How to make a hot tub :)

makeitfit · 03-09-2019, 00:05

Around about this time last year I'd sold the Black Pearl , and was immediately reminded by her indoors of many many things I'd "promised" to do around the house

One of those things was ofcourse to get a hot tub . I think she thought the cash from the truck was to "BUY" one

So I set about making a wood fired hot tub for our enjoyment.
I managed to source an ex water board water bowser in a galvanised frame

off ebay, as you do.
I didn't think to get a proper before pic but this is the thing not long after I'd cut the top off it.

Here's the deck area prep going on. I used 8 x 2 treated joists on some DPM I had.

Decking is made from a load of extra long railway sleepers split in half. I had fun cutting the ends to match the slate

Curvy edges

Eventually it looked like this

Next I decided to build a barn

makeitfit · 03-09-2019, 00:58

Behind the tub area is the remains of the quarry my house was made out of .All slate round here so not too aweful to cut into.
I fancied a curved roof in wrinkly tin, so it would look like a dutch barn. I live in the stix so it kind of made sense

I got lucky in the builders merchants and managed to get galvanised met posts cheaper than the usual painted tosh.
Maximising space meant cutting into the slate to get a good flat base.

Then more cutting into the rock face and into a concrete hole

I got lucky again on local faceache selling site and got hold of a load of curved barn roof sheets for 80 quid

Bit by bit I juggled these bloody great sheets up to the gods until I got the bones of the roof in place. Then in the frame work I used up old sash windows and piles of bricks with holes in. They're there as insect hotels too .
Carved into the rock face again. I'm not a bricky so it took me ages

More old sash windows and some skip find glass bricks fill up the gap on the other side.
There's also a wood store there made out of more wrinkly tin

Something like what I was after and just starting to get into hot tub plumbing time .

That's water jacket log burner thingy to heat up the water. Simple convection does it's magic.
I got the burner, chimney bits, filter and pumps for 90 quid on ebay

We'd done a test firing by now and it took about 5 hours to get 1800 litres to go from tap temp to 38 degrees

Blocky10 · 03-09-2019, 06:39

Nice one Pete. You just made me late for work

macabethiel · 03-09-2019, 07:06

Nice one in a sort of Scrap Yard Challenge way - looks rustic in a sort of "Steam Punk" style.

In reality for how often they are used after the novelty has worn off it makes economic sense to build your own.

Just put our Hot Tub into Vacation Mode as wife is struggling with her new hip at the moment. We have had it 4 years - one year unused due to the house fire. This year twice!

Might even drain it down for the winter - not sure yet.

panelbeater · 03-09-2019, 08:35

great

solarman216 · 03-09-2019, 09:01

Great build Pete, not going to show the Mrs, as I aint got time or the inclination, Rick

jims-terrano · 03-09-2019, 09:04

Brilliant Pete and green credentials too, not just a beach bum are ya. I’m beginning to think the Welsh life maybe attractive, do they allow foreigners like me over the border or do I have to apply for a visa?

macabethiel · 03-09-2019, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Brilliant Pete and green credentials too, not just a beach bum are ya. I’m beginning to think the Welsh life maybe attractive, do they allow foreigners like me over the border or do I have to apply for a visa?

It's a Visa requirement post Brexit - the form has to be completed in Welsh.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/STEAMPUNK-V...30473739&psc=1

This link might be useful to get into character.

macabethiel · 03-09-2019, 09:15

https://www.beautifulhalo.com/rust-i...hoCEE4QAvD_BwE

One of these is a must - make your own of course.

makeitfit · 03-09-2019, 20:52

It didn't stop there by the way

Once I was happy the wood source worked I fancied a bit more fun from it. Soo I got an old whirlpool bath, with motor from a local tip. Scavaged the pump and jets etc off it and set about plumbing them onto my bowser.
Hole cutter action and sealant and 30m of garden hose (one of the few new parts) looks like this

In the original deal I got a sand filter and a pump. Plus then the bath pump , I put them all together at the end of the tub.

That lot worked well , then I found a whole load of brand new old stock whirlpool bath spares. Seemed a deal at 20 quid, so I plumbed them in too. Ended up with two pumps running one lot of 6 and another set of 8 jets. Both sets with air intakes for bubbles

Again all tested and once happy I used up all my old fibreglass insulation . Bunged it in plastic bags and stuffed it in around the pipes. At the same time started framing out.

Cladding is all from old pallets. Free

Lost count how many pallets but I love a freebe

The top edge I made out of old scaffold planks. Glued and biscuit joined, then blind fixed.

Much sanding to make sure the dearest deriere remained splinter free

Many many coats of varnish later and some decking LEDs ( purchased )

Made some parafin lamps out of old beer bottles, loads of tea light candles and what not , a bit of steam and we're ready to go

I've now got it down to 4 hours heat up time just with pallet wood. About 4 is enough. Next day heat up is about 1.5 hours.
The chimenerea thingy we use to burn up the big corner lumps off the pallets so it's cosy when we get out. All free, did I mention

I've got a new best mate by the way. Dog pound dog loves to keep an eye on the fires

The wife used up loads of our bamboo to make a wind break , that took loads of weaving

Bloody loves it we do . No running costs between dips, virtually none when we're in it lol
We find it makes a cracking night out in the garden and quality time together.
Next I'm adding some solar thermal pipework over the tin roof.

Shteaming

and the final proof of the pudding

terranosaurusdoug · 03-09-2019, 23:01

That is flippin awesome mate, sooo cool! I like the seal round top with lagging, great idea!

Blocky10 · 04-09-2019, 10:01

Excellent Pete.
Definitely not a wasted weekend there

Banshee · 04-09-2019, 12:21

Myself and all of my team at work think it's ACE!!!!

Fair play Petey boy!!!!

Lazy-Ferret · 04-09-2019, 21:09

This is just awesome...

The trouble is, now Suz wants me to make one when we move to Wales... I have enough jobs to do here, without her starting a list for when we move house!!!

makeitfit · 04-09-2019, 23:56

Pop round anytime. Just bring wine and a pallet 😃

03-09-2019, 00:05	#1
makeitfit Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: on the beach WEST WALES Vehicle: Maverick TDi BLACK mmm Posts: 15,136	How to make a hot tub :) Around about this time last year I'd sold the Black Pearl , and was immediately reminded by her indoors of many many things I'd "promised" to do around the house One of those things was ofcourse to get a hot tub . I think she thought the cash from the truck was to "BUY" one So I set about making a wood fired hot tub for our enjoyment. I managed to source an ex water board water bowser in a galvanised frame off ebay, as you do. I didn't think to get a proper before pic but this is the thing not long after I'd cut the top off it. Here's the deck area prep going on. I used 8 x 2 treated joists on some DPM I had. Decking is made from a load of extra long railway sleepers split in half. I had fun cutting the ends to match the slate Curvy edges Eventually it looked like this Next I decided to build a barn

03-09-2019, 07:06	#4
macabethiel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Derby Vehicle: Freelander & Jeep GC 3.0 Posts: 4,415	Nice one made me think of the Beverly Hill Billies! lol Nice one in a sort of Scrap Yard Challenge way - looks rustic in a sort of "Steam Punk" style. In reality for how often they are used after the novelty has worn off it makes economic sense to build your own. Just put our Hot Tub into Vacation Mode as wife is struggling with her new hip at the moment. We have had it 4 years - one year unused due to the house fire. This year twice! Might even drain it down for the winter - not sure yet.

03-09-2019, 09:01	#6
solarman216 Off road maniac Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bexhill on Sea Vehicle: Y60 Patrol Me, 3 ltr Mrs Posts: 17,319	Great build Pete, not going to show the Mrs, as I aint got time or the inclination, Rick __________________ Ex banger racer now off road maniac Lokka on the front with manual hubs Diff lock on rear 3 inch SS straight through exhaust Manly winch bumper with 13000 lb winch 10 spike ground anchor, with multiple straps and blocks Super strong body cills capped with scaffold pole 20% stronger springs all round aggressive off road tyres on wheels so just swap. Aim to get stuck and be completely self sufficient in extraction, love getting muddy, 2ft deep is good but rare.

03-09-2019, 09:15	#9
macabethiel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Derby Vehicle: Freelander & Jeep GC 3.0 Posts: 4,415	Outside Lamp for Winter Hot Tub Use https://www.beautifulhalo.com/rust-i...hoCEE4QAvD_BwE One of these is a must - make your own of course.

04-09-2019, 12:21	#13
Banshee Moderator Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: West Midlands Vehicle: 04 2.7 SWB Terrano II Van Posts: 13,525	Myself and all of my team at work think it's ACE!!!! Fair play Petey boy!!!! __________________ Moderator 04' Terrano II SE 2.7 TDi SWB Commercial in Silver - Project Thread Toyo Open Country M/T 33's on 10J Steels, Super Strong Steering Job Navara D22 Snorkel, Front LOKKA, Maunal Hubs, EGR Blank TunitII ECU Chip, 3" Body Lift, 2" Suss Lift, Heat Exchanger Black Interior, 3.0 Borg&Beck Clutch, Eckes Heated Fuel Filter 99' Y61 Patrol GR SE 2.8 TD6 LWB in Blue/Silver - Project Thread Engine Transplant - In Progress!!!

03-09-2019, 00:58	#2
makeitfit Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: on the beach WEST WALES Vehicle: Maverick TDi BLACK mmm Posts: 15,136	Behind the tub area is the remains of the quarry my house was made out of .All slate round here so not too aweful to cut into. I fancied a curved roof in wrinkly tin, so it would look like a dutch barn. I live in the stix so it kind of made sense I got lucky in the builders merchants and managed to get galvanised met posts cheaper than the usual painted tosh. Maximising space meant cutting into the slate to get a good flat base. Then more cutting into the rock face and into a concrete hole I got lucky again on local faceache selling site and got hold of a load of curved barn roof sheets for 80 quid Bit by bit I juggled these bloody great sheets up to the gods until I got the bones of the roof in place. Then in the frame work I used up old sash windows and piles of bricks with holes in. They're there as insect hotels too . Carved into the rock face again. I'm not a bricky so it took me ages More old sash windows and some skip find glass bricks fill up the gap on the other side. There's also a wood store there made out of more wrinkly tin Something like what I was after and just starting to get into hot tub plumbing time . That's water jacket log burner thingy to heat up the water. Simple convection does it's magic. I got the burner, chimney bits, filter and pumps for 90 quid on ebay We'd done a test firing by now and it took about 5 hours to get 1800 litres to go from tap temp to 38 degrees

03-09-2019, 06:39	#3
Blocky10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Welcome to Norwich, a fine city Vehicle: 2004 Terrano 3.0 SVE Auto Posts: 3,601	Nice one Pete. You just made me late for work

03-09-2019, 08:35	#5
panelbeater Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: clacton on sea essex Vehicle: nissan terrano 2 2.7 tdi Posts: 1,625	great

03-09-2019, 09:04	#7
jims-terrano Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 12,965	Brilliant Pete and green credentials too, not just a beach bum are ya. I’m beginning to think the Welsh life maybe attractive, do they allow foreigners like me over the border or do I have to apply for a visa?

03-09-2019, 20:52	#10
makeitfit Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: on the beach WEST WALES Vehicle: Maverick TDi BLACK mmm Posts: 15,136	It didn't stop there by the way Once I was happy the wood source worked I fancied a bit more fun from it. Soo I got an old whirlpool bath, with motor from a local tip. Scavaged the pump and jets etc off it and set about plumbing them onto my bowser. Hole cutter action and sealant and 30m of garden hose (one of the few new parts) looks like this In the original deal I got a sand filter and a pump. Plus then the bath pump , I put them all together at the end of the tub. That lot worked well , then I found a whole load of brand new old stock whirlpool bath spares. Seemed a deal at 20 quid, so I plumbed them in too. Ended up with two pumps running one lot of 6 and another set of 8 jets. Both sets with air intakes for bubbles Again all tested and once happy I used up all my old fibreglass insulation . Bunged it in plastic bags and stuffed it in around the pipes. At the same time started framing out. Cladding is all from old pallets. Free Lost count how many pallets but I love a freebe The top edge I made out of old scaffold planks. Glued and biscuit joined, then blind fixed. Much sanding to make sure the dearest deriere remained splinter free Many many coats of varnish later and some decking LEDs ( purchased ) Made some parafin lamps out of old beer bottles, loads of tea light candles and what not , a bit of steam and we're ready to go I've now got it down to 4 hours heat up time just with pallet wood. About 4 is enough. Next day heat up is about 1.5 hours. The chimenerea thingy we use to burn up the big corner lumps off the pallets so it's cosy when we get out. All free, did I mention I've got a new best mate by the way. Dog pound dog loves to keep an eye on the fires The wife used up loads of our bamboo to make a wind break , that took loads of weaving Bloody loves it we do . No running costs between dips, virtually none when we're in it lol We find it makes a cracking night out in the garden and quality time together. Next I'm adding some solar thermal pipework over the tin roof. Shteaming and the final proof of the pudding

03-09-2019, 23:01	#11
terranosaurusdoug Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Yorkshire, J33 M62 Vehicle: 2000 Terrano lwb 2.7TDI Posts: 5,500	That is flippin awesome mate, sooo cool! I like the seal round top with lagging, great idea!

04-09-2019, 10:01	#12
Blocky10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Welcome to Norwich, a fine city Vehicle: 2004 Terrano 3.0 SVE Auto Posts: 3,601	Excellent Pete. Definitely not a wasted weekend there

04-09-2019, 21:09	#14
Lazy-Ferret Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Sevenoaks, Kent Vehicle: Terrano 2.7TDi SE Touring Posts: 5,221	This is just awesome... The trouble is, now Suz wants me to make one when we move to Wales... I have enough jobs to do here, without her starting a list for when we move house!!!

04-09-2019, 23:56	#15
makeitfit Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: on the beach WEST WALES Vehicle: Maverick TDi BLACK mmm Posts: 15,136	Pop round anytime. Just bring wine and a pallet 😃