Design Elements

Homemade Baptisms

The team from Crossroads Fellowship Church in Berea, Kentucky brings us this awesome portable baptistry idea.

Because they are in a leased facility, they wanted a portable option for baptizing people. Plus they wanted a modern looking baptistry that would match with their modern stage designs. So they purchased an 1100 gallon water tank from Tractor Supply and cut off the top with a reciprocating saw. Then they simply filled it with water and lit the tank from behind with a Par64 can and aqua color gel.

Storm the Castle A Stage Redone

137 responses to “Homemade Baptisms”

  1. Anthony says:

    It looked incredible in person! Definitely an awesome feel to our sanctuary!

  2. We’re can I purchase one of those tanks?
    Great idea!

    • Charles says:

      We bought this tank at Tractor Supply, but they are widely available at many farm stores. They come with a top made onto them but we removed it with a reciprocating saw.

      • Joel says:

        Any idea what the cut-off height is on this?

        • Ryan says:

          The height ends up being 38 inches. We have used the 1100 gallon tank and it works really well. Our team was surprised at how easy it is to use.

          • Joel says:

            Thank you, Ryan. I’m excited to pick ours up and get cutting! Anything you wish you would have known before you made the cut?

          • Ryan says:

            Joel:

            Take your time and have your best guy with the most steady hand cut it. It will wobble a lot the closer you get to the finished cut.

            Ryan

          • David C. says:

            Be sure to hold the reciprocating saw flush against the tank wall as you make your cut (flush with the saw guide). Yes, it will wobble quite a bit as you finish the cut.

      • Dewayne says:

        How deep is the baptistery? This is exciting! We are building a new sanctuary that will seat 350, so it isn’t too large. We were wanting to also use a portable baptistery.
        How do your folks get into and out of it? Does your pastor get in as well?
        Thanks…sorry for so many questions!

        • Dewayne says:

          Never mind, if i would have taken the time to read it i see you have answered all the questions thoroughly! Thanks, GREAT idea!

        • Ryan says:

          We have been using this since moving into our new building. We currently use a pool ladder/stairs combo for getting in and out. We put about 650 gallons in and it comes just about the waist. We have two pastors and the person being baptized in the baptismal.

    • A. Crouch says:

      Where can i purchase one from and how much is it?

  3. Craig says:

    How do folks get in?

  4. How high are the sides on this tank? Did you need steps for people to get in and out? If so, what did you use? Also, how did you heat it? Thanks so much! Love the look of this!

    • Anthony says:

      Charles would be able to answer these questions more fully, but I believe the sides were above waste level from what I remember (i’m about 5’11”), and they had something like a pool ladder for people to get in and out. Our stage is elevated a lot more than it looks like in this picture and they came off of the stage down the ladder into the baptistery.

      Charles would have to answer about the heating, not sure about that.

  5. Charles says:

    Hey guys! We did in fact use a pool ladder. We got a nicer looking plastic one, rather than one of the flimsy tube steel jobs. Our tank was placed on the ground in front of the stage as you can see in the picture. We bought a pool ladder that was made to be bolted to a pool deck. In other words, the steps were only on one side of the ladder, as opposed to above ground A-frame ladders. They stepped down from the stage onto the ladder and then into the water.

    We heated the water with a submersible baptistery heater. The heater simply clamps to the side of the tank and the submersed metal bands heat the water. It’s safe and low temp, powered from a regular 120v outlet. It features a dial to set the heat. Takes about 24 hours to properly heat the water. We ordered it from an online distributor. They are pretty common and easy to find.

    • paul says:

      Hey Charles,
      the top part of story says the design called for 1100 gall tank.
      The link gives a 550 gallon link.

      Can you confirm the size in pic?

      paul

  6. My church (in Lexington, KY) has been using that same idea for 12 years now. We take black fabric and wrap it around the tank, securing it with binder clips. It looks great and we have three we use for when we baptize 50 or so at a time.

