Manifold Rain Barrels

I wanted to collect rain water for my garden and compost. My wife wanted a certain aesthetic and to have an unobstructed view from our sun room. You'll see that the back side of our sun room is unobstructed and I left a gap between the barrels on the side of the sun room. The gap between the barrels is so that we can still see out of the sun room.

Pictures
Here's a breakdown of this project:

Materials:
3 Olive barrels
3/4" pipe
2 3/4" T (for barrel #2 and ball valve)
2 3/4" 90 degree elbows (for barrel #3 and spigot)
3 3/4" female threaded couplings (for spigot, barrel #2, barrel #3)
2 3/4" male threaded couplings (for barrel #2, barrel #3)
1 45 degree elbow (for ball valve)
1 Ball valve
1 spigot
PVC cement
Screen (to catch *#$% off the roof & gutters)
Sand (to level the blocks)
12 cinder blocks

Tools:
Drill
1" hole saw (I used a 1" drilling bit that I had)
Crescent wrench
Vice grip
Utility knife
Reciprocating saw
Level
Sharpie

I used a reciprocating saw to cut a circle out of the lid on barrel #1. You could use a utility knife, but it may take a while or you might break the blade. Put a screen in the lid, and put the seal back in the lid. There's a round sponge-type seal in the lid. Barrels #2 & 3 have the seal removed from the lid so that pressure can escape without me having to drill holes in the barrel or lid.

Drill 1" hole for spigot in barrel #1. Insert screw-in spigot and put female coupling inside barrel. Tighten female coupling to spigot using a crescent wrench.

The bottom side of these barrels have circles that show that they are food grade. Drill 1" hole in the left circle of barrel #2 and #3 so that when they are set up they are uniform.

Tighten threaded male coupling into each barrel #2 and #3. I bought a 4 metal rings and 2 rubber o-rings (2 metal rings and 1 o-ring for each barrel.) However, I lost 1 metal ring and o-ring. I ended up cutting a piece of bike inner tube and putting it on that barrel. The purpose of the metal rings and o-rings is to create a flat surface and seal. Basically, it's a makeshift bulkhead by using the rings, male threaded coupling, and female threaded coupling.

Next, lay it all out and measure once, twice, and three times. I sanded the ends of my pipes after hacksawing and then measured again.

My wife shoveled out the area to make sure everything was level. I went to fetch more play sand from the getting place.

After measuring and re-measuring, dry-fitting, and re-dry-fitting, start gluing the pipe (thin layer outside male pipe, thin layer outside male pipe), allow to set.

Pick location for ball valve and put ball valve in the t. Put 45 degree on the end of the ball valve

Put t on barrel #2. Put 90 degree elbow on barrel #3. Put 90 degree elbow on the spigot.

After everything set, I flipped the entire unit upright.

Crossed my fingers and held my breath and opened the spigot for water to run through all barrels.

I might have missed a part or two. I believe there's enough here to get the gist of what we did. We installed the gutters last weekend for the purpose of hoping to help with a drainage issue and to catch rainwater.

We're ordering the Frost King for overflow.

Wife prefers this look of the olive barrels versus the rain barrels I had at my house before we moved in together a couple of years ago. My old setup.

I'm in a state that allows (and encourages) rain barrels.

I used a reciprocating saw to cut a circle out of the lid on barrel #1. You could use a utility knife, but it may take a while or you might break the blade. Put a screen in the lid, and put the seal back in the lid. There's a round sponge-type seal in the lid. Barrels #2 & 3 have the seal removed from the lid so that pressure can escape without me having to drill holes in the barrel or lid.

Drill 1" hole for spigot in barrel #1. Insert screw-in spigot and put female coupling inside barrel. Tighten female coupling to spigot using a crescent wrench. The bottom side of these barrels have circles that show that they are food grade. Drill 1" hole in the left circle of barrel #2 and #3 so that when they are set up they are uniform.

Tighten threaded male coupling into each barrel #2 and #3.

I bought a 4 metal rings and 2 rubber o-rings (2 metal rings and 1 o-ring for each barrel.) However, I lost 1 metal ring and o-ring. I ended up cutting a piece of bike inner tube and putting it on that barrel. The purpose of the metal rings and o-rings is to create a flat surface and seal. Basically, it's a makeshift bulkhead by using the rings, male threaded coupling, and female threaded coupling.

Next, lay it all out and measure once, twice, and three times. I sanded the ends of my pipes after hacksawing and then measured again.

My wife shoveled out the area to make sure everything was level. I went to fetch more play sand from the getting place.

After measuring and re-measuring, dry-fitting, and re-dry-fitting, start gluing the pipe (thin layer outside male pipe, thin layer outside male pipe), allow to set.

Pick location for ball valve and put ball valve in the t.

Put 45 degree on the end of the ball valve Put t on barrel #2.

Put 90 degree elbow on barrel #3. Put 90 degree elbow on the spigot.

After everything set, I flipped the entire unit upright.

Crossed my fingers and held my breath and opened the spigot for water to run through all barrels.

I might have missed a part or two.

I believe there's enough here to get the gist of what we did.

We installed the gutters last weekend for the purpose of hoping to help with a drainage issue and to catch rainwater.
We're ordering the Frost King for overflow. Wife prefers this look of the olive barrels versus the rain barrels I had at my house before we moved in together a couple of years ago. My old setup. I'm in a state that allows (and encourages) rain barrels.