painting volume lines inside my bucket

[Hoochin'Fool]

I'd like to make some volume level marks on the inside of my 6 gallon food-grade plastic bucket (from a hardware store). I used black electrical tape on outside, but the bucket is pretty much opaque, and lines inside would be so much more convenient when adding top-off water to get my final target. Any suggestions?

 

[Kickass]

I’d be hesitant to paint lines on the inside. Can you use a flash light in conjunction with your tape to see? Fill bucket, hold flash light inside of bucket, read level?

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

That was the first thing I tried, and it's still really hard to tell (surely didn't help that the only flashlight I had handy was the one on my cellphone). The second idea I had, was marking off levels on a wooden yard-stick, but for now, I'm a little paranoid about the chance of introducing an infection that way, so I haven't actually gone ahead and tried that yet...

 

[Nate R]

I'd like to make some volume level marks on the inside of my 6 gallon food-grade plastic bucket (from a hardware store). I used black electrical tape on outside, but the bucket is pretty much opaque, and lines inside would be so much more convenient when adding top-off water to get my final target. Any suggestions?

I dunno... paint? Seems like a chance for something bad to happen.
What about a measuring stick? Make notches on a big brewing stainless spoon, or something similar? Then just stick that in the bucket when adding liquid.
I would not paint inside the bucket. I would assume it will come off in the water after a few times (especially with cleaning!).
Also- i would not notch the inside of the bucket as bacteria could hide there.
My thoughts.

 

[bracconiere]

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[McMullan]

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View attachment 783999

Bathtubs? Doesn't sound much like a standard to me. Half a bathtub of beer

 

[McMullan]

How about a stainless rod engraved with a Dremel bit, hacksaw, file or whatever? Easy to customise to suit your FV and volume(s) brewed. Better and cheaper than some kind of specialist paint, I reckon.

 

[seilenos]

If you are going to use a tell, consider making it relative to the headspace and not the depth of the wort.

That is ...

Add 1 gallon of water to the bucket and put your measuring rod in just above the water level. Mark the rod at the lip of the bucket with a "1".
Add another gallon of water and put your measuring rod in just above the water level. Mark the rod at the lip of the bucket with a "2".
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

You can now measure without submerging the measuring rod in the wort.

 

[jerrylotto]

Use a scale and measure more accurately by weight. If you know the tare of the bucket, each gallon of water (sg 1.000) weighs 8.34 lb and wort weighs water x wort sg

 

[Brushwood Brewing]

If you are going to use a tell, consider making it relative to the headspace and not the depth of the wort.

This is what I did for my keggle. Would recommend.

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

How about a stainless rod engraved with a Dremel bit, hacksaw, file or whatever? Easy to customise to suit your FV and volume(s) brewed. Better and cheaper than some kind of specialist paint, I reckon.

That’s what I did. My marks are at 1/4 gal. Works wonderfully for me but I only to 2.5-3 gal on brew day.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I’d be hesitant to paint lines on the inside. Can you use a flash light in conjunction with your tape to see? Fill bucket, hold flash light inside of bucket, read level?

I've found that holding the flashlight outside of the bucket and looking down into the bucket works better. Though, with clear water, its not as easy. Having a somewhat darker wort makes for better contrast.

 

[tracer bullet]

I've found that the Sharpie branded "industrial" markers seem to be a different formulation and are really tough. Almost like the dissolve their way slightly into the surface of things. Haven't tried them on a bucket, it may shed the marker off right away or it might actually work. You're just out a few bucks to try.

Of course it means that there's marker touching your beer, but you'll have to gauge if you care very much or not.

I like the flashlight idea, that's a good one!

 

[hawkwing]

My first choice would be to get a different bucket.

You probably could also use a heat gun or hair dryer to soften the bucket and then mark in lines. Go slow and be careful to not soften too much.

 

[AlexKay]

++ on the ruler idea, but use a clean stainless steel ruler.

Alternately, you could buy a length of SS rod stock and use AC etching to put black lines on it.