    Paul

  7. Jamie says:

    Great job, this looks really cool. Can you tell us about the material and its application that is covering the raw edge that you sawed off?

    Jamie

    • Charles says:

      We actually didn’t have to treat the edge at all. We were prepared to possibly cover the edge with rubber but it was surprisingly dull, even with the reciprocating saw cut.

  8. How did you deal with water getting on the carpet?

    • Charles says:

      We bought several large, rubber mats and placed them under and around the baptistery tank. Once the baptism was ready to begin, our stage hands also placed several of these on our carpeted stage, creating a wide rubber mat walkway for everyone. We also had stage hands help with towel distributing.

  9. Ryan says:

    How did you drain it?

    • Charles says:

      It came with a threaded hole on the outside of the tank, near the bottom. They are made to accept piping by design. We simply found a fitting that would screw in and accept a drainage hose. Ours has a quick-release design and an on/off valve, so you simply put the hose on, clamp it down and release the water. There are many options as long as your threads match. Got the supplies from Tractor Supply. We ran the hose outside and drained it. Most all of it will drain without tipping the tank up, but not all of it.

  10. Brandon says:

    How many people will it fit inside? I need room for 3 people. Would that be possible?

  11. The one we use at my church has had up to 5 (two pastors, mom, dad, teen) in it. It looks like they made one the same size. For reference here’s a pic of one with four people in it. http://bit.ly/n53aHK

    Paul

    • Nette says:

      I noticed you’ve got a wired mic going to the tank in that picture. Do you not have one wireless that you could use instead?
      Great idea with the tank…

      • Paul Clifford says:

        The pastor has a wireless that he uses which you can see on his left ear and which we gaff tape to his shoulder (one of our members is related to a guy who invented a waterproof mic for surfing competitions), but when it comes to the people getting baptized (baptees? baptizees?), we can’t mic them all with wireless so we use a shotgun or the mic you see. I’ve never used that mic myself, so I don’t know which one it is off the top of my head.

        As you might guess, the pastor likes to bring up little pieces of their testimonies so that anyone watching gets the pieces that he wants to emphasize. That’s why both mics.

    • Ariel says:

      The link to the picture is no longer working

  12. Daniel says:

    What’s on the outer edge of the baptistry?

  13. Mary Jane says:

    I have looked for this on Tractor Supply’s website but can’t find it. What exactly is it? I’m assuming some type of food or water storage tank?

    • Charles says:

      They are a special order item in many Tractor Supply stores. Because of the large size, they often don’t keep many in stock. If you contact them, they will gladly help out.

  14. Daniel says:

    How thick is the tank? I’m looking at a tank that’s 1/4″ thick and seems too thin to me…

  15. We’ve used ours every other month or so for 13 years without a problem. If you look at the portable swimming pools (with the blow up ring on top) they hold about the same amount of water and have a much thinner wall (just a few millimeters). Our church now owns four of these (including the original), so I’d say we’re satisfied with this solution.

    BTW, we tried the swimming pools for an outdoor baptism and abandoned that idea in favor of returning to these.

    Paul

  16. Corey says:

    The picture above appears that the pool is clear (see-through)… Is is actually see-through ?

  17. Paul Clifford says:

    Look at the sides above the water. That’s the color of the plastic. It’s translucent, not transparent.

  18. Dwayne says:

    So the person being baptized do they squat kneel or what ? And is pastor inside with them or outside? Realy love the idea just trying to get all views. Thanks
    Dwayne Harbison
    Cathedral of Praise

  19. Nope. Person stands up. Pastor with them. I’ve seen 5 people in one at once (pastor, family of three, and worship pastor who helped the pastor). I guess if you’ve got someone who’s really tall they could kneel, but 6 1/2 feet tall and below should be fine.

    Paul

  20. Steve Bryant says:

    How/where do you store it?

