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I hear you. I just don't see $5,000 worth of hot tub. I could make one of those myself for a fraction of the cost out of some decent wood and the extra spa pump / motor I have laying around. I gueess what I am saying is the cost seems way too high for me.
While there is some truth to that, the tub pictured has a HUGE amount of flat grain wood...which "ain't" all that expensive We just sent back about half a truck load of it, for as far as we're concerned it doesn't come close to meeting our required quality.The ball and socket joint, just like the tongue and groove we do, has nothing to do with the quality of the tub, nor it's ability to hold water. For hundreds of years, tanks, barrels and hot tubs were made with flat sides and they held water just as well. The difference is ease of assembly. Here in the shop, I can assemble a tub in about 15 to 20 minutes. without the tongue and groove aligning the staves, I could spend another 1+ hours aligning them by hand.The ONLY advantage to curving the staves is marketing talk. I've used curved stave tubs and flat stave tubs, and can't tell the difference. I've also talked to a lot of people that also have used both, and say the same thing. The DISADVANTAGE is that curving the stave makes it thinner. A thinner stave is weaker, more prone to warpage, has less insulating ability, and has a shorter life span due to there being less wood to spread it's natural rot resistance around (tannic acid).
BOY does THAT take me back to retail! If I had a dollar for everyone who saw a coverlifter for $200-$350 that said that...
Doc, what is the significance of the grain in the wood? I specifically picked wood with lots of grain when I did my kitchen cabinets, but that was based purely on aesthetics..and I love the grain in my cedar ceiling. Does the grain affect how the wood expands when it is wet? What is the criteria for acceptable wood? I am just curious....
Actually, I could make one of those too......
About $20 in either PVC or electrical conduit and you can make something similar to a Cover Butler.
The grain of the wood has many different properties or effects on the over all hot tub. The tightness of the grain, or number of growth rings indicates how slowly or fast a tree has grown. Trees that get less sunlight and\or less water grow more slowly.In the picture above, the top piece of wood is from one of our hot tubs, while the bottom is from a "competitors" (which by the way rotted out and was replaced after only 2 years). Slower growing wood with tighter grain has more, much more rot resistance. It's also smoother to the touch.Vertical grain wood (the opposite of your cabinets is harder to come by. Less than 25% of wood milled is "vertical grain", making it considerable more expensive (up to twice the cost). However, vertical grain wood is infinitely more desirable than the cheaper and more plentiful flat grain.Unlike vertical grain, flat grain is prone to splintering, pealing, warping and showing signs of premature wear and tear. Vertical grain is much more durable, much more comfortable to sit on, and will last up to twice as long!There are many different grades of wood, almost all of which can be used for a hot tub. However, different grades of wood will have vastly different effects on the life span, stability, durability, and comfort of the hot tub.Various parts of a tree have different resistance to decay. The outer part of a tree, generally lighter in color, is called sap wood and is the newest growth. It has not had the necessary time to develop the necessary natural decay resistance and under no circumstances should it be used in a hot tub. Only the heartwood from the center of the tree possesses the natural decay resistant properties necessary for a quality traditional wooden hot tub.Knots and wavy grain are also something to be completely avoided. Knots can be uncomfortable to sit on or lean against, and are also prone to leaking. Wavy grain can lead to unusually warping, cracking and eventual leaking.
It's still just a barrel.
Sir, what is up your arse? Yes, it's wood and looks like a giant barrel and yes I will have nearly $7k invested in it when the cedar decking is complete. But I like it and it's my money. I paid cash for it and I will probably buy a modern acrylic spa for the mountain house since I won't be there that often to monitor it. I've also owned three Lotus sports cars which were just fiberglass on wheels and yes, they are not a good investment and every one had some little PITA issues, but again, I enjoyed the hell out of them.
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Topic: Hot Tub adventure (Wood tub) (Read 27550 times)
