From a porch, comes a barrel?

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baldm79 said:
If you’re serious, buy a barrel. It can be used multiple times if handled properly.
If you just feel like playing with wood, there’s plenty of easier ways to do that...
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This is good feedback, unfoertunately I don't have the disposable cash right now. I would love to just be done with it and buy one.
 
Mell, I don't think it was the desire to build a barrel that got everybody fired up. For me, it was the crazy short time frame. Coopering is a skilled trade, most coopers, the few that there are, undergo a years-long apprenticeship. I'm a tool and die man myself. I'm not insulted by anyone's interest, unless they think they can learn my trade in a week or two.
 
ismellweird said:
This is good feedback, unfoertunately I don't have the disposable cash right now. I would love to just be done with it and buy one.
Click to expand...

I would guess that the bands for building a barrel and possible need for tools might cost as much as a barrel that’s been used.
 
ancientmariner52 said:
Mell, I don't think it was the desire to build a barrel that got everybody fired up. For me, it was the crazy short time frame. Coopering is a skilled trade, most coopers, the few that there are, undergo a years-long apprenticeship. I'm a tool and die man myself. I'm not insulted by anyone's interest, unless they think they can learn my trade in a week or two.
Click to expand...

I think this is the confusion. It takes years to master the trade I understand clearly but you're saying it's also not possible to build a barrel Friday afternoon correct? Even a very basic one. If this is true maybe I'll take the other user's input and I chip the floorboard up into a mulch consistency and soak with whiskey, etc and just put it in the fermenter and taste every few mornings. That's somethign fairly simple I can literally do right now.

Thank you.

mell
 
ismellweird said:
I think this is the confusion. It takes years to master the trade I understand clearly but you're saying it's also not possible to build a barrel Friday afternoon correct? Even a very basic one. If this is true maybe I'll take the other user's input and I chip the floorboard up into a mulch consistency and soak with whiskey, etc and just put it in the fermenter and taste every few mornings. That's somethign fairly simple I can literally do right now.

Thank you.

mell
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Are you absolutely sure that this wood hasn't been treated? As was said in earlier posts, wood used for outdoor structures is probably treated with some nasty chemicals that you don't want in something you are going to drink...

Best to get some nice wood sold for smoking meats or something you know is food safe. Use your reclaimed wood for a different project
 
lump42 said:
Here's a more in depth video:
Click to expand...


This is a great video with step-by-step instructions and using basic tools everyone has in there workshop. Even though it is for a bucket, I just used the steps for the bottom to make a lid and made a barrel this morning. Thanks for posting!

Barrel

Barrel

 
Last edited:
Lol this thread.

Could you make your own wooden container to put beer into? Yes. Pick the right wood, spend the time to cut pieces accurately, build a box, use something like Tite-bond III glue with is FDA approved for indirect food contact and used in a lot of cutting boards. You would have a wooden vessel that would hold liquid, mostly. I'm sure the fact that it's not in a shape that squeezes itself tighter when the wood swells from moisture means that it will leak as the beer soaks through, but who cares, wooden beer box.

Could you do it from deck material? Sure. You can use any wood you want. But you shouldn't. Because decks are made from treated wood and that treating process uses chemicals that are harmful when ingested. Some types more than others. This process gets the chemicals throughout the wood, not just the outer surface. Then the issues of people walking around on it, animals crapping on it and the rain washing that in, and all kinds of other fun nature problems. But who cares, this is beer experimentation, screw the haters, risk that poison.

A+ thread OP. Very much enjoyed, will watch for future lols.
 
Is it stained? If so what color? Cherry stain makes great sour beer. Now walnut on the other hand is just garbage. It’s just too bad that you can’t get lead paint anymore. I’m sure you have tasted plenty of paint chips though right?
 
Thanks everyone I'm going with the simpler plan of just mulching the board(s) after sanding. Not treated with arsenic or anything, they're very very old boards very worm from age and weather, looks like drift wood. I looked up on this site and whiskey should steralize, etc. So I'll be trying this very soon. Thanks for the posters that helped me.

ps: Bitcoin and women's underwear under your posts now what are you trying to tell me??

take care

mell
 
Good luck mell. I’ll make one final request though, please put a disclaimer on this beer if you share it.
Older wood is more likely to have treated with arsenic
 
I just can’t believe how every time he starts another one, seemingly intelligent folks are willing to engage in conversation as though he’s anything other than a troll.
 
Boomer said:
I just can’t believe how every time he starts another one, seemingly intelligent folks are willing to engage in conversation as though he’s anything other than a troll.
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Well you see, if you’re too mean to mell he gets really upset.
 
Just because somebody asks questions and occasionally does things that everybody thinks are stupid, doesn’t make them any less serious.
 
I thought Mell got banned. How did he get unbanned? Not saying he should be banned just wondering. His humor is much needed.
 
baldm79 said:
Just because somebody asks questions and occasionally does things that everybody thinks are stupid, doesn’t make them any less serious.
Click to expand...


You oughta spend some time reading that dude’s posts on other threads and revisit that comment.
 
Boomer said:
You oughta spend some time reading that dude’s posts on other threads and revisit that comment.
Click to expand...

There’s no doubt that mell is weird.
But that doesn’t mean he’s a troll.
I mean maybe, but he might not be
 
Potential? I just read this guy's history. He is definitely a troll. A hilarious troll, but a troll.

So good lol
 
Boomer said:
I just can’t believe how every time he starts another one, seemingly intelligent folks are willing to engage in conversation as though he’s anything other than a troll.
Click to expand...
Just giving the benefit of a doubt that people will change for the better. Too depressing to consider we are stuck as we are without any chance of improving ourselves.

Good news between the septic tank stout and the arsenic barrel whiskey, this problem should correct itself.
 
What ever happened to predictability?
The milk man, the paper boy, the evening TV?
 

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