Capper worry

[BeerisGOD]

I read on a thread about tips for beginners and couldnt help be concerned with non bench cappers potentially smashing the bottles on reusing them the second time round.
Has anyone had this problem?

 

[Oneflewover]

I've not had that problem, but that said the double -lever jobbies are a PITA in my opinion. Only really work well on certain bottles. I have a bench capper, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it above the other sort.

 

[MyQul]

I used a lever capper for a couple of years and Ive never broke a bottle with a lever capper but the last one I had failed - A wynchwood bottle killed it. So I bought a bench capper

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

I changed from the 2 lever hand capper, basically they are crap, you could turn some of the caps by hand

 

[Fil]

while bottles are as thin as they can be they are not as thin as to fracture under the pressure of capping 'yet' at least

tho the solution is imho to use flip tops

 

[BeerCat]

I have smashed loads and taken the cappers back for a replacement to still break bottles. They always snap the top part of the neck off. Bloody annoying! Some bottles cap really easily, others i know will cause trouble. I will keep my swing tops and a few sturdy bottles and ditch the rest. Probably buy a decent bench capper at some pojnt but for now would rather spend the money on stuff for my cornies. I hate bottling.

 

[Drunkula]

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.

 

[Gunge]

They can't make 2-lever cappers like they used to - I got mine from Boots a million years ago and it's still as good as new, can handle ANY bottle except those damn Wychwood ones. When I first started brewing I got one of those devices that you whacked with a hammer. Whoever dreamed that one up wants shooting.

 

[Drunkula]

They can't make 2-lever cappers like they used to - I got mine from Boots a million years ago and it's still as good as new

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

Is it the one pictured there - I just did a google for Boots bottle capper. If so it looks medieval! I love it. Looks like an Iron Maiden and thumbscrews came in the same range.

 

[Gunge]

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

Is it the one pictured there - I just did a google for Boots bottle capper. If so it looks medieval! I love it. Looks like an Iron Maiden and thumbscrews came in the same range.

That's the one! I am quite confident that even after 30 year's rock-solid service, it will outlast me.

 

[BeerisGOD]

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.

Reviews look promising. Is the cheaper one in the bottom left corner the same product?

 

[Drunkula]

Reviews look promising. Is the cheaper one in the bottom left corner the same product?

I think that's a trending price thing and it's the same. Mine was £11.30 over a year ago. They also sell them with 100 caps for £2.45 more. You'd only pay £2 for that many caps in Wilkos but you can get black ones, and it's only 45p more.

I almost do it like this guy but with the bottles on the floor where I've lined them up while sitting in the chair I bottle in. My thumbs are down like his are as he flips them before pressing and I'm pressing down on the bottles as I cap them.

 

[Leon103]

I used one for years before upgrading. I think I broke about 2 out if hundreds of bottles. Bench capper much better though

 

[RichK]

...
I've got this capper and it works great and... It does do Hobgoblin bottles but you notice it starts at a shallower angle.

I've got one of those too & it works OK for me & does seem reasonable robust though I only cap a few from each batch (to give away). Not tried it with Wychwood bottles though.

I've no doubt a decent bench capper would be better but I dont have a space for it (I'm bottling in the bathroom).

 

[Wilfy]

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.

I’ve got one of those and have no problems with it.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I read on a thread about tips for beginners and couldnt help be concerned with non bench cappers potentially smashing the bottles on reusing them the second time round.
Has anyone had this problem?

Have a look at this thread - https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/bench-cappers.52993/#post-484558

 

[Pavros]

They can't make 2-lever cappers like they used to - I got mine from Boots a million years ago and it's still as good as new, can handle ANY bottle except those damn Wychwood ones.

I have a Boots one too from about 25 years ago (my first try at homebrewing). It caps everything but Wychwood bottles because of the collar on the neck below the lip.
I have broken 2 of the small Leffe 330ml bottles. I think this is because of the long thin neck that they have. I am always cautious about putting a lot of pressure on long neck bottles when capping now because of this. If there is any resistance, I take the capper off and reposition it, making sure that I am pushing exactly downwards onto the bottle rather than at a slight angle.

 

[foxbat]

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've got the red one linked to by Drunkula and as long as you keep a little grease (I use silicone grease spray) in the two slots at the side then it works like a well oiled machine.

I guess if you're working on a bench and all your bottles are the same height then a bench capper is going to be fast and reliable but I line all my bottles up on the floor where I can be sure I'm applying even downward pressure.

 

[chub1]

Likewise, mine is fine.
Never yet managed to break a bottle. I will say that the Wilko plastic type are trash.

 

[strange-steve]

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.