Biscuit barrel lid fit....fitting

[Honest John]

My mother in law is 90 at the end of the month, and SWMBO has suggested (not negotionable ) that I make her a biscuit barrel. My suggestion of a new broomstick didn’t go down too well. I am well into the segmented build up and partly turned, and I am beginning to think about the lid. First thoughts are of a segmented top with a central knob. I am thinking of the lid just fitting into a turned recess in the top segment ring. Sort of loose lift that can be lifted by one hand without having to hold the barrel. However, I was looking at my own ceramic biscuit barrel and it has a sort of plastic strip round the sealing edge of the lid that seems to enable a loose lid to fit reasonably well, yet still remove easily. I was wondering if a thick elastic band stretched round the edge of the fitting edge of the lid, perhaps in a groove, would give a similar effect and also allow the lid/barrel to move a little in service without causing a problem. What do you think. How would you approach this?

 

[J-G]

It might do the job but I would look for a proper lid sealer in silicone - a quick search has only brought up a 5 x 8mm sealing strip on eBay "silicone lid seal with lip 5 x 8mm * vacuum packer lid seal/seal strip * per mtr" - not cheap and further research might find a suitable 'ring' rather than a length.

 

[Brandlin]

A silicon seal on a ceramic biscuit barrel is necessary because the material used to make the barrel changes dimension when its kilned. So its not possible to make a close seal in just ceramic.
Turning a barrel in wood does not have the same variability and i'd expect to have a much closer tolerance.
I guess it depends on how close to airtight you want the barrel to be, but have you considered just aiming for a close turned fit?
I'm not a turner so my apologies if this is nonsense...

 

[selectortone]

An O-ring perhaps? Had a quick look online and they can be bought in just about any size.

 

[Dalboy]

An O-ring perhaps? Had a quick look online and they can be bought in just about any size.

When I saw this post after spending 4 hours on a hospital bed my first thought was the same as you an 'O' ring but was just to tired to sit and post.

 

[treeturner123]

Two things

Firstly, a seal is needed to keep biscuits from going soggy. As we all know, stale biscuits go soft, cakes go hard, this is what won a VAT exemption for Jaffa Cakes.

Secondly, why not look in a Junk/Charity shop for a ceramic barrel, and re-use the lid?



Phil

 

[Honest John]

Thanks for the replies guys. I haven’t found out where the thank you button is on this new format, the thumbs up button doesn’t seem to the one. Please consider yourselves thanked. I had thought about a large ‘o’ ring, but after due consideration I think I’m going to just make a good but not tight fitting lid. The stock I’m using is quite dry, and there is not going to be much wood in the lid or the top of the barrel so I suspect there is likely to be little movement to cause problems. Thanks again to all.