Viking_Bucket.pdf

Viking Buckets for the Real Viking Project

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Viking Age Bucket (Work in Progress)

November 2002 - October 2004

by Danr Bjornsson

Table of Contents

Summary *

Historical Documentation *

Bucket Basics *

Period Examples *

Finishing *

Materials And Tools *

Method Of Construction *

Design Decisions *

Cutting Staves For A Straight, Non-Tapered Bucket *

Cutting Staves For A Tapered Bucket *

Test-Fitting The Staves *

Making And Installing The Hoops *

Making And Installing The Handle *

Bibliography *

SUMMARY

Buckets were a necessary tool in the Viking Age. The need to carry liquids and dry goods is constant, particularly in an encampment or on a farm.

The basic form of the bucket has changed little over the centuries since the Viking Age; only the materials have changed. Buckets were commonly

created from wood, requiring similar (but less advanced) skills as making barrels. Their shape, sometimes wider at the bottom and sometimes wider

at the top, varied according to their intended use. The exact materials, particularly for the hoops and handles, also varied according to the wealth of

the owner and intended use of the bucket.

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I created this bucket as a prototype, using scrap wood left over from another project. In the fall of 2002, a friend of mine needed an article describing

how to make Norse buckets, as part of a collection of instructions to help participants prepare for a 4-day experiment, the Real Viking Project. I wrote

the article and built the bucket concurrently, figuring out the best way to accomplish each step, putting that step into practice, and writing what I

learned as I went. The resulting document is very long due to the need for clarity and complexity of the project.

I was not able to finish the bucket when I made it two years ago because, at the time, my metalworking skills were inadequate to make the hoops and

handle. In the past two years, I have done several projects in sheet metal and a small amount of rudimentary ironworking. I now have the skills I need

to finish this bucket, and have installed the hoops. I intend to make a brass handle for it, but for now have a rope handle until I have time to make a

brass one.

I learned a lot making this bucket. Until I made it, I had only theories about the process and possible pitfalls along the way. Now that I have acquired

the skills needed to finish it, I look forward to finishing it and making more buckets as the need arises.

Historical Documentation

Bucket Basics

Buckets are similar in form to barrels, though simpler. The skill of making buckets and barrels, known as coopering, requires great skill and

experience. The principles presented here might assist, but are not intended to teach, the more complex task of making barrels. The term "white

coopering" is applied to making buckets and tubs, and requires much less skill than barrels ("wet coopering" or "dry coopering", depending on

whether the barrel holds liquid).

Buckets are simple, with several parts. Shown to the right are a reconstructed bucket and washtub

from the Viking Age Farm at Fyrkat fortress in Denmark, and show all the typical features. The

side of the bucket is made up of boards called staves. The bottom of the bucket is a flat piece of

wood that fits into grooves in the staves. Sometimes, two staves are longer and are used to attach a

handle. The staves are held together by two or more hoops of iron or wood, holding the staves in

place with tension

photo by Isabel Ulfsdottir

on the hoop which compresses the edges of the staves together. Sometimes the staves are shaved so the bucket is round, and sometimes they

remain faceted.

Period Examples

Morris' book, Wood and Woodworking in Anglo-Scandinavian and Medieval York , describes the excavation, preservation, and classification of

thousands of wood artifacts from the Viking and Medieval period, found at the Coppergate site in York. A majority of these artifacts were tools,

waste, and products of woodworking, including many examples of buckets from Viking Age York and the surrounding countryside. They appear in a

wide range of sizes, and varying degrees of skill and decoration went into their construction. They were made from oak, yew, willow, fir, and had

chamfered (angled) edges to give a tight seal between staves (Morris 2228). Some buckets had staves of varying width, and the number of staves in a

bucket varied from six to nineteen (ibid).

Metal hoops were made by riveting strips of metal into hoops, heating them, and placing them on the bucket, so that when the metal cooled it would

shrink to tightly bind the staves. A few iron hoops were nailed in place. Records show that the iron-bound buckets cost twice as much as wood-bound

buckets (Morris 2230), and were mostly used in well buckets, possibly for greater weight to sink and more easily scoop up water. Wooden hoops,

which appeared to be more common, were made from thin strips of wood and nailed or pegged in place.

Handles were made from rope, wood, or metal. Often, the holes in the bucket through which the handles attached were reinforced with metal,

particularly when the handle was made of metal.

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The best surviving specimens were found in wells, due to the water preserving the wood. Well buckets tended

to be smaller at the bottom than the top so that, when lowered into the water, they would tip easily and fill

with water. This shape is the most common type of bucket found (Morris 2228), closely followed by buckets

with parallel sides. This bucket shape has carried through into use today. The bucket shown to the right is

made of yew wood with five brass hoops. The bottom consists of two pieces of wood, with 17 staves shaved

so the bucket is round inside and out. The hoop on the rim also has the handle mountings integrated in it. The

handle is brass, slightly flattened in the center and flanked by two simple animal heads. It was found inside

another bucket, inside a barrel buried in the prow of the Oseberg ship. This bucket, finely constructed with

brass fittings, is certainly the product of a skilled craftsman, and worthy of being buried with the queen. This

bucket is believed to have been imported from England.

