# Dismantling A Barrel



## pete1325 (Jan 17, 2019)

How difficult is it to dismantle a barrel, clean the staves and put back together?


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## Ajmassa (Jan 17, 2019)

There’s a great YouTube video going through the whole process to do this at home actually. He’s actually a member here too. Will try to find it.


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## Ajmassa (Jan 17, 2019)




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## Trevor7 (Jan 17, 2019)

Watching this only gave me more questions... I get sanding the staves and then toasting them, but the video didn't show anything done to the heads. Were these just left alone? Reasoning behind this?


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 17, 2019)

IIRC nothing is done w/ the heads. But I could be wrong. This looks like a fun project, but seems like a LOT of work.


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## stickman (Jan 17, 2019)

Traditionally barrel heads aren't toasted, though these days toasted heads are an option for a price.


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## mainshipfred (Jan 18, 2019)

Just yesterday I was talking to my son about reconditioning a barrel. I personally think it would be fun even though I'm looking forward to having some neutral barrels.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 18, 2019)

mainshipfred said:


> Just yesterday I was talking to my son about reconditioning a barrel. I personally think it would be fun even though I'm looking forward to having some neutral barrels.



Well I'm guessing you've got the tools for it.


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## pete1325 (Jan 18, 2019)

Do you have to toast the staves once you sand them all down?


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## Ajmassa (Jan 19, 2019)

pete1325 said:


> Do you have to toast the staves once you sand them all down?



Technically you don’t ‘have’ to. But I bet 100’s of yrs of trial n error has made it the standard for a good reason. And toasting adds so much more complexity than without. 
But That open flame seems pretty easy to screw up doesn’t it? I always figured a plumbers torch could get the job done with some more control. Reconditioning an old barrel is definitely on my bucket list


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## NorCal (Jan 20, 2019)

I’d like to do it too, but not sure I’m willing to risk 60 gallons of wine to determine if I did it correctly.


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## mainshipfred (Jan 20, 2019)

NorCal said:


> I’d like to do it too, but not sure I’m willing to risk 60 gallons of wine to determine if I did it correctly.



I've seen your handy work and have no doubt you could do it.


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## NorCal (Jan 20, 2019)

mainshipfred said:


> I've seen your handy work and have no doubt you could do it.



You only see the good ones. I don’t post the failures


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## mainshipfred (Jan 20, 2019)

NorCal said:


> You only see the good ones. I don’t post the failures



Well you're not alone, I don't think anyone does.


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