Monkeys not included

I started a little project of refurbishing a used whiskey barrel. It will be used for storing firewood by my fireplace. Currently I use a cardboard box which is not very portable and definitely not as sturdy.

To start I drove to the place where they sell these. They are used in the making of Kentucky whiskey. As I understand, they are used once and then cannot be used again to make whiskey, so there is a never ending supply of barrels available. They sit out in the sun and rain and get weathered and rusty. I bought one and brought it home.

Next I took the first photo before doing anything. Notice how weathered and rusty? That will change.


Then I spent a little time with a sander. That would do a great job of making the wood look new again but it would have taken a LONG time to do. So I switched to washing the wood with deck cleaner and OxyClean. It started to look GREAT when wet and this is how it looks after drying.


Here's what's left:
1. Attack the rust with a wire wheel
2. Mask the wood and prime and paint the hoops black
3. Apply stain and finish to the wood
4. Remove the top
5. Add casters to the bottom for portability
6. Clean the inside because it will probably smell like a brewery for a little while
7. Let it air out for awhile before putting it into use.

I understand (and have seen) that as the barrels age the wood shrinks and the hoops become loose and fall. So in another year or so I will carefully drill some holes in the hoops and add screws through them and into the wood. Just a couple screws per hoop will do it.

This is a pretty easy project and I haven't seen a single monkey yet. Will post more pictures when more progress is made. I have off till the end of the year but will be going to visit with family for a few days.