Domes are awesome

[Saturnine0]

I'm sure everyone has heard this already... but domes. the're awesome.
Just built a 2V in the backyard, they seem difficult until you start building. We screwed up a whole bunch of times and it still came out fine.
Total cost:
1/2 inch emt x 34 = $66.98
.5x4 inch bolts 16ct x 2.99 x 4 = $11.96
nuts to go with +/- $2
Tools:
Angle grinder $40
Cut-offs 2 x 2.99 = 5.98
Corded drill $40
2 titanium drill bits +/- $10
People hours 2 x 9hrs
Having a f#$@-off big dome in your yard: priceless($176.92 including tools)
Dome will fit in car, carport......not so much.

Edit: BL**P how does one make an image show?

[robotland]

How big is that dome? Half-inch EMT is a little lightweight for most larger applications, so maybe you should make up a few spare struts. You'll see what I mean soon enough.
BUT
Congratulations on making a dome! Isn't it SATISFYING? I'm totally hooked now, and have made...let's see...Eight different geodesic projects, every one more complicated than the last, and all based on the 2V formula. I routinely check the electrical aisle when I'm at the home store for the current price of EMT, and go crazy over any readymade fitting that's five-sided.
Almost time to revive the Parade Of Domes thread.....

[gyre]

Has anyone done a stressed skin dome for the playa?
That's really what Fuller had in mind.
There are a lot of strength advantages.

Maybe some of Camp Armageddon's domes?

[Saturnine0]

I just realized I can make a permanent domicile in under 9 hours. serious sh1^. If I, Mr. mechanicly impaired person can make something, just imagine what an artist can do.
Even my waste sparks creative by-productives...
I made a dome.

[Toolmaker]

Congratulations!

If you ever want to make something stronger you could always use material with a thicker wall or just go with solid bar stock. The cost goes up some and the weight goes up alot but than you can string up hammoks and hang gear. One thing I did with my first one was to use eye bolts with the eye on the inside so I could hang some stuff along the "walls". My next design incorporates some misting nozzles and rubber lines and a small pump to keep the inside nice and cool. The covering I was thinkin of using is heavy broadcloth or canvas stitched into panels that zip together and have brass grommets on the bottom edges to zip tie to the frame.

[MikeVDS]

Looks good. What are you going to cover it with? You have some time you you might be able to find a cheap parachute. They are not ideal, but they are usually good enough and cheap. You can fold up the sides during the day to let wind through.

[robotland]

Another fine covering material is billboard vinyl- My friend Martiansky made an OUTSTANDING dome AND excellent vinyl cover...her first year! Toolmaker's suggestion about eyebolts is a very good one, that I have employed numerous times to very satifying results. To be able to carabiner your big Brazillian hammock up for a snooze and then rapidly convert to Dance Floor Mode? Priceless. Those extra-long threaded bits on the outside can be capped with cheap rubber balls that you've drilled holes in. (SMALLER holes, so the threads'll grip the ball better.)

[gyre]

I saw a dome covered in aluminet solid out there.

Beautiful.
Maybe silvicool could be used?

[capjbadger]

Question for you guys/gals about coverings. What are you doing to keep the struts from rubbing and wearing out the cover? I made a fitted tarp cover for my dome last year, and I pad the points so they didn't tear the cover, but I noticed that the struts were wearing at the cover where it comes in contact.

Badger

[MikeVDS]

You can take a grinder to the corners of the struts so they are smooth. That's what we did. Takes some time though.

[capjbadger]

You can take a grinder to the corners of the struts so they are smooth. That's what we did. Takes some time though.

It's actually not the ends of the struts that are rubbing (those are padded), it's the middle of them.

I'm thinking of just grabbing a bunch of that split foam pipe insulation and slapping that on the whole thing..

Badger

[robotland]

[I'm thinking of just grabbing a bunch of that split foam pipe insulation and slapping that on the whole thing..

Badger

That's the ticket! It's also handy to pad "Bonk Zones". I've also used old tarps underneath the good, outer ones as padding and extra sunblock- But I'm using tarps as covering and NOT Aluminet or shadecloth.
With a custom covering you could reinforce the strut areas by gluing on lengths of nylon webbing- The stuff you can buy in hardware stores for repairing old woven-web lawn furniture. (I've never met anyone who bothered to repair one of those chairs, though...)

[capjbadger]

Hmm... I like the old tarps idea. I could grab some big cheap painter's drop cloths, wrap the dome in that, and then put the fitted cover (made out of silver tarps) over it. More light/IR blocking that way too. It would be much easier that trying to get that thing back through the sewing machine.

Badger

[robotland]

Look for "tarp clips"- plastic semi-cylinders that clip onto conduit and hold tarps quite securely. I found mine at the local flea market for a buck apiece. They have the advantage of being inobtrusive for purposes of fastening tarps under other tarps, and in a REALLY high wind (or if you yank hard enough) they'll pop off instead of letting your tarp shred. Those and spring clips are vital tools for Crappy Michigan Weather Management. I'm still cooling my heels for a decent enough day for me to peel the tarps back and start fitting the permanent cover!

[TristanX]

I am thinking of building a 3v dome from 3/4 condiut for this year's BM. Question is . how long does it take to assemble ? I've been lead to believe it could take like 3-4 hours ? is that true ?

would building a PVC quonset hut be easier ?

