DIY Bench Capper

[Yuri_Rage]

Ever since the aluminum bottle discussion, I've been itching for a bench capper.

Well...I was at Sear's yesterday, and I had a brainstorm...

Can anyone see where I'm going with this?

More pictures/how-to to follow...

 

[alemonkey]

Looks like a good idea...did you just steal the bell shaped part off an existing capper?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Looks like a good idea...did you just steal the bell shaped part off an existing capper?

Yup - it unscrewed right off of my wing/Emily style capper. No harm done if I want to use the old one.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Is there anything you can't make?! Could you help me build a Flux Capacitor?

 

[the_bird]

Yuri, I'm waiting for you to start smelting your own iron...

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Thats cool man!

I just bought an antique capper from ebay....87 yrs old!

only $23 though....should be here in a couple of days

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Thats cool man!

I just bought an antique capper from ebay....87 yrs old!

only $23 though....should be here in a couple of days

Awesome - I was looking at those as well! Most of the ones I saw would probably clean up quite nicely.

I think the grand total cost for this project is going to be about $15. I plan on welding most of it together, but I bet you could easily bolt one together as well. More to follow - I need to run to the hardware store for the weird metric bolt that will screw into the capper bell. When I get back, I don't think it'll be more than an hour before I have something working.

 

[EdWort]

Sweet Yuri! Where are you going to put the Dilithium Crystals?

You ARE Tim the Tool Man's brother.

 

[brewman !]

When I saw the title of this post I was hoping to see an air cylinder and a robot automatically capping bottles...

 

[Dude]

LOL...you da man!!!!!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

When I saw the title of this post I was hoping to see an air cylinder and a robot automatically capping bottles...

Don't think I didn't think about that...

Turns out it takes quite a bit of force to cap a bottle (100-150 lbs). When I started looking at solenoids and actuators, the ones with enough force (or extension to be multiplied with mechanical advantage) were extremely expensive.

EDIT: There was too much whining here before.

Progress so far:

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Alright! It works!

I probably ought to fashion a release mechanism (pin inside the bell) - the bottles tend to stick after being capped. Otherwise, it does a fine job.

Here's an exploded view of all the pieces:

And here's the finished product, complete with a bead blasted aluminum Bud Light can.

 

[EdWort]

Amazing! You can sandblast?

 

[Dude]

Wow. Speechless.

I need to learn how to weld. And sand blast.

What welder do you have Yuri?

 

[Nwcw2001]

OK THAT'S IT!

F**K THE FONZE!

YURI IS THE COOLEST CAT ON THE PLANET!


and once again we hate you!!! lol (only in an extremely healthy jealous kinda way!)


John

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Amazing! You can sandblast?

Yes - and so can you! It's a really simple process. I got a blasting cabinet on eBay for around $100. Glass bead runs about $1 a pound, and it takes 25-50 lbs to fill your average shop sized cabinet. You'll also need an air compressor capable of at least 10 CFM at 45-90 psi.

What welder do you have Yuri?

I have a VERY small gas set (looking to upgrade to a REAL gas rig soon).

I MIG with a Lincoln Electric MIG 140 unit. I highly recommend this one for the hobbiest. It's easy to use, you don't absolutely need shielding gas, and it runs on 120VAC.

I used the TIG machine for this project. It's a Lincoln Electric Squarewave Pro 175. I really like this machine, but most opinions I've heard lead me to believe that Miller makes a nicer machine for the price.

 

[98EXL]

DIY has always been my favorite ever in teh world, nice job!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

When I saw the title of this post I was hoping to see an air cylinder and a robot automatically capping bottles...

Wonder if you could retrofit this thing with a capping mechanism? There'd have to be a spring to soften the blow so you wouldn't break your bottles from the shock...but hmm...

 

[98EXL]

first monday morning laugh, thank you sir!

 

[Pedro-]

Wonder if you could retrofit this thing with a capping mechanism? There'd have to be a spring to soften the blow so you wouldn't break your bottles from the shock...but hmm...

WHACK!

Yuri's SWMBO: What the heck are you doing! The garage is covered in broken glass!

Yuri: I almost have it Dear! It only cracked cracked this time instead of shattering!

lol

 

[the_bird]

Yuri, what are you doing messing around with bottles? Shouldn't you be building us some 7-gallon SS fermenters and some 3-gallon cornies?

 

[Cheesefood]

Right? When's the DIY Shirron post coming, MacGuyver?

 

[olllllo]

An obvious advantage I see is granular control of the height of the capper.
A pet peeve of mine is that sometimes the bottle gets stuck in the capper.

Can you incorporate a feature that address this?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

A pet peeve of mine is that sometimes the bottle gets stuck in the capper.

I'm thinking about adding a pin/spring inside the plunger that will kick the bottle out. I'll give it some more thought before I start cutting, but I'm sure I can find something that will work.

 

[MadWeezel]

Don't think I didn't think about that...

Turns out it takes quite a bit of force to cap a bottle (100-150 lbs). When I started looking at solenoids and actuators, the ones with enough force (or extension to be multiplied with mechanical advantage) were extremely expensive.

EDIT: There was too much whining here before.

Progress so far:

Come on yuri! You almost have it! all you need to think about is force amplification.

Lever & Fulcrum!

150lbs need to cap using a lever of 5" with a pivot @ 1" then the force generator @ the 5" mark, would needed to generate 37.5lbs!!

see this:

http://www.engineersedge.com/calculators/levers/page_levers_1.htm

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Come on yuri! You almost have it! all you need to think about is force amplification.

Lever & Fulcrum!

150lbs need to cap using a lever of 5" with a pivot @ 1" then the force generator @ the 5" mark, would needed to generate 37.5lbs!!

see this:

http://www.engineersedge.com/calculators/levers/page_levers_1.htm

I know all about mechanical advantage...that's how I figured out how much force it takes to cap a bottle in the first place! (5/8" travel at the bell vs 3" a the handle x 40 lbs). Find me a solenoid or actuator capable of >1" of travel and >35 lbs of force for less than $50...

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

Right? When's the DIY Shirron post coming, MacGuyver?

First step, learn how to run every piece of equipment in the machine shop...

 

[Radarbrew]

He started a reply with "Here's an exploded view of all the pieces:" I was expecting finger parts and stuff. I won't be able to walk through the tool section at Lowes again without wondering....

 

[MadWeezel]

I know all about mechanical advantage...that's how I figured out how much force it takes to cap a bottle in the first place! (5/8" travel at the bell vs 3" a the handle x 40 lbs). Find me a solenoid or actuator capable of >1" of travel and >35 lbs of force for less than $50...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130098194477

Bimba 3" stroke 1.25" bore will give 48lb/si @ 40psi

all under $35 with shipping

Plus if you act now you get a second for free!!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130098194477

Bimba 3" stroke 1.25" bore will give 48lb/si @ 40psi

all under $35 with shipping

Plus if you act now you get a second for free!!

Thanks for the link! ...tempting!