Roesdahl #159

Buckets used for carrying liquids or dry goods, on the other hand, show varying aspect ratios. Morris shows

many bucket staves, some from buckets that were larger at the bottom. My theory is that some buckets were

larger on the bottom because this shape makes them less likely to turn over, or to splash their contents when

carried. The bucket shown to the right is typical of this type. It is made of 10 staves of pine and is widest at

the bottom. The hoops, mostly gone now, were of beech and held in place by iron nails still visible along the

upper left side. The bottom is one piece, caulked with resin. The handle is twisted iron with a wider plate at

the center, attached to the bucket with simple bent iron loops nailed in

Roesdahl #160

place. It has a runic inscription "asikrir", which translates to "Sigrid owns [this bucket]." This bucket of simper materials and construction is more

likely to be typical of the "everyday" bucket used by Norse people in the Viking Age.

Finishing

Finishing the bucket would require smoothing the surface sufficiently that it would not cause splinters, and sealing the wood to resist the materials

being carried and the weather. A bucket is a tool, so decoration would most often be minimal.

Period abrasives include many different materials and techniques. For buckets, the likely method would be planing. I saw many wood planes in the

Danish National Museum, whose form was not substantially different from the modern plane in my workshop. Planing would be followed by sand

and cloth, or by scraping with the edge of a sharp knife or a tool called a scraper, which is similar in form to a blade held edge-wise. If the cooper

wanted a bucket with smooth round sides, he could use a plane, spokeshave, or drawknife on the outside of the staves and a barrel-shave (a

drawknife-like tool with a convex-curved cutting edge) to round the inside of the staves. Careful use of the plane and the barrel-shave would produce

a smooth surface that would not require further finishing.

The bucket could be caulked with resin if it had to hold hot liquids, such as a washtub, or beeswax if it only carried cold liquids or dry goods. A good

cooper could produce a barrel or bucket that was watertight without the need for caulking. The outside wood could also be sealed with an oil or wax

finish to prevent moisture damage.

Materials and Tools

I made this bucket from scrap pine, which has holes drilled in it from the previous project, because it was a prototype. Any wood that you have is

appropriate for making a bucket, though poplar is the best compromise of weight and strength and is readily available in period and today. If you buy

the wood fresh from the lumber yard, you should let it dry, so that if it warps you can incorporate the warp into the bucket's shape. You will also need

scrap wood to make the various jigs you will need. All the bucket parts can be made with 3/4" thick stock, i.e. 1x4, 1x6, or whatever width you like. If

you were making the exact bucket described here, 1x4s are ideal if you don't mind wasting some wood. Wider boards will be less wasteful and will

require fewer pieces for the bottom.

Tools consist of a saw (bandsaw, table saw, or hand saw), block plane, chisels, hand files, a router (optional if you have a table saw), and sand paper

or scraper if you want a really smooth finish.

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Method of Construction

Design Decisions

First, you must decide whether to make a bucket that tapers, how many staves to use, and the height and circumference of the bucket. The amount of

taper will determine what jigs you will need. Finally, you must decide on a material and method for making the hoops and handle. A non-tapered

bucket would challenge a novice woodworker, while a tapered bucket proved to be a challenge for an intermediate woodworker such as myself. The

entire project takes 1-2 hours of planning and 3-5 hours for the woodworking, depending on your skill, tools, and level of care. I estimate the hoops

and handle will take another 3 hours.

If you are using a hand saw, you will need a lot of guide sticks (straight sticks clamped on each side of the saw's path to ensure a straight cut) because

a mitre box is not suitable for ripping. A table saw or band saw replaces the guide sticks with a table and angle guides. You will also need to get or

make a taper jig if you want a bucket that tapers along its length. A taper jig is simply a long, thin wedge of wood cut at a particular angle. I will

discuss making the taper jig later.

The method shown here will make a bucket or tub from staves that are identical in width, with two longer ones that will attach the handle. For this

bucket, I chose sizes arbitrarily based on the wood I had and the approximate size bucket I wanted. This method avoids most of the mathematics and

is probably the way things were done in period, given the varying sizes of buckets that have been found. I will, however, show a mathematical

shortcut to determining one critical angle, which may or may not have been done in period. Then, if you want a wash tub or bucket of a different size,

you can use the method shown to derive your own measurements.

First, I decided the bucket would be about 12 inches high. Such a bucket will hold a respectable amount and has pleasing proportions. I also decided

that the bucket would have 10 staves. The number of staves should be an even number so that the handle will balance. More staves give more of a

circular appearance but make assembly more difficult. I chose a circumference that can easily be divided by the number of staves so it is easy to

calculate the width of each stave; I chose 40 inches. That results in a bucket about 13 inches in diameter (40 / 3.14 = 12.7), resulting in a pleasing

proportion.

