Which Capper?

[Colonel Porter]

Folks,

I used a 'hammer' type capper a few years ago and was a bit concerned with its MO - I was always frightened the bottle went bang!

I have been using swing tops but I'm thinking of a bit of bottle recycling and using a two lever capper this time. I see there's a few about, black, red, some with magnet some without.

Just wondering what people's experiences have been.

Which would you buy?

Thanks

Col. P.

 

[BrewDan]

Only ever used an Emily capper. Never really had a problem with it, has a magnet to hold the cap in place, put over the mouth of the bottle and push the arms down to cap, easy.

Have found it doesn't like badger bottles, they don't seem to seal as well as others, but other than that all is fine

 

[Aleman]

Which would you buy?

Bench Capper . . . . . No Contest!!

 

[DaveMack]

I use a cheap Wilko's 10 quid two lever , i've done well over a thousand bottles without any problems , i like it so much i bought a 2nd one for back up ... just incase

 

[Vossy1]

Bench Capper all the way :thumb:

 

[Baz Chaz]

Yup another vote for the bench capper, quick and easy, worth the extra few bob :thumb:

 

[Springer]

Bench capper for sure, had two of those butterfly nipper things. :evil:

So I made my own, would look better with a coat of paint, but hey it has never mis-fired yet.

S

 

[calumscott]

+1 for the Emily. Particularly if space is an issue.

 

[Equinox101]

I've been using a standard twin leaver capper, not failed me yet 3 batches down the line.

 

[shocker]

I had bottles break on me years ago with the hammer job so I got a 2 lever one ....shame its plastic and gives when you lean on it - Im never sure if its sealed or not so have to do every bottle twice . Which is a royal PITA...

...so ...Springs...any chance of some measurements and a description of workings of your machine ?

I have mig et al and plenty of steel stock , 1x1 tube and up ....???? :pray: :pray:

PS is that an old ex WD bottle jack handle I see there ? :wha:

 

[Horatio]

Another one for the bench capper here. Have yet to find a bottle that it wont cap; hobgoblin all work etc. :thumb:

 

[shocker]

Had a thought....I have an old pillar drill stand that took a Wolf drill that has long gone - the ideal basis for a sprung , lever action bench capper ....just have to make a mandrel and affix .

This isnt a hi jack of the OPs thread , its more enthusiasm for the bench capper as a best choice ! :thumb:

 

[Darcey]

I have a two handed capper does fine for me now as I keg most stuff.. but woudnt want to bottle 50l!! I would go with a bench capper..

Springer! Looks like a cobweb on that too me!!! :shock:

Bench capper for sure, had two of those butterfly nipper things. :evil:
So I made my own, would look better with a coat of paint, but hey it has never mis-fired yet.

S

 

[Springer]

I've been using a standard twin leaver capper, not failed me yet 3 batches down the line.

Good luck E, as I said two went belly up on me.

Shocks, I will see what I can do with a tape measure, it was a bit tricky to get it right. I didn't make it adjustable to keep it rigid and simple. I have not had a bottle that doesn't fit and use a block of wood picked up from the workshop floor as a spacer to standthose little ums on.
You seem to have all the kit for it .................... :hmm: do you have two 750cc suzuki clutch springs to hand ? Others may do. :lol:
I thought about the pillar drill but couldn't be assed to cart it into the brewery when needed.
I think in hindsight you could put an inch packer to give bottle clearance, on the column, fulcrum post next, with return mechanism on the outside, equal better leaverage and shorter handle.
It was tack welded up as a prototype, and then pressed into service and has never looked back.
Perhaps it need sorting and marketing. :hmm:
S

 

[tazuk]

i have a drill stand to mmmm wonder if i could make one using the old hammer capper on to a drill press ?????

Had a thought....I have an old pillar drill stand that took a Wolf drill that has long gone - the ideal basis for a sprung , lever action bench capper ....just have to make a mandrel and affix .

This isnt a hi jack of the OPs thread , its more enthusiasm for the bench capper as a best choice ! :thumb:

 

[Moley]

The previous topic where Springer's photo comes from is here, and that prompted me to contrive a bench capper of my own, maybe not as good because it pushes radially rather than vertically, but it still works.

However, although I have been using that for 29mm crown caps on champagne bottles, I'm still using my two-handled plastic Young's capper for my standard 26mm caps.

That capper has served me well and must certainly have gone way beyond the hundreds and into the low thousands of caps. Then again, it's at least 30 years old, so maybe they don't make them now like they used to.

 

[shocker]

i have a drill stand to mmmm wonder if i could make one using the old hammer capper on to a drill press ?????

Had a thought....I have an old pillar drill stand that took a Wolf drill that has long gone - the ideal basis for a sprung , lever action bench capper ....just have to make a mandrel and affix .

This isnt a hi jack of the OPs thread , its more enthusiasm for the bench capper as a best choice ! :thumb:

my thought exactly , Taz ! :thumb:

 

[Hirsty]

I have two cappers both twin lever types.

The newer one looks like this and is plastic. Not bad but takes a bit of weight to cap, the arms can bend, and it leaves a small round indent on the top of the cap (which I found means that the crown doesn't fit on Badger bottles).

The second one is an old boots version. Pretty much the same as the above but made of metal. Easy to use, no give in the arms and fits the cap on better.

 

[Springer]

The previous topic where Springer's photo comes from is here

Forgotten that thread M, memory must be failing :? :lol:
S

 

[shocker]

it leaves a small round indent on the top of the cap which I found means that the crown doesn't fit on Badger bottles

thats worth knowing , I am about to start using my stock of badger bottles ...thanks mate - good info :thumb: