Ways to put caps on bottles

[thisispants]

Hows the old hammer with the wooden thing method go?

I have one of those lever $40 cappers, but I left it in another city, I need to cap my brew but dont want to have to buy another lever capper.

Any cheap ideas?

[Dogger Dan]

Do what you need to do.

Dogger

[rwh]

The hammer cappers are the worst kind of capper. You will probably break some bottles. But if you're willing to make that sacrifice rather than the monetary sacrifice to buy a new capper, then go for it.

[DarkFaerytale]

where are you? perhaps someone will lend you there's for a bottle or 2

-Phill

[rwh]

Or use PET bottles.

[Trough Lolly]

...or the Rolls Royce of brewing bottles - Grolsch swingtops!

Any excuse to buy a dozen!!

[pacman]

Sorry thisispants, been away for a few weeks, otherwise would have suggested this sooner, although it may not be practical, depending on your circumstances.

Have never owned or used a bottle capper. Before acquiring my approx 200 swingtops, I used to bottle in screwtop tallies or stubbies. Saved the original screwcaps and sanitised prior to each bottling. Reused caps many, many times without a failure.

These days, cheapest tool available to avoid damaging hands whilst screwing on caps is half a squash ball. Put that on top of cap and tighten. Easy.

[morgs]

Sorry thisispants, been away for a few weeks, otherwise would have suggested this sooner, although it may not be practical, depending on your circumstances.

Have never owned or used a bottle capper. Before acquiring my approx 200 swingtops, I used to bottle in screwtop tallies or stubbies. Saved the original screwcaps and sanitised prior to each bottling. Reused caps many, many times without a failure.

These days, cheapest tool available to avoid damaging hands whilst screwing on caps is half a squash ball. Put that on top of cap and tighten. Easy.

i do this occassionally works a treat

[wildschwein]

I must confess to never having used anything but a hammer capper. I have a large meat mallet and I use the flat side to bang the seals on. Have been using it for five years with the same set of thread top longnecks, along with a few proper crown seal types and I have never broken a bottle. I've also never had a bad seal. I think the fear about hammer cappers is a little misplaced. The danger probably comes from missing and smashing the hammer into the bottle.

[Boonie]

I think the prob is the amount of beer we consume whilst bottling......................sometimes we miss.

I likethe lever capper, get a cheap one on Ebay with a bonus fermenter, just search.

Cheers

Boonie

[Jak]

I used one of those cappers and a hammer for a few years the first time I tried home brewing. I only ever broke one bottle and it was due to my own stupidity.

Concrete is not the right surface to be doing it on!!!!!! Even with a piece of carpet in between the bottle and the floor.

My thought is that if you use the hammer etc. get a nice thick piece of pine off cut from your local hardware store and place the bottle on that to cap it.

cheers