Because of the bourbon industry in Kentucky, oak barrels are pretty much everywhere – even in the home centers where they are sold as planters or rain barrels. I use a used barrel as my garbage can in my shop.
Cooperage is one of the things I hope to study in my next life, when I get this furniture thing mastered in about 50 more years.
So I love to read about the craft, and the tools fascinate me – particularly the unusual compasses used for fitting the lid.
Today I’ve pulled two 1960s-era articles from The Woodworker on coopering for you to check out. One of the great things about the magazine was its dedication to documenting the traditional crafts as they were disappearing in England in the 20th century. Download the articles here:
If you are interested in coopering classes, check out Country Workshops, where Carl Swensson teaches Swiss cooperage. And Tillers International, where they regularly teach basic cooperage.
— Christopher Schwarz
Recently became aware of an Australian cooper offering classes on bucket making, via a fantastic new Australian organisation, Lost Trades Australia (http://www.rundellandrundell.com.au/#!lost-trades-australia/c1p7p). Found out about them via a friend of mine who’s gone out on his own trying to help keep the old trades alive (http://thekeyholesurgeon.com.au/).
Like you Chris, coopering is on my bucket list (pun intended), along with blacksmithing and leather work (plus there’s the whole carpentry career I hope to have). It’s a slippery slope, this addiction to the manual arts.
Chuck Andrews who teaches cooperage at Tillers International is also one of the best craft instructors whom I’ve met. I learned oodles by watching his presentation skills.
Great! Now I know what a Firkin is!
Cool. I’ve been reading all I can find about coopering lately but I haven’t seen these. Thanks for posting. Another good reference is “The Cooper and His Trade” (http://www.amazon.com/The-Cooper-Trade-Kenneth-Kilby/dp/0941936163). Also, for people in the northeast US the Somerset Historical Center in PA has an annual bucket making class that is really good.
I used to jump over them things in Donkey Kong.
Another plug for Country Workshops is that their video of Ruedi Kohler, the Swiss cooper Drew Langsner learned from, is now on their youtube site. I don’t have the link handy, I’m out in the world…but it’s easy enough to find. A wonderful film – not how-to, but just watching Ruedi make a very complex bucket. Well worth the time.
I just about have my certificate in bourbon so this may be the next logical step.