Need some help on this. I have a cabin in the woods where I'd do most of my deer bowhunting.
Trouble is I don't have a water source and have to go to a great neighbors house to shower when I'm hunting.
Does anyone here know of a plan for a sauna/sweathouse that I can build ?
I can bring in plenty of water in 5 gallon buckets.
Oh, and no elec so would have to be woodstove heated.
Thanks

Watching.....

Here is mine before I painted it.

All you need is a insulated box. Would need some air drafting in to feed the wood stove. A small wood stove should work for it. A bench seat and a light in it. Maybe a thermometer on the wall and a louvered window or something like that to control the combustion air for the stove and to regulate the temperature.

Thanks yukonjeff.
Will check that out tomorrow
My main goal is to be able to be as scent free (clean) as I would be taking a shower (if that's possible)?

I know some Russians who build a sauna stove/water heater with two 55 gallon steel drums. The bottom (fire box/rock box) is made with 2/3's of a barrel, the top (water heater) is made with 1/2 a barrel with a solid stove pipe welded to the bottom. The water is heated as the smoke goes up the stack.
The bottom barrel is cut right through the middle of the upper ring (bulge), this then provides a flange for the top barrel to set in, the top (water tank) is welded to the bottom section.
This sketch might help explain it better.
A barrel of cold water is kept close by for dosing yourself with or for mixing with the hot water.

Thank you waggler

Will check that out tomarro.

Checkout those propane showers. I think they’re pretty cheap and give you instant hot water. Might be able to get a few showers off those refillable propane tanks!

I like the old school aspect!!
Is there a resin that the stove is deep?

Yes heat rises so its better the stove is lower than the floor or the floor would be cold. We steam at all winter at -20 or colder.
A shallow trench is dug and lined with gravel and rock bed before the stove is set.

This is the local Eskimo style. Common here. Probably Russian design. Alot of Russian influence here. The men steam bath together. Some every night. They like it hot. 250-300 f is the norm. They pack six or more guys in all sitting on the floor naked. Hot water is thrown on the hot rocks and its a lobster boil. Its so hot you cant breath. Faces all on the floor. Men lay down and holler Ha hahahahaha..aga geeka that means I am burning ! Some fashion and utilize small wooden breathing tubes just for the occasion.

Many of the men have cooked vein rose colored patterns on their skin from cooking too long. Its permanent.

Pretty soon after a few splashes of water the heat unbearable. One younger guy will yell Un Gudukdo !. I am going out ! And as he is crawling out with his butt on fire. The others will scold him "shut the door your letting the heat out ! " lol

The last man steaming is the winner. Its a compition .

After several steam sessions they will wash up and all go eat.

I’m in
Love heat
Hate cold

Its good medicine for the mind and body after a long cold day sure does feel good. Sleep like a baby too.

You can have the the sauna with five other naked sweaty guys.

I'd rather see if the ladies would let me in.

Jim

^^^ like^^^

I dumped a boat in the river
After I got out of the 34 degree water, I found a tree in front of me and sead , “ wood stove,,,, wood stove ,wood stove”
Mind is a weird thing
Saved my life

We have an old school sauna out at our deer camp. Wood stove, changing room. 55 gallon drum in corner filled with water. Beer keg, with top cut off, pipes to the stoves water jacket. Big barrel is the “cold” water. Keg is the hot water. The “hot” room is approximately 10x10 and the changing room is approximately 4x10. Light comes from a kerosene lantern. Window between the two rooms. Kerosene lantern is in the window which provides light in both rooms. We use a galvanized pail to mix our water to the desired temp and wash with that. Water ladle is made from an old coffee can and wood handle.

Like I said, old school but it sure is nice to wash up at camp.

^^^^^^
Perfect.
The other bonus about sauna is, it's a good way to while-away those long boring dark winter evenings. Add some good conversation, tea, sunflower seeds, and some fruit, and you will solve all the world's problems, get clean, and sleep like a baby.

Just need a big insulated box and a heat source the box best be made of cedar or redwood to stand up to the steam.

Just filling your mind with ideas. This is one i built a client out of basswood

Been there done that more than once. Lying on the floor trying to suck cold air under the door! Step outside at 50 below and you can hear your pores slam shut !

One time, many years ago, one of my wives walked into the sauna with gold studs in her ears. Within a few seconds she screamed and ran out. The earrings had burned her ears from the heat in the sauna


For the OP: another way, that is temporary, is to build a small, low teepee frame . About 6-7 feet in diameter at the base and maybe 7 feet tall at the peak. Cover with heavy canvas.

Build a fire outside of it and fill the fire with good sized rocks. Keep piling on the wood.

Once the rocks are very hot, transfer them to the inside of the teepee.

Now you get in there and do your thing.

Works well in a pinch if you just want to get clean.

Whatever you do.......be absolutely certain that you are NOT using sedimentary rocks. They can and will explode because many of them have minute amounts of water trapped in them