Use and Care for your floor corker

[twistedvine]

I just picked up a portuguese floor corker yesterday and it made bottling fun and fast. Just wondering what everyone who owns one does at the end of the bottling day to help prolong the life of the corker.

 

[Wade E]

There really isnt much maintenence needed with these. I basicallyjust sanitize them befoe use by wetting a paper towel with a sulfite soltion and pull it through the cork area and just wpe down any area that will touch my cork or the top of the bottle.

 

[Dufresne11]

Getting one in two weeks... tired of borrowing my buddy's corker. With 30 or so gallons waiting to be corked in the next few months it is time

 

[deboard]

I do the same as Wade, but I also dry it off with a paper towel after bottling, particularly the iris and the post.

 

[twistedvine]

Thank you all. This corker is awesome, can't believe that I've gone this long without it.

Thanks again for the tips.

 

[Wade E]

There are so many of these tools you just have no idea how awesome they are until you have one and how much esier and more fun it makes wine making. Soon you have a Thermo encapsular and a electric vacuum pump!

 

[Dugger]

I found mine had rusted on the inside and had to take it apart and sand it - messy job. It was probably from wet sanitizer so it's important to dry it as best you can after each use.
I generally put the corks in dry now just to avoid this problem.

 

[Lurker]

I found mine had rusted on the inside and had to take it apart and sand it - messy job. It was probably from wet sanitizer so it's important to dry it as best you can after each use.
I generally put the corks in dry now just to avoid this problem.

I just got the Italian floor corker. Has anyone else had a problem with rust. I have been spritzing before and after with K-meta mixture.

 

[Tom]

I just got the Italian floor corker. Has anyone else had a problem with rust. I have been spritzing before and after with K-meta mixture.

Rich,
I have the Blue Italian one and had it for 5-6 years. I only have a little rust on the plate the cork goes thru. When I'm finished I leave the handel in the UP position. This way whatever water/sanitizer is left it will dry faster.

 

[xoltri]

I just started making wine a few months ago, but I've bottled 150 bottles already with my floor corker. I use synthetic corks and insert them dry. I read sanitizer may be a bad idea on the corks as it can run off of your corker and drip who knows what into your wine.

I use synthetic corks also so I can stand the bottles up on shelves...they don't have to stay moist like regular corks.

 

[winemaker_3352]

There really isnt much maintenence needed with these. I basicallyjust sanitize them befoe use by wetting a paper towel with a sulfite soltion and pull it through the cork area and just wpe down any area that will touch my cork or the top of the bottle.

If you are bottling a 6 gallon carboy - how often do you re-sanitize the iris?

 

[Tom]

I just started making wine a few months ago, but I've bottled 150 bottles already with my floor corker. I use synthetic corks and insert them dry. I read sanitizer may be a bad idea on the corks as it can run off of your corker and drip who knows what into your wine.

I use synthetic corks also so I can stand the bottles up on shelves...they don't have to stay moist like regular corks.

All corks should be sanitized.
Now if you use k-meta to sanitize there is no problem if it get in your wine.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I will wipe down my corker then roll up the paper towel and push it thru like a cork. I do sanitize my synthetic corks and I will only grab them by the upper end of the cork. My hands are sanitized but that's just me.

Afterwards I'll take another paper towel with a light spritz of solution and wipe it down including the inside so that no liquid lays in there to rust/corrode. I place a towel over the whole aparatus and let it dry.

You need to wipe down before you cork or you may be introducing bacteria to the wine or worse yet the corker then all your wine.

I will let my bottles stand up for a day r two then back into a case and on the shelves to wait consumption.

 

[Sacalait]

It's the sulphite, think sulphur. Sulphur and iron products do not mix well. Suggest you sanatize with a different product or at least rinse the K-meta off after using.

 

[Dufresne11]

just bought a portugese floor corker yesterday... its my birthday present to me.... so what is the verdict on sanitizing this thing. Can I use Star - San in a spray bottle and spritz it like I do everything else?

 

[Woodbee]

Happy birthday to you

 

[twistedvine]

just bought a portugese floor corker yesterday... its my birthday present to me.... so what is the verdict on sanitizing this thing. Can I use Star - San in a spray bottle and spritz it like I do everything else?

Happy Birthday

I don't think that I am any closer to an actual true answer on the proper way to maintain my portugese corker. I've been using easy clean...I hope that this is okay. I always soak the corks in the easy clean and with the new corker, I lightly sprayed inside the iris.

Also wondering how easy it is to take the corker apart. If it is realitively easy to do then it might not be a bad idea to take it apart after each bottling session.

 

[Dufresne11]

I use a corkidor for my corks so I will be inserting them relatively dry... I just think I am going to spritz with Star-San and wipe down afterwards.... I keep a good eye on all of my equipment so if I see and rust or whatnot I will be able to deal with it early. I have a detached woodworking shop so I am crazy about checking my tools for rust.

 

[Sacalait]

Don't know about Star-San but why not sprintz with rubbing alcohol. This is what's used to sanitize the area of skin ahead of an injection.

 

[Dufresne11]

Hmmm.... I never thought of rubbing alcohol. I guess the argument I would make is that I don't mind a little Star-San in my wine but the rubbing alcohol might give the wine an off flavor