Refilling 10-oz bottles

I am getting ready to get into the bottle refilling business, but just for myself. I have rigged together a filling cap/hose/valve system that will attach to a 2-liter bottle. All I have to do is mount the thing to a wall. I have 2 cases of bottles, sanitizer, caps and a capper. If 48 bottles aren't enough, I have access to hundreds more.

Hopefully, I will be enjoying 10 oz. glass bottle Cokes soon. Then, when I get my machine refilled with freon, I will be stocking the machine.

I'll post a pic of my "bottling plant" when it is finished.

Anybody have any tips on how not to lose too much "fizz" when refilling?

[collecture]

I think I would like to refill some bottles in the future also, so please post details and pics.
The only thing I have ever heard was to fill the bottle from the bottom, so your siphoning tube needs to rest on the bottom of the bottle to be filled.

Quote (collecture @ June 06 2006,4:38)

I think I would like to refill some bottles in the future also, so please post details and pics. The only thing I have ever heard was to fill the bottle from the bottom, so your siphoning tube needs to rest on the bottom of the bottle to be filled.

I was thinking the same thing. I made the tube long enough to do that.

[dr galaga]

You might want to get ahold of jasmine64.  Last fall she was talking about bottling some soda.
One thing I can tell you is do not use yeast.  The yeast will keep activating until it is cold, so the bottles could explode if you do not cool them in time! '>

[cormy]

I used to refill the 6.5 oz. bottles for my machines. I used an plastic oil can spout that you can turn off and on at the top. I also use these to add oil to my car after a change (not the same one).
I guess the best tip would be to have the soda COLD and don't leave too much space at the top of the bottle. Fill by sliding down the side of bottle, just like filling a mug at a beer tap. No matter what you do you will always lose a little fizzz....

[davethebirdman]

I fill my six ounce bottles all the time from 2ltre bottles. Nothing posh here. Just pour it into the bottle and cap it straight away. Keeps for a while without loosing its fizz. Just make sure you have a decent capper.

What's with the 2 litre bottles in the US then?? We have them over here because we have adopted our European cousins measuring system. But in the US  I thought you were the haven for Imperialism. Are the French Canadians slowly taking over??

What's next the dollar being replaced by the Euro??

[dr galaga]

Quote (davethebirdman @ June 07 2006,3:21)

What's with the 2 litre bottles in the US then?? We have them over here because we have adopted our European cousins measuring system. But in the US  I thought you were the haven for Imperialism. Are the French Canadians slowly taking over??

A lot of things are slowly creeping over to the metric system.

It's kind of funny being up in Canada (I have relatives there).  They still talk about degrees in fahrenheit, older stores still sell produce by the pound and they talk about things being so many miles down the road.

[halehouse]

Ahhhh my friend, but pay attention!  Most spell the word "litre", but look closely and notice that we could not give in totally and must spell the word "liter".  '>

[Creighton]

I go to the local Quizmo's in the afternoon when they are slow and fill them from the dispensor. Manager gets a kick out of the operation. Bit tastier than from plastic bottles.

I think "officially" the US is metric. The cost was too high to replace all the speed limit signs. Kinda of use a mix of both systems.
Creighton

[dr galaga]

Back in the 80's, Michigan and parts of Indiana listed mileage on the Interstates in both miles and kilometers.  When they replaced them they put up just miles.  When I was in Elementary school in the late 70's/early 80's they taught us both systems.  We only had meter sticks in the classrooms.  Nowadays they ignore the metric system so when things are taught in high school and college that are based on the metric system the students have a hard time.  They have a hard time understanding conversions when it is just base ten.

[halehouse]

I am teaching metric, along with customary units of measurement to students right now.

[dr galaga]

Good for you.  I used to teach an amateur (ham) radio class and my students had the toughest time converting.  Electronics and radiowaves are expressed in metric terms and some conversions are required for the FCC test.

[collecture]

Quote

What's next the dollar being replaced by the Euro??

No - we just take the best of the best and discard the rest. Her Majesty didn't join in on the Euro-conversion!

Hey Dave,
By the way - I have a one pound coin from 1990 (at the latest) when I was in England (hasn't changed has it). I have to dig it out, but I was wondering whether your V56 (or your 39's for that matter) rejector and mech could easily be converted to accept the one pound coin - any interest in that?

[davethebirdman]

Tom

No we Brits are holding on to our Pounds & pence for the time being. Can't imagine it would be for ever though.
Some have even raised the idea of being the 51st State rather than be taken over by The French & Germans.
I like the idea that we are out there going it alone for the time being.

As for the pound conversion that is definately something to consider. I'll PM you abvout the coin mech etc.

Dave

[MoonDawg]

Quote (collecture @ June 07 2006,8:57)

but I was wondering whether your V56 (or your 39's for that matter) rejector and mech could easily be converted to accept the one pound coin -

Any coin that fits in either a nickle or dime cradle in the coin mech. should work, but a direct coin chute would have to be made.  The slug rejector is only doing it's job, accepting coins by size, weight and material and this may be hard to modify

[collecture]

Quote

Any coin that fits in either a nickle or dime cradle in the coin mech. should work, but a direct coin chute would have to be made.  The slug rejector is only doing it's job, rejecting coins by size, weight and material and may be hard to modify.

I was thinking of making up a modified straight nickel mech from some loose parts I have around here. Other denominations would go straight to the coin return cup, but the pound coin would go through like the nickel except it would not have the resilience or "bounce" test.
I did a little testing and the nickel slot on the mech would have to be enlarged slightly as the pound coin is almost twice as thick as the nickel. The coin entry slot on the bezel would also have to be enlarged, but only slightly (you could do this before chroming and no one would be able to tell).
I was only thinking of Dave maybe making a little money on the drinks and being able to use a common coin. The nickel slot on the mech should still work with a nickel, so he could put the original nickel/dime rejector back in and be back to original.

[collecture]

Quote

Any coin that fits in either a nickle or dime cradle in the coin mech. should work, but a direct coin chute would have to be made.

Well Moondawg,
It turned out to be a rejector chute (see pic). No magnet, no scavenger, no anvil - basically a shell of a rejector. It still works on a nickel because of the cradle and the fact that the pound coin and the nickel are about the same diameter, but who carries nickels in England. Other coins should just fall through to the coin return cup.

Sorry for taking over the refilling post - I have no more to say on this subject - back to refilling bottles!

[MoonDawg]

Sure wish you could drop a pound coin through before we drop this subject.  You got me curious.  Also would the nickle slot in the coin mech need to be wider?  I don't know how I would do that!

[collecture]

I have a pound coin and it works fine.
As far as altering the mech, I would do it the same way I changed my V23 coin retainer plate from a dime to a nickel. I used a small file and filed away at the sides of each slot. In this case, you would just have to file down each side of the slot where the actuating nickel would sit. If Dave ever wanted to put the nickel dime rejector back in, it would still vend on two nickels or a dime. The pound coin, which is not quite two nickels thick, would not be able to fall back into the "first" nickel hole since it will not have been enlarged. I do have one slight concern with this theory- when the modified 'pound' mech is cranked over, will the pressure of the dog be enough to lodge the coin in the crank thus preventing it from dropping out into the coin box. I think if you could file it down consistently and form a small ridge on each wall of the nickel slot, this would give the pound coin something to 'sit in' and push against