Sorry, that's thanks to kitkat for the water idea.
Oliver, I put my entire 98kg weight on top of the lever, I think the capping bell just isn't "deep" enough.
Capping Screwtops
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Guest
I bought a benchcapper the other day and capped about 5 bottles with the same result (i.e. to much flare at the bottom of the cap). Suffice to say after a $50 purchase I was a bit disappointed.
Then I realised I was being too soft on the bottles
You have to really push down hard on every bottle to get the right result.
When you push down you reach a hard spot (where the lever gets too tough to go any further). Put your weight into it, slowly mind you, and the lever will go a little further and you can actually feel the cap crimping. This left me with perfectly capped bottles that get kind of caught in the cap holder thing so that you have to "pop" them out by tilting the bottle sideways.
Your capper may be the same. But be careful I'd hate for you to break a bottle and lose precious brew.
Cheers,
Jay
PS. You can go back to already capped bottles that are poorly crimped and redo them simply by putting them back in the bottle capper.
Then I realised I was being too soft on the bottles
You have to really push down hard on every bottle to get the right result.
When you push down you reach a hard spot (where the lever gets too tough to go any further). Put your weight into it, slowly mind you, and the lever will go a little further and you can actually feel the cap crimping. This left me with perfectly capped bottles that get kind of caught in the cap holder thing so that you have to "pop" them out by tilting the bottle sideways.
Your capper may be the same. But be careful I'd hate for you to break a bottle and lose precious brew.
Cheers,
Jay
PS. You can go back to already capped bottles that are poorly crimped and redo them simply by putting them back in the bottle capper.
Cool, I found that with pressure though, the capper nearly toppled over.
I can't bolt it down though, I'm treading tender right now with the wife, and don't think she'd agree to the capper a a permanent kitchen fixture.
Maybe I'll get a chunk of wood for a foot, and bolt it to that.
I can't bolt it down though, I'm treading tender right now with the wife, and don't think she'd agree to the capper a a permanent kitchen fixture.
Maybe I'll get a chunk of wood for a foot, and bolt it to that.
Jeffro
All I need is a cold beer, a kind word, and unquestioned world domination.
All I need is a cold beer, a kind word, and unquestioned world domination.
General
with my capper, it tips over if just sitting on the bench. The foot was too short. I just use a clamp to hold it down. I only weigh 70 kg. the cup is teh same as from the mallet type. When you push down there is a stop about half way with little effort. Then if you continue you will feel it go further. sometimes I push down hard enough to leave an indent in the cap from the rubber insert. Doesn't affect seal.
Bolting to a piece of timber the size of a large chopping board should make it more stable. Perhaps you need to bottle in the shed/garage if possible. Gives you peace and quite at the same time.
with my capper, it tips over if just sitting on the bench. The foot was too short. I just use a clamp to hold it down. I only weigh 70 kg. the cup is teh same as from the mallet type. When you push down there is a stop about half way with little effort. Then if you continue you will feel it go further. sometimes I push down hard enough to leave an indent in the cap from the rubber insert. Doesn't affect seal.
Bolting to a piece of timber the size of a large chopping board should make it more stable. Perhaps you need to bottle in the shed/garage if possible. Gives you peace and quite at the same time.
BPJ
BPJ,
No shed or garage, and I'm renting, so don't really want to build either.
I'll try the chopping board idea.
I wish I had the cash for the pneumatic capper Oliver pointed to (don't remember if that was this thread or another one).
And Jay, drinking buddies involves having friends...who only seem to appear AFTER secondary fermentation is complete (I think they're a by-product of fermentation.)
No shed or garage, and I'm renting, so don't really want to build either.
I'll try the chopping board idea.
I wish I had the cash for the pneumatic capper Oliver pointed to (don't remember if that was this thread or another one).
And Jay, drinking buddies involves having friends...who only seem to appear AFTER secondary fermentation is complete (I think they're a by-product of fermentation.)
Jeffro
All I need is a cold beer, a kind word, and unquestioned world domination.
All I need is a cold beer, a kind word, and unquestioned world domination.
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Guest
I found that my mates will knock homebrew and the fact that you have to go to hours of trouble for the finished product. That is up until you crack one open, then they want to share one or two to see what it's like 
Then they don't want to go back to VB or New because it tastes so lame next to the HB
Just coz it's cheap to make doesn't mean I want to give em away.
Make em work for a couple I say.
Have a good weekend,
Jay.
Then they don't want to go back to VB or New because it tastes so lame next to the HB
Just coz it's cheap to make doesn't mean I want to give em away.
Make em work for a couple I say.
Have a good weekend,
Jay.
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Oliver
- Administrator
- Posts: 3424
- Joined: Thursday Jul 22, 2004 1:22 am
- Location: West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hi guys,
I've been out after work and had many beers, so apologies in advance if this doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
Not sure what brand of bench capper you've got, but I can't recommend highly enough the Superautomatica, which comes out of Italy. (Those Italian don't make much well, but when they do ...
)
When Geoff was a student and making a lot of homebrew, he actually bolted his bench capper (a Superautomatica, which he still uses) to the kitchen table. It remained there between brews. From what I understand the housemates weren't thrilled.
As for the pneumatic capper, see: http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... .php?t=327
Cheers,
Oliver
I've been out after work and had many beers, so apologies in advance if this doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
Not sure what brand of bench capper you've got, but I can't recommend highly enough the Superautomatica, which comes out of Italy. (Those Italian don't make much well, but when they do ...
)When Geoff was a student and making a lot of homebrew, he actually bolted his bench capper (a Superautomatica, which he still uses) to the kitchen table. It remained there between brews. From what I understand the housemates weren't thrilled.
As for the pneumatic capper, see: http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... .php?t=327
Cheers,
Oliver
Guys,
All worked perfectly, I ended up clamping it to the kitchen table, so it's removable.
Could not be happier, I feel sorry for those using hand cappers though, I couldn't imagine having to hit all those bottles with a hammer, my arm'd fall off!
Now just have to wait the two to three weeks for secondary to complete, then it's back to the old altered reality we all know and love.
I'm still working on my JIT process, so no constant supply yet.
All worked perfectly, I ended up clamping it to the kitchen table, so it's removable.
Could not be happier, I feel sorry for those using hand cappers though, I couldn't imagine having to hit all those bottles with a hammer, my arm'd fall off!
Now just have to wait the two to three weeks for secondary to complete, then it's back to the old altered reality we all know and love.
I'm still working on my JIT process, so no constant supply yet.
Jeffro
All I need is a cold beer, a kind word, and unquestioned world domination.
All I need is a cold beer, a kind word, and unquestioned world domination.
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Guest
Have one of those "superautomatica" cappers myself and have also experienced the flattening of the caps on stubbies. As I'm currently using up a heap of old crown seals I was given by a neighbour, I guess they may not actually be this specific ones in tended for use on stubbies. Another method worth mentioning is the recycling of original twist-top caps. No need for any fancy equipment, just twist the old tops back on. In fact, I haven't had a flat bottle yet whereas I've had a few using the capper. Also, perhaps I've been trying to over-compensate with regards to the tightness of the tops using this method, as they can sometimes require much more effort to remove than they originally did.