diff --git a/warcprox/bigtable.py b/warcprox/bigtable.py
index 9fe0e6e..4feeb7d 100644
--- a/warcprox/bigtable.py
+++ b/warcprox/bigtable.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import surt
 import os
 import hashlib
 import threading
+import datetime
 
 class RethinkCaptures:
     """Inserts in batches every 0.5 seconds"""
@@ -34,14 +35,15 @@ class RethinkCaptures:
                 result = self.r.table(self.table).insert(self._batch).run()
                 if result["inserted"] != len(self._batch) or sorted(result.values()) != [0,0,0,0,0,len(self._batch)]:
                     raise Exception("unexpected result %s saving batch of %s entries", result, len(self._batch))
-                self.logger.info("big capture table db saved %s entries", len(self._batch))
-                self.logger.info("saved %s", self._batch)
+                self.logger.info("saved %s entries to big capture table db", len(self._batch))
                 self._batch = []
 
         if not self._stop.is_set():
-            self._timer = threading.Timer(0.5, self._insert_batch)
-            self._timer.name = "RethinkCaptures-batch-insert-timer"
-            self._timer.start()
+            t = threading.Timer(0.5, self._insert_batch)
+            t.name = "RethinkCaptures-batch-insert-timer-%s" % datetime.datetime.utcnow().isoformat()
+            t.start()
+            # ensure self._timer joinable (already started) whenever close() happens to be called
+            self._timer = t
         else:
             self.logger.info("finished")
 
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ class RethinkCaptures:
         results = list(results_iter)
         if len(results) > 0:
             if len(results) > 1:
-                self.logger.error("expected 0 or 1 but found %s results for sha1base32=%s bucket=%s (will use first result)", len(results), sha1base32, bucket)
+                self.logger.debug("expected 0 or 1 but found %s results for sha1base32=%s bucket=%s (will use first result)", len(results), sha1base32, bucket)
             result = results[0]
         else:
             result = None
@@ -112,16 +114,6 @@ class RethinkCaptures:
 
         return entry
 
-    def _save_entry(self, entry):
-        try:
-            threading.current_thread.name = 'RethinkCaptures-futures-thread(tid={})'.format(warcprox.gettid())
-            result = self.r.table(self.table).insert(entry).run()
-            if result["inserted"] == 1 and sorted(result.values()) != [0,0,0,0,0,1]:
-                raise Exception("unexpected result %s saving %s", result, entry)
-            self.logger.debug("big capture table db saved %s", entry)
-        except:
-            self.logger.error("unexpected problem ", exc_info=True)
-
     def notify(self, recorded_url, records):
         entry = self._assemble_entry(recorded_url, records)
         with self._batch_lock: