Project description
I am looking for a cooper who can make me two vessels for my bathhouse: a steeping tub of about thirty litres for soaking birch and oak whisks, and a twenty-litre tub for rinsing. We heat the bathhouse almost every weekend, and the two factory-made vessels I bought before have already dried out and started weeping along the joints, so this time I want honest hand work that will last. Timber should be cedar or oak, whichever you consider the better choice here; if you recommend one over the other, please explain why, because I would rather follow your experience than my own guesswork.
The details matter to me more than the decoration. I want even staves and a joint so tight that no light shows through it, hoops of stainless steel rather than painted mild steel that will bleed rust streaks down pale wood within the first month, and a bottom seated in a proper croze groove. No nails and no screws anywhere on the inside, not a single one. The handles have to be something I can grip confidently with a wet hand in hot steamy air, so a thin slippery strap is not what I need. Everything sanded smooth enough that nobody catches a splinter. And please, no stains, no impregnation and no varnish on the inside: food-grade oil or nothing at all, because I steep whisks in that water and then pour it over myself.
Two more things I want written into your reply. First, the hanging: the dousing bucket and the tub will be hung up, and they have to go on a solid bracket, because a full vessel is genuinely heavy and a light decorative hook will not hold it. If you can make the bracket as well, quote it separately. Second, tell me how to soak the piece before the first use, as I understand that without soaking the staves stay shrunk and the thing simply leaks, and I do not want to spoil it on the very first firing. I would also like to know what to do if a vessel has stood dry through a whole winter and the joints have opened up.
What I expect in your bid:
— your choice of timber with a short reason, and the wall thickness you plan;
— how the hoops are fitted and tightened, and how I tighten them myself later;
— handle shape and how it is fixed, given wet hands;
— inside finish: bare wood or food-grade oil, nothing else;
— a bracket for the dousing bucket and the tub, priced separately;
— written care notes: first soaking, storage, and reviving a dried-out vessel;
— lead time and delivery, because I need both pieces before the season starts;
— your price for the pair, so I can match it against my budget.
The details matter to me more than the decoration. I want even staves and a joint so tight that no light shows through it, hoops of stainless steel rather than painted mild steel that will bleed rust streaks down pale wood within the first month, and a bottom seated in a proper croze groove. No nails and no screws anywhere on the inside, not a single one. The handles have to be something I can grip confidently with a wet hand in hot steamy air, so a thin slippery strap is not what I need. Everything sanded smooth enough that nobody catches a splinter. And please, no stains, no impregnation and no varnish on the inside: food-grade oil or nothing at all, because I steep whisks in that water and then pour it over myself.
Two more things I want written into your reply. First, the hanging: the dousing bucket and the tub will be hung up, and they have to go on a solid bracket, because a full vessel is genuinely heavy and a light decorative hook will not hold it. If you can make the bracket as well, quote it separately. Second, tell me how to soak the piece before the first use, as I understand that without soaking the staves stay shrunk and the thing simply leaks, and I do not want to spoil it on the very first firing. I would also like to know what to do if a vessel has stood dry through a whole winter and the joints have opened up.
What I expect in your bid:
— your choice of timber with a short reason, and the wall thickness you plan;
— how the hoops are fitted and tightened, and how I tighten them myself later;
— handle shape and how it is fixed, given wet hands;
— inside finish: bare wood or food-grade oil, nothing else;
— a bracket for the dousing bucket and the tub, priced separately;
— written care notes: first soaking, storage, and reviving a dried-out vessel;
— lead time and delivery, because I need both pieces before the season starts;
— your price for the pair, so I can match it against my budget.
Other / Miscellaneous Cash, Bank transfer
