> > anyone see any issues i should be aware of(corks wear out, hydrometers
> > decalibrate, etc.)
>
> cleaned all the hardware in hot water, gave some corks a bath and
> tried the plunger device. why do you guys hate hand corkers so much? i
> was able to force the cork thru the cone with only one hand.
>
> admittedly, it looks like you need 4 hand to hold plunger, bottle, and
> everything steady while corking.....- Hide quoted text -
>

Use that corker for about 100 corks and then lets see what you
say... They work, but inconsistently. The corks should be a
little soft to the touch if they are any good. If they feel like a 2
x 4 soak them in warm sulfited water and let the drip dry in a
colander. If they are still hard pitch them. Cut one apart and smell
it and feel the wood inside. Hydrometers are not affected by time or
storage unless extreme. Get some distilled water; it should read
1.000 at it's calibration temperature.

Joe