super automatica and screw tops

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 9:03 pm

I got a super automatica bottle capper today. Bought it on ebay.

I am about to bottle my first brew. Naturally I tried the capper out on a few stubbies to see how it goes. Does a brilliant job on crown seals - screw tops I'm not to sure.

Seems I have to put an awful lot of pressure on a screw top. I'm scared of breaking a bottle. I have searched the threads and from what I have read the super automatica seems to be the ducks guts, and will seal a screw top.

Do I just need to go harder?

timmy · Post by **timmy** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 9:14 pm

Moby,

I've used it on screwtops and haven't broken one yet. But it Ttakes a bit more pressure.

Tim

Stekings · Post by **Stekings** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 9:16 pm

Never broke a screw top bottle using these cappers. Yes requires more pressure but don't worry...

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 9:37 pm

ok thanks. good to know because I have quite a stash of Coopers Pale stubbies.

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 9:03 am

I was given my SA s/h, unused for a long time and rather corroded around the capping head. When I cleaned it up and tried it I had no confidence at all in the result as the caps put on an empty bottle seemed really easy to twist off with two fingers. I took it down to the HB and was assured that it was working fine and it has. Probably capped around 900 bottles and not a single problem.

Cheers, Geoff.

blandy · Post by **blandy** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 11:04 am

Countless screw-tops capped, zero problems.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 11:10 am

That's interesting, Geoff. I have a superautomatica bought new, and it caps twist tops so tight that it's virtually impossible to twist them off. Never broken a bottle or anything like that though.

earle · Post by **earle** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 1:17 pm

Sometimes the screw tops won't get a good seal if there's a bit of sugar on the thread or if they're a bit crooked. I make sure they're aligned well, and after I invert them to mix in the priming sugar i listen for escaping gas. The sugar makes some of the gas come out of solution and you can hear it escaping if the seal is dodgy.

Earle

gibovski · Post by **gibovski** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 6:01 pm

I find if you cap then try and twist the top off immediately it will come off easily. After 2-3 months it nearly tears the skin off your hands twisting it off. It is worth losing a bit of skin on your hands to get into it though...

warra48 · Post by **warra48** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 6:23 pm

Have done several hundred twist tops and never a problem.
Just make sure you adjust the capper to the lowest level where you can still squeeze the bottle and top under it. It will take a bit more pressure. Once I cap mine, I twist the bottle a half turn, and press the capper down again. This usually leaves a small indent in the top of the cap, which is a good indication it is fully sealed.

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 6:49 pm

OK you've convinced me to have faith in my capper. But I still think I'll just try a six pack of twist tops this time, and the rest crown seals. Trust - but verify

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 6:56 pm

Try and get the Bell on the capper as close as you can to the bottletop.

I have found it is easier as I get better leverage this way.

Cheers

Boonie

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 6:58 pm

Thanks for the tip Boonie. I hadn't tried that. Because I got it second-hand there are no instructions, and I have no experience. Guess I will soon though.

hbg · Post by **hbg** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 10:14 pm

I only had problems when I had some Goldtops with Coopers on there. I ended up throwing 1/2 a packet out. The plain Gold ones from the Home brew store are far better, and work with both Crown/Twist.

r.magnay · Post by **r.magnay** » Friday Jun 15, 2007 6:19 am

That's because the plain ones are thinner and of a lower quality, however, I use both and have no problems on twist tops or crown seals.

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Friday Jun 15, 2007 8:33 pm

I have used Coopers brand all the time with no probs at all. Actually, that's all I use now

. The gold/yellow ones with Coopers Home Brew written on top.

I used Homebrand ones once

(See cheapskate in early days) and they leaked. As soon as I capped and shook them, the bottles were fizzing my beer out.

I have used the HB shop ones and the Coopers with no difference in sealing or capping ease.

Once I went to a bench capper it made things alot easier.

Cheers

Boonie