How to build your own hot tub.

[drewstar]

Amazing.

Here's an article how someone made a "hot - tub"  from a horse trough. (Compelte with pics).    His recomendation? Put it on a an apartment roof.   Impress your friends.  


http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/080204/how-to/how-to-build-yourself-a-hot-tub-for-200-000734

[East_TX_Spa]

I had some fat bald-headed goomer come in my store wanting to get a part for his spa.  I asked him which model he had and he told me it was a homemade tub.

"I bought one of those big Rubbermaid tubs, drilled some holes in it, hooked up some plumbing to a vacuum cleaner motor, and ran the water lines through a gas heater.  I wanted to add one of those Moto-Massages to it."

I sold him one and never saw him again.  What was weird was that his wife was with him and they looked like twins.

I'd give anything to have a picture of them sitting in that tub.  It'd be 10X better than the redneck hot tub pic.

Terminator

[Brewman]

For some reason, every time I read one of these home made spa threads, the song "Dueling Banjo's" gets stuck in my head for hours.
Go figure.

[East_TX_Spa]

"You sure got a purty hot tub, boy."


Terminator (Not pictured)

[drewstar]

If you ever get bored, google "Homemade hot tub'

It's quite interesting. I found lots of different tubs out there. some are of the "dueling Banjo" type., and to be fair, there are some homemade hot tubs that are built pretty decently, some are downright stunning. However, there are some that make you go "Huh?"

Most of these tubs have no safety precautions, filtering or seats, insulation, controls, etc etc etc.

These folks brag about the money saved.

Anyhow Check these folks out:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1980_March_April/Build_a_Hot_Tub_
I love the part to add "Springs of mint to the water if it starts to smell".

http://www.wcc.net/~jkmccoy/hottub/hottub.htmThis guy did a lot of work  and I think if you add his time into the equation, and elevated electrical costs, plus he needs a cover and lifter, he actually has lost money.

http://www.hotspringsenthusiast.com/35Tub.asp
McGuvier builds a $35 hot tub.  

[Brewman]

It's amazing how often this homemade thing ends up costing more in the long run.  
You're buying parts instead of a whole, which makes it appear cheaper.  

I went into home brewing beer thinking I'd save money.
Right..........  For the money I spend vs the quaility of beer I produce I suppose I may in theory same money.
I get really good quality beer for the price of the lower priced commercial stuff.  
but it can take a long time to recoup equipment costs.
Unless you call it a hobby, which by federal law says that you can overspend all you want.

[drewstar]

It's amazing how often this homemade thing ends up costing more in the long run.  
 You're buying parts instead of a whole, which makes it appear cheaper.  

 I went into home brewing beer thinking I'd save money.
Right..........  For the money I spend vs the quaility of beer I produce I suppose I may in theory same money.
 I get really good quality beer for the price of the lower priced commercial stuff.  
 but it can take a long time to recoup equipment costs.
Unless you call it a hobby, which by federal law says that you can overspend all you want.

 

Some friend bought me a home Beer making kit (A bunch of buckets and tubes)

My wife and I almost got diviorced the night we tried to make homemade beer.      

[Tatooed_Lady]

drew, is that Charles Manson in the tub??
 

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Well golly............. Maybe I should be scared, but right now, sitting in my garage, is almot everything I darn well need for makin me a hot tub to take on campin trips.


No joke.......... But I do gots me a high limit switch fer da propane heater.

[Brewman]

Propane?  A TRUE campin' hot tub would use wood for heat, or at least white gas.  

[Chas]

My cousin had an old wooden water tank. He cut it down in size, which pretty much rendered it useless for holding water, but he happened to be building a ferro-cement sailboat at the time, so he nailed in some chickenwire and slopped on a coat of cement. Held water perfectly from that point on.

He installed two thru-hull fittings and ran some copper tubing down the hill a little ways to a firebox he built out of some leftover bricks and cement block. He basically just stacked the block and brick and poured a small slab which he was able - with help -  to set on top to hold the heat in a bit as well as lock the brick/block walls in place. He had poured this slab with a hole in the center, and he stuck a vent pipe with a rain cap that was about four feet hi. It was rusty, of course, and it was mainly to keep the smoke out of the eyes of the tubbers, but it truly added to the whole 'look' of a very homemade rig. Sort of reminiscent of a stil or something.

Then he shoveled dirt around to backfill behind the firebox, and filled the tub.

First run was a total success! The hot water simply thermosyphoned to the tub. It would boil a little bit from time to time, but that seemed to increase the flow of water anyway.

He later added a door to the front of the firebox - it leaked just the right amount of air to keep the fire under control so he could load the thing once per soak and stay in for hours - which he did.

Toal cost: around $30 worth of cement and a ton of labor.

[drewstar]

I've seen ads for wood burning/heated hot tubs in the back of my handyman mags.  




Has anyone had any experience with these?   They look dangerous to me (burn yourself, uncontrolled heat). I had a wood stove, and I hated bringing in the wood, and cleaning out the ash. I'm not sure I'd like a wood heated tub. I like my 240v thank you.

[Brewman]

I'm not sure I'd want to mess with a fire to keep a hot tub warm.  Tending a fire to keep the sucker heated wouldn't be my idea of fun.  Especially in the dead of winter or the humid hot days of summer.  No Thanks.
I'm with Drewstar.  Give me my 240V spa any day.

But it is facinating to see what people can create.

[drewstar]

I'm not sure I'd want to mess with a fire to keep a hot tub warm.  Tending a fire to keep the sucker heated wouldn't be my idea of fun.  Especially in the dead of winter or the humid hot days of summer.  No Thanks.
 I'm with Drewstar.  Give me my 240V spa any day.

But it is facinating to see what people can create.

It's those damn dirty hippes.  

[Tatooed_Lady]

Yanno......the idea of feeding a fire to heat the water reminds me of the buggs bunny cartoons with the cannibals.....  :-/ I think I'll pass and keep my "someday the water'll be right to soak in" tub.