It works!!!

[Bliorg]

Hi all -

Last fall, I bought a press as a winter project (no, it's still not done...). With it came a Budde & Westermann Iron Corking Machine:

Budde & Westermann Corker by Scott, on Flickr

Budde & Westermann Corker by Scott, on Flickr

There was some interest on the above thread about the corker. Near as I can tell, it dates to around 1900. It seemed functional, but honestly, I tucked it into a corner of the garage, thinking it would be a nice decorative object near the wine rack in the basement that is also on the project list (no, it's still not started).

So, in order to progress some of the woodworking projects yet this summer, I have been rearranging and clearing space in the garage today. I bottled last weekend, and there was a cork sitting nearby the iron corker. Thought I, Hmm - I wonder if the cork would be compressed by this thing? Tried it, and with some effort, the cork passed through the head of the corker. Hmm, thought I, I wonder if this corker would actually work? Grabbed a bottle, and expecting shattered glass to rain down:



Now that's cool...

It's still destined to be decorative, as my Portuguese corker is smoother and easier to use, but I'm honestly surprised, and again, impressed with early 1900s engineering.

Thought you all might get a kick out of that.

 

[Old Corker]

Hi all -

Last fall, I bought a press as a winter project (no, it's still not done...). With it came a Budde & Westermann Iron Corking Machine:

Budde & Westermann Corker by Scott, on Flickr

Budde & Westermann Corker by Scott, on Flickr

There was some interest on the above thread about the corker. Near as I can tell, it dates to around 1900. It seemed functional, but honestly, I tucked it into a corner of the garage, thinking it would be a nice decorative object near the wine rack in the basement that is also on the project list (no, it's still not started).

So, in order to progress some of the woodworking projects yet this summer, I have been rearranging and clearing space in the garage today. I bottled last weekend, and there was a cork sitting nearby the iron corker. Thought I, Hmm - I wonder if the cork would be compressed by this thing? Tried it, and with some effort, the cork passed through the head of the corker. Hmm, thought I, I wonder if this corker would actually work? Grabbed a bottle, and expecting shattered glass to rain down:



Now that's cool...

It's still destined to be decorative, as my Portuguese corker is smoother and easier to use, but I'm honestly surprised, and again, impressed with early 1900s engineering.

Thought you all might get a kick out of that.

That is very cool. The counterweight is such a nice touch.