Archival Film: Alex Stewart: Cooper (Maker of Handmade Wooden Staved Vessels)

This is a short documentary film by Thomas Burton and Jack Schrader on ancestral carpentry skills and the art of cooperage (wooden barrel making).

Alex Stewart: Cooper (1976) - http://www.folkstreams.net/film,224

Alex Stewart, mountain craftsman from near Sneedville, Tennessee, demonstrates constructing a churn. Film includes discussion of the use of non-powered tools and skills handed down in Stewart's family in making wooden containers, such as buckets and barrels.
This film is part of a series of films about mountains craftspersons made by Thomas Burton and Jack Schrader.

Cooper (profession) Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_(profession)

Please consider supporting Folkstreams

Great video, brought back memories of the Foxfire series of books.
I happened to acquire a full set of coopering tools with some blacksmithing items at a farm auction. Someday I'll have more time to play.
My only coopering so far has been replacing staves in an oval redwood hot tub and repairing staves in a round wooden trough that was fed by a windmill pump, both a bit more forgiving than a keg or butter churn I would think.