TCURiggs said:
Geo, did you ever build those 5-gallon bucket redneck air conditioners?
I did one. Had the similar problem with the 2 1/8" bit on the foam liner. Probably need to go to a 2" bit for the size PVC they recommend in the video. Also, I tried the cheap fan and couldn't get much blow power. We have a standard Vornado that I just leaned on to it to see what it would do. It blew the cold air a little further, but not that much better. Nice thing with it is that it fits the top of the bucket perfectly without the lid so you don't have to carve a hole.
All in all, it will suffice, but I might look at a few of the other models before I do another one. There is a true "swamp cooler" version and the ones built out of a cheap Coleman cooler. Also, I was looking at HD and they had a personal size (about the size of a air purifier) air conditioner for like $149. I might just pony-up and get that.
Or I might just periodically walk out in the backyard and do the Ice Bucket Challenge. We did it today as a family, and I seemed cooled off for the rest of the day. We got challenged to do a TCU-themed one, so I had to edit the video a little bit.