  21. It’s really light (when there’s no water in it). You can roll it on its side or even pick it up, although it’s a bit ungainly b/c of its size. For our original campus, we put them backstage (we use up to four at a time). For our satellite, we store it behind the church, upside down. That’s not ideal in all locations, but this one is a little rural, so it works fine.

  22. Seth says:

    How did you drain it when finished?

  23. There’s a drain plug at the bottom, you could siphon it out, or use a sump pump.

  24. Shane Ogle says:

    Excellent idea! We are definitely doing this! Thank you so much! One question… Where did you get the submersible baptistry heater?

  25. Raymond windsor says:

    This looks great what type of light do u have behind it to light it up and where can I find one I’m doing this I love the look

  26. Shane, I don’t know where the heater came from. I’m not sure the one we use is a “baptistry heater” per se, but some sort of submersible heater. It’s probably 3-4 feet long.

    Raymond, the picture isn’t from my church, but we use the same thing. I’d use a par can with a blue-green gel on it pointed from the back at the baptismal and I bet you get the same effect.

  27. Martiez Moore says:

    How much did everything cost? The 1100 gallon tank, pool ladder, and the submersible baptistery heater?

  28. David C. says:

    My pastor saw this idea and we acted immediately! We purchased a 1500 gal tank and cut the top with a reciprocating saw like you suggested. The edge had a few rough edges. As much as we tried to cut it right at the seam, the saw “got away from us”. This resulted in a couple of notched edges. I wrapped the tank with nylon ratchet straps. The kind that you used to secure loads on a truck. I used it as a guide for a straight edge. I used the angle grinder with a sanding wheel to take off the high spots. Once I was satisfied with the level, I used an orbital sander with an 80 grit sand paper to get a smoother edge. The edge is really smoothe all the way around the tank. This is a great idea for ministries on a strict budget! It is such a blessing! We lighted it with the same type of lighting and achieved the same result in the picture! Thank you so much!

  29. Rick says:

    It looks like there are two v-notches on the lip, one on the front and one on the back. What are those?

    • That’s part of how the tank is built. I think it provides support. for the top, but once cut, it doesn’t do anything.

      • Don McConnell says:

        The tank we bought is 7’3″ diameter and side wall is 44″ tall. After the top is cut off, is the tank flexible enough to get it thru our double doors into the Sanctuary which are 6’8″ high?

        • David C. says:

          Yes it is. We had the same “dimensional” problem. If you take it in on its side, the tank is flexible enough to “flex” in the middle to clear the top of the doorway. Once you clear the top, you can push and slide through with a little force. God bless.

  30. Marion Sims says:

    In our portable church plant, we are currently in a school gymnasium. We are concerned about the weight on the gym floor. Any thoughts?

    • David C. says:

      We fill our baptismal to 900 gallons. At 8.35 pounds per gallon that a little over 3.75 tons. We place ours inside out sanctuary on the carpet. Surprisingly enough, there is not even the hint of an indentation in the carpet after we empty and remove the tank. Gym floors are typically made of hickory hardwood. My best guess is that with the floor clean and clear of any small debris from under the tank, the weight would be distributed evenly enough to leave no mark or marring. However, there are no guarantees. That would be a decision you would need to make. I would place one large piece of scrap carpet under the tank to absorb some of the force. In my personal opinion, doing that would prevent any problems.

      David C.

  31. This looks fantastic. Another simple and inexpensive solution that solves a difficult problem. Now when can we project some moving lights into the water???

  32. Jon says:

    Is there anything wrapped around the top to keep the tank from buldging under the weight of the water?

    • David C. says:

      At our Church, we did not wrap anything around the tank. The water distributes pressure evenly around the tank, so there is no “buldging”. Remember, that although you are baptizing people in the tank, you cannot treat it like a swimming pool. For some reason, people who enter the tank sometimes want to grab the side to support themselves. The sides are sturdy, yet flexible. They should not be used to support someone’s weight.

      • Jon says:

        Thank you for the input! It’s much appreciated!

