Thanks Worth. I think I got the salt ratio thing worked out - the brine should be 5% salt by weight, which makes it easier since weight measurements eliminate the inaccuracies in volume measurements due to different in salt fineness. For a fine salt this would be about 3 TBS salt per quart as you noted. For Kosher salt with a coarse grind it would be 6 TBS per quart. I will weigh out the salt rather then use tablespoons.
I intend to chop the hot peppers with some garlic, add a little whey, pack them into a half-gallon mason jar, cover them with 5% brine, and loosely add a standard mason jar lid & band. Each day I will tighten the lid, shake, and re-loosen the lid again so the CO2 can escape. After fermentation I will beat the peppers smooth in a blender and strain into jars. I may drain all or part of the brine, add vinegar and/or lime juice, and boil it so I can can the batch. Sound okay?
Tom
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