Who says you cannot enjoy a little luxury on the homestead? Over the years there have been a few times that we have added things to the homestead not because of necessity, but simply because we could. A perfect example was the easy diy terrariums and even the diy rope ottoman. Our newest ‘luxury’ item is going to be this diy wood fired hot tub, I found on youtube.
It is a relatively simple project, that will cost about $200 to $300. Usually I would recommend that you re-purpose some of the stuff around your homestead, this time I think just getting a nice brand new stock tank if you can afford it will be a better option. That is what we are going to do, yeap we are actually going to splurge a little for this project. Hey you only live once, right? LOL
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Here’s What You’ll Need:
- galvanized stock tank
- gravel
- shovel
- level
- quick fix concrete
- scrap styrofoam forms
- wheel barrow
- sand
- 1/2″ copper tubing
- 5 gallon plastic bucket
- 1″ steel bars
- hand drill
- steel bolts & nuts
- hole saw
- tank fittings
- silicone
- push to connect fitting
- jig saw
- redwood planks (optional)
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1.
Dig a shallow hole same width and length as your stock tank.
Step 2.
Pack gravel on the bottom of the hole.
Step 3.
Mix your concrete and pour into the forms and leave
the concrete to cure for at least 24 hours.
Step 4.
Fill in the rest of the hole and around the concrete slabs
with gravel and sand goes on top of your gravel layer.
Step 5.
Use the copper tubing to make your heating coil by wrapping
it around the 5 gallon plastic bucket. The ideal coil height
is roughly 18 inches from top to bottom.
Step 6.
The braces for the coil are made from the steel bars, which
should have a holes drilled in them to fasten the bolts in.
Step 7.
Place one bar on the outside and the other inside and bolt
them so they are secured around your copper coil.
Step 8.
Drill 1 3/8″ holes one on the bottom and the other about
18″ higher on one side of your stock tank using a hole saw.
Step 9.
Thread the tank fittings through the holes you made above
and make sure they are sealed by using silicone.
Step 10.
Screw in the compressing fittings that will help you attach
the copper tubing to the tank and fit in the ends of the tubing.
Step 11.
Pound your steel bars into the ground and add yet another
set on the opposite side.
Step 12.
Fill the tub with water and light up a test fire within
the tubing to make sure the hot water is rising in the tube.
In order to prevent heat loss, you can build a lid for the tub using some redwood. Just measure the size of the tub, screw some redwood together using your measurements. To make it even cooler, he goes on to trace the curve of the tub onto the lids and uses a jigsaw to cut those out.
How To Use? Light up some firewood in and around the copper tubing and allow the fire to burn for at least 1 to 2 hours or until desired temperature is reached. Remove some of the firewood, to slow down the heating and mix the water in the tub with a stick, before jumping in to enjoy your hot tub.
**Be careful when using one of these, the water can over heat and could cause burns.
For step by step instructions watch the video below on how to make a wood fired hot tub…
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