Breaking bottles while bottling?

[Gambler]

Hi Guys

I've just bottled 56 bottles of cider. It would have been 61, but I smashed 3 and put hairline cracks in another 2 while bottling.

This didnt happen to me last time :S

time for a new bottler? Or fairly typical?

 

[joe1002]

Do you mean new capper?

How did you break them?

 

[Gambler]

Yeah new capper

Its a twin lever jobby. As the levers were at about 45 degress or so (or half way to sealed if you know what I mean) the entire neck of the bottle smashed

On the ones with the hairline crack, I could hear them start to go, so stopped before they smashed.

There are also a few more where the ring bit of the bottle just under the cap had a little shard of glass broken off. I've kept those going though because I've lost enoguh as it is.

I managed to do 37 last time without breaking any lol.

2 of the smashed bottles were old speckled hen bottles. Are they known to be ****?

 

[joe1002]

It could just be the bottles then. I have never used the OSH bottles but I know some bottles don't cap well with the twin lever cappers.

I don't have one but if you are looking for an excuse to but something the bench cappers are the way to go, so I have read (numerous times) :thumb:

 

[Sone]

The only two bottles I've broken with my capper have been OSH bottles. Think I applied too much force and it just took the top of the bottle right off! I just take a bit more care when using those types of bottles now

 

[oldbloke]

Think it was a Wychwood one I took the top off with a 2lever
Switched to hammer-on, felt safer.
Bought bench capper ASAP
Cried with joy on first use

 

[Sone]

:lol: Next purchase I make is a bench capper!

 

[Dave1970]

I have a few OSH bottles in my stock. Not had a problem with them and the standard Youngs twin lever capper. Wychwood are dodgy

 

[Gambler]

Hmmm.

I also have a youngs one. Not really sure what the problem is then to be honest. I cant see it being me using to much force, because they shattered before the levers were horizontal and before the seal was made, so I guess its impossible to use less force?

I think I might grab another one before I need it next.

I think I'll leave the bench capper for another time though :P

 

[neddy]

I have had same issues at times. I used the old boots capper then brought the wilko one. Some of the bottles are great like magners but as u say the wychwood are dodgy. It is annoying losing some beer at the end process and also worrying when they smash

 

[winelight]

I had a Wilko one but after a while it started breaking bottles. They do wear out.

I now have an industrial-strength steel hand capper which others in this forum assure me will last for hundreds of brews, based on their experience.

 

[Gambler]

I had a Wilko one but after a while it started breaking bottles. They do wear out.

I now have an industrial-strength steel hand capper which others in this forum assure me will last for hundreds of brews, based on their experience.

Got a link?

 

[BIGJIM72]

I have broken a few bottles of varying types with a 2 lever capper. Through trial & error the best method I have found is gentle constant pressure rather than brute force & speed.

 

[colt56]

+1 for bench capper best thing i bought :thumb:

 

[Cononthebarber]

Yeah as others have said, bench capper is the way to go. I struggled on with my twin lever capper for nearly 2 years and broke a few bottles along the way. Santa got me a shiney new bench capper and it is a real breeze now to bottle! I would never go back to the twin-capper after using this now!

 

[Monte Cristo]

I broke a few Stella clear cider bottles with my capper so I avoid them now. :hat:

 

[winelight]

I had a Wilko one but after a while it started breaking bottles. They do wear out.

I now have an industrial-strength steel hand capper which others in this forum assure me will last for hundreds of brews, based on their experience.

Got a link?

Here's a link

I love it. Needs occasional greasing.

Advantages over a bench capper:

* 5 seconds per bottle (beat that)
* obviously you can have a mix of bottle heights
* half the price
* takes up less space

 

[oldbloke]

5 seconds doesn't sound fast to me. I reckon a bench capper will do it in 3, maybe 3.5. But that's not important, really. The bench one just feels like it's doing the job, reliably and safely (and so far it always has)
I always use one type of bottle per brew, so the height thing is irrelevant

 

[Gambler]

Thanks for the replies

I've been lurking around here for a few months now, and hadn't heard of anyone smashing bottles while capping, so I'm glad its not just me.

Ill take a look at the metal hand capper and some bench cappers and have a think :)

 

[danb]

My wilko one broke a bottle after doing around 400 bottles. Took it back without box or receipt and was swapped straight away. When I've got some spare dosh I'll be having a bench capper though.