Fairly serious personal injury from brewing.

[ancientmariner52]

Let's face it, friends. Home brewing can be just as dangerous as a machine shop, a construction site, or an engine room. I draw the line at hard hats and goggles, but I don't brew without long pants, long sleeves, boots, and gloves available. I usually brew alone, the neighbors are a long way off, and the emergency room is 20 miles away. Keep your head on a swivel and brew safe!

 

[GHBWNY]

@ Dom P --- that looks nasty, but glad it wasn't worse. I've been using the same two-wing capper with plastic handles for 4 years and ??? batches, and now every time I cap, I'm going to think of your photo. With so many brands out there and being made everywhere from here to Timbuktu, there's no telling what you're going to end up with. Just curious, do you happen to know the brand and/or where you got it from?

 

[jcav]

That is a nasty injury. Sorry to see this happened to you. Hope you heal up well and have no tendon or nerve damage. Those bench cappers are built pretty sturdy. I upgraded to kegging many years ago and I never regretted it. Could be something to think about. You can still bottle a few for a competition or so but kegging is a great way to go also.

John

 

[schematix]

Did you take a pic before the stitches? Looks pretty clean. Was hoping (not for your sake though) to see some bone.

 

[user 125772]

Wow, i'm surprised to see the stitches on the back of your hand. Glad it wasn't worse.
Get well soon

 

[MaxStout]

Glad to hear your injuries weren't worse. Still...a little scary.

I keep a healthy dose of respect for glass containers. I ferment in glass carboys, my choice and I accept the risks. Many people don't like them (and there's a thread devoted to some of the gruesome injuries from them). I always schlep them around in sturdy containers.

 

[cmac62]

Let's face it, friends. Home brewing can be just as dangerous as a machine shop, a construction site, or an engine room. I draw the line at hard hats and goggles, but I don't brew without long pants, long sleeves, boots, and gloves available. I usually brew alone, the neighbors are a long way off, and the emergency room is 20 miles away. Keep your head on a swivel and brew safe!

You forgot Aircraft Carrier flight deck lol. I brew in shorts, tee shirt, and birkies. But, I must agree there are some dangers, and definitely don't caramelize honey in shorts and flipflops. That stuff is like napalm.

 

[jlinz]

Looks terrible. Hope you recover quickly. Perhaps kegging is in your future?

 

[Pkrd]

The should make glass kegs. The metal ones take all the excitement out of brewing.

 

[Dom P]

@ Dom P --- that looks nasty, but glad it wasn't worse. I've been using the same two-wing capper with plastic handles for 4 years and ??? batches, and now every time I cap, I'm going to think of your photo. With so many brands out there and being made everywhere from here to Timbuktu, there's no telling what you're going to end up with. Just curious, do you happen to know the brand and/or where you got it from?

I don't know the brand, but was ordered from Beer Hawk, a UK supplier, and came in a Northern Brewer starter kit.

 

[Dom P]

Did you take a pic before the stitches? Looks pretty clean. Was hoping (not for your sake though) to see some bone.

No bone luckily, but the gooey fatty flesh is there to see!

 

[ancientmariner52]

You forgot Aircraft Carrier flight deck lol. I brew in shorts, tee shirt, and birkies. But, I must agree there are some dangers, and definitely don't caramelize honey in shorts and flipflops. That stuff is like napalm.

No, I don't forget flight decks. A better display of control, coordination, and teamwork than a ballet! And ballet doesn't happen in the dark, in the rain, in high seas. Unreps are pretty amazing, also.

The point is, preparation and forethought can render really hazardous stuff (mostly) harmless. But if you don't stay on top of it, it gets on top of you.

 

[Pkrd]

You working on a good story about that bar fight you weren't in?

 

[GHBWNY]

Beer Hawk markets "Royal Crown" capper. Supposed to be a good brand. This is what they say on their website:

"Virtually indestructible, this capper will see you through your first batch of homebrew all the way through until you decide kegging is more your game (and beyond!) Crafted of extra-duty plastic and reinforced in places you didn’t know needed reinforcing, the Royal Crown Bottle Capper will be the last and only capper you ever need."

It must have been defective --- it happens. I hope at the very least you can get a refund from NB and put it toward a better or different style capper. Mine is a Red Baron 2-wing capper. I've reefed pretty hard on it for 4+ years and never had a problem. If you're going to go with bottling for an indefinite length of time, maybe do as others have suggested and invest in a good quality bench capper. Man, I cannot stop thinking about that pic --- makes my hinder pucker.

