Free barrels

[moose11]

I had a couple of barrels given to me, but I think they were used for wine, not a real strong odour coming from them, more of a faint odour of wine. I could never use them as a barrel because someone knocked a hole in one end for an umbrella and used them as tables, then they filled with water and froze hence the missing bands.

I knocked them apart and planed 3 sides (outside, and the two beveled sides) and then ripped them on my table saw into 1/2" strips.
Does anybody know if I should strip/sand/or plane off the old char from the inside or would re charring be good enough?
I scraped off the loose char and was thinking I would just blast the strips with my mapp torch.

Any thoughts anyone?

[Braz]

Does anybody know if I should strip/sand/or plane off the old char from the inside or would re charring be good enough? I scraped off the loose char and was thinking I would just blast the strips with my mapp torch.
Any thoughts anyone?

I wouldn't bother trying to plane off the char. You have three good, new wood sides you can char with your torch. Have a bucket of water handy.

[frozenthunderbolt]

depending on what you plan to use them for, you may want to toast them before you char them.
Also, toasted or not, it is better to char them just before use, rather than char and store them.

[Prairiepiss]

What you have there is pretty much what I've been using. Mine are closer to 3/4" square though. I cut them down to a size that will fin in jars. 3 to 4" long? I leave the chared side alone. I then char the other three sides and ends. Using a map torch. To an alligator char. For whisky. I did some with a little less char for some other things. I don't roast or toast them. If the charing is done slow enough. It will also roast toast the wood behind the char. So you get the three layers of different roasting. That is how they do the barrels in the first place. Is it not?

I left the original chared side on mine to give my stuff a little added depth from what mite be left from the wine. Does it work? I don't know. But I am very happy with what I have been getting from them.

[Coyote]

+1 for Mr. Piss

I get half wine barrel planters, take them apart,
cut them squared to whatever the thickness of
the oak is ( about 3/4") on the table saw. Cut to
8" long on the chop saw and then toast and char as
needed.

I got a chance to buy a trailer load of half barrels about a
month ago and after selling all but 10 of them I spent a couple
of hours in the shop and now have enough oak for several years.

If you have local wineries they typically bottle in the spring and fall
picking up barrels around her for 20 to 25 bucks.

I have never noticed the wine being any problem.

Go For It !!

Coyote

[dakotasnake]

pretty decent price onthose. i recently scored a fresh 1/2 barrel of hungarian white oak that im looking forwrd to using. i plan on leaving the wine charr alone on these.

[Barney Fife]

Guys, be aware that wine barrels may, and most likely will, contain sapwood, since it doesn't affect wine like it does high proof spirits. In other words, we shouldn't be using old wine barrels....

[OBX Phantom]

I bought a used french oak wine barrel from a local winery a couple of weeks ago. I have been doing basically the same as Prairiepiss said. I took it apart and cut into pieces that will fit in jars, then I have been using a hatchet and splitting into aprox. 1/2 to 3/4 strips, charring with a torch, then putting them in the jars covered with a coffee filter to allow it to breath. I did this with some pear brandy about a week ago and it seems to be working very well. It has already turned them a golden brown (about the color of Jim Beam) and has mellowed the flavor a good bit. I think I will replace the lids in few more days or so, and then let them set for awhile longer.