# Will a hair dryer work??



## GerardVineyard (Jan 5, 2011)

Can a hair dryer set on high be used to shrink the PVC capsules onto bottles or do I need to buy a $170 bench top shrink machine?


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## Runningwolf (Jan 5, 2011)

GerardVineyard said:


> Can a hair dryer set on high be used to shrink the PVC capsules onto bottles or do I need to buy a $170 bench top shrink machine?



The hair dryer will not work but the $170.00 machine is totally awesome if your making a lot of wine. A cheap heat gun from harbor freight or boiling water works also. I have the big machine and love it.


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## lloyd (Jan 5, 2011)

I'd Try it or even holding it over a electric stove element.


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## almarques7 (Jan 5, 2011)

Boil a pot of water and dunk the top on the wine bottle in it... thats what i use perfect and doesnt cost anything.. just make sure you use enough water to submerge the whole pvc capsule


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## Runningwolf (Jan 5, 2011)

lloyd said:


> I'd Try it or even holding it over a electric stove element.



I'm afraid you would get too many wrinkles trying to do it over a heating element on the stove.


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## Tom (Jan 5, 2011)

I will NOT work.
I boil water and dip them. Works for 1,000 bottles each year.....


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## Runningwolf (Jan 5, 2011)

Due to the depletion of water especially heading down toward ibglowin I chose to go this route. Works for over 1001 bottles a year.


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## mmadmikes1 (Jan 5, 2011)

hair dryer will work but it takes FOREVER. Cheap heat gun from hardware store works, I kept burning myself with boiling water. Now I just dont put them on at all since my cheap heat gun died


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## grapeman (Jan 5, 2011)

I concur with Dan. I have used everything from a tea kettle making steam to dipping in a mug of boiling water to a boiling pan of water. The boiling water types all leave water in the capsule.

I recently got a thermoencapsulator and it works great in no time at all. Just place the capsule on the bottle lay it in the machine and slide forward and you are done.


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## cpfan (Jan 5, 2011)

Tom said:


> *I will NOT work*.


So did *YOU* win that lottery??

IMO, the boiling water works best. I put the caps on all the bottles while the pot boils (never watch the pot (grin)). Using a wooden slotted spoon (just happen to be a couple near our stove), hold the cap in place while turning the bottle over and placing in the boiling water. (Haven't burned myself yet.) The cap shrinks quickly so pull the bottle out after just a few seconds. Everything should be good.

Hair driers tend not to output enough heat (we tried a couple back in 1999). My brother and his buddy both had heat guns. One wasn't hot enough and the caps wrinkled. The other worked great. So get a heat gun with the higher output.

Steve


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## Runningwolf (Jan 5, 2011)

cpfan said:


> So did *YOU* win that lottery??
> Steve



Dang Steve, I even missed that opportunity!


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## KSKOH (Jan 5, 2011)

I use a heat gun that I bought at a craft store for $20. If you have a coupon it's even cheaper. Works great. Each capsule takes about 5 to 10 seconds.


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## Duster (Jan 5, 2011)

I have done my past few bottles with a hair dryer and it worked fine, just takes a while and my wife is constantly reminding me that when I burn it up I need to get her another one, I keep reminding her I bought the frist one for her so now it's her turn.
I tried the boiling water thing just one time and had my PVC cap melt. I'm sure I left it in too long but didn't want to go back for round 2.
I would say a heat gun should work better than the hair dryer though.


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## abefroman (Jan 5, 2011)

I have a dual speed heat gun, got it on ebay for like $15


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## RedNeckWino (Jan 5, 2011)

Making one from a dish washer heating element. With a rheostat on it I should be able to control how hot. Making a sheet metal shroud on the break press tomorrow. If that element don't do it, gonna try a burner from an electric stove.


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## Julie (Jan 5, 2011)

Runningwolf said:


> Due to the depletion of water especially heading down toward ibglowin I chose to go this route. Works for over 1001 bottles a year.



you are not allowed to make 1001 bottles, you need to pay attention to Tom, he at least stays legal.


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## Runningwolf (Jan 5, 2011)

My dearest friend Julie, how many times have I told you what happens when you assume? The law is 200 gallons! I have several 375ml bottles


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## mmadmikes1 (Jan 6, 2011)

200 gallons? are you sure. If you drink it before they count it does it still count


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## Tom (Jan 6, 2011)

Law says MAKING 200 gallons NOT bottling 1,000 bottles. Like Dan said you can bottle even 2,000 bottles as long you dont MAKE more than 200 gallons. Confused yet??


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## Runningwolf (Jan 6, 2011)

Tom said:


> Law says MAKING 200 gallons NOT bottling 1,000 bottles. Like Dan said you can bottle even 2,000 bottles as long you dont MAKE more than 200 gallons. Confused yet??



Or if you barrowed gallon containers from ours friends in the north you could make 240.19 gallons.


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## Lurker (Jan 6, 2011)

My heat gun works great, $27. at Sears.


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## JordanPond (Jan 6, 2011)

Lets assume we are talking about 750ml bottles.... at the 200 gallon limit you could MAKE 1009 bottles of wine.


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## lloyd (Jan 6, 2011)

Runningwolf said:


> Due to the depletion of water especially heading down toward ibglowin I chose to go this route. Works for over 1001 bottles a year.


Thats one Freaking awesome label shrinker!!!!!
Im into my Almond Flavored Sparkling Apple wine boy it's GOOD!!


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## mxsteve625 (Jan 7, 2011)

I use an old cast iron tea kettle (had it layiing around for years) on a portable electric heating element. The steam out of the small spout works really well and fast.


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## Brian (Jan 7, 2011)

I use a dual speed heat gun bought from Harbor Freight for $7. on sale and it is awesome! Just make sure you don't have your finger holding the cap down use a spoon handle or somthing.. Ouchhhhhhhh!


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## Runningwolf (Jan 7, 2011)

Brian said:


> I use a dual speed heat gun bought from Harbor Freight for $7. on sale and it is awesome! Just make sure you don't have your finger holding the cap down use a spoon handle or somthing.. Ouchhhhhhhh!



thats a big 10-4


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## Lurker (Jan 7, 2011)

Brian said:


> I use a dual speed heat gun bought from Harbor Freight for $7. on sale and it is awesome! Just make sure you don't have your finger holding the cap down use a spoon handle or somthing.. Ouchhhhhhhh!


Wow, what a great deal and I didn't even get a spoon with mine.


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## Vanterax (Jan 31, 2011)

We have a food steamer in the kitchen and that's what I use. The steam hole is large enough so I tip the bottle and hold the cap against one edge of the hole. Shrinks that PVC cap in seconds and without wrinkles.


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## grapeman (Jan 31, 2011)

Runningwolf said:


> Due to the depletion of water especially heading down toward ibglowin I chose to go this route. Works for over 1001 bottles a year.


 

One thing I found with this encapsulator is don't try to quickly remove the bottle to put a different color on. I did that the other day and the capsule fell off inside the heat coil. I stood there dumbfounded and watched as it shriveled up, smoked and caught fire. I blew the fire out and watched the smoke billow out. I turned it off as quick as I could, grabbed a long handled steel spoon and fished it out. The aromatics of burnt plastic lingered for hours...........


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## philogeek (Jan 31, 2011)

Chalk up another vote for the 'boiling water and spoon dunking' method


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