 

[Dom P]

You working on a good story about that bar fight you weren't in?

I was planning on some kind of "saved a child from a bear" type yarn to be honest.

 

[Dom P]

Beer Hawk markets "Royal Crown" capper. Supposed to be a good brand. This is what they say on their website:

"Virtually indestructible, this capper will see you through your first batch of homebrew all the way through until you decide kegging is more your game (and beyond!) Crafted of extra-duty plastic and reinforced in places you didn’t know needed reinforcing, the Royal Crown Bottle Capper will be the last and only capper you ever need."

It must have been defective --- it happens. I hope at the very least you can get a refund from NB and put it toward a better or different style capper. Mine is a Red Baron 2-wing capper. I've reefed pretty hard on it for 4+ years and never had a problem. If you're going to go with bottling for an indefinite length of time, maybe do as others have suggested and invest in a good quality bench capper. Man, I cannot stop thinking about that pic --- makes my hinder pucker.

Thanks buddy, I definitely will be taking it up with them. Despite two emails I am yet to receive a reply which is disappointing.

 

[kristiismean]

I hope your hand heals quickly. I moved up to a bench capper because my bro-in-law kept hulking the bottles, breaking the necks and I got tired of wasting beer. 1-2 bottles a batch.

do you have the capper, post up some pics! maybe it will help others out there see the weak point!

 

[shoengine]

Thanks buddy, I definitely will be taking it up with them. Despite two emails I am yet to receive a reply which is disappointing.

Call. Emails can be a fart in a stiff wind sometimes.

 

[GHBWNY]

Call. Emails can be a fart in a stiff wind sometimes.

Agree, call. More effective when there is an actual human talking person on the other end. Be prepared with order#, item#, etc.. Hope it works out for you.

 

[Dom P]

Agree, call. More effective when there is an actual human talking person on the other end. Be prepared with order#, item#, etc.. Hope it works out for you.

Fair point, I guess I wanted to keep a record in case of any need to take it further.

 

[schematix]

If you told them you were hurt, i would 100% expect you'll get 0 response to anything less than a certified letter from a lawyer.

 

[TwistedGray]

...anyone want a free capper?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/free-hand-capper.645765/

 

[Sbe2]

No bone luckily, but the gooey fatty flesh is there to see!

Reminds me of the time I got into the fatty tissue on my hand when I stuck myself while shucking an oyster.

 

[Bob Blustar]

Ouch!

I've snapped the neck off a couple of bottles with a hand capper and had a others explode using a bench capper and a semi-automated bottle filler. Some bottles are just going to break.

With a hand capper, I try to put little pressure on the bottle, almost lifting it up while I rotate the two handles.

I watched some guys working at a small cottage brewery filling and capping about 200 bottles with a hammer type capper while the bottles were all sitting on the concrete floor. Not one broken bottle. Wish I had taken video.

 

[GHBWNY]

With a hand capper, I try to put little pressure on the bottle, almost lifting it up while I rotate the two handles.

Lifting. Good point to keep in mind. At least if a bottle goes, you don't have your full weight on it. I find that the bottles that have broken while I have been capping are not due to down pressure, but the crimping itself.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I read the first post as your arm broke, not the capper's arm. My first suggestion was some calcium supplements.

Hope all works out well.

 

[V-Fib]

I've used a G Frances bench capper for about 60 bottles. In the small sample size its been great. I went with it for its lack of plastic. I'll get back to you in 5 years and let you know how it held up.

 

[S-Met]

Those should heal just fine. Might get a nice scar out of it but full use of hands.
I've taken big chunks of flesh out of my hands from various sharp objects over my years. I'm always amazed at how bad they can look but still heal up nicely. Keep them clean and moist to avoid cracking and infection.
I'm glad they were not worse.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

Just purchased my cut resistant gloves. Gutted it out through my last bottling session of just 8 bottles thinking about your injury every squeeze. I bought them for $8.49. Seems like good insurance to me.

 

[Dom P]

Just purchased my cut resistant gloves. Gutted it out through my last bottling session of just 8 bottles thinking about your injury every squeeze. I bought them for $8.49. Seems like good insurance to me.

Great idea!