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Subject:
Message in a Bottle
Category: Miscellaneous Asked by: brudenell-ga List Price: $5.00 |
Posted:
24 Nov 2002 14:28 PST
Expires: 24 Dec 2002 14:28 PST Question ID: 113814 |
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Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
Answered By: pinkfreud-ga on 28 Nov 2002 15:18 PST Rated: ![]() |
Brudenell, I am delighted that you've asked me to officially "answer" your question, after some fascinating back-and-forth exchanges. And I thank you for describing me as "wise." The "message in a bottle" awash in a sea of wine is sure to be memorable! I can envision the occasion as the recipients realize that there is a little something extra inside, in addition to the liquid cheer. Happy holidays to you and yours. Best wishes, pinkfreud | |
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brudenell-ga
rated this answer:![]() Hello pinkfreud-ga! Your comment led to the solution that I was seeking and I am also grateful for the discussion that followed. Tomorrow night the "messages in bottles" are being presented. This should be a fun kick off for the upcoming festive season and I thank you and the other respondents for being a part of it. I hope you have a fun festive season too! |
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Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: pinkfreud-ga on 24 Nov 2002 15:58 PST |
Instead of laminating your message, have you considered putting the paper with theh message inside a tiny glass vial, then sealing and sterilizing the vial and placing it inside the wine bottle? A bottle within a bottle. This sounds intriguing to me. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: sublime1-ga on 24 Nov 2002 16:04 PST |
I would agree with pinkfreud's inventive suggestion. Not only does it add a touch of elegance, but it precludes the possibility that the plastic laminate will interact unfavorably with the wine. I make homemade mead, or honey-wine, and have learned not to process or store the wine in plastic due to the potential for interaction. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 24 Nov 2002 16:45 PST |
Thank you pinkfreud and sublime1 for your comments! A tiny glass vial is indeed a classy, glassy idea...now where to find the new vials? I appreciate your assistance Brudenell |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: highroute-ga on 24 Nov 2002 16:52 PST |
>> now where to find the new vials? << Maybe a chemistry supply house? Or why not contact a glassmaker? A glassmaker could seal up your vials after the message is placed inside. No stopper ... just glass. That would be great if the message is oriented inside the vial so it can be read without opening, or breaking, the vial. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: pinkfreud-ga on 24 Nov 2002 17:16 PST |
Small glass vials are often available at hobby and crafts supply stores. People (like me) who make beaded jewelry use mini-sized glass vials to hold seed beads. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: bobtherat-ga on 24 Nov 2002 17:45 PST |
It would be hard to read a message that was inside a glass vial without getting the vial out (difficult) or breking the bottle (not classy). Instead, why don't you try staining a piece of glass, say a glass rod, steralizing it, and putting it in the bottle. Itwill be more easity read then paper,remail sterile, and look classy while still in the bottle. Assuming, of course, that you are using a clear bottle. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 24 Nov 2002 17:58 PST |
highroute-ga, pinkfreud-ga & bobtherat-ga, Thanks again GA team! I am getting attached to this vial idea. If I can be sure that there will be no contamination, I am going to give it a try. Maybe if I dip each sealed vial in a sodium sulfate solution (?) it should work. As for reading the message, my preference is to deliberately have the note unreadable from outside the bottle because I am going to have some extra gifts linked to 5 or so random wine bottles (I am giving the wine to a group). To help you visualize the bottle that I am using is a clear bottle, shaped like a violin, to be filled with a custom made, amber coloured apple/ maple cider by a local Prince Edward Island winery. The bottles are being presented in a venue where no one is allowed to open their bottle on the premises. The note in the bottle will have everyone quessing who the additional winners are... All of the comments are sincerely appreciated Brudenell |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: unstable-ga on 26 Nov 2002 00:54 PST |
brudenell, if u are firm on the glass vial idea, then there is no issue of sterilization problem as you can use the same process that you sterilize the wine bottle, i.e. put the message in a vial (sealed) then put vial in bottle then you sterilize bottle (with vial inside) then you proceed to put in wine and then seal. For non-commercial sterilization, a steam bath would kill most of the germs in the atmosphere and on the glass surfaces. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: tutuzdad-ga on 26 Nov 2002 09:04 PST |
Perhaps you could place your message in this sterilizable Cryo Tube CryoTubes http://www.nuncbrand.com/docs/doc_Products_CryoTubes_CryoLineSystem.asp?frame=content You must also consider the possiblity of breakage. If this ever happens you could be facing a costly recall of ALL your products. If you could develop a means of attaching the top tube to the bottom of the cap or cork, this would not only allow for easy extraction of the message, but eliminate any possibility that the tube might break inside the bottle during handeling. Perhaps you could contact bottling companies to see if they could manufacture such a thing for you specifically for this use. Good luck; tutuzdad-ga |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 26 Nov 2002 12:10 PST |