      • charlotte says:

        Can you also tell me about the lighting behind your stage? did you build it yourself? it is awesome and we are in the process of redoing our stage.

        • David C. says:

          I agree, Charlotte, the lighting on the stage looks great in the pic above. You will need to direct your question to “Charles”. This is not my church. My church is The Word Church in Grand Prairie, TX. Perhaps Charles, in Berea, Kentucky could help you with lighting suggestions. Thanks.

  33. Can you give me an estimated cost on the baptismal that you made?

    • David C. says:

      I believe we paid around $750 for our 1500-Gal white tank. Since we don’t have a 220-Volt connection readily available for a heater, we purchased 2 110-Volt heaters. Believe me . . . you WILL want to get heaters. Our first 2 baptismal services were sans heaters. Wow was it cold. One heater is 1000-Watts and the other is 1449-Watts. We started with the 1000W heater and naively thought that would be sufficient. It didn’t even come close. I ran the calculations and realized that our water comes out of tap at 60 degrees F. We wanted it about 85 degrees F. With the 2 heaters running simultaneously (2449 Watts), it took 23 hours to heat 900 gallons of water from 60 degrees to 85 degrees (A specific heat problem for you physics enthusiasts). You can purchase 240-Volt heaters that will work faster, but you will need to have an electrician install the outlet and the breaker if you don’t have it already available. That is much more $$$. Not what we were willing to do. The two 120V heaters worked great. When I checked the water the next day, I was amazed at how good it felt. Like a jacuzzi! The 1000W heater cost around $30 from tractor supply store. The 1440W heater cost around $200 from Little Giant heaters. It hangs from the side of the tank. Just be sure to remove the heaters before anyone enters the water. Hope this helps.

      • Alex says:

        Just curious on the heaters. Are you referring to Tractor Supplies 1000w bucket heater? Why did you go with the little giant instead of getting another 1 or 2 1000w heaters which would have run you $60 instead of $200.

        I’m looking for a solution for a portable pool that I’m going to use as a baptistry and I’m wondering if the tractor supply heaters will work.

        • David C. says:

          One big difference with the Little Giant heater as opposed to the bucket heaters is that the Little Giant heater is made of stainless steel so there is not worry about rust. It also has circuit reset button in the event that the heater draws too much current. In other words, the heater will trip instead of your main circuit breaker. The bucket heaters are not made of stainless steel. After a while, you will see rust stains on the bottom of the baptismal. There are 2 types of “bucket heaters” that I have seen. There is an actual bucket heater which can boil water inside the bucket. There are also bucket heaters that are deicers. They heat, but just enough to keep the water from freezing (like when dealing with livestock drinking water in the winter). The first is the one to get not the deicer. When you are talking several hundred gallons, you will never actually boil water, but will heat the water effectively.

        • Mike H. says:

          Read the reviews on TSC. The bucket heaters don’t last. Not that you couldn’t just buy another, but what if it goes out on a Saturday night and you can’t just run out and get another one?

          • DavidC says:

            All the more reason to invest in the Little Giant type heaters. Although they are pricey at around $200 for the 120V version, they are stainless steel and much more sturdy. We have one of each. We have the Little Giant heater and one of the bucket heaters. The bucket heater does heat, but is not stainless steel and does rust and corrode. It leaves a rust ring at the bottom of the tank. The stain does come out, but is not very appealing. The LG heaters are IMHO the better route long term.

          • Dave says:

            David, where are you finding a LG heater for 200? Lowest I can find is $410.

            http://www.little-giant.com/water-heating-products/baptistry-heating/electric-immersion.html

          • DavidC says:

            Oh wow! You are right! I don’t remember paying $400. It has been almost 3 years now. I could have misquoted the price, but we purchased directly from the Little Giant web site. We were really on a budget. My apologies. Eighther I misquoted or their prices have gone up.

          • Dave says:

            No problem, thanks :)

      • Daniel says:

        I have been back and forth to your story for about a year or more. We currently are looking for a baptism option and I wanted to do as you did however, we don’t have double doors. Do you have any suggestions that will help es?

