Bottle capper that doesn't "dimple" the cap

I've got this capper: http://morebeer.com/view_product/15672//Bottle_Capper_-_Brev

It places a dimple in the middle of every cap. I've read previous threads here where people complain of the same issue and several people replied that they are pressing too hard. No matter how lightly I press, it still places a dimple on the cap.

I'd like to find a capper that does not do this as I'm ordering some custom printed bottle caps that I don't want smashed with a dimple. Can anyone recommend a capper that does not dimple?

 

I also have that style capper, got it in the early 90's. the newer cappers don't dimple the bottles.

I believe this is the capper you want if you want a wing capper.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/15673//Bottle_Capper_-_Emily

Or you could purchase a bench capper.

Go to you LHBS and ask them to test their cappers. Bring a bottle and some caps I'm sure they will help you with the information.

 

Look for a "red baron" wing capper. That is what I have, and my caps are perfectly flat when I bottle something.

 

No dimples with the red Emily capper in above post.

 

Great, thanks for the responses. Good idea, I'll take a bottle and some caps down to my LHBS and test out their cappers. I'm assuming all of the bench cappers don't dimple the caps? I'd be interested in upgrading to one, especially those all-in-one models that cap and cork (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/home...cappers/colonna-bottle-capper-and-corker.html).

 

Can't speak to all bench cappers, but this one never dimpled in thousands of cycles...

Cheers!

 

My Red Barron left dimples. Its because the bottle gets stuck in the bell and the magnet pushes it out. Bench cappers don't leave the dimple cause the magnet is spring loaded

 

What is wrong with dimples? Is it a personal preference?

 

I'm ordering custom bottle caps with my home-brewery logo on them and I don't want the caps and logo dented and distorted.

 

You could try to lube the bell with Vaseline or something and cap harder to break in the bell.

 

Damn, guess the Colonna can create a dent/dimple as well:

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=87257

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/colonna-capper-corker-creating-indentations-92306/

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/capper-choice-agata-vs-colonna-69923/#post726271

Looks like I'll check out the super agata.

 

I have the super agata and i like it. I wish i bought the regular one because i keep lifting the lever too high and it raises up out of adjustment. I cork with the red Portuguese floor corker and love it

 

I use the Super Agata Bench Capper. I used a wing capper for like 2-3 batches and thought it sucked. I would never go back from a bench capper. I've sprayed it with pam to lube it up.

 

Maybe you need to adjust the height/depth of the bell properly and it won't create a dimple. It could be as easy as turning a screw, or maybe swapping out an existing standoff with a screw you can adjust and a locknut.

 

Does it look like as pictured?



If it does, the ring is from the bell.
The bell should be a 26 mm bell not 28 or 30mm for standard crowns.
Excess force will do it too or lousy made bell.
I used excess force to create the ring as pictured.
My capper is a pneumatic version.



If it is a dimple from the ejector pin with magnet you may be able to adjust the retracted position.
Put the capper wing arms down and look at the ejector, should behind or close to the bell's ring.
If not unscrew the bell a few turns until pin is in the correct position.

Edit:weirdboy typed faster

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

Great ideas, but I don't see anything on the capper that's adjustable. There are no screws, everything is riveted together, including the bell.

 

I have that Brev capper and the Red Baron capper. The metal frame capper has a plastic insert inside the bell that's held in place by a rivet, so the bell is not adjustable. The rivet is the thing causing the dimple. The Red Baron is hit or miss from what I have seen, and it depends on the bottle as well as force applied to the capper. Adjusting the bell on the Red Baron did not help for me, because it has a ridge around the inner hole of the bell where the magnet slides through, and that is what is causing the dimple on my bottles. Like I said, with the Red Baron capper some bottles have a very light dimple but most don't.

 

+1 to the super agata bench capper.. its very easy to adjust to each bottle, especially if they are different heights.. i'm speaking for SWMBO because i'm the one that fills, she's the one that caps, but she loves it

 

I have a Red Baron that I got with an Ale Pale kit, years ago... it leaves dimples if I crank down too hard, otherwise it's fine for what it is.

It does suck though, for 1L bottles. I can't really use it due to the shape of my bottles. I managed to get one capped before I gave up and just went to the optional rubber flip-tops for the bottles.

Next time around, I'm going to get a bench capper. They look like they're worth the $36.
http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/863547.htm

 

Or ask SWMBO to lube your bell...its always more fun with a friend!