I built a 4-foot (120 cm) diameter 3v 5/9 dome so I could easily go through standard doorways. The model was built with 1/2 inch EMT conduit. On top of it 5 “petal” sections were hinged so that they could open and close. Once all put together, a regular tarp fabric was put over the dome and I used a hot glue gun to affix the lights. For the petals I had some light curtains I found (12 inches wide X 6 feet long, or 30cm wide X 180cm long) and held in place with plastic tie-wraps (zip ties).

To hold the petals at a specific height I ran a thin wire around all tips of the petals. This spreads the tension across all petals, keeping them at the same height. To adjust the height I simply wrapped the wire a few extra turns at each tip around the tip (if you look closely you will see that I left the bolts sticking out).

The goal is to build a 30-foot version of the snowflake dome and use some winch with airplane cable to extend and retract the petals. The green effect was created using a regular green spotlight under the structure.

If anyone has suggestions for improvements, please feel free to do so! We’d love to have a showcase page for holiday decorations based on geodesics.

The dome required a specific diameter for the display, but the steel beam rafters on the pier required the dome be oblate, or squished to fit. This is a 4 frequency, 7/12, 33′ diameter, oblate geodesic dome built to Kruschke standards.

Once again UStream is providing multiple webcasts from Burning Man 2013. You can watch recorded segments or stream it live.

Burning Man 2013 is being held from August 26th to September 2nd. Click here to visit the official Burning Man website.

Don’t know what Burning Man is?  Read this page: http://www.domerama.com/general/what-is-burning-man/

If you want to view the webcasts, click here.

We just added a new exciting plan to the growing list of greenhouse plans collection. It’s a Pentakis design (so not actually geodesic) and you can see how similar it seems to a true geodesic design in the above image.

These new Pentakis dome plans are available in metric and imperial measurements for diameters from 3-4.5 meters (10ft – 15ft).

Click here  to see the list of greenhouse plans.

A timber geodesic dome covered with polyethylene film

Timber advantages over metal frame geodesic domes

The advantage of a geodesic timber dome is how easily it can be covered, rather inexpensively, and quickly. On the other hand, a geodesic dome made of  a metal conduit/pipe is a challenge to cover and often an expensive proposition.

When using wood/timber as the primary material, you can use transparent or translucent polyethylene plastic film, staple it directly on the structure, cover the staples with some silicone and then add a strip of wood for added protection and appearance.

And the best part is that you do not need to do much measuring because most parts are triangle shapes repeated with the use of a jig to ensure precision.

Geodesic dome plans: no special tools required

For a more professional appearance

You can cut triangular shapes from hard plastics such as polycarbonate sheets, glass or even acrylic. In the plans we offer almost all only require 2 or 3 varied shapes, making the cutting of the panels a simpler operation. Instead of stapling you screw and/or glue the panels on the structure and cover the seams with silicone and strips of wood, just as for plastic in roll form.

Jan’s half GD27 geodesic dome covered in glass and used as a conservatory

A note about geodesic greenhouses

There are a few greenhouse manufacturers who are more than willing to sell you a geodesic greenhouse kit… Usually starting at $10 000… They do offer convenience, almost worry-free solutions. But consider this:

• Shipping costs for your dome can be prohibitive
• Most timber geodesic plans offered on Domerama are under $50 and are very easy to make
• You have more control over the materials you will use
• With a basic effort you can cut your costs to a fraction of what you pay for a kit

Not convinced you can do it yourself? click on the banner below. George did much more than the average person but you’ll get the idea.

To view available timber geodesic dome plans, click below:

So what’s best for your needs?

Here are a few basic rules when you build your own geodesic dome

• For a climbing dome for the kids, a timber or metal dome are both good choices
• If you want a geodesic greenhouse, a timber dome is the preferred solution
• For event domes of various kinds and diameters, a metal dome is usually the best option

D Strut: 5.859′ (That corresponds to a total strut length of exactly 6′, which is easy to transport and withstood Torrey’s bending test for “climb-ability”).  That results in a diameter of 26.6′, a height of 15.8′, and a floor area of 519 square feet.

