drink is the copper mug in which it’s almost always served, beverage aficionados say.

Now, public health officials are warning that those mugs could be poisoning you.
An advisory bulletin from Iowa’s Alcoholic Beverages Division notes that, in keeping with Food and Drug Administration guidelines, copper should not come into contact with acidic foods with a pH below 6. That includes vinegar, fruit juice, wine and, yes, a traditional Moscow mule, whose pH is “well below 6.0.” the bulletin says.

“When copper and copper alloy surfaces contact acidic foods, copper may be leached into the food,” the division notes.

This quote is from this article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/08/08/heads-up-moscow-mule-lovers-that-copper-mug-could-be-poisoning-you/

 

[housecopper]

Ah ha! Look at that! Someone found this thread and took it viral!!! We should be all getting all the credit for discussing it WELL BEFORE THE TREND. We are all so dang cool.

I did a little piece on it on my blog...though I'm not sure I am allowed to post links like that?