Hi Everyone,
I’m trying to make masu boxes. I had a question about what kind of glue to use and what kind of finish to put on. But, before I launch into that – a little explanation on just what the heck a masu box is.
A Masu box is a drinking vessel for sake or japanese rice spirit. It’s square, holds about 180 ml of sake, has finger joints and has no cover. It’s not usually used these days because it’s difficult to drink out of without spilling all over yourself, and most people prefer to use a glass.
That being said I was wondering what kind of glue I should use that would hold up to alcohol immersion and be food safe.
As I mentioned I was also wondering about a finish. The sake of old was brewed in japanese cedar tanks that imparted the wood flavor to the sake. These days the sake is brewed in ceramic lined tanks, and the brewers can add subtle flavors and effects that the older sakes could not have due to the wood. I was first going to use no finish but that seems foolish because the taste of the wood (whatever I used) would carry into the sake. I was then thinking of using a varnish or lacquer but I haven’t found anything that would hold up to an almost constant immersion in 80-100 proof alchohol and still be considered food safe.
Can anyone recommend a finish that fits these two categories of being impervious to alcohol and being foodsafe?
Thanks much,
Mike
Replies
From what I can tell a masu box was normally made of cypress and used no glue (traditionally). Maybe you could go for really tight finger joints and not need glue. Since the box was cypress it should hold up the the alcohol. The Japanese were also masters of laquer, so you might want to do some research in that area.
Slacker Extraordinaire
Specializing in nothing but knowledge in everything.
Thanks for the reply - I'll check into that! I also might consider just making the masu out of cedar for new years when the sake (called taru-zake) is brewed in cedar cask. That might just make things a whole bunch easier!
Cypress or yellow cedar will work. Traditionally, no glue is used. You might try drying the wood in either the oven or a microwave before you cut your joints. As the wood returns to the relative humidity of your area the joints should swell slightly and provide all the seal you need.
Regards,
Ron
Thanks for the tip on the wood and humidity - I'll give it a try!
Mike
Ron,
Your trick won't work with box joints where the grain on both pieces runs in the same direction. If both pieces of wood making up the joint are equally dry when the joint is cut, then the openings and the fingers fitting in them will both expand equally and the fit won't change.
Mike,
A well fitted box should be almost leak proof and given the spillage when drinking and the fact that, by tradition, some people fill the box to overflowing when serving, a few drops leaking through the seams won't matter.
The slight flavor added to the sake by the cedar in the box is part of the experience, trying to finish the box is subverting the main reason for using a wood box in the first place. If you don't want the flavor,you would be better off using a ceramic or glass container.
After fitting the finger joints, you can drill through the fingers from the ends and drive in a small bamboo pin to lock the joint together. You don't have to drill through all the fingers, just drilling through two or three fingers from the top and bottom edges would be adequate. You can find small bamboo cooking skewers that are a good source for the pins. I don't know if pinning the joints is done on masu boxes but the technique is used in other Japanese woodworking.
John W.
Edited 9/19/2005 12:05 pm ET by JohnWW
Edited 9/19/2005 12:16 pm ET by JohnWW
What are the dimensions of a masu box? Any specific kind of cedar? I have some friends who, until 3 weeks ago, lived in Waveland MS. They got out to her parents in Florida. The lived and worked in Japan for a time and used to treat me to warm sake when I visited. Not much I can do but a couple of boxes and a bottle of sake couldn't hurt.Bobby
First the important instuctions;)...O.K. , O.K., I drank some first;)
How to Drink Sake
Though it may seem obvious how to drink sake---you just put it in your mouth and swallow---many people are perplexed when confronted with a masu, a square drinking vessel, especially when it has been filled to overflowing. How does one deal with this problem? First slurp a little sake from one corner. Forget Western admonitions about making noises while drinking; it's accepted in Japanese culture. Then you can carefully lift the masu and drink from a corner. When there is room you can pour the sake that has overflowed into the dish below back into the masu.
Your host fills the masu to the top to show that you are getting a full measure of sake and overflows it as a gesture of hospitality and generosity. Cold sakes are served in masus partly out of tradition but also so that you can more fully appreciate the color and aroma of the excellent drink. Heating fine sakes would destroy their delicate flavors. In summer a cold drink of sake is especially welcome.
View Image
Masu square cedar sake cup is made in Japan in the traditional manner without nails or fasteners. The aromatic cedar of this cup is smooth and will add a subtle undertone when used with your favorite sake. It measures 2"H x 3 1/2" SQ.
Edited 9/19/2005 6:55 pm ET by rich1107
Ah... if the tradition is to fill the masu to overflowing, then a little leakage in the joints won't be noticed.
Back when I was drinking, and had an occasional quart or two of Ole Loudmouth, I might spill quite a bit as the evening wore on- I was partaking in the grand Japanese tradition and didn't even know it-
Good point, John! Some days I'm a bit thicker than normal...I should have thought of that before I fired off my response.FWIW, I'm looking at a wooden sake box I received at a ceremony the last time I was in Japan. The finger joints are nice and tight, and the bottom is glued on, but only along the long-grain sides of the bottom.Regards,Ron
John,
You have a great point about the seams dripping a little. Yesterday I saw a masu being used during a restaurant opening ceremony. they simply pop the lid off the sake barrel and dip into it directly filling the masu up all the way and passing it around for all to drink. After the salutations, toast, thank yous and other stuffs people start toasting and drinking and no one really even sees if the masu is actually holding much sake - there's sake dripping everywhere in fact. add that to the sheer volume of alcohol being consumed and the joints are the last thing anyone seems to care about. After people indulge for everyone's benefit the ceramic cups are brought out and the toast begin again...
I got to examine one of the masu that a rather exuberant gentleman had tossed away in favor of a ceramic cup. the joints had no glue and the bottom appeared to be glued on with something translucent - perhaps rice glue?
I spoke to one of the workmen from the kura(brewery) but he wasn't able to give me much detailed info on the masu (he had heavily indulged)- more like a general guideline. cut the boards, mark the joints, cut the joints tight, pound to fit, plane the proud fingers, glue on the bottom, burn in the kura's name or the name of the sake. in fact he seemed to think it was kind of funny that I wanted to make my own masu - he just suggested that I buy a hundred from the kura and not worry about making my own......
thanks for your suggestions!
Mike
another reason these have fallen out of favor in restaurants is that ladies lipstick is a bugger to remove.
Ah so , what an interesting and informative thread-one should never be underwhelmed by what can come up on this forum!
Just a thought- if slight leakage at the finger joints is an issue, I'm sure that in this case it would not be heretical to make them slightly proud and then to peen them (bash them with a hammer).
Get cracking and let us know....
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