The bucket was lifted complete. A conservation treatment had to be found
that could be used with both waterlogged
wood and iron — two very different materials — as it was not
possible to dismantle the bucket without causing damage. The usual p.e.g.
treatment for wood could not be used because iron and wax react together.
A solvent-based resin impregnation system, known as acetone-rosin
treatment, was selected which would consolidate the degraded wood
without damaging the iron.
The process was complicated and for reasons of safety a special tank had to be built to contain the flammable solvent (acetone) and the resin (colophony). The process took several months and was carried out in a spark-proof fume cupboard. The conservators working on the project had to wear special protective equipment. The result was good initially and the object was fit for study by a specialist wood researcher.
This study showed that the bucket was made of nine oak uprights, called staves, which were bound together by three iron bands. A handle was fixed through holes pierced in two longer staves whose rounded ends extended beyond the rim. These holes had been reinforced with iron plates to take the weight from a chain which was attached to the handle using a swivelling mechanism.
click on the drawing for an enlarged version.
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