Fixing a leaky barrel

[geniz]

So here's the problem:



This barrel leaked so bad, I couldn't fill it up enough to swell the staves. Was about to give up on it when a friend had a brilliant idea.

We wrapped the barrel in several layers of shrink wrap, the same stuff used to wrap pallets on a loading dock. We then put the barrel in a kiddy pool to contain the water. The shrink wrap allowed us to fill the barrel and help hold moisture against the wooden staves to help swell the wood. The kiddy pool allowed the heads to be partially submerged and stay wet.



The barrel still leaked, but the leak was slowed enough so that we could keep filling the barrel. After we filled it each time, we bunged it and rolled it around in the kiddy pool. Several hours later, most of the leaking stopped.

Voila.

 

[mattd2]

...The barrel still leaked, but the leak was slowed enough so that we could keep filling the barrel. After we filled it each time, we bunged it and rolled it around in the kiddy pool. Several hours later, most of the leaking stopped.

Voila.

Most?

 

[geniz]

Oops.
The wrap held things until most of the leaking stopped, enough to unwrap the barrel and then I kept on filling it until it was finished swelling and was water tight.

 

[mattd2]

Oops.
The wrap held things until most of the leaking stopped, enough to unwrap the barrel and then I kept on filling it until it was finished swelling and was water tight.

Haha, I thought it was the case that you hadn't finished yet Just sounded funny as in "It used to leak heaps, now it only leaks a little... that's better isn't it"

 

[BryanThompson]

If that barrel dried out so much that it pours out water it probably shouldn't be used for beer.

 

[BradleyBrew]

If that barrel dried out so much that it pours out water it probably shouldn't be used for beer.

Why? I have a 5 gallon barrel that I use and it periodically dries out when not in use. I just rehydrate the wood and its fine.

 

[BryanThompson]

That's the perfect time for acetobacter to move in. I personally wouldn't risk it.

 

[BradleyBrew]

You sanitize the barrel with a mixture of citric acid and sodium metasulphite after the barrel is rehydrated. The mixture will reach every where the beer or wine or spirits would. Its been done for centuries.

 

[geniz]

Regardless of if you would use the barrel it's a pretty neat way of swelling a barrel