Hi Rob,

Just some thoughts that have been running around in my head for some time. 1. Use some good dry wood. 2. Make shallow dados for your SS bands to sit in. 3. Assemble the tub with your ratchet straps. 4. Rivet the bands together so they will just slip over the tub to sit in the dados. 5. fill the tub with water and as the wood swells, it will expand to where the SS bands are very tight.

Another approach would be to use SS rods with threaded ends and a coupling like the old wood or concrete silos were put together with.

Best of luck and we expect to see some pictures as this progresses.

Donovan

: Perhaps I can tap this brain trust for inspiration.

: Before the crash, I was planning on installing a jacuzzi
: style tub with jets for our bathroom makeover. The old
: claw foot iron tub was nice but cooled off the hot water
: so badly we would have to install a larger water heater to use it.

: Since I now have more time than money, plan B is to build a single
: person wooden hot/soaking tub for the bathroom.

: Now my wife says she always hated those jacuzzi tubs but went along
: with me because I said that's what I wanted.

: She said she always wanted a japanese style deep soaking tub.

: The traditional Japanese "Ofuro" soaking tub is rectangular and on
: the surface
: seems an easier build, but since there can be no gluing, the jointery is
: critical.
: I have not been able to find any information on how they go together but I
: would
: reconsider a ofuro if I could.

: So, I'm planning on building a northern white cedar barrel, traditional
: hot/soaking tub.
: Simple tub, without water jets, just a drain hole. I can figure out the
: woodworking and
: water tight problems and I like the round shape.

: The bands that hold the barrel stays together are the problem to solve.

: Understandably, the commercial companies don't offer parts or I haven't found
: one that did
: so buying the stainless bands they use is not easy, and if I can come up with
: an elegant
: less expensive alternative, that would be a plus.

: I will use windlass or ratcheting straps to assemble the tub but I would not
: want to
: leave them in place as a permanent solution.

: I have a few ideas but would welcome yours.

: All the best,
: Rob