I do need some sturdy shade structure (obviously).. am am not opposed to some work, but I'd rather not spend 4 hours in the baking sun either.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Toolmaker]

I am thinking of building a 3v dome from 3/4 condiut for this year's BM. Question is . how long does it take to assemble ? I've been lead to believe it could take like 3-4 hours ? is that true ?

would building a PVC quonset hut be easier ?

I do need some sturdy shade structure (obviously).. am am not opposed to some work, but I'd rather not spend 4 hours in the baking sun either.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

How big are you thinkin of goin? More importantly.. How many people can you DEPEND on having during assemby? How many hours are you willing to spend on assembly? How many people do you need the dome to handle?

The larger and more complex the dome structure is can increase the build times even more than 4 hours if you only have a few folks. I can only handle smaller 2V domes myself and get one assembled in under 2 hours. If you have a large truck like a deuce and a half or flatbed you could have sections preassembled and that would save a TON of time. If your covering is going to be done in sections you could also get that out of the way too. Larger 3V and 4V domes can require extra equipment just to get the top on.

A qounset style shade is definitely easier and simpler to pull off. If you're just lookin for shade thats the way to go or another method involving your cover with guy lines, poles, vehicles roofs etc etc. I like what Tiahar does with the bus best. A large cover running along the length and just run out and nailed to the ground. Nice and simple, quick setup, and extremely effective. He does need to paint that this year.

[Toolmaker]

[I'm thinking of just grabbing a bunch of that split foam pipe insulation and slapping that on the whole thing..

Badger

That's the ticket! It's also handy to pad "Bonk Zones". I've also used old tarps underneath the good, outer ones as padding and extra sunblock- But I'm using tarps as covering and NOT Aluminet or shadecloth.
With a custom covering you could reinforce the strut areas by gluing on lengths of nylon webbing- The stuff you can buy in hardware stores for repairing old woven-web lawn furniture. (I've never met anyone who bothered to repair one of those chairs, though...)

I wonder if the "pool noddle" toys some folks use small pieces of on rebar stakes would hold up better. I like the variety of colors too to dress up the inside. I think a homemade covering is the way to go. I see large rolls of webbing real cheap at military surplus shows and catalogs. I think I will added strips to the panels I make for my next dome. I think I am going to go with a canvas, shade net combination. I want to have heavy duty zippered areas that can allow for areas of the canvas outer shell to be removed temporarily for airflow. I want to have the ability to have the next one completely buttoned up. I am also thinkin of addidng some mist indoors. I was strollin though home depot and saw some small black tubing and nice little mister nozzles that snap right in. Small pump in a bucket with some ice water and you have a nice cool mist. I don't think I'm ready for 3V yet, maybe next one. When I do get into a 3V I would like to have a large net/hammock in one area and a second floor possibly roof addition. Also a modified entranceway or vestibule.


I could live in dome for the rest of my life.

[Tiahaar]

He does need to paint that this year.

Aaagh!! Got me. Yes true it is a beautiful blank slate just begging for artistifyzation...that project now bumped up a few notches on the priority ladder, thanks Toolmaker for the prodding : ) I was over at the bus doing a fridge swap today, what an ordeal. The big shade tarp has held up well, I use bungees to all grommets to pull it tight but still let it give a bit in high winds.

[capjbadger]

I wonder if the "pool noddle" toys some folks use small pieces of on rebar stakes would hold up better. I like the variety of colors too to dress up the inside.

The pipe insulation is a hollow noodle and fits right over the EMT. I don't recall those pool noodles being hollow or pre-split.

Badger

[Rocket75377]

The pipe insulation is a hollow noodle and fits right over the EMT. I don't recall those pool noodles being hollow or pre-split.

Badger

Hollow, yes. Split, no. Doesn't seem too difficult, though. Pool noodles are the extent of my geodesic dome knowledge.

[MrMullen]

I was a big dome fan until I saw a metal pipe Yurt this weekend.

It was made of the same material that a dome is made of but in Yurt form and it looked like it covered the same space as a dome but used less material. Of course, you can't hang stuff from it like a dome but on the plus side, it looks like two people can set up a big Yurt instead of at least 4 or 5 people for a dome.

[MikeVDS]

Two people can set up a dome just fine, but probably takes twice as long.

[robotland]

Those Pool Noodles are sometimes hollow, but I've never seen one with more than about a 1/2" hole in the middle. So it'd work, but not fit as nicely. To slice a noodle, use a disposable extend-o-blade craft knife set on KILL. (Fully extended.) Pulling the material back and away while cutting will make a cleaner cut, as is true with most soft-foam carving.

I'm trying a new material for dome-covering this year...A combination of Reflectix and fabric scrap. I've got LOTS of both, and the plan is to cut triangles of Reflectix (and maybe some yard-sale windshield shades) and connect with strips of fabric by way of GOOP, Barge Cement or Gorilla Glue. The fabric is really nice, heavy banner fabric rescued from the dumpster at my old screenprinting job. Marine acrylic.
The concept that I'm trying to realize is that of a seemingly substantial "hull", into which could be cut portholes and hatches and onto which could be mounted "set dressing" like warning signs, wiring, little widget boxes and such. I'd love to have something durable enough to just put back on this rig when I get it home to Michigan in September, instead of just wrapping it back up in tarps.
I tried to create a covering from a curb-rescued pool cover, but the chemicals had degraded the plastic to the point where it tears when you look at it crosswise. Has a cool texture, though. Too bad.