        • David C. says:

          The 500-gal polypropylene tank may work well for you. The total height of the tank is 42 inches. Once you cut the top off at the top seam with a reciprocating saw, the tank will be approximate 30 inches tall. Most doors are at least 36 inches. This should pass rather easily. The tank is much smaller, but I’ve read several posts of ministries who can testify of how well it worked for them. You would turn the tank on its side and push through the doorway. If you still need space, the tank can bend and flex a little to nudge through the door opening. Just my thoughts, but I hope it helps. Blessings.

  34. Eddy Paul Morris says:

    Is the smaller 550 gallon tank working for anyone? 1100 seems a little too large?

    • Marion Sims says:

      Yes, we at Centerpoint Church in Danville, KY have used the 550 gallon tank. It is a space issue for us. Our space is on the 3rd floor of a Chase bank building. We call it (The Loft). We put 300 gallons in it, had 3 people in it, (one being baptized and two baptizing) and it worked really well. It is about 6 ft across so we had the ones being baptized sit and laid them back. Hope this helps.

    • David C. says:

      Here are some numbers to consider for the 550 gallon tank:
      The dimensions of the tank before cutting the top off are 44 inches high (3′-8″) by 67 inches in diameter (5′-7″). Cutting off the top of the tank at the seam (top-most edge of the tank; highest point of the side) makes the total height 30″ (2′-6″). If you filled the tank to within 6″ from the top edge, you would fill 366 gallons. The water and the tank combined would give you just over 1.5 tons. The most cost effective way to heat the tank (not necessarily the fastest) is by purchasing at least 2 submersible, de-icing heaters (1500 Watts, 120V). They can be purchased for as low as $39 each at Tractor Supply Store. Based on an average 60 degrees temperature coming out of the tap, heating the tank to 85 degrees would take 7.5 hours using both heaters simultaneously. You can purchase higher wattage baptismal heaters for around $200. These are specialized heaters specifically for baptismals and hang from the side. I hope this helps.

  35. I saw this post a month or two ago, and told some of my leadership about it. A couple of volunteers took this project and made it their own. I want to thank Charles and the Crossroads team for this idea…it has blessed the church I pastor (Church of the Highlands, Chattanooga, TN).

    Here is how it turned out (pic): http://jeremyroberts.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/998636_10101165874934638_351479641_n.jpg

    • Pastor Ted says:

      charles and jeremy, thank you for sharing the concept and picture, it looks great!

      jeremy, would you kindly share the make and model of the ladder you are using?

      grateful,
      ted

    • Chris Akers says:

      Jeremy

      How high is the baptistry?
      Did you get the white or agua tank?

      What ladder did you use? Do people get in from the stage or floor?

  36. Pastor Ted says:

    btw, if you do not live close to a store that stocks it, fleetfarm.com has the best price that includes shipping.

  37. Shawn Gilliam says:

    I’m starting a business and was considering to have a Baptism in shop as I spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my business. If anyone has any more information on a Baptismal I can buy online please contact me @ 813-704-0881 or gilliam798@gmail.com. God bless you all!

  38. I saw this idea last year as we debated installing a full size baptistry. I got the tank and cut the top off and we’ve been using it ever since. It really works. We have the 550 and we fill it to 300 gallons which takes about 1 1/2 hours. We fill it just before service on Sunday mornings and it’s usually pretty warm by the time we baptize right after praise and worship. We use a submersible pump to drain it and then we store it back stage. One person can easily handle it two at the most if you need to lift it but we roll it usually. It also fits on our van so we take it on our outreaches as well.

    • Wayne says:

      G. Laine Robinson–Would you all be willing to consider allowing us to borrow your baptism tank for a weekend? We are considering going this direction but would love to use it once in our space to see how it works.

  39. Ryan says:

    This is a great idea! Thank you for sharing.. What have you used to keep the walkway dry as people exit the baptismal?

