I recently just bought a Portuguese floor corker off of Amazon and #9 corks to go along with it. The description on Amazon says the corker can be used for #8 and #9 corks. However, upon testing the corker with dry corks to see if it works I cannot get the #9 corks to fit in the top of the Portuguese floor corker. If I were to soak the corks in water would they shrink, or is there some way for me to adjust the corker? It came with no directions
Portuguese floor corker use??
- Thread starter colt01
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Can you post a picture of what you bought and you using it. One possible reason I can think that a #9 wouldn't fit in the Portuguese corker is you don't have the handle all the way up or something like that.
Also the handle in the pictures is as high as I can get it.
Fencepost
Senior Member
I have one just like it... I thought the same about then handle, then went and pulled mine down to look at it, your handle is about as far back as mine, but the jaws to the "cork squeezer" do not appear to be opening to allow the cork to drop into place. Try pushing on the jaws that compresses the corks, to see if you can free them... they did not "open" until the handle was about 2/3rds of the way up on mine, so it looks like the jaws are not opening... it seems as if there is a spring that should pull them open and the opening should be close to the opening of the red orifice on top where you have the cork. If you can get those jaws to open, and work it a few times, hopefully it will be ok. Good luck.
Fencepost
Senior Member
This will help you see what could be hanging up... the springs push the jaws open.
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I agree, it appears your jaws aren't opening as fully as they should. I think I would open that to plate and verify that any springs in there are moving freely.
Thanks for posting the video, very informative. I was having a lot of trouble with #9 corks last week and I can see from the dimple that the plunger isn’t centered… will try to straighten it out as shown in the video.
I have the Portuguese floor corker and the No. 9 corks fit easily. Are you sure you didn't get a knockoff corker. I don't trust Amazon for anything any more. Too many knockoffs.
Scooter68
Fruit "Wine" Maker
If you bought it new - you might need to return it as is certainly sounds like it's either defective or has broken or missing spings. If returning is not an option perhaps taking it apart as cmason1957 suggested. Might just need a little lubrication. Be sure to wipe off ALL of the lubrication before using it - just get the jaws moving again. Mineral oil or some food grade oil that won't go rancid would be the safest bet. but just wipe off the oil. Then sacrifice a cork and run it through without a bottle to see if any of the oil gets on the cork.
I lube mine with food grade silicone spray. I also use that on the Fermonster gaskets that tend to bunch up when you screw on the cap. To clean the silicone off the corker jaws, I cram a wadded up paper towel through it.
