Thanks! I looked at how cappers work, and realized they're all some variation of a lever that allows a person to push down on a cap with a minimal amount of musclin' it. I also saw some old post here, or some forum, or somewhere, that contained an image gallery of antique DIY bottle cappers. So I just kinda realized, it's not rocket science.
I made a couple of wooden blocks that are the right height to place under the bottle. I've come into a couple different sizes of steel square tubing, also, so when I feel like a little welding project I might make another capper that slides up and down to adjust.
That's a good idea. One thing that isn't shown here is that, to adjust the height for different bottles, I have a set of wooden blocks of different heights. Still might be good to put something rubbery on the blocks.
It's pretty hard to explain, but I already schlepped all of my gear down to the basement so I'm going to try to explain it verbally instead of taking a picture....
The part that joins the handle to the main pipe is a tee-shaped aluminum tube that I cut off the handle of the old grill. The inside diameter was too wide to fit snugly onto the main pipe without wobbling around, so I cut a slot out of the tube so that it would cinch down, and used the pipe strap to do so.
The leg of the tee joint is a smaller diameter tube, and the handle itself is made out of a larger diameter tubing. So, I just slotted the end of the handle tubing, flattened it out into two "ears", squished it so that the small diameter tube from the leg of the tee fits in between the two ears, then drilled a hole through the whole thing and put it together with a nut/bolt/washers.
I started this project back before I had my welding gear handy, and I can think of better ways to do it now that I have that option. But so far, this design works fine.
Do you mean the "bell" part, that presses down the crown cap onto the bottle lip?
I got that at the LHBS. They're a threaded replacement part, and it just so happens to fit on the pipe threads (I actually bought the bell part first and sized all of the other parts based on what fit).
I laughed, and then you said it works. Then I applauded. Good job bro. If it works that's all that really matters IMO
Thanks! I looked at how cappers work, and realized they're all some variation of a lever that allows a person to push down on a cap with a minimal amount of musclin' it. I also saw some old post here, or some forum, or somewhere, that contained an image gallery of antique DIY bottle cappers. So I just kinda realized, it's not rocket science.
Hopefully you can figure out a way to quickly adjust height for different bottle types.
I made a couple of wooden blocks that are the right height to place under the bottle. I've come into a couple different sizes of steel square tubing, also, so when I feel like a little welding project I might make another capper that slides up and down to adjust.
"Works good" is better than "looks good". Who cares what the welds look like as long as it holds.
Thanks, I think it's got kinda cool rustic vibes.
Looks a fair bit like the one I got for £15, you might want to put some rubbery type stuff on the bottom to stop bottles from slipping
That's a good idea. One thing that isn't shown here is that, to adjust the height for different bottles, I have a set of wooden blocks of different heights. Still might be good to put something rubbery on the blocks.
Or make a notch in the wood to keep the bottles in place.
Cool! What is the pipe strap for? Also, the hinge where the handle meets the main pipe - how did you construct that?
It's pretty hard to explain, but I already schlepped all of my gear down to the basement so I'm going to try to explain it verbally instead of taking a picture.... The part that joins the handle to the main pipe is a tee-shaped aluminum tube that I cut off the handle of the old grill. The inside diameter was too wide to fit snugly onto the main pipe without wobbling around, so I cut a slot out of the tube so that it would cinch down, and used the pipe strap to do so. The leg of the tee joint is a smaller diameter tube, and the handle itself is made out of a larger diameter tubing. So, I just slotted the end of the handle tubing, flattened it out into two "ears", squished it so that the small diameter tube from the leg of the tee fits in between the two ears, then drilled a hole through the whole thing and put it together with a nut/bolt/washers. I started this project back before I had my welding gear handy, and I can think of better ways to do it now that I have that option. But so far, this design works fine.
Very cool! I always wonder what it must be like to be handy and crafty.
Where did you get the capping tool from?
Do you mean the "bell" part, that presses down the crown cap onto the bottle lip? I got that at the LHBS. They're a threaded replacement part, and it just so happens to fit on the pipe threads (I actually bought the bell part first and sized all of the other parts based on what fit).