Oak barrel reassembly

[PossumPie]

Ok, I did something REALLY stupid. I partially disassemble my oak casks every so often to re-char the inside. Slipping all the hoops but the bottom, then putting a hoop loosely on the top you can remove the top, char inside, put the top back on and tighten it up. I KNEW one day I'd get sloppy, I knew I should number each stave just in case...Yesterday it happened, one slip and the thing fell apart. It is a 10-liter hand-made White Oak cask that was fairly expensive. I've had it for 5 years but not used it enough that the "flavors" have gone out of it.
ANYONE have experience in reassembling one if the staves were not numbered? I put it together 3 times now, and every time there are gaps that I could fit a coin through. Obviously, each stave isn't machine-made or identical. Suggestions?

[SW_Shiner]

Without them being labeled its pretty much trial and error, that's how they are made in the first place to. Do any of the staves have any unique marks on them? If you had a photo of it and could match some staves by sight it might cut down the time needed.

[Swedish Pride]

Crow did it, he found himself having the same issue you do and was never able to get Humpty together again.

I have taken a small one apart twice, numbered it each time and came together ok

[8Ball]

I don’t take my 5G Gibbs apart. I re-use based on spirit type, in order, e.g.: Bourbon, Sorta Like Bourbon, Rum, and now, all Malt.

My 10G Gibbs is a perpetual filled Bourbon barrel. I tap into it once a year for drinking stock, then top it off with pre-aged in glass with oak bones new make bourbon.

[PossumPie]

Well, I got it together with the bands tight and it is awful. I have gaps that are 1/8" wide. I have re-charred the inside of this particular barrel and there is a band of unchared area on the bottom of each stave so I can at least figure out which ends are up. As long as you keep the two bottom bands on and are careful, taking an end off to clean and rechar them isn't too difficult unless you fail to number them and drop the whole stupid barrel. $135 down the toilet.

[Swedish Pride]

135$ for 5 years of barrel magic isn't to bad in my opinion.

Shame but I bet you'll put the staves to good use.
See if you can reuse the barrel ends to make badmos

[Powder Monkey]

Are the gaps in multiple locations because the staves aren’t “in plane” or you assemble it and there’s one crack where they don’t come together? You could try making a new stave to take up some slop space. Another thought might be to let the staves dry out, then reassemble and soak/swell barrel. But given the use you’ve had out of it I would probably spend my time recharging the staves and use them as additions to future barrels that you wanted more wood characteristics. Save up for a new barrel or buy some used ones.

[bilgriss]

Not a waste if you got five years out of it. Plus learning is priceless (so they say), and the staves still have value.

It sounds really frustrating though.

It would be possible through trial and error to try all the theoretical combinations of putting back together, if you have endless time to do so. I once had a key lock box at work with a simple combination lock that I did not know the combination to. Three tumblers with digits 0 through 9. It took me about three hours to find the correct combination, out of 1000 possibilities. I'd guess if you set a month or so aside you'd get there.

[NormandieStill]

If you decide to go for trial and error I suggest numbering or labeling the staves now and noting the orders you've tried on a sheet of paper. Try putting it together with one hoop and a ratchet strap with neither end in. This will make it faster to try options. Also when you've got a promising arrangement, be aware that the head may not be perfectly round so fit the one with a bung / tap in first as you can align that to the filling hole (assuming its in a stave and not the head) then you can align the second head to the first one.

Sounds like a fun 3d jigsaw puzzle you've got ahead of you.