I get hold of 4 small barrels from Tonnellerie, never used & pretty
dried up. Got three of them banged together, but the fourth refuse to
have all the hoops to tighten up. I can only set the bilge hoop and
with small tacks the chime hoop as well, the outer hoop stubbornly pops
out on both side every time I try. The funny thing is that the barrel
is tight with just the bilge hoop alone in place, I filled it with
water and moisten it on the outside as well. I guess that goes to show
how well made they are. Any great ideas?

SG Brix

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I get hold of 4 small barrels from Tonnellerie, never used & pretty
> dried up. Got three of them banged together, but the fourth refuse to
> have all the hoops to tighten up. I can only set the bilge hoop and
> with small tacks the chime hoop as well, the outer hoop stubbornly pops
> out on both side every time I try. The funny thing is that the barrel
> is tight with just the bilge hoop alone in place, I filled it with
> water and moisten it on the outside as well. I guess that goes to show
> how well made they are. Any great ideas?

Leave off the head hoops. They don't really do much to seal the barrel (as
you've already observed). They're mainly to prevent damage to the ends of
the barrel when rolling them around on the floor and to make the barrel
prettier.

Tom S

No head hoops? Tom, it just did not look right somehow. I punched small
notches and put them on, even thought I know that they really are there
just for the decorative values sake. I'm still confounded WHY the
problem occurred? I have always been able to tighten the hoops by
punching them down. Your thoughts please.

SG Brix

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> No head hoops? Tom, it just did not look right somehow. I punched small
> notches and put them on, even thought I know that they really are there
> just for the decorative values sake. I'm still confounded WHY the
> problem occurred? I have always been able to tighten the hoops by
> punching them down. Your thoughts please.

Could be you'd have an easier time of it if by tightening the head hoops
_before_ the bilge and chime hoops. Also, put some chalk on the staves to
help give the hoops better traction so they don't pop off so easily.

Tom S