Crying over spilt beer.

Baxter

Out To Win
Silver Member
Last night at my local pool league's awards party, someone knocked a beer over and it spilled INSIDE my open case. My case was next to my chair away from the table, but some jackass decided the arm of his chair was a great place to rest a full pint of beer. I was able to pull out the cues I had in there quickly and dry them with a napkin, but it left the interior of my JB Ultimate Rugged soaked in beer. I left the case open in my garage overnight to let it dry out, but it reeks like beer and I'm not sure if it's all the way dry at the bottom, or if it ever will be without getting moldy.

Has anyone ever had this problem, and how did you go about solving it? The first thing I did after saving my cues was PM John Barton on Facebook asking for his advice, but he hasn't responded. What should I do to thoroughly dry my case and get rid of the beer smell?
 
I think the guy should buy an identical case and trade you.
...that's what I would do.
 
That's a new challenge for JB, now he had to protect the cue against the beer.

I think you can wash by hand the interior of your case.
 
I think the guy should buy an identical case and trade you.
...that's what I would do.

That would be nice, but never going to happen. The guy in question wouldn't have even been drinking the beer if it wasn't free. He's old and doesn't have much money.
 
That sucks, sorry to hear. I think I'd be buying a replacement case, I can't think of a good way to clean it and I wouldn't want to put my cues in it as is.

I always close the lid of my case even when my cues aren't inside, only takes about 2 seconds and just feels more secure that way, just bcause things Iike this can happen.
 
I'd spray some cleaner and even a mist of water down in it and then point a hair dryer on low down the chute and let it run for a few hours.
 
I would leave it like it is. That's a really cool story, why ruin it by cleaning the case? I'd drop the story about the old guy spilling a beer though. Earl and Mika were playing, they got into a fight and knocked over a beer. If the beer smell starts to fade you could spill a little beer in the case to generate more smell.

Why ruin a great story like that by cleaning the case?
 
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Last night at my local pool league's awards party, someone knocked a beer over and it spilled INSIDE my open case. My case was next to my chair away from the table, but some jackass decided the arm of his chair was a great place to rest a full pint of beer. I was able to pull out the cues I had in there quickly and dry them with a napkin, but it left the interior of my JB Ultimate Rugged soaked in beer. I left the case open in my garage overnight to let it dry out, but it reeks like beer and I'm not sure if it's all the way dry at the bottom, or if it ever will be without getting moldy.

Has anyone ever had this problem, and how did you go about solving it? The first thing I did after saving my cues was PM John Barton on Facebook asking for his advice, but he hasn't responded. What should I do to thoroughly dry my case and get rid of the beer smell?

Something I would to try without better advice.
Take a womans nylon stocking and push toe first to the bottom of the case.
Then fill with Silica Gel Crystals, there used for drying flowers and can be purchased at your local craft store. The crystals are not to expensive.
Once the crystals become saturated you can dry them on a plate at low temp. in your oven and use them again.
Another option is to fill the stocking with white rice also, very absorbent.

Good Luck, Dale
 
Get some dessicant, silica cat litter will work, put it in a tray inside the case to suck out all the remaining moisture. If you don't get all the moisture out you could risk mold growth. You could try Febreze or Lysil to reduce the smell.
 
I just talked to John, and he told me that the interior of my case is ruined now so pretty much anything I can do to it will make it better. He recommended removing the nails and taking the bottom off then running some water mixed with a little bit of laundry detergent down it then thoroughly rinsing it with a garden hose. Follow that with a wet-dry vac or a blow dryer with no heat or low heat through both ends, then let it air dry for several days before putting it back together. The key is avoid mold. He said to mix a little bleach to kill any mold that may be starting to form.

Problem is, I have no upholstery experience whatsoever and the nails are barbed. I have no idea how to remove them.

Maybe a professional upholstery shop will know how to remove the nails for me?
 
I always close the lid of my case even when my cues aren't inside, only takes about 2 seconds and just feels more secure that way, just bcause things Iike this can happen.

Yeah, lesson learned. Hindsight is always 20/20.
 
Get some dessicant, silica cat litter will work, put it in a tray inside the case to suck out all the remaining moisture. If you don't get all the moisture out you could risk mold growth. You could try Febreze or Lysil to reduce the smell.

That was my first thought. After it's dried out, douse it with febreeze and let it dry out again.
 
I think I'm going to take the case to a local upholstery guy first thing tomorrow and see if he can help me remove the nails to get the bottom off. If I can do that, I'll follow John's steps with the water/detergent mix, follow it with a thorough rinse and suck as much moisture out as I can with a wet/dry vac. Then I'll slip the bottom back on and dump a bunch of silica gel crystals directly inside the case. I'll remove the bottom and dump out the crystals every couple of hours and replace them with dry crystals until I'm convinced the case is thoroughly dried, then I'll put the bottom back on and tack it back into place.

Anyone see any flaws in my plan?
 
Problem is, I have no upholstery experience whatsoever and the nails are barbed. I have no idea how to remove them.

Maybe a professional upholstery shop will know how to remove the nails for me?

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10...0140801x001&KPID=00941397000&kpid=00941397000

Gently work it between the outer shell and the bottom piece at each nail. Once in the right spot, use a twisting motion more than a prying motion and go slow. You only need to get the nails out far enough to use some pliers on them. Go gently on the heads of the nails and you will be able to reuse the same nails to reattach the bottom.
 
I would leave it like it is. That's a really cool story, why ruin it by cleaning the case? I'd drop the story about the old guy spilling a beer though. Earl and Mika were playing, they got into a fight and knocked over a beer. If the beer smell starts to fade you could spill a little beer in the case to generate more smell.

Why ruin a great story like that by cleaning the case?

I agree with this guy !
Here is why ,, I own the pool cue case that Paul Newman tossed down a flight of stairs in COM .. It has a crack in the back side of the wooden case along the hinge ..It ain't getting fixed .. Pool cue is still in there 2 ...............
 
Vinegar would be more effective at preventing mold, and solicia or rice would absorb a lot of the moisture.
 
Is an option available to remove the interior, then ship the case back to JB and have him replace the interior? Might be less expensive in the long run...plus, you're not having an upholstery guy work on something he's likely never worked on before.
 
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