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Hi chaps!

Really, super stupid question maybe but eveyone here seems to be so helpful...!

I bought a used bench bottle capper, and when I received it it looked 'used' but still in good working order...

however, when I tried it last night it just didn't work!
I'm using standard sized bottles and standard bottle caps (oxygen ones), but I press down and all it seems to do is press down on the cap, rather than crimp the cap around the bottle top....

now, am I a complete shmuck and missing something, or does it sound like either the capper or caps I have are bodgy?

thanks again for your advice chaps...

cheerio!
saul

how hard are you pressing down? mine needs a rather large amount of pressure to work...

try it and just keep pressing until it sorta clicks...

yeah, I press pretty hard!
so hard that the actually capper part starts to slide on the shaft... So, something doesn't see right...

I'm thinking that maybe this capper was designed for the larger European style caps rather than standard sizes?

I thought I'd throw my newbie bottling question on this thread too. I recently purchased a bench capper and was wondering how hard do I press on it? Has anyone ever broken a bottle using a bench capper?

Something I find that really helps is if your bottle capper is screwed down or clamped to a solid surface. It makes sure that all the pressure you're putting down on it is going to the right place (i.e. onto the bottle cap).

I haven't broken a bottle yet, but I've definitely gotten a couple twist tops stuck in my capper!

Brent wrote:I thought I'd throw my newbie bottling question on this thread too. I recently purchased a bench capper and was wondering how hard do I press on it? Has anyone ever broken a bottle using a bench capper?

I have 4 different cappers and i still get some breakages now and then.

HB wrote: I have 4 different cappers and i still get some breakages now and then.

So I guess you have to apply a fair amount of pressure to get a good seal? Also, I assume it's normal for the cap to remain slightly loose until pressure builds up?

Brent wrote:So I guess you have to apply a fair amount of pressure to get a good seal? Also, I assume it's normal for the cap to remain slightly loose until pressure builds up?

The cap shouldn't be loose at all. I can't speak for screw tops but for crown seals you just need to pull the handle until you feel the cap collapse around the bottle. Bit hard to explain but you will find that you the pressure that you apply relaxs a little as the cap seals around the bottle and the handle will stop moving again.
I have never broken a bottle using the bench capper but I guess it would be easy to do on some of the new long necks available today.

i used to have a hammer type capper. I bottled 40+ bottles including screw top, never broke one. I now use superautomatica. I guess what I do is increasing the force until it is right.

Maybe the bell fitting is worn? Unlikely but possible, buy a new fitting and try that.

Take it, a bottle and a cap to a HBS or a mate who brews and see what they think is going on.

Brent wrote:

HB wrote: I have 4 different cappers and i still get some breakages now and then.

Also, I assume it's normal for the cap to remain slightly loose until pressure builds up?

I find with any of my cappers that none of them seal very well, if you try and turn any of my bottles soon after capping they are slightly loose untill the pressure builds up,i wouldnt think its normal but none of my beers are flat.

I have had a two handled coopers capper for over ten years and have never had any loose caps or problems, are you sure it actually has the right fitting on it, unlikely it hasnt but still a possibility

mikey wrote:Take it, a bottle and a cap to a HBS or a mate who brews and see what they think is going on.

Very sound advice.

Thanks everyone for all your input....
I feel like a bit of an idiot, but it turns out it just needed a LOT more elbow grease to get the caps sealed...

Bottled my first brew on the weekend, and put down about 10 glass bottles and the rest in the PET bottles provided in the Coopers kit... Figure this really isn't going to be a special brew, and will save my other bottles for the next one!!

Thanks again guys.....

Better plan.

Make more empties, as I alwats tell my partner. "It's a tough job, but someone has to do it"