And the real surprise is how the geodesic dome struts themselves were made: with waterjet cutting gear which consists in using a mixture under high pressure containing water and abrasives pushed through a tiny nozzle, creating a jet spray able to cut through metal. See the images below and the many videos describing the process.

Torrey Smith He has no idea what he is in for

Nighttime strut annealing:

Daytime strut annealing:

Flattening the strut ends on the Press Brake at TechShop:

Waterjet cutting the fixture at TechShop:

Waterjet cutting the holes and full-rounds at TechShop:

Countersinking the holes:

They are building a dome where each face has been fitted with an illuminated plexiglass panel that is controlled by a computer. The computer runs custom visualization software that is interactive to music and movement.

They created a prototype of their final project using a 2v 16′ dome using Domerama calculators. The dome shown in the video below is a 16′ 2v made with 1″ EMT. The full size project will (as noted) be a 38′ 5v dome made with 1″ EMT. The “mini” dome in the video is a 5v 36″ scale model of the final project.

The small dome on the inside is a model of the final project: a 5v 38′ dome. It was created using brake tubing and the standard cut-press-drill-bolt process.

Visit their website at http://beyondfire.org where people can see more pictures and video and get in touch with Yona and the rest of the group if you are interested in performing in the dome or teaching dance.

Yona and friends are building the project in collaboration with Tangoed Up in Blues (http://bluestango.com/), where the dome will serve as their dance space this year on the Playa.

It was built with polyethylene tubing and joined together with bolts, nuts and washers. It is a simple structure and fast to assemble, very economical and durable, and only requires 20 pipes and 2 rings, one at the top and one big one at the base.

We invite you to look at the other pictures Peter has provided to us by viewing the new glass and metal greenhouse page.

Peter is also the inventor of a new type of geodesic hub. Here below is one of them. As you can see the hubs are designed to work with traditional square tubing which for many is a benefit because covering your dome is now much easier.

Peter also offers traditional domes for a variety of uses, and our favorite is how one of his domes was used by a theater troop in Ireland to put on a show for disabled kids. Not only do the actors do a great job as you can tell by the video clip below, but also the children seem to have a great time.

So far, I have dealt with forms generated from the icosahedron and a subdivision parallel to the original icosa face sides.

This can be called the “Alternate Breakdown”. This image below from part 1 describes this breakdown resulting in higher frequencies everytime you subdivide.

There is another type of breakdown, and for this we must go back to the original icosa triangle. Instead of drawing lines parallel to the triangle’s sides, we draw lines peggendicular to them.

This is called the “Triacon Breakdown.”

2v Triacon

Icosa face shown dotted

4v Triacon

Icosa face shown dotted

There are some interesting differences between the Alternate and Triacon breakdowns. Since the triacon breakdown is symmetrical about a line drawn down the centre of the icosa triangle, the triacon is only possible in even frequencies. The alternate, however, is possible in all frequencies. In even frequency alternate breakdowns (2v, 4v, 6v) great circles are formed which divide the sphere neatly into hemispheres.

The triacon breakdown does not have this feature in any frequency. ln order to make a triacon half-sphere. some triangles have to be cut in half. The triacon requires fewer different lengths because of  its higher symmetry, but. on the other hand. the struts vary in length more than in the altemate breakdown.

Try a model and see the differences.

To make a 4v triacon sphere you will need:

By now you should ?nd it fairly easy to identify different types of domes. What you do is look for a point where ?ve struts join. Then ?nd another pentagon and draw a line between them. If this line is de?ned by actual struts. then the dome is an altemate breakdown. If there are no stmts along the line. the dome is a triacon. What you are doing is picking out comers of the original icosa. The line you draw between them is an icosa edge. and counting the number of parts into which it is divided gives you the frequency of the dome.

