I am excited to announce that the first mobile Finnish sauna will be idling warmly as part of the annual New Year’s Day polar plunge on Lake Minnetonka.  Click here for more videos and photos. (This guy needs a sauna):

Date:

Friday, January 1, 2010 @ 9:30 AM local time

Address:

Thanks to Stephen Colmant for digging out this study on the effects of negative ions. Summary:  “The results suggest that negative ions may amplify the effects on humans of the sauna.”

It is wildly known that wood burning saunas create negative ions, akin to the experience of being close to a waterfall.  The technical explanation of this is most welcome, please comment.

Though I appreciate the study and hope to dive into it further, my view on this is somewhat like Bob Dylan’s when he wrote Subterranean Homesick Blues

“you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

Here’s part of an email with Josh, who is happily building his own sauna:

Josh..

Good question on the sauna door.  I make my own. Here’s what you can do:

1. Frame and your interior wall, frame for about a 26″x6′5″ sauna door.
2. Cut a piece of plywood sheathing 3/4″ less than your height and width.  This is the basis for your sauna door.
3. tongue and groove panel the outside face of your plywood.
4. Staple foil bubble wrap insulation to the inside face of your plywood.
5. Tongue and groove cedar the inside of your door, on top of the foil wrap.  Tip: run your siding the opposite direction as your walls, it looks better.  If you really want to be resourceful, you may be able to use your cedar t&g cuts from your walls to make a really cool pattern.
6. nail in a door stop to your door frame.
7. Screw in some hinges and a funky wood door handle.
8. Hang your door.
9. Leave a slat towards the bottom for air flow. This is the best way to vent your sauna.
10. Door window:  It’s easy to use a skill saw to cut out for a window.

The end result is that you have a nice solid 2″ door.  (5/8″ plywood, 2@ 5/8″ paneling).

Josh, you going with a Kuuma Stove from Tower?

g.

for more hot air, click here:
www.saunatimes.com

Josh

Is there a difference?  Tell me your opinion.

Considering whether to build a wood burning sauna or an electric sauna?  You may want to read below.. I’ll post all comments.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise.

The Glendale Hilton has an acceptable outdoor pool, work out center, and a real sauna.  Quite a pleasant surprise to stumble upon a sauna in Los Angeles.   The sauna is electric, of course, and has a few token rocks tossed upon the electric coils, but there is a unique treat to this sauna.

As I sat quietly and presumably alone for my first round, I started hearing a curious chirping noise.  I thought maybe my weight on the sauna bench had created some sort of weird electrical squeak, so I moved a bit.  The noise stopped, then resumed a minute or so later.  Sure enough, a cricket had worked its way into the sauna and most likely realized that this climate is worth staying around.

The soft chirping noise was anything but an annoyance.  As I closed my eyes and relaxed further, I was treated to an authentic audible slice of nature.  Dreaming of being at my cabin by the lake or perhaps in a steamy jungle in the Philippines.

Thank you Mr. Cricket for an unexpected assistance to my sauna escape.