Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I bought a 10L oak barrel about 9 months ago and one section of the end starting cracking and warping excessively (see pics).
I contacted the vendor and they sent me a new barrel. Can't complain about that.

What's the chances of fixing this?

bluess57 wrote:What's the chances of fixing this?

For me there would be SFA chance, but depends how good your cooper skills are :))

I guess worst case, it turns out it was free now, and you can cut it up and make your own mini staves/dominoes :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Superglue :laughing-rolling: and sticky tape :laughing-rolling:

Coopering skills, non existent... woodworking skills not great.
Cutting it up is always a final option...

Smbjk wrote:Superglue :laughing-rolling: and sticky tape :laughing-rolling:

Na duct tape it will fix anything :))

What about a SS square, SS screws from the outside working your way into twist the timber back.

Looks like there is a knot on the otherside.

What about standing the barrel upright, with the damaged end becoming the top? Cut a really tight-fitting piece of oak to fill the cork hole and file it down smooth, and voila!

Zak Griffin wrote:What about standing the barrel upright, with the damaged end becoming the top? Cut a really tight-fitting piece of oak to fill the cork hole and file it down smooth, and voila!

Good idea, leakage at the cork hole would be a concern.
Could probably use a domino for the fill piece and some wax on the outside.

The good old flour paste will hold for a fair while as long as the area is dry when applied and while drying, but over time it will seep through :handgestures-thumbdown:

You could take it apart and try and get another end made :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Some info here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

sam_and_liv wrote:The good old flour paste will hold for a fair while as long as the area is dry when applied and while drying, but over time it will seep through :handgestures-thumbdown:

You could take it apart and try and get another end made :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Some info here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Guess it would depend on the $$$ for getting a new head made

what caused it to bow ?
did it dry out just curious so it dont happen to me

Beerfridge wrote:what caused it to bow ?
did it dry out just curious so it dont happen to me

Cause of bow, my guess the head is too tight or slightly out of round.
Barrel always been 3/4 to full.
When barrel wood dries out, it will shrink and leaks start.

Listen that looks like a very easy repair job to me. remove to ring and nearest bilge ring and remove the faulty staff. either make a copy out of oak your self or get any joinery shop to do so and re-fit it, whullah freebie barrel

what caused it to bow ?
did it dry out just curious so it dont happen to me

Just a defect in the grain that was over looked or underestimated, nothing could have prevented its failure bar not including it in the build :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Marked where the hoops were sitting and knocked the hoops off quite easily (screwdriver and hammer), and took the head off.
The pieces separated easily. Are/Were these glued together? One end piece was sticky to its neighbour.

Now to source some american oak... and the fun begins when trying re-assembly.

bluess57 wrote:Marked where the hoops were sitting and knocked the hoops off quite easily (screwdriver and hammer), and took the head off.
The pieces separated easily. Are/Were these glued together? One end piece was sticky to its neighbour.

Now to source some american oak... and the fun begins when trying re-assembly.

Good quality barrels have NO glue in them. It's the wood that swells to seal them.

OzKev wrote:Good quality barrels have NO glue in them. It's the wood that swells to seal them.

Exactly however if you don't get it 100% spot on you can fit either a shaving or any soft reed (like bulrush) in the join to fit the seal
No wonder it fucked up check the bodge way they charred it (not too evenly) , don't do that hey :-B
Looks to me that both kants are ok and you should only need to replace the center head boards :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Got a reply from a timber mill in the area that they carry American oak.
Yeah wasn't going to do any charring on the replacement piece,or use any glue.
Woodworking fun coming for the W/E

Good luck Bluess :handgestures-thumbupleft:

How does the char look like inside the barrel?

To me char looks ok, maybe a little on the lighter side of charring and maybe a bit uneven. Not sure I should take to it with the gas torch though.

blues ..thanks for sharing those photos.
I've never seen inside a barrel before ....that is cool :handgestures-thumbupleft: .What size is it ?.
Also wondering when you slipped off the hoop ,did all the stave's just kinda pop open allowing the end to come straight out or did it put up a fight.

Those stave's look like they must be very flexible.

Do you anticipate any reassembly difficulties