What type of corker?

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Aleforge

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Is recommended? I noticed there are a few different ones, some only designated by country. Just getting into corking and would love some advice!

Thanks
 
Here's another vote for the Portugeuse corker. Got mine almost ten years ago now, still going strong. Love it.
 
You can not go wrong with the portugese floor corker.

It is super accurate, you can dial in cork depth easily and bottle locks in place as soon as you start to pull on the lever.

I actually had a ton of fun corking with this thing, it's a great piece of equipment I would buy if my LHBS didn't lend them out for free.
 
Thanks guys, so when you use the smaller 375 bottles and you use something to help space it. How then does the unit clamp onto the bottle, or does it not?
 
The floor corker doesn't clamp onto the bottle, just has a strong spring under that platform and pushes mouth of bottle up against the top part. With the shorter bottles you just use a spacer (as SS suggested, a can of tuna works great)
 
You can not go wrong with the portugese floor corker.

It is super accurate, you can dial in cork depth easily and bottle locks in place as soon as you start to pull on the lever.

I actually had a ton of fun corking with this thing, it's a great piece of equipment I would buy if my LHBS didn't lend them out for free.

Brandon are you sure its the same style?
 
I can look at mine again tonight, but 99.9% sure it doesn't lock the bottle itself in any way. he could be referring to fact that cork starts to enter bottle and holds it? Or maybe I'm just completely confused. :)
 
You can't be a floor corker.

Don't for get to soak your corks. :D

[ame="http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/180744/"]SNL Cork Soakers Video[/ame]
 
I actually considered using a hockey puck as a spacer, being more aesthetically pleasing and far cooler, but then I compared the prices and quickly decided on the store brand tuna for $.89. I've been using the same can for three years. I'm convinced that the pressure will cause the can to burst one day and spray everything with smelly rotten canned tuna.

As for "locking" in place, it doesn't actually "lock" but it does push the mouth upwards and then the mouth is forced into a U shaped opening to keep it from slipping free and to line it up with the cork, which is very close to locking.
 
I actually considered using a hockey puck as a spacer, being more aesthetically pleasing and far cooler, but then I compared the prices and quickly decided on the store brand tuna for $.89. I've been using the same can for three years. I'm convinced that the pressure will cause the can to burst one day and spray everything with smelly rotten canned tuna.

As for "locking" in place, it doesn't actually "lock" but it does push the mouth upwards and then the mouth is forced into a U shaped opening to keep it from slipping free and to line it up with the cork, which is very close to locking.

I should say, the bottom plate locks when you start pulling down the lever.
 
After just corking 12 bottles using a double lever corker, makes me wish I'd bought a floor corker as I have 5 gallons to bottle soon :s I think I'll just bulk age some in demijohns and bottle about 6 bottles
 
I have to use my Double Lever Corker - $24.99.

I have this corker and it works decent. The one problem I have with it is the rod that pushes the cork into the bottle is narrower that the cork itself and it always leaves a big indentation on the top of the cork. It also prevents the cork from going all the way in because it widens the top part of the cork. Maybe it's because I boil my nomacorcs before trying to insert. I think I remember seeing on a forum that someone else had the same issue with this corker and ended making some spacers out of cork to take the brunt from the piston. I know, I shouldn't boil them and that it's better to steam them. I haven't had to cork since learning this so I will try something different next time.
 
I actually considered using a hockey puck as a spacer, being more aesthetically pleasing and far cooler, but then I compared the prices and quickly decided on the store brand tuna for $.89. I've been using the same can for three years. I'm convinced that the pressure will cause the can to burst one day and spray everything with smelly rotten canned tuna.

As for "locking" in place, it doesn't actually "lock" but it does push the mouth upwards and then the mouth is forced into a U shaped opening to keep it from slipping free and to line it up with the cork, which is very close to locking.

I use a hockey puck when I bottle the 375 ML size bottles. Otherwise, I just use the floor corker "as is". Of course, I have a large selection of hockey pucks, but a tuna can would work if you're so inclined.

I've never had a bottle slip or break using my Portuguese floor corker, and I can bottle even with those long "fancy" bottles.
 
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