Bought some used equipment...how does that thing work?

This guy I work with just sold me an almost-complete set of equipment for $50. I've identified most of the items I haven't seen before but am not quite sure how to use some of them.

1) Bottle filler and/or carboy thief. I've got two long tubes that look very similar but have different tips. One has a spring loaded tip and the other just has a nozzle. Is the spring loaded one a bottle filler and the open one a carboy thief? (He said the kit had a carboy thief) If so, how do I use the bottle filler? Do I just attach it to a hose from the bottling bucket and press it to the bottom of a bottle until full?

For the thief, I assume I just insert, cover with thumb, and extract a sample, right? There's also a couple small, pointed ?caps? that seem to go with these but don't obviously fit anywhere. Any ideas what these might be?

2) Red Baron Bottle capper - Is there anything special I need to know about using one of these? I've tried it once and seem to have gotten it but don't have any instructions for it and I'd hate to lose a whole batch because I wasn't capping correctly.

Thanks,
SP

ESPY said:

1) Bottle filler and/or carboy thief. I've got two long tubes that look very similar but have different tips. One has a spring loaded tip and the other just has a nozzle. Is the spring loaded one a bottle filler and the open one a carboy thief? (He said the kit had a carboy thief) If so, how do I use the bottle filler? Do I just attach it to a hose from the bottling bucket and press it to the bottom of a bottle until full?

Click to expand...

Yep. That's how bottle fillers work.

ESPY said:

For the thief, I assume I just insert, cover with thumb, and extract a sample, right? There's also a couple small, pointed ?caps? that seem to go with these but don't obviously fit anywhere. Any ideas what these might be?

Click to expand...

Yep...that's how to use the thief. The caps may be like the ones on racking canes that keep the tube off the bottom so you suck up less trub? I'm not sure...maybe for the thief? Can't imagine why the bottler would want any sort of cap...maybe just for storage?

ESPY said:

2) Red Baron Bottle capper - Is there anything special I need to know about using one of these? I've tried it once and seem to have gotten it but don't have any instructions for it and I'd hate to lose a whole batch because I wasn't capping correctly.

Click to expand...

If the caps are going on straight and sealing well, then you're set. I'm not sure what sort of capper you have, but they are usually either two handles that fold downward or a lever setup that you put the bottle under and pull the one handle down. Either way, if you have it putting the caps on in a way that they look like regular caps, then you're set.

Be sure to sanitize properly and you won't lose a batch

Janx

ESPY said:

There's also a couple small, pointed ?caps? that seem to go with these but don't obviously fit anywhere. Any ideas what these might be?

Click to expand...

Are they about a half inch high or so, open on one end with the other end being shaped like a cone? It sounds like the gizmo you push onto the end of your racking kane to keep sediment from being racked with the beer.

Witbier said:

Are they about a half inch high or so, open on one end with the other end being shaped like a cone? It sounds like the gizmo you push onto the end of your racking kane to keep sediment from being racked with the beer.

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Yeah, that sounds like that me be it. It's like a tiny funnel but closed on the pointed end. I can see how if placed on the end of the racking cane these would hold it up out of the sediment without blocking off the flow. The siphoning equipment was the only thing he didn't include in the kit. I'll confirm it at the local HB store when I pick up a new cane and tubing.

Thanks,
SP

Sounds like Racking Tube Tips like these; used to not suck up all the sediment:

Hehe. Nice pic!

Some are orange and pointier at the tip too.

I have no use for the dang things. They leave too much beer behind

Mmmmmm...beer....

Janx said:

Hehe. Nice pic!

Some are orange and pointier at the tip too.

I have no use for the dang things. They leave too much beer behind

Mmmmmm...beer....

Click to expand...

Yep, that's it. I've got one black and one orange, both with longer tips.

Thanks!

SP