[Sca-cooks] cooperage

Mark S. Harris marksharris at austin.rr.com
Wed May 6 01:32:09 PDT 2009


Selene C. asked:

<<< Where can one learn cooperage these days?  We could make a proper  
tub of
proper materials.  Which, of course, brings the topic back around to
historical containers, whether for food or for people.  :-) >>>

Start with:
coopering-msg     (50K)  7/13/06    Making and maintaining barrels  
and kegs.

In the CRAFTS section of the Florilegium.

I think I mention a very good book I got on coopering in there.

Okay, Let me pull up my book database... Oh! I've got more books on  
this than I thought.

"The Cooper and His Trade"
Kilby, Kenneth
ISBN: 0-941936-16-3
Linden Publishing
Fresno, Calif.
192 pages

This was the one I was thinking of first.


"How to Make a Coopered Wooden Bucket: A Beginner's Guide with  
Detailed Instructions and Illustrations"
Gaster, James D.
ISBN: 1-57921-798-2
WinePress Publishing WA

"Village Cooper (Shire Album, No 28)"
Kliby, K.
ISBN: 0-85263-392-0
Shire Pubns
Aylesbury

I had ideas of making wooden casks and buckets for use at events  
instead of plastic ones. However, reading the first book quickly got  
rid of any delusions I had of being able to do that. At least for  
barrels the staves have to be carved to curve in all three dimensions  
simultaneously. In addition, the wood for these needs to be radially  
split from a log, not cut with a saw. So I had no source of good  
source material.

However, for a large tub, the staves probably can be done with only a  
simple curve and a large radius at that. And maybe the use of a lot  
of sealant. :-)

Can I come soak in your hot tub when you finish it? Sigh.

Stefan
======
Mark S. Harris
Electronics Engineer, Board and Systems Design
MarkSHarris at austin.rr.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/marksharris






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