    • David C. says:

      We had some left-over carpet from a stage addition project. I took that left-over roll and cut it into 36″ strips. We use our 2 large front door mats (3′ X 5′ each) for under the ladder and use the carpet strips from the ladder to outside of the sanctuary. You can get carpet remnants either really cheap or sometimes for free. I would find a neutral color or one matching close to your carpet color. When we are done, I just roll them back up and store them. They dry surprisingly fast. I would be careful using any kind of plastic or tarp as they can become slippery when wet.

  40. Jimmy says:

    Is it crazy to think of buying a portable hot tub instead? They come with the heater built in, inflate/deflate for easy storage. Just thinking out loud here.

  41. Wayne says:

    Is anyone willing to consider allowing us to borrow their unit for a weekend? We are considering going this direction but would love to use it once in our space to see how it works.

  42. Gerrit Hoeks says:

    Great idea. About to act on this — in all the comments it wasn’t clear. Can a 1100 gallon tank or 1500 gal tank (87in diameter) flex enough to fit through a double door?

  43. Kim says:

    love the baptismal but I really like that stage design. Is that coroplast and is it curved? I would love to use this type of design but can’t find it anywhere and not sure how it’s attached, bent, and lit. You probably don’t still have this design but any info is appreciated.

  44. Jamie Wireman says:

    Would the 550 gallon fit through a single door?

  45. Jon says:

    Does anybody have a link to the heaters?
    Would like to pick up a couple for some portable tank options.
    Thanks!

    • David C. says:

      These are the 2 units that we use. The advantage of the Little Giant is that it is make completely of stainless steel, so there is no corrosion. It also hangs conveniently on the side of the tank. It has a thermostat so that you can adjust the temperature. The de-icer heater is cheap, but is made of materials that will rust and corrode over time. We have the 120V versions of each, but have had great results.

      FYI: A few tips for using 120V versions . . .
      If you are plugging into the same circuit, make sure that the circuit can handle the current (amperage) output. Rule of thumb, add up the total power in Watts (not kilowatts) and divide by 120 (volts). This will give you the total current output in Amps. For example . . . if you have 2 1500 units, that’s 3000 Watts. Divided by 120 is 25 Amps. Our church circuit breakers are 20 Amp circuit breakers. Since the draw exceeds the rating on the breaker (25A > 20A), the breaker will trip. Just make sure that you connect the heaters to 2 outlets that go to separate breakers. Also, if you must use an extension cord for either unit, be sure to use at least a 14 gauge extension cord. In the above example, a single 1500W unit will draw 12.5 amps. 14 gauge extension cords are rated for 15 Amps. If you use a 16 gauge cord (rated for only 10 Amps), the cord will get hot. Hope this helps. God bless!

      Little Giant Immersion Heater

      De-icing/Bucket Heater

      • Jon says:

        Awesome thats great David! Question on the bucket heater, I think that will work well for us, as we just need s temporary solution while our church is in a construction phase, but reading the description is says its thermally controlled, so I’m assuming it shuts off at a certain temperature?
        Can you (or any one else) confirm if two of those would be sufficient to heat 500 gallons?

        Thanks!

        • David C. says:

          The thermal control must be a recent upgrade to this type of unit (or maybe they stock a different brand). Our unit simply plugs in and that’s it, so a thermal control is a great addition.

          2 of these 1500 Watt units will heat 500 gallons of water from a temperature of 60 degrees (typical temperature coming right out of the tap) to a temperature of 85 degrees (that’s what we use . . . it’s warm and comfortable. Everyone loves it.) in approximately 10 hours and 9 minutes. If you have your baptisms in the evening, you can set it up earlier in the day. If you plan on having baptisms in the morning, just set it up the night before and leave it overnight.

