1. Home
  2. Winemaking Craft Forum
  3. Floor coker

Floor coker

I have a blue floor corker with brass jaw that I purchased at a garage sale. When it works, it works great but 25% of the time it leaves 1/2" of the cork protruding on top. The arm is very stiff so I cleaned it and oiled the moving parts (except the jaw). It seems the slightly bent rod sometimes misses the opening of the jaw and hits the side. I think this is why every once in a while I get left with a protruding cork. Has anyone run into this before? Is there a prescribed maintenance for these corkers? What on earth is the chain in the back that connects the bottle platform to the arm and how do you adjust it?

thanks Joe

Reply to
Joe
Loading thread data ...

There should be a nut on the top of the bar that pushes the cork it. This is used to adjust how far it pushes in. Sounds like maybe that nut is miss adjusted or missing. If it were missing the corker certainly would not push the cork in far enough and would probably leave a half inch or more out of the bottle. Check it.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

The arm should not be stiff and those jaws get food grade grease. They are held in with springs and under a lot of pressure. If you decide to take it apart mark where they came from. Mine has no chain and is blue, it's from Ferrari in Italy; it looks like this:

formatting link

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

If it is like mine, the chain on the back locks the platform that the bottle sits on. With the handle up, the platform's spring holds the bottle up. When you start to press down on the handle, the platform locks the bottle in place so the cork can be pressed in.

If the plunger is hitting the sides of the part that compresses the cork, make sure that there is no side-to-side play on the handle. Maybe the bolt or rivet that holds it at the hinge point has come loose.

The only thing I would change on mine is to make the platform come up another inch or so. Mine won't do the little 12 oz bottles without some kind of shim under it.

Hope this helps!

Alex.

Reply to
Alex

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a slightly smaller one very similar to your as shown.

formatting link

It has a one piece arm. It has quite a bit of sideways play. Maybe it is just my stroke?

Reply to
Joe

Hi Alex

My floor corker sounds similar to your model. I have checked the connections and put a drop of oil on them.

I think my problem is the brass jaw. As I mentioned it appears stiff when I am bringing the handle down and the jaw starts getting compressed. I put a little Vaseline (the only food grade grease I can find) on the jaws but either the jaws are too dirty or it still needs time to work in.

I think the only way to resolve this is to take the jaw apart and clean it. Joe Sallustio mentioned that it is spring loaded and some what complicated. I wonder if their are instructions on doing this or if anyone has attempted this before?

thanks

Joe

Reply to
Joe

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.