HELP: How to use hand corker

[irasnyd]

Help!

I bought a hand corker from MoreBeer / MoreWine, and I can't figure out how to use it. I've got 5 bottles of apfelwein that are waiting to be corked.

When I put the cork underneath the plunger, there isn't enough space for the corker to reach the bottle.

For reference, the corker looks a lot like this one, but without the gripping arms at the bottom. MoreWine | Double Lever Corker

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Here we go. It looks exactly like the corker pictured here: http://www.homebrewit.com/aisle/p/4037

 

[BrewinJack]

are you useing sythetic corks???

cheers

 

[irasnyd]

Nope, I bought some "winery overrun" corks from MoreWine. They're 1 3/4 inch long.

It's like the part of the corker that fits over the top of the bottle is too short to fit both the cork and the bottle in there.

Am I supposed to push the cork halfway into the bottle by hand or something? That doesn't seem possible.

Here's a better picture:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FQBBK2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

EDIT: I had some old corks I've taken out of store-bought wine bottles, and I smashed them into my bottles by hand. They're only halfway in, but it'll have to do for now. I must be the stupidest person alive. I seriously can't figure out this corker :'(

The corks I bought are larger in diameter than the ones that came out of the store-bought wine. MoreWine didn't have any size differences in their descriptions, but they did say which corks NOT to use with a hand corker. These corks weren't listed.

 

[summersolstice]

I can't really picture what you trying to describe but the cork goes into the opening halfway up the corker, not into the bottom of the corker. Is this what you're doing? If you're doing it right, you can't even touch the cork as it goes into the bottle.

 

[irasnyd]

I can't really picture what you trying to describe but the cork goes into the opening halfway up the corker, not into the bottom of the corker. Is this what you're doing? If you're doing it right, you can't even touch the cork as it goes into the bottle.

I was wondering what that was for. It looks to me like there is a synthetic cork jammed in there. That is what was confusing me. I'll try to see if I can force it out. Hmmm, nope. I'll take it to work and get a machinist to help me :-D

This corker makes much more sense now. I'll report back when I get it working.

Thanks for the help!

 

[etp777]

If there's a cork in there already why not use that to cork the first bottle?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Pull both handles up like in the Amazon picture, put the cork in the opening in the red metal sleeve and put the bottom of the red metal sleeve over the bottle. Pull down on the 2 handles and a metal rod pushes the cork into the bottle.

The nut on top is what adjusts how far the rod moves up and down, maybe it is simply adjusted too far one way.

 

[irasnyd]

Ok, I've got it all sorted out now. Thanks for the help!

There was a synthetic cork stuck in the chute. This is a brand new corker, so don't ask me why it was there. It was really stuck in there, but with enough force, it came out.

Once the cork was gone, it was immediately obvious how the corker is supposed to work. I just corked my bottles, and they went in no-problem.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Adu-jahmal]

I soaked my corks first......and tried it again and it worked! Also you can adjust the depth by adjusting the nuts on the top....and don't be afraid to remove the little red cap on top if you need more space! Always order extra corks.....;cheers!

You can do it!