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Author Topic: Making your own barrel  (Read 7497 times)

Offline deadpoetic0077

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Making your own barrel
« on: April 10, 2017, 07:30:30 am »
I posted this in the wood/ Casks sub-sub category, but haven't seen anything there yet. It may just not be out in the open cause I cant imagine nobody has done something like this.

I was considering making my own barrel. I could conceivable easily make a barrel, that's not exactly a barrel. The only difference I could see is there's no bulge in the middle, which from what I can understand, is not a big deal since the bulge is primarily to make it easier to rotate when moving it. By cutting several straight staves, I could angle the sides all at 15ish degrees to make one large 24 sided wooden "cylinder". Think this would work if I could somehow seal the inside? I could probably torch the inside myself too, id just have to do more research on that.

Thoughts?

Offline 69franx

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2017, 09:12:16 am »
No experience, but sounds like a daunting task. Skilled Coopers were/are a valued asset in their field. I would say good luck and let us know how it comes out, plan sounds workable, just not something i'm jumping into, although I have yet to barrel age any of my brews, but would like to someday
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline bayareabrewer

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2017, 09:18:54 am »
I posted this in the wood/ Casks sub-sub category, but haven't seen anything there yet. It may just not be out in the open cause I cant imagine nobody has done something like this.

I was considering making my own barrel. I could conceivable easily make a barrel, that's not exactly a barrel. The only difference I could see is there's no bulge in the middle, which from what I can understand, is not a big deal since the bulge is primarily to make it easier to rotate when moving it. By cutting several straight staves, I could angle the sides all at 15ish degrees to make one large 24 sided wooden "cylinder". Think this would work if I could somehow seal the inside? I could probably torch the inside myself too, id just have to do more research on that.

Thoughts?

Please take pictures of the process. This is freaking awesome.

Offline zwiller

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2017, 09:54:11 am »
Actually it is probably quite simple if you go straight sided just like you said with the 15 deg router bit.  You could probably even glue it up.  I recall some drums are made this way.   I got into "neander" hand tool woodworking and from memory the barrel shape is actually supposed to make it easier to build not harder.  Quite certain there are some good books on the matter but cannot recall.  The usual warning to make sure to use air dried non chemically treated timber applies here.   
Sam
Sandusky, OH

Offline Stevie

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2017, 10:04:44 am »
The shape also helps with filling and draining. Have fun

Offline EHall

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2017, 11:07:59 am »
sealing the keg by means of filling it up and the wood expanding as its saturated. I wouldn't use any kind of bonding agent other than water or beer...
Phoenix, AZ

MaltMaker

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2017, 12:28:00 pm »
Making barrels isn't rocket science.  The wooden staves are the easy part.  Making custom metal hoops to hold them together is perhaps a little more exciting.  Have you considered the good old fashion square barrel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-0iOWjwXJU

Offline deadpoetic0077

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2017, 01:27:28 pm »
Making barrels isn't rocket science.  The wooden staves are the easy part.  Making custom metal hoops to hold them together is perhaps a little more exciting.  Have you considered the good old fashion square barrel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-0iOWjwXJU

That's a pretty cool video!

I understand what everyone's saying with no glue. Guess that makes sense. might just have to give this a go. Hardest part seems like it would be the metal rings and figuring out how large to make them and how much to plane the staves.

MaltMaker

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2017, 02:04:10 pm »
Try using one of the stave calculators!

https://uniontownlabs.org/tools/stave/

Offline 69franx

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2017, 04:20:13 pm »
Going to have to rewatch on my laptop, when not at work that is

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline jimmykx250

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2017, 04:56:35 pm »
Keep us posted I would like to try this myself. I have a garage full of woodworking stuff that has been dormnt for 2+ years. Right about the time I started brewing:)
Jimmykx250

Offline coolman26

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2017, 05:24:37 pm »
When I watched that video I realized why they are so expensive.  Super interesting to watch.  Good luck if you do try it.
Jeff B

narvin

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2017, 10:41:54 pm »
This is cool. Whenever I think something can't be done at home, I'm probably wrong.

Offline deadpoetic0077

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2017, 06:06:27 am »
Try using one of the stave calculators!

https://uniontownlabs.org/tools/stave/

>.> I probably spent an hour looking for a stave calculator yesterday. This will be very helpful! thanks!

Well see if I decide to round it out or keep it straight. I have a few ideas on how to keep it sealed up without using glue, etc. I'm thinking this shouldn't be too hard, but for the time being, all the tools I am able to use are my fathers, and I only get over there occasionally. Don't hold your breath, but this is definitely a project I would like to take on.

Offline Lazy Ant Brewing

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Re: Making your own barrel
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2017, 08:13:57 am »
I was on vacation in Vancouver, BC, a few years ago and saw some of the bentwood cedar boxes in the University of British Columbia Anthropology Museum there.  The four sides of a water-proof box were crafted by First Nation peoples from a single red cedar plank that had kerfs cut in the corners and was steamed before bending.  Then a top and bottom for the box was made. All of it accomplished without metal tools.  What a challenge!

These were used for cooking by dropping heated rocks into the container. Also for storage and other purposes.

Type bentwood cedar box into your search engine and take a look.

If you build your own, you'll probably be the one person in your brew club that one.
It's easier to read brewing books and get information from the forum than to sacrifice virgins to appease the brewing gods when bad beer happens!