Hello unstable-ga & tutuzdad-ga Thanks you for your comments. I am proceeding on the vial idea and have sourced some Pyrex test tubes with caps at a local hospital lab. The sterilization will be fairly straightforward. With regards to breakage I am going to insert the test tube cap down. Although I haven't yet had a chance to experiment, I suspect that it will float and that there will be no glass to glass impact as the bottom of the tube will only touch the cork. Your assistance is very much appreciated. Regards Brudenell |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 27 Nov 2002 18:25 PST |
Experiment successful! The vial worked. It had to be in the bottle with the cap down. Tried it also with the cap up and disaster occurred. Once the cork was forced into the bottle the added internal pressure caused air to seep out of the 'cap up' floating vial. It sank! and worse wine seeped in. In the end I opted for test tube bottom up and all worked fine. Now how do we get wise PINKFREUD-GA to post an answer as that is where the credit is due? Thanks everyone for your interest. Best regards Brudenell |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: tutuzdad-ga on 27 Nov 2002 18:34 PST |
I have summoned PINK for you. Please stand by. tutuzdad-ga |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: sparky4ca-ga on 27 Nov 2002 22:31 PST |
Just my 2 cents worth of theory... You need to sterilize the vial. Not sanitize (as in chemicals) but sterilize as in pressurized steam, or boiling water bath. As, no doubt, your glass bottles will be sterilized prior to being filled. If there is any air in your vial, it will heat up when you sterilize the vial. Air that is heated expands. If there is no way for the expanding air to escape, then the vial will go boom (or at least, I think it should...) To give you an example of what I'm talking about, think about home-made jam. The jars are sterilized, as are the lids. The lids have a layer of rubbery sealing compound around where they will contact the glass of the jar. After the jam is ladled into the sterile jar, the lid (which is a flat piece of metal with the sealing compound) is placed on the jar, and a scew band (basically a jar lid with no flat part, just the outer ring) is screwed on loosely over the flat lid. The completed jar is then placed back in the water that the jar was sterilized in. It is brought to a boil, and boiled long enough for the contents of the jar to reach boiling temperature. This kills any leftover bacteria, but also causes the air at the top of the jar to expand and bubble out of the jar out of the loosely fit lid. When the air is exhausted, the water pressure keeps the lid on. When the jar is removed and cooled, the air pressure is pushing the lid down (becuase it is greater then the pressure in the jar.) Thus, a vacuum seal. I'm not sure you'll be able to sterilize you vial without it blowing. Also, the "stopper" would need some sort of sealing compound in order to ensure a proper seal and prevent leakage once the vial is sterilized. Another factor is how well will the stopper/seal hold up while submerged, for the length of time before it is removed from the wine? My thought was putting your message in a solid block of glass. (Think along the lines of the coloured parts of a marble.) That would eliminate the air pressure problem. Anotehr option would be an engraved piece of metal such as stainless steel. |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 28 Nov 2002 04:42 PST |
Thanks tutuzdad-ga! sparky4ca-ga your comments are appreciated. The cleaning of the Pyrex test tubes is being done with potassium meta bi sulphate. This is the same solution that is used by wineries to cleanse the bottles and a little is added to the actual wine to ensure stalility. I do not anticipate long term occupation by the test tubes in the bottles. Within a beautiful and unusual bottle and floating in the special fortified liquer (15% alcohol) each tube has a lottery ticket attached to a Christmas greeting. A number of the greetings also have an 'instant win' cash prize. Recipients unfortunately cannot open the bottle at the Christmas party, where they will pick their own bottle, due to 'house' rules. Now I wonder how many will remain unopened by Boxing Day? |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: sparky4ca-ga on 30 Nov 2002 13:38 PST |
Cool idea. How about posting a link to a picture of one of the finished vials, and one of the finished bottles? I understand now why staining a glass rod, or encasing the message in solid glass wouldn't have worked. Also, thanks for the info on the sterilizing. I never knew that they did wine that way. Enjoy the party! |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 01 Dec 2002 15:10 PST |
Thank you for your kind words sparky4ca-ga The party was a great success. I will gladly post a photo of the bottle once I can figure out where I can do so at minimal cost. Brudenell |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: brudenell-ga on 02 Dec 2002 10:25 PST |
The message in a bottle is complete. To view a couple of images please see: http://ca.photos.yahoo.com/onthebrudenell |
Subject:
Re: Message in a Bottle
From: sparky4ca-ga on 04 Dec 2002 21:29 PST |
Thanks for the pics. That is totally awesome looking. I totally visualized it wrong. Nice touch with the maple leaf. sparky4ca-ga (ca as in .ca type abbreviation) |
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