Turning ferrous metal to non ferrous

[phildo79]

I won't bother you with the details but if you had a piece of ferrous metal and dipped it in candle wax, would it be safe to use with beer?

 

[dwhite60]

Any metal containing iron is considered ferrous. Stainless steel is ferrous. Copper, zinc, aluminum, magnesium, etc are non-ferrous.

 

[An Ankoù]

I won't bother you with the details but if you had a piece of ferrous metal and dipped it in candle wax, would it be safe to use with beer?

It's an unusual question and it needs the details. The bottom line is that if the beer comes into contact with iron for any length of time, it will taint the beer. Candle wax would work if it provided a good coating for the period of contact, but it's pretty fragile: easy to scratch, easy to melt etc. Why are you considering risking a batch of beer?

 

[scomet]

G’Day Phildo79, I once visited a 'Traditional Winery' and they coated their mild steel and wooden fermentation vessels with natural wax. The bloke explained a lot about the old ways of fermentation and how it was organic, sustainable, yada yada, I bought a case - wish I hadn’t…..

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

I won't bother you with the details but if you had a piece of ferrous metal and dipped it in candle wax, would it be safe to use with beer?

I agree with @An Ankoù , I think some context would help here. There are a few types of ferrous metals, a couple of which you wouldn’t need to coat at all, as they would be safe to use in contact with beer. Stainless steel for instance.
I wouldn’t necessarily want candle wax bobbing about in my beer either. Candle wax can contain some fairly harsh chemicals to aid in burn time. You can get food grade wax though. But it’s a bit more expensive.

 

[The Baron]

I am with AA and Fireside give us a idea of why and what you are trying to do there maybe a better answer to what you want to do

 

[An Ankoù]

I suspect the OP is trying to prevent his beer by being spoilt by malign forces and wishes to harness the warding properties of iron to keep imps, sprites, korrigans etc well away from his cauldron.

A Korrigan. Can't move for the little blighters in these parts.

 

[UKSkydiver]

You lot are just nosey
<Goes to Google korrigan>

 

[phildo79]

Nosey, nosey, nosey.

Nah, I bought a strong magnet and some stir bars so I could attach a bag of hops to the underside of a keg lid during fermentation. Then when ready, remove the magnet and start the dry hoping process with having to open the keg. However, the stir bars are tiny and I worried they might not aid in holding the bag. I was correct. I would say they might normally work but I am brewing a NEIPA and the dry hop amount is 147g. The magnet came with a piece of metal already attached and I reckon it could do the job but I have no idea what sort of metal it is, so didn't risk it. But I wondered if coating it in wax would be an option.

 

[An Ankoù]

You could put your dry hops in bag with some glass beads and suspend it with a bit of fishing line which you could then spray with a bit of no-rinse before lowering it ceremoniously and with a fanfare of trumpets into the beer. You'd only have to open the lid a tiny bit to let the line slide. Even better, you could twitch the line now and then to distribute the goodness.

 

[phildo79]

I have tried something like that before and the first time I did it, I seated the lid. Every time after though, I just couldn't seat the lid fully. I was hoping to start carbing the beer after the first couple of days of fermentation and the fishing line might prevent that. I will just open it up and bung them in quickly and seal the keg. With the blanket of co2, oxygen contact will be minimal at best.

 

[phildo79]

I have one of those mesh, hop cylinder things so I might use that instead of a bag.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I used these on the inside and outside. See my Brewday entry #70

https://www.first4magnets.com/circu...mium-magnet-1kg-pull-p2565#ps_0_2588|ps_1_828

 

[Cwrw666]

But I wondered if coating it in wax would be an option.

No. The wax would melt. I use melted wax a lot and when it first melts you can dip your finger in it so it aint that hot.
You could try something like hammerite paint.

 

[chthon]

I worried that someone had a source of radiation in surplus, and was trying to play "Philosopher's Stone" by turning ferrous metals into non-ferrous ones...

 

[phildo79]

I used these on the inside and outside. See my Brewday entry #70

https://www.first4magnets.com/circu...mium-magnet-1kg-pull-p2565#ps_0_2588|ps_1_828

Yes, I see what you mean. However you are using them through plastic and have a lot more room to work with. I am trying to hold the hop bag to the underside of a corny keg lid. Nowhere near as much room to spread the weight out and possibly less attraction through metal than plastic.

 

[phildo79]

But I bought them anyway. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Sadfield]

@phildo79

Nosey, nosey, nosey.

Nah, I bought a strong magnet and some stir bars so I could attach a bag of hops to the underside of a keg lid during fermentation. Then when ready, remove the magnet and start the dry hoping process with having to open the keg. However, the stir bars are tiny and I worried they might not aid in holding the bag. I was correct. I would say they might normally work but I am brewing a NEIPA and the dry hop amount is 147g. The magnet came with a piece of metal already attached and I reckon it could do the job but I have no idea what sort of metal it is, so didn't risk it. But I wondered if coating it in wax would be an option.

Know anyone who could vacuum pack it for you? Essentially coating it in food grade plastic.

 

[Buffers brewery]

less attraction through metal than plastic.

You’re right but at 1 kg separation force each you still get plenty of pull through stainless steel. I tried a couple on my kettle lid.

but I appreciate you’re trying to get what you’ve got to work.

 

[hughjamton]

2 part resin?