Domes can also be generated from the Octahedron. They are not as round as domes generated from the icosahedron and can be easily recognised by a square where the eight octa faces meet. The Octahedron form has the distinguishing ability to be able to fuse to rectilinear forms. The Octahedron also forms a natural truncation at the hemisphere.

Assembly methods are as follows:

Domes can also be squashed or stretched to give an ellipsoidal form.

These forms are useful if building big domes where the dome is squashed down to save both headroom and surface area.

THREE FREQUENCY ICOSAHEDRON ELLIPSOID (SQUASHED)

One last word on model making is to make paper or cardboard models. Use the patterns on the following pages. Punch with a pin through the paper onto thin cardboard. or trace onto paper.

Trace ?ve times for the Icosahedron based domes, four times for the Octahedron based domes. Either tape the gathering angles to form curved sections or add tabs on the edges which can be glued or stapled together inside. Very attractive scale models can be made by using artist’s mount board and gluing the edges together on the insides with a hot glue gun.

In calculating dimensions. the following formulas are useful:

π = 114159265

CIRCUMFERENCE OF A CIRCLE = 2 * π *R

AREA or A CIRCLE = π * R²

AREA or A SPHERE =4 * π * R²

VOLUME OF A SPHERE = 4/3 * π * R³

AREA OF A TRIANGLE = 1/2 * BH

4v ICOSA ALTERNATE

3v ICOSA ALTERNATE 5/8 SPHERE (MAKE 5)

By far the best way to see what a geodesic dome looks like is to build three dimensional models. This is not difficult and lets you see how the geometry works, what size and shape you like and possible window and door placements.

The best drawings and photos are inferior to the simplest model when it comes to demonstrating three dimensional relationships.

Playing with models can lead to the discovery of valuable insights; not to mention that they are fun to make and look beautiful too.

There are two basic types of model building, as is full scale dome building. These are:

1. The HUB AND STRUT method. ie. Building a framework and then covering it with a skin. and
2. The MEMBRANE or PANEL system. ie. Where the skin is attached to the struts in premade triangular panels and the panels are later bolted together.

Before starting your first model, there are a few more simple geometric elements to become familiar with. These are:

CHORD FACTORS, CENTRAL ANGLES, AXIAL ANGLES,

FACE ANGLES and DIHEDRAL ANGLES

For each type of dome there is a method of calculating strut lengths and the angles at which they meet and how they are assembled.

The CHORD FACTORS are of the most importance here as they are needed to determine strut lengths.

Chord Factor = 2 Sin (Central Angle/2)

STRUT LENGTH = DOME_ RADIUS X CHORD FACTOR

Once you have a table of chord factors you can calculate strut length for any size dome you want.

The CENTRAL ANGLE is the angle produced by extending a line from the strut ends to the centre of the sphere.

AXIAL ANGLES are useful in hub design. They are the angles that the strut ends make with the centre of the sphere.

Axial Angle =  180 degrees minus Central Angle /2

FACE ANGLES are the internal tip angles of the triangles and are necessary when cutting hubs and triangle panels.

DIHEDRAL ANGLES are the angles between triangles. They are useful if you plan to bevel the skin panels or use bevelled struts.

2v and 3v breakdowns with original Icosa face dotted

The diagram above shows the statistics for a Three Frequency Icosahedron Dome.  To make a 5/8 sphere you will need:

Choose your method of model assembly (following pages) and assemble as in the diagram on page 8. This model will sit ?at on the 3/8 and 5/8 levels. It is simpler to join all the pentagon and hexagon spokes together ?rst. Make six pentagons from “A” struts, ten hexagons from “C” struts and ?ve “halt” hexagons for the base.

A simpler model can be made using only three strut lengths by substituting “D” struts with “B” struts and using the new chord factors of:

A = .34862       need 30
B = .40355       need 55
C = .41241        need 80

This model will not sit flat however but will rest on the five half-hex hubs under the pentagons. For a very similar truncation (fraction of a dome), the Kruschke method is used (in this case a 5/9).

