# Heat Gun and Shrink Caps



## pracz

Hi all -

For those of you that use a heat gun to shrink your caps, what type of gun do you use? There are craft guns and more heavy duty guns. I am thinking of picking one up from Lowe's or Home Depot but was concerned that those might get too hot for the bottle.

Thanks,

Pete


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## fivebk

I use the one I got when I made a radio controlled airplane. It gets hot quick that just means it doesn't take long to put shrink wraps on.

BOB


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## Joanie

I used a craft heat gun and it worked okay but took forever. I also didn't like the way the caps would wrinkle. Dipping them in boiling water is much faster and they look great. George sells a tool that holds the cap on your bottle and you can do it with one hand. I've also just held the bottom edge of 
the cap with my thumb until I dipped it in the boiling water. No, I never burned my thumb. =) You can also hold the cap on with a spoon. Before I invested in a heat gun, I'd try the boiling water.


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## Runningwolf

I use a regular heat gun from Home Depot. I find it quick and I don't have to deal with hot water running over my bottles. If you start at the top and work down the capsule it works quiet well. I have also heard of excellent results from boiling water, but like I said I would rather not have the water on my ink jet labels.


Won't be long though before Wade tells you the ultimate way to put them on....


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## wctisue

I use boiling water also. Use a small sauce pan with just a couple of inches of water. Do the shrink wraps before you put the labels on so none of the steam or water droplets get on the labels.


Wayne


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## BikerShannon

I use boiling water, just put the shrink caps on before you put the label on.


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## ibglowin

Thats funny as I had the exact opposite experience. I used boiling water on my first kit and the shrink wraps are all wrinkled. Not sure if I held them in the water for too long or not enough but I never could get a nice smooth wrap. 

On the other hand I have been very pleased with my heat gun and can shrink a cap in about 10 seconds flat. Its just a regular paint stripper heat gun available from the hardware store.

I find the medium setting just perfect and get "almost" commercial quality shrinks. Still have some rough edges but much much better results than got with boiling water.

Plus no clean up mess!

Take a look at the pics of the Pinot Grigio vs the Chardonnay (in the Mosti Mondial thread) and you will see the difference in shrink quality.



Joan said:


> I used a craft heat gun and it worked okay but took forever. I also didn't like the way the caps would wrinkle. Dipping them in boiling water is much faster and they look great. George sells a tool that holds the cap on your bottle and you can do it with one hand. I've also just held the bottom edge of the cap with my thumb until I dipped it in the boiling water. No, I never burned my thumb. =) You can also hold the cap on with a spoon. Before I invested in a heat gun, I'd try the boiling water.


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## hannabarn

I use a construction grade heat gun with infinite controls. ( I was in the building trade). About medium setting is just right! I think a paint remover heat gun would work also if you don't let it rest in one spot!!


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## Joanie

Mike, was your water at a rolling boil? I will get wrinkles if it's not. There must be something about that 212 temp that makes it perfect.

I also like getting my bottle slightly wet in the process. When I'm finished putting the shrink caps on, I wipe down my bottles with a dish towel before labeling them. They sparkle and it makes for a mighty pretty picture!


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## ibglowin

Sure was.

Here is the pic of my Pinot Grigio using boiling water.








Here is the pic of my Chardonnay using a heat gun.






As you can see, very different outcome.

I got to thinking (and its early for that) but it could be the fact that I am at ~7000ft in elevation. Water boils at a lower temperature (~199 degrees vs 212 degrees) and there is much less air pressure at altitude vs sea level so perhaps the combination of lower temps and air pressure combines for a not very even shrink using this technique????

Thought's by PeterZ are most welcome!



Joan said:


> Mike, was your water at a rolling boil? I will get wrinkles if it's not. There must be something about that 212 temp that makes it perfect.I also like getting my bottle slightly wet in the process. When I'm finished putting the shrink caps on, I wipe down my bottles with a dish towel before labeling them. They sparkle and it makes for a mighty pretty picture!


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## MaineGal

Shrink caps might not be perfect, but those bottles still look beautiful!


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## ibglowin

Thank you!


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## PeterZ

I think you've got it, Mike. The first time I used boiling water it was really at a high simmer and I got the same results - wrinkles. A full rolling boil is needed, and I'm near sea level. At 7000 feet a rolling boil is not going to be hot enough unless you can pressurize your house.


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## pracz

wctisue said:


> I use boiling water also. Use a small sauce pan with just a couple of inches of water. Do the shrink wraps before you put the labels on so none of the steam or water droplets get on the labels.
> 
> 
> Wayne



So...Do you dip the cap in the water or just let the steam do the work?


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## ibglowin

In the water.


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## ibglowin

Thats the ticket, pressurize the winery!



PeterZ said:


> I think you've got it, Mike.  The first time I used boiling water it was really at a high simmer and I got the same results - wrinkles.  A full rolling boil is needed, and I'm near sea level.  At 7000 feet a rolling boil is not going to be hot enough unless you can pressurize your house.


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## robie

I haven't done any wraps, yet. I was planning on use boiling water for mine and I am at 6,700 feet elevation.
Mike, did you have the water at a rolling boil? If so, I need to find a heat gun.


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## ibglowin

I did. I think your in the same altitude boat as me Pardner.

Better get thee to Home Depot!

