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jools02
21-10-2009, 10:16 AM
Hi all, just a quickie, I know some people use a slow cooker for pickling but I have an old baby food warmer sitting in my cupboard - would this be suitable? If so, does it need to be covered?

Thanks!

Boo
21-10-2009, 01:09 PM
I don't know about your warmer, it certainly sounds like it has potential - can it stay on for a while on a low setting? I am using a Pyrex bowl over a tealight-fuelled plate warmer and finding it pretty effective, but I only work in bursts needing it, so it isn't on all the time, just an odd 15 mins when I need it. I tend to nuke it for 30 seconds in the microwave and place it on my stand. The idea for the plate warmer came from someone here. I'd just been nuking it periodically before that.

I don't cover mine when in use, it does tend to evaporate a little, so I put the lid on when it's not in use.

Solunar Silver Studio
21-10-2009, 01:12 PM
Hello! It's me again! I can't bear to see people being ignored!! (Darn it....pipped at the post again!!)

Yes - a baby food warmer would be great...the only thing to remember is that you can't have anything (ferrous) metal in contact with the pickle...that includes anything that might rust and flake into the liquid....but if you can find a glass or ceramic container which you can cover to keep the fumes down that is great. I use a tea light powered chocolate fondu set with a mini ceramic casserole dish for one in it.

The second point - which has only recently had a thread about it is that you don't have to actually warm the pickle to make it work. The heat speeds up the chemical reaction so that is good for the impatient amongst us..... but if you leave something in cold pickle overnight it will come out clean!

Here's the link for the 'cold pickle' thread.... http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/got-jewellery-question/1159-pickling-question.html

Solunar Silver Studio
21-10-2009, 01:31 PM
In answer to the covered pickle question...I've just been reading about 'fumes' on Ganoskin.....
[Jewelry making - Article 00278] - [Orchid] Fumes and ventilation (http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200506/msg00278.htm)


IMHO One of the best statements on there is this...

Stuff is toxic. Many of the best products like flux, solvents,
pickels, ect. are not healthy to expose yourself to. Personally, I
would much rather use the most effective products in a safe
environment than to use the so-called "safe" products in an
unventilated situation.

Good advice...up to each individual to take it or leave it!!:Y:

Boo
21-10-2009, 01:33 PM
Great minds think alike - I only really replied to give it a bump as it was drifting down the page. :)

I was trying to remember something that I'd wanted to add and couldn't bring to mind - and you covered that with the non-ferrous bit.

As for covering, I suppose that also depends on what you're pickling with - I hadn't even thought of fumes as I use citric acid which is odorless and fairly harmless.

Di Sandland
21-10-2009, 01:35 PM
And, for what its worth, if I breathe in too many Vitex (sodium bisulphate) fumes not only do I cough I get a stinking headache too. I have lots of it so I'll use it but when its gone I'll go over to alum (which I have lots of too, so praps I should change now ;))

Emerald
21-10-2009, 01:43 PM
My only thought would be that the bottle warmers are normally made from plastic aren't they, i think i would be a bit concerned that the acid even though safety would corrode this

Solunar Silver Studio
21-10-2009, 01:45 PM
We're sort of back to 'green' jewellery here.... As far as I know - nothing used in the standard jeweller's setup is as found in nature...and as a consequence could potentially be detrimental to any living thing or natural cycle... We shouldn't really take anything forgranted. I don't know how innocuous citric acid is.... I know we eat it in a natural form but whether industrially, chemically concocted citric acid inhaled has any detrimental effects - I wouldn't know!

I know nature has some pretty nasty things up her sleeve as well before anybody takes off in that direction.....[-X

But it just pays to think carefully about what we do and take precautions....it's a Pandora's box thing... It will do us no good when on our (premature) deathbed we moan... I didn't realise it would do this to me!! When the deed is done - it is done!!

On that jolly note - I'm back to work!!:D

Solunar Silver Studio
21-10-2009, 01:52 PM
My only thought would be that the bottle warmers are normally made from plastic aren't they, i think i would be a bit concerned that the acid even though safety would corrode this

You did say a baby food warmer didn't you?? Is that the sort you can put a baby food jar in to heat up? That would be a suitable container as it is glass...and from what I can remember of baby food jar lids - they have a fairly thick plasticised coating on the inside so it would probably do for the cover. You would have to work small though!!:-D I wouldn't recommend putting the pickle straight into the warmer itself as Emerald says... I guess it depends on what your baby food warmer actually looks like cos I don't think any of us are thinking the same thing.... Probably depends what generation babies we had!!

Boo
21-10-2009, 02:15 PM
I'd already decided that we didn't have any such paraphernalia when I had a baby, so I actually had no idea what it was. :)

jools02
23-10-2009, 10:16 AM
Ok thanks for your help everyone, I'll give it a try and let you know how I get on!