[TheForge] Slack tank

[Albin Drzewianowski]

We have a wooden half barrel in the Historic Forge at the Farm Museum.  If
the water freezes, it will probably swell enough to burst the steel bands
that hold it together.   I think that has happened to us  in the past.  We
have found that throwing 2-3 large pieces of firewood into the barrel
prevents the damage.  When the water in the barrel freezes up,  it
compresses the fire wood floating in the barrel.  Come spring we just fish
out the water logged fire wood and exchange the nasty old water for fresh
water. 

this has worked for us for the last couple of years.  (knock on wood) 

D-ski 
Westminster, MD     
The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andy Gladish
> Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 10:37 AM
> To: Bob Ehrenberger; Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Slack tank
> 
> I wonder if a wooden half-barrel is flexible enough that it wouldn't
break.
> It doesn't get brittle when cold like plastic does.
> Bought a full size barrel a few years ago thinking what a nice slack tub
it
> would make, and it's still sitting on its side outdoors- If I stop every
few
> hours and do a backbend over it, I feel much looser at the end of the day-
> it's worth lots more to me that way. Still using a five gallon bucket.
>