De-labeling

[berrycrush]

I scrubbed off labels from over a dozen wine bottles which I soaked yesterday. Just for the fun of it, I rated the degree of difficulty to de-label wine bottles from various regions using a system of 1-10. 1 meaning the label comes off clean in one piece with little effort and 10 means scrubbing till my wrist is sore. here are the scores:

Washington 10
France 7
California 6
Italy 4
South America 3
Spain 2
Hid-in-Pine 1

 

[cimbaliw]

Strong work Berrycrush. I have the best luck with Crane Lake ( a $2 buck Chuck send up ) that I get from one of my premium bottle donors. The French bottles are always the the ones that need the most elbow grease and usually the WD40 treatment. I get a kick out of the Barefoot Cellar bottles which seem to use two different glues, one for the front and one for the back label.

BC

 

[jethro]

I am not into scrubbing in order to remove labels. I just use a piece of cellophane tape to remove the surface of the label. As long as it's illegible, that's all I really care about.

 

[SSNJOHN]

DE - Labeling

Not about the difficulty, but a method I have discovered that is pretty effective on ~ 90% of the bottles attempted.

I have a railroad tie retaining wall in the back yard. Drilled some holes (12) at ~45 angle I can insert pieces of 1/2" x 6" long maple wood dowel into. About 2" in the tie and ~ 4" out. Put the bottles on the dowels, fire up the pressure washer. This does create a little debris and a wet spot on the ground, so probably not the best solution for everyone.

Probably securing the presser washer wand and locking the handle, and handling the bottle in the water stream would be a little easier, but not quite as safe.

SSNJOHN

 

[reefman]

I get a kick out of the Barefoot Cellar bottles which seem to use two different glues, one for the front and one for the back label.

BC

I run into this problem frequently, but with many brands. The worst are always the labels that have some type of metalic border, like a gold leaf type finish.

 

[berrycrush]

Not about the difficulty, but a method I have discovered that is pretty effective on ~ 90% of the bottles attempted.

I have a railroad tie retaining wall in the back yard. Drilled some holes (12) at ~45 angle I can insert pieces of 1/2" x 6" long maple wood dowel into. About 2" in the tie and ~ 4" out. Put the bottles on the dowels, fire up the pressure washer. This does create a little debris and a wet spot on the ground, so probably not the best solution for everyone.

Probably securing the presser washer wand and locking the handle, and handling the bottle in the water stream would be a little easier, but not quite as safe.

SSNJOHN

That sounds like a great idea. You should make a youtube video of it next time you do it.

 

[jdmyers]

I use a small 4 inch angle grinder it has scouring pad discs that take off everything

 

[Runningwolf]

Hey JD is that 4" or 1/4". I was trying to look it up on line.

 

[jdmyers]

its a 1/4 inch about 4 inches long I got the idea from work we use them to take old gaskets off with out grinding any metal off of the flanges of pumps you get pick up a cheap one at harbor freight and it will work with any small compressor heres an example of the pads

 

[Runningwolf]

Very cool. Thanks

 

[jdmyers]

wee can i get a cool animated avitar

 

[wildvines]

I just place in oven


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[berrycrush]

its a 1/4 inch about 4 inches long I got the idea from work we use them to take old gaskets off with out grinding any metal off of the flanges of pumps you get pick up a cheap one at harbor freight and it will work with any small compressor heres an example of the pads

Thanks for the tip. Do you grind them dry or soaked?

 

[Elmer]

I find that of all the bottles I have to clean, donated or not.
Some soak
and
Some bake

And then there is Mark West, which has to soak, be scrapped, then rubbed down with a synthetic Brillo pad, then a healthy dose of goo be gone!

not all bottles are de-label equally!

 

[reefman]

I just place in oven


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WildVines!
Love the bottle holder, is it commercially available?

 

[wildvines]

WildVines!
Love the bottle holder, is it commercially available?

Yes.
I got mine somewhere else but this link has one. Bit pricey.

http://whatnotspot.com/lebron-james...e-rack-red-wine-stand-support-bracket-en.html




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[carlb]

i hold the bottles by the neck and warm them over the gas range on a low light while rotating the label back and forth over the flame. After about 30 seconds of warming most labels peal right off glue and all. Some need the glue removed for that I use wd40

 

[sour_grapes]

i hold the bottles by the neck and warm them over the gas range on a low light while rotating the label back and forth over the flame. After about 30 seconds of warming most labels peal right off glue and all. Some need the glue removed for that I use wd40

You may find the oven even easier! They are already hot when you take 'em out, so you don't even have to wait the 30 seconds. I just load about 2 dozen in, wait ten minutes, then take one out (and put a replacement one in), delabel the first one. Then I move on to the next one. By the time I cycle through all 24 bottles, the first replacement one is well heated.

 

[wildvines]

You may find the oven even easier! They are already hot when you take 'em out, so you don't even have to wait the 30 seconds. I just load about 2 dozen in, wait ten minutes, then take one out (and put a replacement one in), delabel the first one. Then I move on to the next one. By the time I cycle through all 24 bottles, the first replacement one is well heated.

I totally agree


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[carlb]

You may find the oven even easier! They are already hot when you take 'em out, so you don't even have to wait the 30 seconds. I just load about 2 dozen in, wait ten minutes, then take one out (and put a replacement one in), delabel the first one. Then I move on to the next one. By the time I cycle through all 24 bottles, the first replacement one is well heated.

What temperature do you set the oven at?