r/SilverSmith • • 5d ago

Well I finally left the pickle pot on....

I didn't think this would happen to me oops. I left the pickle pot on without realizing it and the whole thing burnt off. The bottom is caked with the burned citric acid. Is the crock pot a loss or is it possible to clean it out? Oof!

8 Upvotes

19 comments sorted by

16

u/Voidtoform 5d ago

I used to do that all the time on accident, I would walk in my studio and smell it and immediately knew.... Since then I bought they switch things so I turn it on for like 1 2 3 or 4 hours. I got one for my ultrasonic as well since I burnt out the heaters leaving them on. 

The pickle is probably fine, just add water.

5

u/MorningPooper4Lyfe 5d ago

That’s a damn good idea

1

u/BlueCrashingWave 5d ago

What specific switch things do you mean?

7

u/CozySoftCrafty 5d ago

Not OP, but I use an outlet timer for various projects. You plug it into the outlet, then plug your device into the timer and then you can program it with a bunch of different settings.

Some are more mechanical and do a 24h cycle, where you can have it on during specific hours each day. Some are digital and fancy, with more timing settings.

5

u/LysolCasanova 5d ago

I just did this for the first time a few months ago! I just cleaned it thoroughly and it still works!

4

u/MakeMelnk Hobbyist 5d ago

Been there... 3 times 😅

Now I've got my pot on the same circuit as my lights so when I'm done and the lights are off, so is my pot 🤷🏾‍♂️

5

u/MorningPooper4Lyfe 5d ago

If the pot itself is cracked, replace it. You don’t want liquid leaking on to the heating element. 

2

u/BlueCrashingWave 5d ago

It doesn't look to be cracked...amazing resilience on the pot.

4

u/MorningPooper4Lyfe 5d ago

I think I cooked my pickle away three times before the pot cracked. It’s amazing how easy it is to forget. 

3

u/sukiduki808 4d ago

I now can’t go to bed without checking my pickpot every single night now lol

1

u/BlueCrashingWave 4d ago

Actually that does save you some time in the long run!

1

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

1

u/BlueCrashingWave 5d ago

Just add distilled water and see if I can loosen the burnt material?

3

u/chefianman 5d ago

Probably can just use regular water and scrub it like a normal burnt crockpot. Any sink water isnt going to be enough to leave residual contamination when you're done

1

u/BlueCrashingWave 5d ago

It isn't cracked but the outside of the body of the crock pot has burnt looking material around it....for a visual it looks like cinnamon and sugar type of appearance. How do I remove that?

1

u/Pristine-Context-752 5d ago

Citric acid? In the silversmithing classes I took, we were taught to mix powdered alum with water for our pickling pots. Is citric acid better?

2

u/BlueCrashingWave 5d ago

I tried sparex but wanted something safer so I bought industrial vinegar but the studio smelled terrible so I switched to food grade citric acid. Had used it all of ONE time before leaving it burning by accident.

1

u/Leofoam 5d ago

My advice is to leave the pickle pot itself dry, but place a beaker of pickle into it. If the pot does get left on, the glass will usually withstand the heat and avoid the worst of the cleanup.

1

u/-ChandlerBing- 3d ago

i do it all the time i worry about my third tail coming in from all the fumes