Shrinking Caps

[PolishWineP]

Last August I went to a scrapbooking/cardmaking weekend in Wonderful Wisconsin and there was a thrift sale there. All sorts of people brought in great papercraft tools that they no longer needed. I admit that I spent more than I should have, but one of the great buys I got was a Milwaukee heat embossing gun. This retails from $20-$30 in the store and hold onto your hats ladies and gentlemen, I got it for $2! Yes, you heard me right! Only $2! It had hardly been used and appeared to be brand new. I confessed my sins to Bert when I got home and went on with life.

Today, it became a tool for Bert too, as we used it to shrink the caps on our freshly bottled port! Works like a charm!
I preheated the gun and the bowl and then held the bowl behind the cap to help reflect the heat back and more evenly shrink the cap.

My thumb got hot once or twice but otherwise, no injuries, no steam and it's fun to boot!

 

[Wade E]

Whatever works right and for $2, thats great.

 

[zember311]

I see that almost empty bottle of wine in the background

All that work would make me a bit thirs

ty as well

 

[K&GB]

Genius!

 

[scubaman2151]

Very nice find.


Scuba

 

[rgecaprock]

You are so inventive!!!!

 

[Joanie]

I have one of those too and have used it to shrink caps but the boiling water method is much quicker and gives a better finish for me.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Boiling water for me too...just a quick dip...I do like gadgets tho....

 

[MajBob]

Boiling Water??

Let me guess: bring water to a boil, and dip the bottle with cap into the water until it shrinks?? Sounds too easy - what's the punch line??

I am trying to locate basic info regarding bottles, corks, labels and caps. Several of the bottles George carries state to use # xx or # xy tapered corks. Is there a preference - straight or tapered? (I don't believe I've ever seen a tapered cork - did I answer my own question??)

The 2 kits I ordered from FVW came with personalized labels. Are they pre-glued? Moisten with water or milk? Will the ink run? (I’m thinking that, if they need to be moistened, a fine mist spray bottle might do the trick?)

I have an older HP printer that I used in the classroom when I was still teaching. It's an older ink jet, and I have a slightly newer Canon ink jet photo printer. Would either of these be acceptable to print labels?

Several here have stated that the Avery labels are a real bear to remove from the bottles. Is it the consensus that George's labels are 'bout the best in this regard??

Has anyone tried the white labels George carries? They look and sound very interesting, but I’m not sure how they would print . . . ( http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDe...ies&SubCategory=Paper&PartNumber=4578 )

Somewhere on the forum, I saw a photo of finished bottles - complete with labels (Smurfe??) One of the labels depicted a tall slender wine glass about ½ full of red wine. I would really like to replicate that graphic (or similar) for my own labels. Can anyone point me to that photo, or. better yet, provide info or where to order them?

Thanks for all of the great onfo and help. Cheers!
Edited by: MajBob

 

[grapeman]

I will take the first couple questions- not much time right now.


Boiling water- yes, that's all there is to it. Either use a spoon or special instrument made for it to hold the cap from falling off while dipping- and give it a dunk. It will shrink pretty quickly. I use a tea kettle myself with steam- about the same.


Tapered corks - more like chamfered corks. It just means the edges have been rounded for easier insertion. The straight corks work ok in the floor corkers though.


OK now somebody else take over here.

 

[Tomy]

I have used George'swhite lables and printing them is no problem. Just don't get them too wet when applying as the glue will run and then you have a gooey mess on your bottle to clean up. As to the personalized lables being pre-glued, just lick thecorner and you will have your answer. I have never heard of using milk to moisten lables, I sure wouldn't do it as have you ever smelled bad milk, its the butterfat that goes rancid. Some one else can answer the rest, I'm through. Tomy

 

[PeterZ]

Take a look at George's cork page and you will see the difference between straight and tapered corks.


I use George's white paper and print on a color laser to prevent the ink from running. George also uses a color laser when he does custom labels. If you use an ink jet you should spray the label after printing with some kind of lacquer - it's availably at hobby shops like Michael's and Hobby Lobby. I wet a folded paper towel and drag the label across it to wet it.