/sw/bin/fink -y -b selfupdate

On saturday, and on sunday I run:

/sw/bin/fink -y -b update-all

That way all of my software is current and all the updates occur overnight at like 2 am. You would want to install both gnucash and gnucash-ofx.

i have been struggling with installing gnucash. Get struck always with the olf stuff. How did you manage to get it installed. i have apple’s x11 and x11 sdk.

Warm regards

karthik

I have just gotten my driveway re-poured, and we’re not even unpacked yet. That said, I’ve gotten a close-up look at these tanks a few times now, and I would say go for it. If sturdiness is a concern, I’d take some 2×4′s and place 6 of them mounted into the ground around the perimeter, adding additional stability. The PVC *IS* pretty thick, but given that I’ve not loaded one with warm water I can’t truly comment on it. I would imagine the PVC would get a bit softer and want to give slightly, but I can’t say that with 100% certainty.

You could also look at my latter posts under the hot_tub topic and take note that I’m looking at a barrel-making company as well. I’m far from giving up, just haven’t had a lot of time to spend on this recently.

I am going to get a Chofu and was intrigued with the tank you found… much nicer size than the stock tanks available. The only concern I have is cutting the top off of the tank you mention might compromise it’s structure.

Have you purchased it, cut off it’s top, and filled it with water? Any issues? Would you still recommend it?

BTW, thanks for your input… your explanation of the different solutions to the different pieces of the puzzle were very useful. Thanks for the info!

Set up the tub again last night. I’m still playing around with the heater core/propane heater concept. I hope to have a better arrangement once I get a new/old stock copper/brass core this week. The used ones (free) continue to put out red water.

The Sevylor 6 foot round pool, filled with hot water, when needed, is just the solution for me and my family.

We fill it up to the normal fill line, and then as the water cools, we add more hot water. It was overflowing last night.

Very relaxing, portable, soft on the body, large enough for three, and after we use it at night, my daughter reuses the water with her friends the next day as a pool (what a concept!!).

I’m about to buy one of those special bubble covers for a spa and cut it to fit. It will be interesting to see the heat retention difference and if the water could be reused for a complete weekend.

We’ve set our soaking hot pool (best description I can give) underneath an EZ-Up canopy. Last night we had a thunderstorm, and it was great!

I’ve got less than $200 it, we figure it costs $1.00 to $1.50 each time we use it (depending on how much hot water we add after we get in), we don’t worry about chemicals, and we didn’t go plunk down thousands of dollars.

I feel like I’ve cheated the system!!

Photos to follow, and more details on the propane heater solution.

Would a system like this work for any of you folk?

comment: I’m really surprised I’m drawing this much interest. I haven’t had the opportunity to go back and follow through yet…haven’t finished painting inside yet!

So for now, I’m sitting back, refining my plans. I will say that for our wedding anniversary earlier this month, we drove past Barrels of Fun, and I’m quite tempted to give them a call and ask how much it would be for a 6 ft diameter tub, 3 ft deep. After all, the biggest customer they service is the wine industry, and that’s what the original wooden tubs were made from, were discarded wine vats…exactly what I’ve described.

Who knows?

Just went to my friend that owns a junk yard this morning. He gave me (no charge) a nice rectangular truck heater core (copper and brass) which serves as my heat exchanger, instead of a copper coil.

Placed on top of the propane burner, it produced a 15 degree rise at maximum flow rate and about 3/4 of full propane output. The only problem is it was used and once the heat really got to the core, it started putting out red water. Once that stopped, it seemed alright.

I’ve come to the conclusion that my hillbilly hottub is best filled each weekend with fresh water, starting with the two fills from my 30 gallon natural gas hot water heater (maxed out to 150 degrees, plus extra cold water). The pump/propane/heater core solution will be used to bump the temp back up Saturday and maybe Sunday nights.

Where I live, the cost for 1000 gallons of water, including the cost for the sewer that I don’t use when I dump it in the yard, it $4.05.

At this rate, it makes no sense to worry about chemicals. Just dump the pool and always have clean water each weekend.

I like the idea of a bubble wrap cover floating on the water. The pool is already insulated with air on the sides and the bottom.

Thanks for the interesting ideas.

Your thoughts on my setup please!

I’m going really cheap here in South Carolina. I have a high quality Sevylor 6 foot diameter inflatable pool, a submersible 315 GPH pond pump and a homebrew copper coil/propane heater derived from a turkey fryer and copper tubing. Pool $100.00 Pump 22.00 Heater 37.00 Propane tank 30.00 I’m assembling the copper coil next week and hope to house it in a small section of stovepipe that will sit on top of the propane burner. It may be that the siphon action that the Chofu heaters use might apply here too. I’m still planning on using the submersible pump (with GFI protection/not used while people are in the pool) to get a good water exchange rate. Will keep you posted and possible put up some pictures on a website. Thanks for sharing your project. Marty (posted twice – sorry)

I’m also building a do-it-yourself hottub. But I have a pool already in place that it will share the water and chemicals with. I use a Leslie’s (blue) solar blanket on the pool
which holds a steady 92F during summer months. For the winter months I use a Sta-Right 400k BTU natural gas heater
which is rated to heat a hottub to 105F in about 1/2 hour.

Definately shop around for your heaters. You might want to consult with a pool maintenance business for reccomendations. The bigger the heater obviously the quicker the tub is usable.