Cut a hole in the 4-gallon water bucket in the center of the bottom. On this opening solder the piece of piping, 2” long. Attach to the end of this piece of pipe the 6’ of rubber tubing with the nozzle on the other end. The sprinkler from a watering can may be substituted for the nozzle if not convenient to get one. Tie a piece of rope to the handle of the bucket and run it through a pulley which is fastened to the ceiling with a staple. Have another staple put in the wall below the window sash and run the rope through it also. This allows the bucket to be raised or lowered to suit the convenience of the person taking the shower. A hook is placed below the staple in the window joist, which holds the bucket in place when not in use. The flow of the water is adjusted by the use of a clothes pin operated on the rubber tubing. Use a medium size zinc tub to stand in while taking the shower. It makes the whole shower bath more attractive to paint the bucket and tub white and then enamel them.
WATERWORKS OUTFIT FOR THE HOME
The following illustration shows a simple but cheap arrangement for a practical water system to be used in the farm home.
A few minutes pumping each morning by the man of the family will provide a supply of water for the day’s use, or, where there is no force pump, the water may be brought in pails until the barrel is filled every day. While not the most satisfactory plan for putting water into the home, it is far better than having to carry the water from a pump or often from a spring which is a long distance from the house. It is a labor- and time-saving device for the farm woman and enables her to do more efficient work in every way.
Materials:
- 1 force pump.
- 100’ of 1¼” galvanized iron pipe for suction.
- Foot valve for suction pipe.
- 1 piece of rubber hose.
- 1 tight coupling to bear weight of hose at barrel opening.
- 1” thick boards to build platform.
- 1 60-gallon water tight barrel.
- ½” water pipe to connect barrel with faucet.
- 1½” faucet.
- 1 sink (18” × 30”).
- 50’ of 1¼” lead pipe to be used for S-trap.
- 50 ft. 4” drain pipe.
Directions:
Pump.: Bore a hole about 2” below the lid of the barrel. This must be large enough to permit the piece of coupling to fit in it tightly. It is not necessary to use the coupling but it will give a better support to the hose. Fasten one end of the hose to the coupling and the other end to the pump. On the opposite side bore a hole with a ¾” auger and attach the ½” piece of water pipe to it.
Shelf: Raise the barrel to the platform, which is made of 1” boards, and well braced underneath. This platform is fastened to the house just outside of the kitchen. It must be put higher than the kitchen sink in order to obtain pressure enough to give a steady flow of water. A tight-fitting lid is placed on top of the barrel to keep out the trash and the insects. Fasten the faucet to the ½” pipe on the barrel which extends through an opening made in the wall.