My woodwork teacher when I was in secondary school in the 1960's,was an ex cooper who had gone into teaching after WW2. In 7 years of teaching me woodwork,I acquired a lifelong love of woodwork and associated skills,so much so that on leaving school,I went to teacher training college to become a woodwork teacher,something I did as a career for 35 years. Even today well into my 70's,I still have a big workshop at home where I spend many a fruitful hour making things. I never forget it was Frank Stratton in that Swanage school,together with learning his skills,who set me on the path I have followed since the 60's.
I am also immensely proud that my youngest daughter has a passion for all things practical-something rubbed off from Dad,because she is now a gas turbine engineer working with Rolls Royce! A world apart perhaps,but the spirit lives on!

I would like to give thanks the film photographer for having the patience to place this in the realms of history.

My grandfather was a cooper in England before & after he served 4 years in WW1. It always amazed me how one could hand make a barrel that was water tight without ant kind of sealant, I really enjoyed this video. Thanks!

That is absolutely infreckingcredible.That man must have loved his trade. No schematics. No real measurements. Just some wood, a few cordless hand tools, and some rings. And it came out perfect. As I'm sure, they all did. He must have been very skilled. He still has all his fingers and I didn't see any black and blue finger nails. I wonder how many hours it took to make a barrel and how much they got for it when they sold it.

He has all his fingers so he must be a master.

Those craftsmen are called "Küfer". A dying out profession one may think in times of barrels made of plastik and stainless steel. But wooden barrels are still needed for building good wines or sherrys with oak aroma and whiskeys after the barrels wine-life. When I was a kid there was a Küfer in our street in Heidelberg. His whole yard was full with new barrels and used dark ones to be refurbished. I still can smell the unique fragrance of fresh wood and wine coming from them. A memory I would not want to miss.

For anyone who hasn't worked a piece of white oak, let me tell you it is seriously tough wood.  Imagine hewing this stave out of a Hem-Fir 2x8 you got a Home Depot, and multiply the force of each blow times ten.  That's a fair approximation how hard this cooper is chopping on that work-piece.

My Great Great Grandfather was a Cooper up in Fife, Scotland in the mid 1800's. Making barrels for the local Beer, Whiskey and Fish trades. This video brought it all to life for me.

This dude was so in shape he is still alive today at 157 years old. Still working.

8:33 - мальчик не только не сидит без телефона в руках, но он внимательно учится у взрослого мужчины. Золотые времена!

This is fascinating I had no idea how complex barrel making was. I watched this because my last name is Cooper! Im assuming my ancestors were barrel makers.

Wow!  Not only sturdy & functional, but also 'pretty' - planed & scraped smooth and some sort of 'finish' applied.  Outstanding craftsmanship!  Thanks for posting.

Practical and complete grasp of geometry, measurements, dimensions, properties of wood and how to shape it, knowing how to use heat and moisture, cutting tools mastery, you name it. If civilization collapsed, how many college graduates could figure out how to do what that man accomplished with no computer, no reference books, no boss telling him what to do -- just the teaching he absorbed as an apprentice, his own experience, his brains, and his common sense. I'm totally impressed.

Thank you. I had been at work for three years by 1962. It's amazing to think that "modernisation" and "technology" have changed our existence so much in so short a time.

This made me realize I never worked a day in my life!

As a 4th generation janitor ,i respect and revere my fellow artist.

This is when people were useful and needed.  It took someone who knew what they were doing, then able to do it.

Best yesteryear posting I have watched

Love these videos. Thank you for posting.

now thats a barrel..