Three-frequency icosahedron spheroid

]]> http://www.domerama.com/the-geodesic-dome-diy-handbook-part-2/feed/ 0 http://www.domerama.com/the-geodesic-dome-diy-handbook-part-1/ http://www.domerama.com/the-geodesic-dome-diy-handbook-part-1/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 01:48:14 +0000 Domerama http://www.domerama.com/?p=13348 [...]]]> INTRODUCTION

This e-booklet has been compiled to assist potential owner-builders of Geodesic Domes to prefabricate and erect a variety of geometric configurations utilising a number of possible construction techniques.

Much of the data is gleaned from long-out-of-date publications and from the author’s practical experience and experimentation in building domes since 1973.

Most of the ideas within have been tested and proven successful but are certainly open to further refinement and development. Rather than promoting any one system as being the ‘best’, I would prefer to offer ideas and possibilities to the great Australian tradition of “Do-it -yourself” and share my own experiences of what can work.

With this in mind I welcome any feedback about your own experiments, learning experiences and successes and invite any correspondence to share such knowledge. This manual is intended for educational purposes only.

It presents information on principles and techniques that the author has not necessarily employed. It is not suggested that these methods must be followed or that if followed will result in a safe or satisfactory building.

Due to variations in materials, quality of workmanship, tools and equipment, materials and components, local building codes etc., the author assumes no liability for any structure designed or constructed from information in this manual unless it is built by The Dome Company or our nominated sub-contractor.

Geodesic Geometry

GEODESIC = The shortest line between two points on a sphere.

There are only five different structures that we can build where all the sides, faces and angles are equal. These regular solids are called PLATONIC solids.

Of these five, we see that three are made of triangles. As we might expect, the tetrahedron,octahedron and icosahedron are rigid; while the cube and dodecahedron are not. The cube is the basis for most types of buildings. The icosahedron is the basis for most Geodesic Domes.

You can make small structures with icosahedrons, but if you begin to make bigger structures, the triangles get large and heavy and you begin to need big timbers for the members.

Dome geometry is all about the subdivision of large triangles into smaller ones.

An Icosahedron has twenty equilateral triangular ‘faces’. When the face is subdivided. it is not
done equally, but done so that the faces begin to curve outward;this gives you more strength. Each face can be divided by a line (arcs on a sphere) parrallel to the edge.

The number of divisions is called “FREQUENCY”.

As the frequency increases, the number of members or “STRUTS” and the numbel of triangles increases also, and the closer you get to a sphere.

The following diagram below is of a THREE FREQUENCY (3v) ICOSA 5/8 SPHERE.

Each of the original Icosa faces is heavily outlined. Looking at a geodesic dome on can determine the frequency by counting the number of struts between the apexes 0f the pentagons.

Note: divisions are different for different frequencies. See chart below for correct nomenclature

Consider the domes outlined below

These plans are offered by Paul of Geo-dome and all plans include support to help you build any of the structures offered. Prices vary between $24 and $45. All plans have been built and tested.

Best of all, these are hubless designs which require a minimum of tools to make.

Our example

First: in this example we are looking to produce a projection liner for a 15 meter (50-foot) diameter geodesic dome, the materials will be the same used by professional projection liner manufacturers. The main component of your liner is the vinyl:

• Because there is waste when cutting sections, let’s round the total to 400 linear yards of fire-retardant vinyl
• 2-layer projection liner 400 linear yards X $20 = $8,000 of vinyl material

Next is the frame holding up the projection liner.

The Frame

The other component to this projection liner is the frame to hold up the projection liner. Look at the images below:

The frame is slightly smaller than the geodesic dome. Its sections slide one into the other, just like top rails on a fence or electrical or plumbing conduit. To curve the metal to mimic the shape of the dome, a little math is required, but basically almost any metal shop can bend the pipe, and quickly. The end result is an easy-to-assemble frame.

