First one in the bottle!

[rgecaprock]

Bovine,


That looks like a comfortable bottling position. I really have to plan my bottling due to my problem back or I pay for it the next day.


I put all the bottles on the tree on the floor. Use a 13x9 pyrex baking dish to put the bottles in to catch any mess which I always make. Then I get a comfy spot on the floor sittingIndian style and fill all bottlles while sitting on the floor. I line up the filled bottles ready for corking.


I'll have to work on the corking. That half bend is murder on the sciatica so that job I think will be delegated to Curtis. Unless anyone has an idea for sitting and Portuguese corking.


Then I throw a shrink on each bottle and dunk in the semi boiling water which is a fast process now that I have it down.


Then I take a slightly soapy cloth and wipe down all the bottles and then dry them like doing dishes. Until they are sparkling like the wine.


They are ready for the labels next. That is pretty smooth expecially using the glue stick and scissor method although cutting them out can be tedious.


The actual label paper some times gets creases if I'm not fast enough and smooth enough to get it on straight and nice. At least the glue stick gives you some wiggle room. Do you all find that to be true!!!?


Any suggestions for smooth, single person bottling will be interestingbecause someone always thinks of something no one else has.


Ramona

 

[laneygirl]

Romana, Can you explain more about the shrink wrap and dunk into boiling water? I have been using a heat gun with inconsistent results and would guess the water would be more so. Could you paste a picture of it? Are there accessories that assist you in keeping shrink wrap on while dunking?

 

[rgecaprock]

First of all, laneygirl, Welcome to the forum.


Here is a link to show you how to use boiling water to shrink your caps. It might take a minute to load but it is a good demonstration. There is a tool for holding the shrink cap in place while dipping it in the water but you could probably use anything such as my deveiner or a fork...I think smurfe uses a fork. Anyway...here is the link that will help you....Ramona


http://www.finevinewines.com/wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1112

 

[bovinewines]

Dang Waldo...my "wish list" keeps growing!


Guess I'm going to have to include George's website in all my christmas cards so folks know what to get me for christmas!

 

[bovinewines]

Thanks for posting this Romona....I wondered how it was done...


I can't remember who said it, but one of the senior staff on this forum made the comment that only the "special" people get the foil....I'm thinking I'm going to adopt that myself!

 

[laneygirl]

Hi Romana, Thanks for the welcome and the reply. I also talked to George and he explained to me how to use a tea kettle with a long knife to hold shrink wrap in place. I got to try this technique yesterday on some port that I had bottled/corked last week and was waiting to shrink wrap and put down in wine rack.


The technique worked really well and was faster, easier and gave a much better finished look than I had ever been able to achieve with heat gun. I guess I'll relegate the heat fun to my shop tools and shift permanently to this new technique.


Thanks, again. This forum is a really good one with nice members with helpful advice.