Hot Tub adventure (Wood tub)

[Steve]

It's still just a barrel.

WTF does that mean besides NOTHING?  :-? If you can't appreciate the beauty of the product and only see a hot tub as just a standard piece of acrylic with 50 holes in it, then that's unfortunate for you.

Remember what your Mommy said about not having anything nice to say...  

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

I love the looks of wood and if I had the right house/cabin I would have one sitting right next to our Barrel sauna, what a pair that would be! Good old fashioned therapy. You could always get one of those fancy showers to get jet therapy if needed.

Enjoy your hot tub,make sure to post pics when done!

[cedar tub]

I just got out from the first soak about 5min ago.  I think it may be too hot...the control panel says 103 (I set it for 102) but a floating digital thermometer says 109  I still need to get the pH up some as well as CH.  I also still need to build the surround.  

Hillbilly Hot Tub, those cedar showers are pretty nice.  I actually thought about getting one from Callaway Woodworks for our mountain house.  I was thinking about a walk-in shower done in tile or something water proof with the cedar shower inserted into that.  The idea would be for the cedar to be the only visible part.  

BTW, I smell like cedar.  I guess it's the tannins leaching ointo the water.  I won't have to worry about moths for a while

[cedar tub]

WTF does that mean besides NOTHING?  :-? If you can't appreciate the beauty of the product and only see a hot tub as just a standard piece of acrylic with 50 holes in it, then that's unfortunate for you.

Remember what your Mommy said about not having anything nice to say...  

Well said Steve.  Acrylic tubs are great and are loaded with cool features.  I think every post that guy made was negative.

Dr Spa, I also appreciate your input on grades of wood.  BTW, the retail operation at rhtubs.com has been great.  I bought a few things and the service and followup was 1st rate.

[Chas]

I just got out from the first soak about 5min ago.  I think it may be too hot...the control panel says 103 (I set it for 102) but a floating digital thermometer says 109  

Where is the temperature sensor located? It could be that the sensor is not close enough to the tub - or that the tub sits and the cool water goes to the bottom. If the unit is pulling in cooler water (until the tub gets stirred up a bit) then it may be trying to heat that cooler water up to your set point. You may want to increase the number of filter cycles, and simply set the tub lower. It really doesn't matter what the number on the display says as long as the tub is at the temp you like.

 8-)

[cedar tub]

My sensor is a thermoprobe which inserts into a thermowell.  That is located just below the bottom of the seating, so it is lower in the tub.  I'm going to pick up a different floating thermometer today and compare to the other floating thermometer and the probe.  

We have a Jacuzzi jetted tub in our master bath and I got into it about a week ago at 106 and that definitely felt hotter than the hot tub.  So maybe the hot tub readout is more accurate than the floating thermometer.

[Chas]

Generally speaking, floating thermometers make money for pool/spa dealers twice. Once when they sell them and once when they charge for a service call for a 'malfunctioning' tub... which is why I don't sell them. You said it was a digital floating thermo, so I gave it a pass, but floating thermometers in general are not very dependable. The worst ones are the type with a glass tube fastened to a printed card. The glass comes loose, slides up or down the scale, and then I get the call.

I'm impressed that the temp sensor is in the tub as yours is - that is the best way to do things, especially on a large-volume tub like a wood tub. If it is off in the equipment you can have a lot of problems unless you have a constant circulation pump.

I would trust the digital equipment - and of course - judge by testing first with your hand, then gauge by comfort in the tub. I have sold tubs for a long time now, and I have had many people tell me they like the tub at 105 or more. Gotta have it. We set up their new spa and talk to them later and they find that a tub at an honest 102 is all they need or want. Some will report 104 does more to relax muscles if they are pushing it real hard in some physical activity -  but they will also admit that with the temp that high they can't sit in the tub for more than 5 - 10 minutes.

 8-)

[hottubdan]

Actually, I could make one of those too......

Ah, but what is the value of your time?  If you make things as a hobby and enjoy it, go for it.  If you are making them to save money and you don't factor in your time, you are fooling yourself.

[cedar tub]

Thanks Chas,
Yes, it does really have a thermowell.  So far, I'm very impressed with the thought that went into this tub.  I don't think I mentioned earlier that once it heated up, the leaks sealed.  The floating thermometer in question was digital, but again, I don't know if it is accurate.

[cedar tub]

Well, I can now report that I'm no plumber  I had a few drips where the spa flex hose connections were made.  This tub has a 4hp 2spd pump and during a soak with the jets on high, one of those leaks got bigger.  So I drained the tub last night and made the repairs today.  It was barely 50F all day long around here, so it wasn't easy.  It will be 30 tonight here in Georgia, but it won't be ready for soaking.  I had planned to empty the tub next weekend because the tannins had turned to water into tea.  I'm going to keep the temp on low for a day or two until I know that all my plumbing connections are solid.  Then I'll crank it back up to 102.

[gwstudios]

I'm sorry about the seemingly negative comments. I guess I'll never understand.

Well said Steve.  Acrylic tubs are great and are loaded with cool features.  I think every post that guy made was negative.

Dr Spa, I also appreciate your input on grades of wood.  BTW, the retail operation at rhtubs.com has been great.  I bought a few things and the service and followup was 1st rate.

[Chas]

Wrapped it all up today - I filled it last week and then the customer went away on vacation for a week. I went up to his house and filled it back up every day as it soaked and swelled up. It is right up the street from my house, so I didn't mind going up and enjoying the view every day for him.

When he got home, it was full and he heated it. That helped the last of the leaks stop.

He balanced the water, and jumped in with a plastic milk crate and some wood slats to find out how high he wanted me to set the seats. Then he drained it and I got there this afternoon to sand the top, rout the edges, vac it all out, and install the benches.

I left the water running - he'll be home later and said that was fine - so we're all done!

He paid the bill last week before he went on vacation, and gave us a bunch of avocados as a tip. Very nice.




Once I got a couple inches over the suction fittings, I fired up the pump. Both jets jumped to life, so we're all set. He wanted just the two jets - with a one HP pump, they do fine.
 8-)

[gwstudios]

It came out very nice, excellent work. It's looks a lot nicer than it did right out of the crates, which may be why I had such a hard time swallowing the cost of a wooden tub.

[Chas]

Well, the quality of the wood was amazing! I sold the tub itself for $3995 - add freight, the install, a couple of change orders for various things, reused his benches and cover - total deal was less than five grand. He said he wished he had used me to do the tub at his beach house.  



 8-)

[cedar tub]

Very nice Chas!  My wife and I used ours for 30mins tonight.  I took a couple of night shots:

This is with all the jets off looking down into the tub with just the LED lights on.  I used my Nikon D50 in auto mode and they came out pretty good.



This photo is looking straight up through the pergola at the sky: