We are looking for tried and tested ideas for an outdoor, old style, steel/porcelain bath, heated from underneath with wood. We are wanting ideas on how deep was your fire pit. compared to the bottom of the bath? All suggestions welcomed. Have utubed but your own tips and advise would be more than appreciated here in little ole NZ! Cheers!
bill1451,
Jul 3, 8:42am
Had one for a while, cast iron, needed some sort of false bottom in it, because while it heated the water fine, it just about burnt your bum on the cast iron.
reggienz,
Jul 3, 7:42pm
I had one out in the bush. Put rocks under bat so it was about a foot above ground then lit fire under it. Best you make a false bottom out of lathes to sit on though.
daryl14,
Jul 3, 9:21pm
The fire doesnt have to go under the bath. If you do some research you should be able to make a simple wetback system, perhaps with a flow control valve, that automatically maintains a flow through the pipes over a fire.
bill1451,
Jul 4, 1:56am
Google, homemade hot tub, heaps of pics there, as #4 said a copper coil with a fire in the middle, basic, uses thermosyphon principle. Also google "kiwi hot tub" they can supply the whole lot for 6g or just the burner for 3g. But we are all kiwis and with a bit of thought and experimenting, Hey even one of the old chippies second hand with a coil in it, connected to one of thse plastic rain water tanks cut in half, or one of those 1000L caged tanks with minimal plumbing, REMEMBER google is your friend.
Built this out of local stone a few years back , ply bottom with holes drilled in it so you don't burn your arse .
golfaholic2,
Jul 4, 5:38am
Before I bought the spa , we had a large outside bath , we ran a hose off the laundry tap for hot , and cold from the garden hose .
lemming2,
Jul 4, 5:43am
Used one on the Banks Peninsula walk at the second house. It had a simple plank in the bath to sit on to prevent blisters; the firepit was about a foot deep I think from memory; and basically we lit the fire, heated the water, let the fire die down to hot coals, added enough cold to make the water comfortable, and gently restoked the fire only as necessary. It got shared by several of us, taking turns in pairs. Lots of fun!
bill1451,
Jul 4, 6:48am
Hey lemming you forgot the glasses of wine/beer in the bath after which you crawled into bed, lol
rachyd,
Nov 30, 9:17pm
Just don't fall asleep, you will wake up poached .
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