A fairly generous estimate for the cost of a frame to hold up the projection liner is approximately $5000. Actually it’s a high estimate and almost any pipe can be used since it will never show (it’s between the two vinyl layers.

How you end up with up a very nice projection surface

The principle is simple: the outer layer is sealed to the inner layer and the metal frame holds up both layers. Connector an air pump to an opening and turn it on to create a suction.

You need only one location to suck the air out evenly because the negative pressure (vacuum) will equalize itself all over.

IMPORTANT: if you use vinyl which weighs 16 oz  per square yard, , this means your liner will weigh hundreds of pounds/kilograms. In our example, a single layer of vinyl is 4000 square feet, and we need two layers, for a total of 8000 square feet. At 18 ounces per square yard, the liner will weigh 900 pounds or more than 400 kilograms.

When air is suctioned out between the two layers, the inner layers forms a natural dome shape. An important note is how the frame is assembled, then the projection liner is thrown ovet the frame, and for a final touch, both layers are sealed at the the base.

Here is your current total (retail):

• $8000 for fabric
• $5000 for the frame

The next cost is making the 2 liner shapes.

You need to create two  half spheres (like an umbrella). the bigger one for the outer layer, the smaller one for the interior layer, the one on which you project. Vinyl is heat welded. If you don’t know where to go, try truck tarp makers; they heat weld vinyl on a daily basis.

It should not take more than 3 days of work to assemble the sections together. But if you do not pre-cut the sections yourself, expect 4 days of shop work, 8 hours per day, $80/hour.

Your current total is now:

• $8000 for fabric
• $5000 for the frame
• $3000 for heat welding of vinyl sections (rounded higher)

Add the cost for a blower/ pump: $300. Your total is under $17,000

So, let’s propose an extreme situation: let’s say our final cost is actually $10,000 more than estimated. Your investment is now $27,000. Keep in mind we are using retail pricing for all components.

Dome manufacturers will sell you a 15 meter (50 foot), 3-layer version for a reasonable… $65,000, plus shipping, plus a team to set it up.

That’s almost 2.5 times more than our DIY estimate for a comparable product. Even if you add a third layer to our DIY solution, it remains around twice the price of what a dome manufacturer offers. And this also includes that extra $10,000 we added for fun. But let’s be fair: companies need to make a profit, though it seems quite expensive to purchase one. And you still need a team to install and take off the liner.

But the ultimate waste of money promoted by event dome sellers is the  the negative vacuum/pressure projection system.

Those event dome suppliers who will suggest a negative-pressure projection system, a fancy expression for an system holding the projection fabric in place via a vacuum effect, are not offering you the best option for your event.

Many years ago dome sellers started using this patented method, and for a lack of options or most likely laziness,  continue to offer it. But it is not the best one out there.  A negative pressure/vacuum system is a pretty good solution for smaller domes, but anything bigger than 35 feet (11 meters) is not smart.

And even then, it’s pushing the boundaries of common financial sense. A negative pressure projection liner does do its job, but the majority of sellers demand an unrealistic amount. Why? Because they are very much aware that the liner they rent out may stay in storage a long time until is is used again, and so it is very likely the rental amount is same or more than purchasing the item.

In the image  above, projection is displayed on a geodesic event dome’s cover, something that may not be acceptable to clients. The alternative is to use multiple layers of fabric for a smooth, rounded projection surface and to hide the geodesic structure.

Why the negative pressure/vacuum projection system sucks

It consists of  three layers of PVC or similar material. You plug in the air blower which creates a vacuum between two layers and the result is a nice rounded shape. If a power outage occurs, your projection surface surface comes down. For outside use, a power backup source can be installed to immediately compensate, but if your dome is located inside and your backup is a generator,  it will be very noisy.

