Obstinate Screw-Top Fermenter

[Chris]

Anyone have trouble getting the lid off their screw-top fermenter? It's one of those 30L plastic ones with a lid the same size as the top of the fermenter. There's a rubber ring inside the lid to seal it.

I put some vaseline around the sealing ring (without it a small amount of air escapes when tightened up).

I put it on fairly tight but only enough to get a decent seal. I don't really crank it down or anything.

Problem is, it's really, really hard to get the lid off again. Last time I had to rack the beer off through the tap then stick the lid in a vice. Just now I had to get my neighbour to pop over and help!

I've got a couple of ferms with snap-on lids that are fine but don't want to have to buy another fermenter to replace this stubborn one.

Anyone got any ideas/recommendations?

[Dan]

Straddle the fermentor, Apply pressure to the sides of the fermenter with inner thighs, curl left arm around lid and execute a short sharp jab.
You could always just use tin foil rather than a lid.

[Mike Neilson]

This is what I do grab the biggest hammer you can find along with a flat head screw driver ( Larger the head the better dont want to pierce the plastic) Straddle the fermentor, Apply pressure to the sides of the fermenter with inner thighs then place blunt end of screw driver to the lid ribs then WHACK!! job done!!

[Kempicus]

I'm sorry but is anyone else reading this with words popping out to them like 'vaseline,ring, straddle' 'apply pressure with thighs' 'execute a short sharp jab' etc
It's cracking me up!
i have nothing serious to add however! ;0)

[HerrSchnapps]

You're not alone!

[Kempicus]

I have a serious point!
I used to have this problem till i discovered the joys of taking the top off every day to taste from the fermentor!

[James P]

I would be concerned with all the 'vaseline,ring, straddle' 'apply pressure with thighs' 'execute a short sharp jab' etc, and the likelihood of infections......

[Greig McGill]

*dies laughing*

God, I'm so juvenile...

[Kempicus]

yep i am too and i don't care!

[Chris]

Oh dear, should have known just the mention of the word vaseline would bring out the schoolboy humour :)

I've tried every contortion possible, was like playing twister with the b****y thing. I was wondering if it's maybe a faulty sealing ring or something.

I reckon i'll try Mike's idea about giving it a whack with a hammer. It's what I normally do to things that don't work so I should have thought of that one!

[Mike Neilson]

Yeah sometimes you cant treat it like a lady and need to treat it like a man!!!!! but thats what i heard.

[Stu McKinlay]

Ditch it and buy one of the clip on lids. I've not used one of those screw ons for about 5 years - they're crap. And, yes, I was a stradller too (actually I just got back from straddling my bike for 8 hrs in a classic Wellington nor'wester.. feel like ditching the bike too.

[jt]

Gotta agree with Stu here
Save yourself the risk of infection or chaffed thighs and save time cleaning the thread
Find another use for it around the brewery or house, turn it into a piggy bank or use it to store grain in.
I ditched my screwtop fermenter sometime around 1995 from memory ...

cheers, jt