PVC Capsules

[rhoffart]

How do you shrink them? Heater or Water? Do you add sulfites to your water?







Right now I'm using boiling water. I'm thinking of adding sulfites for the water that gets trapped on the cork to keep any potential mold growth at bay.

 

[fivebk]

I use a heat gun. Works great for me.

BOB

 

[Wade E]

I use this. George sells it, its called a horizontal thermoencapsular. It literally takes 1 second to do a bottle.

 

[grapeman]

If you are applying with boiling water, how can the trapped water have bacteria in it? The boiling kills bacteria.

 

[ibglowin]

I found a heat gun (low) worked much better for me than the boiling water. Much smoother shrink.
+1 on what Rich said on the kmeta. Not needed as its boiling water!

 

[rhoffart]

If you are applying with boiling water, how can the trapped water have bacteria in it? The boiling kills bacteria.

Well, that is something to think about. It really doesn't matter how clean the water if it stays wet for a while bacteria will start growing.

 

[rhoffart]

I found a heat gun (low) worked much better for me than the boiling water. Much smoother shrink.

Wow, I tried my heat gun and I sucked at it. I overheated about 3 of them then quit. Maybe I just need a little more practice.

 

[rhoffart]

I use this. George sells it, its called a horizontal thermoencapsular. It literally takes 1 second to do a bottle.

You really like it?
2 bills for a heating element seems high.

 

[ibglowin]

I have a small heat gun. Put it on low, hold the gun about 3" away with one hand, with the other hand, slowly rotate the bottle so the heat doesn't stay in one place more than a few seconds. If you melted 3 of em you either have one heck of a "Tim the Toolman" heat gun or you were just too close and perhaps not rotating the bottle. Try backing it way off and moving it in slowly until you see it start to shrink.
I can promise you any trapped water will evaporate loonnnnggg before anything could even think about growing in there.

 

[rhoffart]

If you melted 3 of em you either have one heck of a "Tim the Toolman" heat gun or you were just too close and perhaps not rotating the bottle.

It's old and big ... with one setting 'hotter then hell'. I think it may be bad because the fan has that whine ... maybe it's turning slow. I think I'm going to Lowes tomorrow. They have a two stage Wagner for $30 bucks.

 

[Wade E]

Dan (Runningwolf) has one also as do a few other people on WMT. If you make a lot of wine and capsule them all its worth it. I can do 30 bottle in under 1 minute! I have a bad back so this one 1 item that saved me big time. Any time not standing over something saves my back this makes me not dread some part of getting something done. I used to hate bottling wine. Crouching down waiting for the Boun Vino or even worse the filling wand and then trying to put capsules and labels on used to take hours. Now I can do everything from sanitizing the bottles to putting the capsules on in under 45 minutes per batch!!

 

[RickC]

Let me know how well the Wagner works. I have been considering buying a heat gun as well. Lowes is right down the street.

 

[rhoffart]

Wade, thanks it's on my list ... 30 under a minute is fast. Heck I don't think I can move that fast, 2 seconds per bottle.

Too close to Christmas, I going to start with the Wagner.

 

[grapeman]

I have one of those myself, but it is a steel grey color. They are very fast indeed. It takes a couple minutes to heat up and then you just slide them in, rotate a bit and pull right back out.

 

[fivebk]

I bought my heat gun from a hobby store when I built a radio controlled airplane. I used it to put the skin on the plane. It gets really hot but then It doesn't take long to shrink a cap. I melted a couple when I first used it, but once you find the right distance and speed you can zip right through them.

I never have had a problem since!!

BOB

 

[PeterZ]

I use boiling water. Using the device George sells to hold the capsule, I slowly lower the bottle into the water and it shrinks from top down, keeping any water out. Takes about 1 sec per bottle, but to work well the water must be at a rolling boil. If you are very far above sea level it won't work because boiling water is <212 F.

 

[ibglowin]

That be me.....

If you are very far above sea level it won't work because boiling water is <212 F.

 

[Runningwolf]

Yeap I use the same as Wade and Rich and its great. Other then that, the only way for me is a heat gun. Get a cheapo at Harbor Freigght and you won't regret it.

Here is a video I took of my machine.

 

[Wade E]

I dont think mine gets as hot as yours does Dan!!! Mine doesnt glow red hot like that. I wonder if thats why yours blew that fuse. Rich, yours is a little older then mine. I remember buying mine and it not looking like the one on the web page. It also didnt say anything about a very thin white plastic coating over the stainless steel heat shield. I thought it was painted until I was using it and it smelled up the whole room, thats when I realized it was a protective coating that should have been peeled off prior to use!!!!

 

[grapeman]

I got mine after you did Wade and it looks just like Dan's. It also glows red and can heat up a whole room pretty quickly especially in the summer.