          • David C. says:

            Just a side note . . . heating works best when you are able to cover the tub with a tarp. We lay 2 2X4’s, spacing them evenly across the top and then lay the tarp over that. We do this so that the tarp does not drop down and into the water. It makes it easier when rolling the tarp back and out of the way without it being wet (especially indoors). Covering the tub while heating is the same principle as covering a pot of boiling water. It helps retain the heat and will speed up the process. If you do not cover the tub while heating you WILL and I repeat WILL lose heat to ambient temperature. It makes a big difference. If you are heating a 700-900 gallons of water in an air conditioned sanctuary, it will add to your heat time. We like it at a good 85 degrees. When we have forgotten to cover, it seems that we struggle to get over 80 degrees. 80 degrees is ok . . . until you’ve tried 85. Sooooo nice. We have a lot of positive response when it was a nice 85.

  46. Aaron Laird says:

    I would be afraid that the Par64 would melt the tub!

    • David C. says:

      The Par64 works fine for us. I would advise against putting it too close to the tub, though. We put it at least 12 – 18 inches away from the backside. It gives a great effect.

  47. Peter Brown says:

    We did this and used it for the first time 3 weeks ago. It worked VERY well. But our only challenge is that the top of it is flimsy. I see in the pic you might have created a support ring – is that what you did?

    We cut high on the tank – right at the original seam. It’s quite tall which is what I wanted. Now I just need to know how to make the top more secure. I’m open to ideas.

  48. Joey says:

    What type of material did you use around the top of the tub? I really like the finished look that it has.

  49. Kelly Lashar says:

    Any tips on keeping the surface of the water clean in the portable baptismal? How do you skim the surface in between services or even at the beginning if any hair/skin:( is on the surface. This is a complaint I hear.

    Also, to keep it cleanest in between weeks, do you just store it upside down or has anyone figured out a cover situation.

    • Kelly Lashar says:

      submitting again to choose follow-up by email

    • David C. says:

      In between services, we use a pool skimmer. It’s on a long, expandable pole with a fine, rigid screen on one end. We are able to skim the water effectively and pull out any debris. We have not had any problems or complaints.

  50. Wences says:

    I want to buy one already made who wants to sell theirs. Please email me at bow2sternllcc@hotmail.com

    Thank you and God bless!

  51. Willie Robinson says:

    Did you guys do anything to the top of the tank after you cut it? It looks pretty smooth along the top of the tank… We are looking to have our baptism the Friday before Pentecost Sunday…. Trying to get as much information as I can…..

    • Joel says:

      You don’t have to do anything to the top if you use a fresh blade with a high number of teeth per inch. It will cut easily and leave a pretty smooth edge. Make sure you have some help to hold the lid up to keep it from binding and stay on target! Make sure the end of your cut meets the start, or you’ll have to sand the transition.

      • Willie Robinson says:

        Ok, thanks…. So you guys didn’t do anything to the top at all??? It looks really smooth…

  52. Willie Robinson says:

    Last question…. Is this you church in the picture and what do you guys have on the wall that’s causing the light to shine so vividly?

  53. Willie says:

    I almost did this but thought to myself “how are we going to get this inside the church”… How did you guys get this inside?

    • David C says:

      I actually set up our baptismal by myself. We keep it stored behind the church when not in use. We have double-doors leading into our foyer. The height of the doors is 85 inches. The baptismal is 87 inches wide. By rotating it onto its side, I can flex it enough to squeeze through the doors. If I have problems pushing through, then I get inside the tub and walk in it like a hamster wheel just enough to make it in through the doorway. This has worked for me.

  54. Dave says:

    Know anything about this company? At quick glance, their site has a calculator on figuring the immersion heating needed and they make them to order. Have no idea on costs yet…

    http://www.oemheaters.com/c-552-immersion-heaters.aspx?gclid=Cj0KEQjw09C5BRDy972s6q2y4egBEiQA5_guv9xpBAO3Wk0_xlXuqrF_YYuYhpnlGXcpDaPk9S4U9bEaAnQ48P8HAQ

  55. Has anyone tried using a Drexel Multi-tool to cut the tank instead of a reciprocating saw? Seems like it may give you a smoother and cleaner cut, if it will cut through the material. I know the Drexel works great on vinyl soffit material.

