What did a cooper do?

What did a cooper do?

In Colonial times, a cooper was the person who made wooden casks, barrels and other staved containers from timber that was usually heated or steamed so it could be fashioned. Casks were necessary to store goods such as ale, wine, flour, gunpowder, and tobacco.

How long does it take a Cooper to make a barrel?

This process, exposing the wooden staves to the open air and elements, naturally ages the wood, mellowing its flavors and allowing some of the bitter tannins to leach out. Herrera estimates that it takes him about 11 hours to build a barrel by hand.

What is a Cooper in colonial times?

In Colonial times, a cooper was the person who made wooden casks, barrels and other staved containers from timber that was usually heated or steamed so it could be fashioned. It took seven years for an apprentice to learn the craft of coopering. Apprentices usually slept in the workshop, or cooperage, and learned the trade from a master craftsman.

What does a Coopers work on?

In most circumstances, individual coopers worked on a single container from start to finish. Since they were normally paid piecework, they wouldn’t want to go any length of time without actually producing finished pieces. In addition, because the work is all done visually (no patterns or calculations), the check is to see the pieces go together.

What were the different types of Cooper’s craft?

There were four divisions in the cooper’s craft. The “dry” or “slack” cooper made containers that would be used to ship dry goods such as cereals, nails, tobacco, fruits, and vegetables. The “dry-tight” cooper made casks designed to keep dry goods in and moisture out.

What kind of tools do journeymen Cooper use?

Journeymen coopers also traditionally made wooden implements, such as rakes and wooden-bladed shovels. In addition to wood, other materials, such as iron, were used in the manufacturing process. The trade is the origin of the surname Cooper .