The greatest criticism about the negative pressure/vacuum projection system is the cost. A typical solution using this system for a complete 36-foot (11meter) diameter dome will easily set you back $40,000, and this is before shipping, taxes, installation and other related costs. If you would like to see more pictures of the negative pressure/vacuum system, visit the St-Lawrence Hall of Science planetarium website.

Click to enlarge

Many dome sellers are snobs

If you mention inflatable domes to a metal conduit dome seller they will have a prepared list of criticism regarding them. In addition, they know very little about inflatable domes other than they require air to be set up. Why?

• Inflatables are the products that can compete with metal domes.

• Most inflatable domes are manufactured in Asia, and so costs tend to be much lower than metallic domes. Also, geodesic covers are much less expensive.

• Inflatable domes do not require as much technical expertise and equipment to set up, and this cuts into the metal event dome seller’s profit margin.

Inflatable domes are far from perfect:

• If the power goes out the structure deflates
• It requires a very firm attachment to the ground
• Not all inflatable have nice rounded shapes for good projection results.

These issues are not difficult to address, though traditional event dome sellers will repeat them continuously because it is their natural competitor. The solution for the client or end user is a hybrid one.

So what is the alternative?

In short: consider a traditional inflatable projection dome inside a traditional geodesic structure. These are inflated like a giant balloon, and their interior surface is often designed for projection.

Stay away from inflatables which inflate the inside of the dome to stay up (ex: soccer domes). The right choice is a dome which inflates its wall to remain upright. This way there is no need to keep the dome sealed at all times.

If you opt for the inflatable projection solution, be aware there are varying degrees of quality and construction; for example, one inflatable may have a much smoother surface than another.

A variation on the negative pressure concept is available by clicking on the banner below:

Two solution: one sucks and the other blows?

The difference is a lot of money, and we mean a lot of valuable money. Expect an inflatable dome to be less than half  the cost of the negative pressure/vacuum system (most suppliers are sourced from Asia). To secure the inflatable dome, put it inside a geodesic dome structure. Funny thing: that is exactly what is done for negative pressure systems. but at a much higher cost.

Not only will you save large amounts of money, but it would be easy to store the inflatable dome for future events. If you believe negative projection liners are the best fit for you, consider clicking on the banner above for a solution about half the price of what dome sellers offer.

We just made an addition to Domerama.

This collection offers more than 2500 plans in PDF format that you can download. These are all in the public domain.

These are what some call conceptual plans, a page or two long. Most will have all the necessary information to build your project, from trusses to aviaries, barns, fences and cattle buildings to name just a very few. Some are from the 1930′s all the way to a few years ago.

Click here or on the image above to view the plans section

If you need convincing about the benefits in growing your own food, watch the video below.

Bucky was not an architect, nor an engineer, and actually explains his patent for geodesic geometry.

TC Howard was one of several talented architects who were overshadowed by Bucky.  Shoji Sadao was Bucky’s partner who designed the 67 Montreal Expo Pavilion with Geometrics, Inc.  All of the Geometrics, Inc architects, Don Richter for Kaiser domes and Temcor  and Jeffrey Lindsay.  TC Howard is synonymous with Synergetics, Inc.

Montreal Expo 67 U.S. pavillion

There is an over-abundance  of architectural firms, and it took a flamboyant person like Bucky to grab the attention and get the commissions.  Bucky was well known and had great connections, and originally pioneered the idea to make prefabricated housing to bring  down the price of owning a home.

He was not interested in building larger domes.  TC never designed houses.  TC helped prove that the larger the geodesic dome the stronger it became.  Bucky did not want to be in the dome building business.  Kaiser aluminum saw the dome industry as a new use for supplying aluminum.

Union Tank Car Dome

Union Tank Car foresaw the potential also:  they bought the rights to the UTC dome plans and were going to start manufacturing more.  North American Aviation saw the decline of air crafts and also wanted to expand into the dome business:  ASM dome and the Climatron.

