Capper worry

[MickDundee]

The plastic capper you get from Wilkos is just crap.

I've got this capper and it works great and if you line the bottles up on the floor and drop on a cap as you're filling another bottle you can walk above them and cap just as fast as a bench capper. It does do Hobgoblin bottles but you notice it starts at a shallower angle.

That’s the one I’ve got and I echo what Drunkula says. It’s a great capper and it’s never let me down!

 

[Drunkula]

I just timed myself using the capper I linked to and did 7 bottles in 15 seconds, that includes looking at the clock and stooping time. Wasn't going any faster than I normally do, either. I did a gallon and did a litre pop bottle for taking away in case you wonder why the weird number of bottles.

 

[Pavros]

I do wonder what you guys are doing with the wing cappers to be breaking bottles or even the cappers themselves. There must be some bad quality cappers out there.

I broke my 2 bottles because I wasn't applying pressure directly down on the bottle but slightly off-centre. You can get away with it with the short neck 500ml bottles and sturdy long neck 500ml ones but the 330ml bottles are a bit more fragile. I have some 330ml Hoegardden bottles and they look so thin and flimsy, I haven't re-used them yet!

 

[MyQul]

I broke my 2 bottles because I wasn't applying pressure directly down on the bottle but slightly off-centre. You can get away with it with the short neck 500ml bottles and sturdy long neck 500ml ones but the 330ml bottles are a bit more fragile. I have some 330ml Hoegardden bottles and they look so thin and flimsy, I haven't re-used them yet!

I have over 100 x330ml bottles and have used both a lever capper and my bench capper on them many, many times and have never broken one

 

[JFB]

All your problems could be solved with one of these https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/home-canning-machine/

 

[Saisonator]

Never broke a two lever version and I don't find the bench capper that much faster really, just nicer to use.
I could probably break a two lever capper and maybe a bottle but I am not a heavy handed clott

 

[Pavros]

I have over 100 x330ml bottles and have used both a lever capper and my bench capper on them many, many times and have never broken one

I have a number of 330ml bottles as well (brewdog and some of the Aldi ones). The 2 that broke were Leffe ones that have a longish tapered neck and I probably didn't have the capper exactly over the top to exert only downward pressure. I'm not sure if I would risk using Bud 330ml bottles either as they look to be a bit thinner.

 

[Drunkula]

I have a number of 330ml bottles as well (brewdog and some of the Aldi ones). The 2 that broke were Leffe ones that have a longish tapered neck and I probably didn't have the capper exactly over the top to exert only downward pressure. I'm not sure if I would risk using Bud 330ml bottles either as they look to be a bit thinner.

What model capper do you have? It's the Wilko type I've seen people have trouble with alignment and that snaps bottles. Somebody on youtube even bent the metal grabber bit.

 

[BeerisGOD]

I decapitated a few bottles with the black plastic capper, which is a piece of junk. The red metal one is great though, flies through the bottles.

ill be ordering this before my current batch needs bottling, just an uneasy feeling when using commercial bottles, the worry of wasting beer too.

 

[Drunkula]

ill be ordering this before my current batch needs bottling, just an uneasy feeling when using commercial bottles, the worry of wasting beer too.

Why the uneasy feeling? I've got hundreds of bottles and have never broken one. Tons of Koppaberg bottles, but they're the first to be given away if they're not coming back if they're the green ones. They're thinner than typical beer bottles. You've got bugger all to fear. I've had infected beers with champagne++ levels of carbonation that still haven't caused bombs.

If you're short of bottles ask at your local boozer if they mind you taking any, that's how I filled up a car boot in one go. TAKE THICK GLOVES if you have to root through a recycling bin.

I see so many people worry about elements of homebrewing. As long as you're not doing everything in a pig-pen you'll probably be fine.

 

[Pavros]

What model capper do you have? It's the Wilko type I've seen people have trouble with alignment and that snaps bottles. Somebody on youtube even bent the metal grabber bit.

I have a 25 year old Boots twin handed capper (in original box!) - slightly more modern looking than the one posted earlier in this thread. I have a wilko one as a backup in case the Boots one breaks mid bottling session but have never had to use it yet

 

[Bigcol49]

I'm bottling in the bathroom

Another euphemism that I'm not familiar with.

 

[Bigcol49]

I got mine from Boots a million years ago

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-inart-boots-metal-beer-bottle-486571195

Hi!
@Gunge @Drunkula Seeing that photo reminded me of an old box on the top shelf in the garage - a box of homebrewing stuff that an old guy across the way gave me two years ago when he learned that I was into the hobby.
I pulled it down and looked inside. There's a few hydrometers, three testing jars and a fish tank-type immersion heater (Boots, of course). Right at the bottom I found this:

It's labelled DVR Compact 2. It's mucky, but should scrub up well (a bit like me, then).

 

[Cwrw666]

I'm still using an old Boots all metal 2 lever capper which must be at least 30 years old. Works really well but doesn't like wychwood bottles and you do have to exercise judgement as to when the cap is fitted properly as if you just use brute force it will snap the neck off the bottle. More of a problem when re-using crown caps. Yes, I am a tight git...

 

[Covrich]

I have the black plastic clapper, never broke one yet..

Not to say its the best though

Do you have to adjust the bench capper for different sized bottles?

 

[Bigcol49]

Do you have to adjust the bench capper for different sized bottles?

Hi!
There's a simple adjustment on the column height for different heights of bottle.
There are some bottles with a wider diameter of bottle neck, so you will need a separate capping head if you have these bottles.

 

[Gunge]

I'm still using an old Boots all metal 2 lever capper which must be at least 30 years old. Works really well but doesn't like wychwood bottles and you do have to exercise judgement as to when the cap is fitted properly as if you just use brute force it will snap the neck off the bottle. More of a problem when re-using crown caps. Yes, I am a tight git...

Those Wychwood bottles are shocking, just like the beer they originally held. Am I allowed to say that? Well I just did. I'm sure they designed 'em like that to spite homebrewers who can make a better job of it. I occasionally reuse caps too, as well as recovering the bacca out of tab-ends to make more lovely cigs. All this parsimony is great fun.

 

[AdrianTrace]

I decapitated 3 bottles out of 24 in my last batch, having never broken one before.

It was a new batch of crown caps, though. They didn't quite seem to fit my crown capper - just a bit tighter. They're the caps with the solid white 'foamish' inner, rather than the slightly translucent smooth 'concentric ring' inner with the number. It's a shame, as I bought 200, and only used 15 (3 breaks) before switching to other caps.

 

[Gunge]

^^^ your capper isn't up to it! My ancient Boots one doesn't care what type of seal the cap has.

 

[Gerryjo]

Broke.three Old crafty hen bottles with the black capper and had a few sealing issues so invested in a bench capper that does both.26mm and 29mm caps and never looked back.