Biscuit Barrel Building Basics

[ByronBlack]

I'm wanting to make a wooden biscuit barrel but I have no access or inclination to use a lathe, so what are my options of making a round container - I assume coopering is the main way? Are theer are any other techniques I could use without any expensive tooling?

 

[Anonymous]

You can make up a round form from glued up segments

 

[jasonB]

You could bend one up like a tall shaker box,

Laminate several layers round a circular former, alternative direction helix layers would be easy to roll round the former

Cut circular discs with a router and compass att. then glue the stack together, possibly using different coloured wood.

Coopered segments

Buy a lathe :wink:

Make a box rather than a barrel

Jason

 

[j]

Just wondering, is this for biscuits (digestive, rich tea, custard cream, ...)
Or is it for biscuits (number 10, number 20, whatever sizes they come in)

J

 

[George_N]

You can get router cutters that will bevel an edge at 11.25 degrees, which would give you a 16 sided container. Barrels traditionally have a croze or groove round the inside near the end to house the top/bottom of the barrel, which you could probably cut with a router before assembly. That wouldn't give you a round housing but it doesn't need to be water-tight. You could plane and sand off the angles for a cylindrical shape if you wanted and by using different woods, get a pleasing effect.

 

[Roger]

You'd probably find Coopering the easiest and most straight forward w/o a lot of power tool use which I know you're missing right now. Work out all your sides and angles, cut am, glue em, slap on a top and bottom and Robert's your Father's Brother!

Use some nice but not too expensive wood, finish it nicely and even add some inlaid banding for a nice look.

 

[Gill]

This book tells you how to make some very decorative wooden bowls using just a router and a scroll saw. Since a biscuit barrel is simply a big bowl with a smaller one that's used as a lid, you should be able to make one using these techniques.

Gill

 

[ByronBlack]

Loads of great idea's here, thanks guys!

I like the idea of a coopered tin. Gill, unfortunatly I don't own a scroll-saw, so would probably go with the router method, does anyone have the link to the router bit mentioned?

 

[davy_owen_88]

Heres one - £28.51

Davy

 

[jasonB]

Wealdendo quite a range as well.

Jason

 

[Alf]

Byron, for shame - thought you were going all hand toolie? A quick shooting board with the base at the desired angle will do the job beautifully I'd have thought. Router cutters. Tsk. [-( :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

I made several drums (conga shape not parallel cylinder sided ones)
I developed the leaf form on paper (starting with the front elevation, I'd have to sit and think how I actually did this but it wasnt hard) and transferred it to ply this then became a pattern piece. I then cut and made the staves from 5 mm laminated plywood (all offcuts from door factory). I cut the form from a 4x2 with an axe, cleaned it up with blcok plane etc. Drilled holes along it for clamps, used that to clamp each stave as it set (the longest part of the job was waiting for the staves to set one at a time). I made a curved pair of blocks to support the staves in the vice and a simple angle guage (I drew out the plan on plywood and got the angle from that. Then I used the stanley jack and the little block plane to shave the angles. I planed carefully until I had the correct leaf shape, AND the correct angle all along both edges. This sounds complicated but was in fact really quite quick and easy to do. Then It was a case of dry test fit with cut up inner tube to hold it, a few fettles and tuning here and ther glue up with spanish windlass to clamp it all up, and that was about it. I used the block plane to acheive a rounded outer surfce. Thin layer of fibre glass inside to imrove acousticals. I used the west african peg method to tighten the drum head (recycled curtain wall from a wagon) Tools used
jig saw, axe, block plane jack plane, brace and bit, sliding bevel.
I made a talking drum as well the lace for that was made from thin lengths of split and twisted strapping off of cardboard cartons 8)
I tell a lie :shock: The talking drum was made from all flat pieces not laminated curved staves. Mind it was satisfying to get such complex shapes from humble thin plywood!!
cheers Jonathan

 

[houtslager]

sounds very intriuqing [sp] ,any piccies ?

 

[Inspector]

Loads of great idea's here, thanks guys!

I like the idea of a coopered tin. Gill, unfortunatly I don't own a scroll-saw, so would probably go with the router method, does anyone have the link to the router bit mentioned?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,46168

These are easier when it comes time to glue. Other companies are selling their own versions and you might be able to find some in GB.