Climatron Missouri Botanical Gardens

For more on TC Howard, click here.

A 15 meter (50 foot) geodesic dome frame is something you won’t see too often. The dome has a misting water system in it and by golly, they will be needing it today at the Big Day Out festival presently in Sydney this weekend.  As some parts of North America went down to the coldest weather yet this winter, it was the complete opposite in Australia. Keep in mind, it’s currently summer down under.

On related news, I just looked at the thermometer: -24 Celsius (that’s really cold in Fahrenheit).

George’s Geodesic Greenhouse project: fully documented with text and over 80 images.

 Don’ S. Collins’ geodesic greenhouse kit assembly: See Don and friends assemble a kit.

 Greenhouses in pictures: a collection of greenhouses of all kinds, from the last century to now.

Glass used to be the method most used to cover greenhouses. Now it has been replaced by plastics, mainly acrylic (plexiglass) and polycarbonate (Lexan) sheets.

Quick facts about acrylic and polycarbonate

• Acrylic is 17 times more resistant to impacts than glass and weighs half as much. Polycarbonate is 250 times more resistant to impacts compared to glass and is half its weight

• Acrylic is the less expensive option and clearer than glass; more rigid than polycarbonate, easy to scratch and tends to be more affected by chemicals. Polycarbonate is more flexible, more resistant to chemicals and abrasion, but it costs twice as much as acrylic.

• Both polycarbonate and acrylic have a light transmittance ranging from 88% to 92% of glass (acrylic is clearer than glass and transmits more light than polycarbonate).

Both glass alternatives have one factor in common: they will shrink as the temperature drops

The shrink rate of either material varies on factors such as the manufacturing process and raw materials used, but for a typical greenhouse, the shrinkage will be noticeable. To remedy this, the solution is to use “channels” to hold the panels in place while solving the shrinking issue.

How channels work

Panels are slipped in between 2 channels. The fit is snug with just a slight amount of wiggle room. In situations where the temperature is low, such as in winter, the long lips of the channel ensure that the panel will not fall. The result is that there is no stress on the panel and the greenhouse remains watertight.

When glazing a geodesic greenhouse, H channels are on each side of every panel and each side will need to be shorter to accommodate the space used for the channel.

The more layers a polycarbonate panel has, the greater the insulating value it will have. It is common to see double layer panels for greenhouses.

For more information on polycarbonate for greenhouses, click here.

Ever see a geodesic dome greenhouse kit assembly? Many are considering putting up a geodesic greenhouse , but few ever saw one being assembled.

Don S. Collins was kind enough to let us publish his story of how he went to visit a couple of friends to assemble their geodesic greenhouse kit, complete with polycarbonate glazing and a heat collector among other features. The pieces were pre-drilled and measured to make it easier to put together.

To find out who this adorable pooch is and to see how the geodesic greenhouse kit assembly went, click here!

This is a classic case of a supplier overselling his product just to make more money, and the suckers who bought the sales pitch. As you can see from the image above, the thing just fell apart following a snow storm followed by melting snow weather.

Garage shelter suppliers are great hypnotists

Somehow, companies have convinced people that shelters are great to protect your vehicle from snow. But all that snow they promise you won’t have to shovel is on top of your shelter, accumulating after each storm.

Look at the image on the left: that is just one of the many boulders of snow on the roof of the garage shelter. We had to cut many holes in the roof to remove these giants to get the ATV out. Oh, and the ATV’s protecting roof broke under the weight of the snow because the ATV was the only reason the entire thing did not cave in all the way.

Your garage shelter vs. your house roof

A house roof is designed to support its own weight and the accumulation of snow during the winter. So why on Earth would a skimpy frame made of thin tubing become strong enough to support 18-24 inches of snow? It may support the weight for a while, but the moment that snow becomes wet or another snow fall happens, your temporary structure is on its way to buckle. And this is what happened to this particular shelter.

