Bottle Labeling and Such

[pfanelli]

Hello all,


I'm finally ready to bottle a wine that I think deserves proper bottling. I've got the labels from George, along with 'caps' and wax. I don't really know how to do this. Here are some of my questions:


What kind of glue should I use for the lables?


How do I get the caps to shrink and 'adhear' to the neck of the bottle?


The wax - just melt it on top and use some kind of design impression? A ring? I don't have that fancy of a ring.


Your comments appreciated.


Patrick

 

[Hal Maulden]

Patrick,


As far as glue, use the lightest glue possible. A child glue stick is what I have used. Make sure that the labels are not the type you wet and activate the glue.


On shrink caps. The way I do it, cheapest way. Take a tea pot, one like at Walmart for a couple of bucks. Add water, start to boil. Put the cap on, holding the bottle upright, twirl it around the escaping steam. Takes 5 seconds, max. Works like a charm.


Wax - Why would you use wax with a shrink wrap?





Hal

 

[jobe05]

Patrick, you have come to oe of the fun parts of wine making, at least for me..... Drinking it would be the most fun.


I have never used wax, it's only a messy option that I have never chosen to take. However I bought a bottle of commercial wine that instead of a shrink wrap, they just dipped the top of the bottle in the wax for the appearance of a shrink wrap that I thought was pretty interesting and may try that some day.





For real shrink wraps, I use a heat gun, just start in one spot and turn the bottle and it shrinks right down. Before the heat gun, I would use a pan of boiling water. Lay the wrap on top of the bottle, Hold it in place with a long spoon and dip it in the boiling water, it only takes a couple of seconds and it shrinks right up.





For labels, I use the Avery, full sheet adhesive paper. I print the labels, cut them by hand to size, and peel and stick. Others here have used glue sticks and Im going to try that at some point because the Avery labels are very hard to get off the bottle for re-use.





Good luck and post a picture of your final product.

 

[masta]

Patrick,


Labels from George are done on paper with wheat glue already on the back...just wet and stick.


I use a heat gun on low setting on shrinks...done in seconds for each one.


Tried wax once and it was difficult trying the keep the wax hot enough and apply....didn't like it.

 

[pfanelli]

Hello all,


I think I'm just going to experiment with the wax and see what I can do with it. I'll let you know how it goes. I just thought this might be an interesting alternative to the shrink cap.


I wonder if a regular hair dryer will put out enough heat to shrink the caps - anyone use this? I'll experiment with this tonight as well.


Many thanks for all the expertise.


Patrick

 

[Waldo]

Hair dryer will not get hot enough Patrick. I personally use the boiling water method and it works really well.

 

[Maui Joe]

Patrick,


I have used the wax a few times and here is what I did. You will need a couple of "small cans." Tomato sauce cans work the best. One is to hold the pieces of wax, and the other as a "stablizer for the can with wax. Use a clothes pin to hold the two cans together. In a small pot, add enough water to where the can with the wax will not float around. The wax will begin to melt as the water is getting hotter. Try not to boil the water but to maintain enough heat to keep the wax in the liquid state.


Next, grasp the bottle upside down and dip the bottle into the wax like coating "chocolate on an ice cream cone." As you remove the bottle, give it a gentle half turn up and the wax will form a small point head on the top. If you have an embossing tool or whatever, at that point you depress the top of the bottle and the insignia is there.


With a little practice, you will get the hang of it. Remember to "just dip" the bottle straight in and remove...do not leave there for any length of time too long. If not enough coating, then re-dip as needed.


Hope this helps.

 

[pfanelli]

Hi there,


Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to experiment with the wax today and see how much trouble I can get into. Also, I'll use the boiling water method for the caps and see how that goes.


This forum is great - I love it!


Patrick

 

[peterCooper]

On the shrink wraps, I put a pan of water on the stove and get it just shy of
boiling., then put a cap in place, dip ito the water, holding onto the cap to
keep it in place and rotate round as it shrinks.

I put the bottle on the counter and compress the top with a paer towel to get
any moisture out of the cap (it has 3 holes in it to make removal of
moiosture easy.)

 

[OldWino1]

hello again. I user letter sealing wax and a glue gun. Just the right amount on the top and our initial on a brass imprinter from the outfit i got the letter sealing wax from. Works great those bottles can be put in a box and stored in a closet. no air dont have to be on there sides. I burnt up a hair dryer and triped the circuit breaker on the shrink caps. I use hot water on the stove. YOu can by extra rubber bands from staples put them on on all your bottles and then dunk for 4 secs each allnice and tight.