Plumbing parts for DIY rain barrel?

[jcatblum]

If you have made your own rain barrel where was the best place to get the plumbing parts?

Did anyone use PVC? Or did you use a regular outdoor spigot?

I found the barrels, I think I can get as many as I need for $8.50 each.

So please tell me what worked for you and what didn't when you built yours.

Thanks so much!

[Forerunner]

Brass is your friend......but plastic will do.

A three quarter inch pipe nipple about 2-3 inches long and rubber washers cut from a truck tire innertube, plus a pipe nut on the inside and your valve on the outside.....
Use a good, sharp hole saw to accommodate a tight fit on the nipple and you're in business.

[hunter63]

I used a brass spigot, 3/4 Fosner bit (very sharp and clean hole), rubber washer and a lots of silicone.
PVC for the rest.

[Beeman]

I guess you're talking about the garden hose end of it. I just drill a hole big enough for a pipe nipple that screws into a hose bib. The hose bib has a flange and I just silicon it. On the inside I use a faucet nut, the nut that holds your kitchen sink faucet to the sink. I have barrels with the thread on ring, had olives and peoppers in them. I make a screen that fits the top and thread the ring back on to keep trash and mosquitoes out.

The fill part I just have a gutter drain running into it. I'd like to build something that would tap into thefull drain pipe so you could switch when the barrel is full.