Bottom line here: temporary shelters are not a good solution in most winter climates. Those who insist using them are the first to reinforce the structure with bracing and additional wood. So that means… People who don’t know any better buy these shelters, and those who do know better also buy them, but they reinforce the hell out of them… Uh, what?

OK, so what’s my alternative?

There is no moral here; traditionally-shaped shelters have their uses, but if you have the space for it, a geodesic dome might be a better solution. I live in the countryside, so a dome is not far-fetched where quonset (half-moon) structures  are common. And you can also throw a metal or plastic mesh over the frame before you put on the tarp, making it even more resistant to snow load.

Still, seeing these babies implode makes for fun pictures.

This has caused much distress and we here at the Domerama Geodesics Pentagonial Church of our Lady of Tensegrity, do not discriminate on the basis of your personal tastes and beliefs(but we do look down on those who believe the moon landings were filmed on a stage in New Mexico).

Please support our awareness campaign to show that being geodesic does not automatically make you a hippie.

Right after the holidays, people who are planning to attend Burning Man begin to put their ideas together. And for someone like me at Domerama it’s like Christmas in August!

I recently became aware of something very interesting: visit this website: thepeopleofburningman.com.  You got to watch the video. And a book of the same name is available.

The technology was initially developed by Rockwell International. Here is their promotional video below

Many visitors to Domerama are interested in building an inexpensive greenhouse that will last, be practical and nice to look at. This geodesic dome greenhouse project below is a must-see.

See how George decided to build a geodesic dome greenhouse last March 2012, and follow him every step along the way by reading his detailed observations and through more than 90 images taken during the project. It’s one of the most detailed geodesic dome greenhouse project we have found up to now.

        

In the next few weeks we will offer dozens of free plans, as well as a selection at a modest cost. Come back soon!

Wood pallets make an inexpensive floor or deck. Some are free, others are not. But many pallets being given away are more than acceptable for your geodesic dome or yurt flooring. They may not look pretty sometimes, but once you cover them with plywood, OSB or aspenite, even paint them, no one will know.  The pallets serve as a frame under the actual floor and their shape makes the ideal to lay 4′X 8′ sheets over them.

Assembling the pallets together is quite simple: line up similar pallets and drill or nail them together. One of the best part of using pallets is that they have much of the hard work done, so no cutting or measuring; just attach them to each other.

Preparation is key to a solid base

Your surface under the pallets should be graded and flat. Then you may need to tamp the soil. This may not be required. In the back of our house the ground contains pit run, a combination of various sizes of rocks mixed in with sand, clay and soil, making the surface hard as concrete. All we needed to do was to fill out some spots to make the surface evenly flat; for those areas we did take soil from around the property and then tamped it.

Next we lay down a layer of poly film, commonly found in hardware and garden centers. This will serve to stop growth of plants. Ideally a black plastic film is preferred.

The final step is to lay down a layer of sand over the surface. The thickness is up to you, though we recommend at least 2 inches (5cm). This layer should also be tamped to even it out.

Covering the wood pallets with flooring

• For cost reasons, OSB (used in roofing as an alternative to plywood) is about half the cost of plywood and very resistant to weather conditions. If you cut parts off an OSB sheet, remember to seal the cut with an appropriate paint or sealant because humidity could leak into the sheet over time.

• Plywood or OSB, it is a good idea to paint the sheets if you do not cover your surface with anything else. A good quality preservative is also a good idea

• If you do cover your plywood or OSB surface with a floating floor for example, a layer of insulation is recommended (as in a regular floor covering).

• If you do not not cover the pallets at all, consider using a thicker layer of poly film as water spilled from above may form puddles under the pallets. Your best option is to create natural drains  in the sand layer (a series of small ditches running from the center to the outer edge).  You should also consider adding a second layer of poly film above the sand layer.

What results can you expect?

Watch the video below to see how Mike used wood pallets to make a backyard deck.