134 FOREST PRODUCTS 



ASSEMBLING 



The assembling of the various parts of slack cooperage into the fin- 

 ished barrel is accomplished in shops at or near the point where the 

 barrel is filled with its contents. For example, sugar refineries, flour 

 and cement mills, fruit and other storage warehouses usually have shops 

 in connection with them where great quantities of staves, heading and 

 hoops are brought in carload lots and assembled into the barrel of the 

 desired size. 



Formerly small cooperage shops were commonly found where barrels 

 were largely assembled by hand, but the tendency in the business is to 

 centralize the assembling of barrels in large shops where recently improved 

 machinery is introduced to turn out great quantities of barrels at a lower 

 cost. 



The process of putting together the barrels generally consists of the 

 following distinct operations : 



1. Putting the required number of staves together in a form. This 

 operation is commonly called " raising " or " setting up." 



2. Heating over a stove or patent heater to dry out the wood, increase 

 the flexibility of the staves and make a closer fit. 



3. Bending or forcing the staves together in a bending press or by 

 means of a windlass and rope. This operation is often called wind- 

 lassing. 



4. Crozing, which consists of making a groove in which the heading 

 fits. 



5. Chiming or chamfering down the ends of the staves on a bevel 

 from the groove to the end. 



The following is a brief description of the process of making apple 

 barrels as carried out in the old-fashioned cooperage shop. The cooper 

 sets up, on an average, 16 staves inside a wooden hoop 64 in. in circum- 

 ference, inside measurement, on a platform in front of his work bench. 

 The ends of the barrel are then drawn together by placing a rope over the 

 end of the barrel and drawing it tight by means of a foot lever and pulley. 

 A small regulation hoop is placed over each end as the staves are drawn 

 together. The cooper then places the barrel over a small coal stove or 

 heater and a metal cover or hood is let down over the barrel to retain the 

 heat. Here it is left until it begins to steam or smoke. Meanwhile 

 the cooper starts the assembling of a new barrel as just described. The 

 heated barrel is taken back to the work bench where the quarter hoops 

 and second hoops are fitted on, the ends of the staves are pounded to 



