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

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[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....

 

[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

 

[BikerShannon]

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

 

[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.

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.

 

[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!!

 

[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!

 

[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!

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!

 

[MaineGal]

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

 

[ibglowin]

Thank you!

 

[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.

 

[pracz]

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?

 

[ibglowin]

In the water.

 

[ibglowin]

Thats the ticket, pressurize the winery!

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. 

 

[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.

 

[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).

 

[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.

 

[Runningwolf]

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.