10 years after this video was posted I found this and I'm thrilled that you explained the fittings thoroughly as you went. PDF for future reference was a lovely touch, thank you for providing this.

You can skip the ball valve and just attach a garden hose to a barbed/threaded fitting at the bottom. Make the hose longer than your rain barrel is tall, and use a spring clamp (like ones used to hold brooms against the wall in a closet) to conveniently keep the end of the hose above the top level of the barrel. No moving parts. Cheap. Reliable. Trouble-free. I have had bugs crawl into the hose at times, but they get flushed out as soon as you use the hose. If bugs bother you, put a cork in it-

To my surprise looking for how to prepare the blue Barrel into water storage I found your video. Hi to another Vernonite and with that said I know know how to prepare my water shed. and turn another into a rain barrel. So thank you Gord it is such a small world we live in

Great information. I have 2 barrels ready for transformation!

Helpful even 8 years later. Thanks!

Thanks! Just thought I'd let you know your video is helping folks make use of a very scarce resource here in the Arizona desert! I have blue barrels just like yours, and had my project half finished when I realized I didn't know how to attach the hose bib. Because of your video, I'll be able to finish the project tomorrow --just in time for the first rain we've had in a month!

+100 for using a hockey stick!

You did a great job explaining this,thank you,I think I,a 59 year old woman,can do this

Your demo is the best I’ve ever seen, in fact Emmy quality. Thanks JellyRoll

That hockey stick trick was very clever! I have the barrel with the solid non-removable lid so that was a very useful tip, thank you!

Thank you Okanagsn . It is very important to built that. The water is getting to be very expensive.

Very thorough. I'll re-comment if I actually do this project.

Excellent!

Great Job! PLease do more. You ARE NEEDED!!!!!

Very nicely done, thank you for taking the time to create this. Very informative!

A hockey stick LOL!!! Gotta love my neighbors to the north :)

Thanks for posting....LOVE the plant pot filter, will definitely use that idea! ;-)

You helped me so much with the flex hose idea thank you!!!!!!

You are an excellent teacher! Thank you for this wonderful lesson and inspiration!!

You are easy to watch. Good video!!

Very informative comprehensive video. Thanks for posting.

Thank you very much. It is very usable.

My next project. Excellent video - thanks!

you Canadians ROCK!... Got my first rain barrel yesterday already full... and need many more.. but at a cheaper cost.. thanks for the video.. and thanks for hockey!

I just got mine set up and after one rain it was full. Thanks for sharing!!!

I am so impressed with your video! You planned it out very well and were exceptionally organized. Thank you :-)

Informative and thorough....love the hockey stick/duct tape use! Thanks for putting this together!

This is a great video. Thanks for making it so easy to follow.

The best instructions, simple and complete guide I have found and liked the best. Thank you very much. I am building one this week.

Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Very well done!

Excellent! Very clear precise instruction.

excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to teach us!

Very well done. Clear and objective explanation.

you are the best teacher Thanks

Excellent, thank you!

Love the filter. So easy!

I love this, I just started gardening and KZfaq this year. I've learned a ton from you and about to build a rain barrel myself! Thanks a bunch

Thank you for sharing. Been wanting to add few of these around my property. Like the design.

Great video! Thanks so much for sharing!

Definitely a must save video! Thanks for sharing.

A very good teacher!! I think I can do this!

Fabulous video. Got my rain barrels yesterday. Can't wait to start building!

This instruction flows VERY well!

Thank you for the step by step I’m going to tackle this week thank you 🙏

Good job! Thank You from Texas.

Exactly what I did three years ago. I made a 2-foot high stand for each of my two plastic rain barrels, and one 2-ft high stand for three barrels ganged together. The reason for the stands is for gravity feed to my raised gardens. I cut the downspouts off about 7 feet from the ground, and attached two-foot long downspout sections (scrap pipe if you have any) so that the water from the roof will drain into the barrels. I put faucets toward the bottom of each barrel, and attached garden hoses connecting all the barrels together. I can also connect garden hoses to each of the barrels using the same faucets. I used 3/4 inch faucets, I threaded the 3/4 inch faucet into a 5/8 inch hole (5/8 is smaller than 3/4. 3/4 is the same as 6/8). I used silicon sealer on the threads, and used 3/4 inch pipe fitting to secure the faucets. I put 3-inch PVC overflow pipes toward the top of each barrel to drain the excess into other barrels that set on the ground. I have a 42 X 60 metal roof. I can collect 400 + gallons from each 1 inch rain. I put overflow pipes in the 3-ganged barrels so that as one barrel fills, the overflow pipe will fill the next barrel. And then from the 2nd barrel to fill the 3rd barrel. My overflow pipes are not water tight so that as one barrel is empty, I can detach it from the other barrel. In a good rain, the overflow barrels will also overflow. So leaks between the barrels doesn't matter. It's raining anyway; you won't catch all the rain water. I just collect what I can, then let the rest fall where it may. But the overflow should be away from the house. I use drapery sheers to keep mosquitoes out the the barrels. I use 4-foot bungy cords to hold the sheers. But I had to add about 4 inches of heavy wire to each of the bungy cords since 4 feet of bungy cord won't reach around a 55-gallon barrel without over stretching it. But the bungy cords don't hold up in direct sunlight. They last for only one summer. Rainwater may not be as clean as it should be because of the metals, chemicals and other crap that is being sprayed into the atmosphere (chemtraiIs) . I notice an oil-slick on the water in one of my barrels. It was not residue left in the barrel when I got it.