You can give it a go, you can see how mine turned out and stop after four or five if your not satisfied. I sure like the heat gun over the boiling water. I even made a little holder to keep the cap on tight while I dipped it into the boiling water. 

The trick to the heat gun was use the medium setting on my unit. I hold the gun with one hand and then rotate the bottle with the other. Just keep it rotating until your happy with the shrink (evenness).


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## robie

Nah, there is no reason why I should expect a different outcome, since we are at like altitude. I'll just get a heat gun.

I had purchased the special holder that keeps the wrap in place while the bottle is upside down. It's not a total waste, since it also has the part that snaps the top off a kit's juice bag.

Thanks for the heads up.


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## Runningwolf

Joan said:


> Mike, was your water at a rolling boil? I will get wrinkles if it's not. There must be something about that 212 temp that makes it perfect.
> 
> I also like getting my bottle slightly wet in the process. When I'm finished putting the shrink caps on, I wipe down my bottles with a dish towel before labeling them. They sparkle and it makes for a mighty pretty picture!
> [/QUOTE
> 
> 
> Joan, that is the first real advantage I saw for boiling. My bottles sometimes sit on a bottle tree in the basement for months before bottling (because I didn't choose that color or type). Sure I sanitize again before bottling but I don't wipe them down again and it shows. I need to get better at that before labeling.


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## hayfire

Just a Newbie here so I am just asking a question. Has anyone ever tried just using the steam from a teakettle? I have used it a couple of times and didn't get wrinkles. You also have theadvantage of not having to turn the bottles upside down.


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## PeterZ

Steam will work fine, but you still need to be near sea level or the steam will not be hot enough. I use the boiling water because I can shrink a cap in about two seconds. Any condensation on the bottle helps when I wipe it down with a paper towel.


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## RJMehr

One more vote for using a heat gun. I bought a cheap made in China heat gun on eBay for about $10.

My gun has two heat settings (high and low). I use the low setting and it works great. Takes no more then 5 seconds to shrink the cap on the bottle.


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## Gerrry

If you can find a electric kettle without an automatic shut off, the steam from it is very fast and the caps are smooth. Unfortunatly my kettle gave up and I am having trouble finding a replacement. You can place a non electric on the stove and it works just fine. no dipping in boiling water.


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## DirtyDawg10

I use the heat gun on low and have had no problems at all.


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## Brintk

At different times, I have tried a hair dryer, boiling water and a heat gun to shrink heat-shrink capsules without wrinkles. I've found that a heat gun works best. I have an older Steinel HL-1500 that takes about 2 seconds on the high setting and results in a near-perfectly shrunk capsule when held directly, at about a 6" - 8" height, over the top of the bottle and capsule.


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## olusteebus

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=heat gun


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## KenS

I've been using the boiling water method with good results, but get tired of carrying the bottles upstairs to the kitchen, then back downstairs to store it. So this weekend I went and bought a heat gun at Lowe's. Porter Cable 1500w for $39.00 (there were cheaper ones, but this one has a knob to vary the temperature through its full range).

Turns out that it works excellent, and just as well as the boiling water, with no mess and no carrying the bottles up and down the stairs. I had tried a hair dryer when I first started the hobby, and thought it would be the same as a heat gun. Boy was I wrong about that.

I'm now a convert; no more boiling water for the capsules!


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## Pumpkinman

Sorry to revive an old thread, But I just picked up a 1500 watt, dual temp heat gun at Harbor Freight today for $9.99. Great deal IMO.


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## geek

Pumpkinman said:


> Sorry to revive an old thread, But I just picked up a 1500 watt, dual temp heat gun at Harbor Freight today for $9.99. Great deal IMO.



Which item number is it? This one is their cheapest for $7.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-dual-temperature-heat-gun-572-1112-96289.html

..


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## thunderhill

7000 feet only affects you if you are debating. Thats the excuse most heard. 

I use a heat gun at middle range. I wrap a wire thru the top loop and hang it from a cabinet door handle. That way I can move the bottle around, in and out or up and down while holding the top of the foil in place. Haven't burnt myself yet.

We try to get them to look perfect, then we rip them off. That doesn't sound right does it?


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## Pumpkinman

That is the one I bought, you will get the better cyber Monday deal today.


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## geek

Pumpkinman said:


> That is the one I bought, you will get the better cyber Monday deal today.



thanks Tom, I called a local harbor freight store and that heat gun is $7.95 (as advertised on their web) but the lady said I need a coupon, but I don't get their coupon book...grr


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## SpoiledRotten

I also use the boiling water method. I put enough water in the sauce pan to cover the caps by about 1/2", then bring the water to a boil, submerse the cap down far enough to cover the cap, count to 6 and pull them out. If they stay in longer, the cap shrinks a little too much and starts to gap open at the pull tab.


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## Runningwolf

WOW this is a pretty old thread that keeps popping. I can tell you since I made my first post on this thread several years ago, I have tried the boiling water method. I'll never knock it again. It worked perfect and was not messy at all. 

It is more labor intensive from set up to clean up, but it works fine.


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## Boatboy24

I love the boiling water method. I keep enough in the pot to submerge the foil and simply keep it in the water for about three seconds. I like the added bonus of a little steam and water getting on the bottles, as this is the final "cleaning" I do to them prior to labeling.


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