# Bench Capper



## bronco (22/3/11)

Hi,

I am new to the brewing caper. I have completed one coopers batch and I have since purchased a slightly better kit on ebay. I wondered if anyone had any advice regarding the cappers. I have had a bit of a practice run using a VB stubby. It seemed to seal the bottle but the crown seal was still slightly splayed out and I did not want to break the bottle.

Is there any trick to this? How much pressure can you apply before a bottle will break? (I was using current VB stubbies).

Thanks in advance.


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## Acasta (22/3/11)

With a bench capper your pretty safe to go full force untill it seals fully. I've never broken a bottle with it. Its alot easier with crown seals, however screw tops will still cap easily.


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## petesbrew (22/3/11)

what kind of capper are you using? a lever action one or a hammer-on one?


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## HeavyNova (22/3/11)

If you're using the lever action bench capper you can pull down on the lever very very hard without any problems. I don't how hard you'd have to pull to actually break the bottle but it probably only be a concern if you were in training for Mr Universe.


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## Fodder (22/3/11)

I use the old hand capper with the hammer trick on mine and have only had one bottle break. Twas a James Squire Amber Ale stubby IRCC...just split down the side and didnt really 'smash' so to speak so easy to clean up...

Otherwise, I've got a few Little Creatures Pint bottles and a dozen or so Cooper longnecks and have never really had an issue. I cap mine on the grass so to give a little cushoning for the bottle, give them half a dozen taps, rotate the capper, then half a dozen more. 

Seals nicely, no dramas... 

EDIT: Just realised we're talking bench cappers not hammer type ones... doh!


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## [email protected] (22/3/11)

bronco said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am new to the brewing caper. I have completed one coopers batch and I have since purchased a slightly better kit on ebay. I wondered if anyone had any advice regarding the cappers. I have had a bit of a practice run using a VB stubby. It seemed to seal the bottle but the crown seal was still slightly splayed out and I did not want to break the bottle.
> 
> ...


If its a lever you'll probably break the lever before breaking the bottle. It sort of has two stop points when you pull the lever. Don't be tricked by the first point. Go right the way down till it wont go any further. When capped properly it should look like a propper beer with no splayed edges. 

if its a hammer capper, do your self a favour and buy a lever one.


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## Camo1234 (22/3/11)

Wack a teatowel around the bottle or something and give it a good old go.... that way you will feel safer about giving it some pressure and then you'll realise that the bottle won't break.

You should feel it push down and then push again...


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## argon (22/3/11)

HeavyNova said:


> If you're using the lever action bench capper you can pull down on the lever very very hard without any problems. I don't how hard you'd have to pull to actually break the bottle but it probably only be a concern if you were in training for Mr Universe.


You certainly can break bottles using a bench capper... done it myself. I did it a few years ago when at a BOP. The guy supervising the whole thing just about shit himself when the bottle exploded in my hand and spit blood all over the place. I think he thought he was gonna get sued or something. I wasn't worried though, accidents happen and i was being pretty firm with it. So promptly eased up.

I have the same bench capper as used at the BOP and never had a bottle go on me. Regardless, it's worth not being too heavy handed. You just want it seal up, you don't want to pulverise the thing.


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## Nick JD (22/3/11)

These are the shizzle. Probably cost the same as a keg though.







Edit: hmmm, only $18 on Amazon. Called "Red Baron".


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## Pennywise (22/3/11)

I wouldn't be capping vb stubbies or any bottle like that with anything but a bench capper. I can't count amount of bottles I lost when using the hammer type capper. Even made me stop for a few months before I got a benchy


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## Hatchy (22/3/11)

Nick JD said:


>




That may be the 1st time I've heard an American say millimetre.


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## Silo Ted (22/3/11)

I set the capper (superautomatica) so that the bottle cannot quite slip under the bell without angling the crown under it slightly. It will then stand under the bell nicely. When the lever is depressed, it cant go any further.


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## Golani51 (22/3/11)

Go to KMart as they have bench cappers at around $35 on good sale days. It is from Brigalow (named super benchcapper on the box or superautomatica on the capper itself) and you can change the bell simply for a champagne bottle sized cap. I haven't heard any complaints and is much easier than hitting abottle a dozen times with a hammer IMO.


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## Milky11111 (22/3/11)

I just use the Brew Cellar PET bottles, no glass shards if they asplode, you can even re-use the lids if you don't lose 'em. Just make sure you put them somewhere dark during settling period though, because plastic doesn't shield light as well as brown glass. Worst problem I've had with them is getting them back from friends/bludgers. <_<


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## malt_shovel (23/3/11)

Nick JD said:


> These are the shizzle. Probably cost the same as a keg though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




This is what I use. They seem to be easier to cap on certain bottle types. Little Creatures Pale Ale (330mL) are a bitch, but the pint size are no worries. Still, I have only had a handful of bottles not seal properly (all of them LCPA 330ml), so I buy pint size bottles only now!

The above capper doesn't take up much room for storage either compared to a traditional single lever type bench capper. 

Cheers

:icon_chickcheers:


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## earle (23/3/11)

Nick JD said:


> These are the shizzle. Probably cost the same as a keg though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




The only problem I had with a two handed capper similar to above was when I tried to use it on VB stubbies (which the OP has). Because of the short squat neck you can't bring the handles down far enough to seal the crown on, cracked a few bottles trying. Supa-automatica all the way for me.


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## flano (30/3/11)

I give the inside of each lid a quick squirt of no wash santiser before I cap.
2 reasons...
1 for cleanliness
2 so it sort of slides on a bit easier.

ftr those hammer type ones are asking for trouble in my opinion.


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## TmC (30/3/11)

Im a big fan of the superautomatica. Especially if you have all your bottles the same size its quick and easy.


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## Jarthy (30/3/11)

TmC said:


> Im a big fan of the superautomatica. Especially if you have all your bottles the same size its quick and easy.



I have 2 

one for tallies, one for stubbies 

saves me changing the settings during bottling


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## Pennywise (30/3/11)

Wow, two of the buggers, no feckin around with you :lol:


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## Amber Fluid (30/3/11)

Although not helping with regards to capping..... apparently these are great to use







Personally I like these though


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## Jarthy (30/3/11)

Pennywise said:


> Wow, two of the buggers, no feckin around with you laugh.gif



can't say no when people are nearly throwing them out!


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## Pennywise (30/3/11)

Grolsch bottles rock, becuase I almost always don't have enough bottle caps. Takes a bit longer to get ready though, becuase you need to take the seals off and clean/sanitise them, also have to be careful if you haven't cleaned the out side of the bottle as well, as when the lid sits on the side it can touch the bottle with the bottom of it, making it not sanitary.

For this reason I use them as emergency bottles


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## manticle (30/3/11)

Anyone who wants a two handed wing capper thingy PM me. Someone gave me one recently that I don't need.

Happy to post, free of charge.


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## Fodder (30/3/11)

PM sent


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## manticle (30/3/11)

Gone.


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## going down a hill (31/3/11)

TmC said:


> Im a big fan of the superautomatica. Especially if you have all your bottles the same size its quick and easy.


Yeah I agree. I have coopers and cascade stubbies there is a couple of mm difference no need to change the height, easy.


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## DU99 (31/3/11)

i have 3 ..Two are spare's..given to me..soon won't have any ,keg's and swingtop bottle's and i soak my mine


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