Before I talk about cutting the wood, I will review some general principles of woodworking. First, check all measurements, guides, jigs, and the

direction you will cut at least twice before cutting. Second, keep in mind the width of the cut (kerf) the saw will make in the wood when measuring.

Finally, once you set up a certain cut, make all cuts that require that setup. For example, once you set the blade at a particular angle, make all cuts

that require that angle. Taking care with these principles helps ensure consistent results of which you can be proud.

First, cut the staves. If you want a tapered bucket, study but do not execute the next section on non-tapered buckets. If you want a bucket that does

not taper, execute to the next section then skip the section after that on tapered buckets.

Cutting Staves for a Straight, Non-Tapered Bucket

Cut 10 staves that are 4 inches wide. Eight staves will be 12 inches long, and two will be 14 inches long, the extra two inches being for the addition

of a handle.

Next, you must bevel cut the chamfer (bevel) edges of the staves. In period, the cooper may have found the angles with a diagram or by using his

eyes and experience to achieve a tight fit. We will take a shortcut to make up for our limited experience. A bucket is a circle, 360 degrees. Geometry

tells us that for any number of sides greater than 3, the angles for a polygon add up to 360 degrees (a square box has 4x90-degree angles). Since each

angle on our bucket is the meeting of two staves, the chamfer angle on each stave is half the join angle (with the box, each 90-degree angle is where

two boards with 45-degree chamfers meet). Therefore, the chamfer angle for 10 staves is 360 degrees / 10 staves / 2 sides = 18 degrees per stave

side. This same formula works for any number of staves greater than 3.

Set this 18-degree angle on the table or band saw, set the fence 4 inches away from where the blade comes

out, and run the stave through the saw against the fence. Using the fence this way ensures consistent angles

and widths for all the staves. The drawing to the right shows the setup for a

table saw. With a band saw it is the table that tilts rather than the blade, but the principle is similar. Pay particular attention when cutting the angle

on the other edge of the stave, to ensure that both angles cut into the same side, and that you keep the chamfered edge against the fence. When you

have chamfered all the staves, skip the next section and go to the Test-Fitting section.

Cutting Staves for a Tapered Bucket

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The tapered bucket is made using the same

principle as the non-tapered bucket above, but

is more complex because the staves have no

only chamfer angles as above but also a taper

angle along their length.

To make a tapered bucket, the staves must be

tapered, and your will waste less wood if you

cut the angles and the tapers at once.

all drawings by the author

Set the 18-degree angle on your table saw or band saw (study the section on straight buckets for discussion of the chamfer angles). The top picture

shows a simple taper jig cut from a board, being used on a table saw. The taper jig is cut at an angle, with a protrusion on the back to ensure

consistent placement of each stave and to push the stave into the saw. I recommend a very small angle on the taper -- three degrees per side gives a

pleasing shape. Cutting each stave from a single narrow board wastes more wood, but is easier to measure and cut, and allows you to plan the

direction the wood will warp if the wood is not fully cured.

This drawing shows how to get multiple staves out of a wider

board with less waste. If you put an already-tapered side against

the fence, no not forget to put the cut piece of wood back on, to

restore its square shape, before placing it into the jig. Otherwise

the angle will be wrong. Careful checking before each cut is

crucial

to getting equally-sized staves that taper in the correct direction, equally tapered on both sides, and with the chamfers also going the correct direction.

Do not use this method unless the wood is fully cured, or your staves will warp unevenly (some warping in and some out).

Drill small holes in the top of the two longer staves, centered and 1 inch down from the top, for later attachment of the handle. The holes should be

the sized to fit your handle (or 1/32 nd inch larger for a rope handle).

Test-Fitting the Staves

Assemble the staves together temporarily with tape, ensuring the longer ones are on opposite sides to balance the handle. Then, use a rope clamp or

adjustable cargo strap to tighten the staves against each other. If you measured carefully when cutting, the ends should meet evenly and the joins

should be tight, forming a circular shape. If your bucket tapers, carefully measure the angle at which it tapers, measuring between the flat of one of

the staves and the vertical. This angle will be used later, and is referred to below as the "bucket taper angle." Set this stave assembly, still in the

shape of the finished bucket, aside for the moment.

Measure the approximate diameter of the outside of the bucket and get a wide board of approximately that length and width. If you do not have one

wide board, you can glue the boards together. Peg them with dowels, or make spline joints (long thin strips of wood, grain turned sideways to the

boards being joined, glued into thin cuts made in the edge of the boards so as to be hidden when joined). However you join the boards, the method

should not be visible when the bucket is assembled. Join, glue and clamp them so that they will dry into one strong wide board. For a bucket of the

size described here, you can use a 1x12 so that the bottom will be one piece.

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