    • DavidC says:

      In my opinion, you might experience 2 problems with using a Dremel tool. One, the Dremel might not give you enough torque to push through the amount of material that you would need move through. Also, even the variable speed Dremel runs at very high RPMs. Since this is a polyethylene material, you might experience melting of the material on the cutting wheel. To test, I would try cutting some of the material on the top portion (an inconspicuous area) that will be removed. That way you won’t damage any of the visible portion of the tank if it does not work out for you. The reciprocating saw (Sawzall) is really designed to move through a considerable amount of material. The caveat to the reciprocating saw is that it does leave a rough edge. The edge is sandable and will sand to a very smooth edge.

    • Dave says:

      Last week I used a fine tooth metal cutting sawzall blade to remove the top and it worked beautifully with no problem.

    • Joel says:

      The multi-tool would undoubtedly be more work. With the results from a reciprocating saw being so great with little effort, it would not be a gain to use the multi-tool. Keep in mind that you have 22 feet of plastic to cut, so the oscillating vs. reciprocating would take a really long time, again, with little improvement on end quality.

  56. Jay says:

    What is that white material that wraps around it on top?

  57. Thonni Groth says:

    Hello there,
    I am leading a smaller house fellowship I Sweden, and we are trying to find a good baptism “tub” solution. Do you have any links to products that can be ordered overseas?

    Gratefully
    Thonni

    • Ron says:

      Hello Thonni-
      We at PortableBaptistry.com would be be happy to help.
      The Portable Baptistry that we manufacture in Seattle and sell worldwide is truly portable and state-of-the-art. Prices currently start at $799 US.
      If I can be of service please let me know.
      God Bless!
      Ron
      PS. Kudos to all the resourceful DIY posts here dedicated to baptism – whatever it takes!

  58. Shane says:

    How do your ppl get in and out?

  59. Aricka Ladebu says:

    Is all this detailed information available in one concise paragraph? Or do I just need to read through all of the comments and responses?

  60. Joseph says:

    can someone give me the exact dimensions of the pool height and width

    • DavidC says:

      Joseph, I do not know the dimension of the tank shown in the picture above from Crossroads Fellowship Church, but I can give you dimensions of the one that we built at my church in Grand Prairie, TX at The Word Church. We used an 1100 gallon Norwesco vertical storage tank by purchased at Tractor Supply Store. When the top was was trimmed at the seam, the height stood at approximately 52 inches. The tank is 87 inches in diameter. The material is made of a polypropylene material and is approximately 1/8 inch thick. The material is very flexible when empty. You might begin to second guess yourself when you feel how flimsy the sides are when not filled, but rest assured that it becomes very rigid once filled. We fill our tank to 900 gallons.

      • How do you get it into your building.
        will it fit through double doors after you cut the top off.
        We just received our 1100 water tank and it looks too big to fit through double doors.
        don’t want to cut if we have to return it.

    • DavidC says:

      I forgot to mention that our tank looks just like the one in the picture by Crossroads Fellowship Church . . .

  61. Hi, do yall have any video of this in use?

  62. Annette says:

    With the light shining on the tank, can you see the people inside?

  63. Ken Weaver says:

    We loved the idea. Bought our first facility and needed a place to do baptism other than the pastors back yard pool. That was great and we always made it a big event but not too easy to do during the winter even though we are in Florida. We bought the larger size; 1550 gals and it works great. IMG_0879.jpg

  64. Jordan says:

    When you cut off the top of the tank did the sides begin to collapse or at least bend?? Does the top of the tank have a wrap around it or something?

    • Joseph says:

      It won’t collapse or anything it’s pretty strong, now as far as the wrapping goes you can use a banner with grommets. We have had issues with stick on vinyl clings in the past

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