Thank you for posting this very important DIY. Thumbs way up.👍👍🙂

Thanks for the full instructions you are awesome

Great job!!! Thanks this was very informative.

Great video. Nicely done with all the tips to take care and consider.

Flowerpot filter! EXCELLENT idea! Thanks!

Amazing information. So cool to learn from you!

Excellent! thanks much for a clear and simple demonstration for rain barrel making.

Excellent guide

Excellent presentation.

Craig, we've posted a few links in the video description - thanks for your interest!

what a great video. very straight forward and easy step by step.

best rain barrel video I have seen, thank you

Thanks 😊 for helping us. God bless you.

Great job!

I like your multi coloured hole saws...

Thank you, very good instructions and safety reminders.

Thanks for this video - from Cape Town, South Africa - where we are experiencing our first drought ever.. and water harvesting is new to all of us. I had built my own rain barrel system (clumsily) - but the tips in this video have helped me to a professional finish. Thanks again!

Thank you for this video :) Very informative! Now I can make my own.

Very well explained, leaving no space for doubts and very easy to follow and install.

Thanks... awesome info

Really explicit and understandable. Thank you for doing this really good share. We should all be doing this. Love the Okanagan Valley.

Thank you for being thorough and clear in details and instructions. Awesome job. Wish I would have seen your video first. I watched a different video and am not happy with my rain barrel. Too small of an overflow valve. Also needed a 1/4-turn ball valve to increase water pressure. At lease when I empty my 2 barrels, I will be correcting these issues now that I am better equipped. Thank you again!!!

When using a hole saw into plastic, start it then run it in reverse. If you do this, the hol is cleaner and the ho;e saw doesn't buck.

Thank you so much for such clear and concise directions. My rain barrel came out perfectly. :)

Sonny You are so good and all details perfect! I try this soon in Australia but Your flexible inlet I have not seen anywhere but I do like it. A Video done with perfection!

Nce video, well thought out and described. thanks for sharing

You did a great job on this video!

Great instructional video. Thanks

nice and clear instructions. Thanks you.

VERY helpful video! Thank You!!!

Loved this video, made my first rain barrel following these instructions.

Thanks I know what my next project is going to be.

Great instructions!!! Thanks, finished my first barrel and off to do second.

Awesome Job, Gord!!! I have been shopping for these barrels for the last few days. I found them and it's just a matter of buying them. But I put off the purchase until I know what to do with the barrels. This video has everything I need. Thanks a million. Cheers.

I would use a T fitting where the flexible fitting is plus the flexible fitting gouin to the water barrel the other side of the T will go straight down with an elbow on the bottom and a cleanout plug so the dirt will go down and you can open the cleanout and remove the dirt

very impressive bru.Thanks.

love the hockey stick ;]

This guy is freakin awesome

Great video! Very thorough. This is what KZfaq is for.

Great Video. Just wanted to point out that on my blue barrel, the clear plastic plug on the top of the barrel has a thread tapping of 3/4" in the centre. You can use that as they supply pipe to your garden or what have you. I am currently building my harvesting system now and will have a photo soon if I did not explain myself good enough. Thanks again.

Great video ...many thanks

You're a very good teacher. I just bought two barrows, your inf is going to be very helpful.

When you drill with a hole saw, run the hole saw backwards after the pilot drill goes through. After running the hole saw backwards and creating drill marks, you can change it to forward direction if you choose. This prevents the hole saw from biting into the plastic and torquing your wrist.

Really well done video! I'm not very handy but it looks doable even for me.

Fantastic!

I Excellent video, very informative easy instructions to follow. I like your tip about the hockey stick, very clever! I am glad I have sons who used to play hockey here in Alberta during their younger years, still have old hockey sticks lying around the house. I finished my rain barrel systems for my self watering gutter system for my tomatoes 5 years ago. I am just sharing your video now to my son from Seattle who is interested to build one. Thanks for sharing. Le

Great job

Amazing video! Very informative and easy to understand novice language.

great detail and instructions....I've got two olive barrels that I am not afraid to cut into anymore!

Great video. Very informative

thanks a lot my friend, very well done.

excellent video

Thank you very much for your useful video that I will put in practice soon,God bless.

awesome class