Space Age Materials

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:11 pm

Playing with any unusual dome coverings, or strut materials, or art substances, or are you curious about any materials and their properties?

-I'd like to try skinning a dome with the cool-looking reinforced plastic that has nylon string webbing in it.....anyone played with that stuff?

-How about Tyvek?

-Fiberglass?

-Bubble wrap?

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:01 pm

I have access to a faulty sail that was manufactured for one of the America's Cup contenders.

Thing is M A S S I V E!

Probably several hundred (400?) square feet of Kevlar reinforced polymer something-or-the-other.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:07 pm

Dang! Protection from dust AND snipers!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 1:03 pm

New idea for camp/dome/tent flooring- I bought an 8-pack of 30" square safety flooring foam squares at Sam's Club for 15 bucks- they fasten together like jigsaw pieces, and are soft underfoot/underknee/underback. Available in gray or red/yellow/green/blue. Totally washable, very versatile.

nick · Post by **nick** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 8:20 pm

This stuff is awesome for the desert -- cut into panels and tape it to your dome or structure with silver tape:

http://www.reflectixinc.com/

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 5:39 am

YEAH. Me Likey. Saw a dome done in the Shiny Goodness last year, very pretty, if a tad "rustley"....

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 8:02 am

REtro... Stoped by St. Vinnies and picked up three dog blankets, $buck$ per. Going to cover the van (which I sleeep in) With three good sace blankets, then the dog blankets and last a large silver tarp. Tried it last wek end camping. works good.

Skyhawk · Post by **Skyhawk** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:07 am

cover the surface of the dome with tarp of your choice.. then bond powdered magnesium over the entire thing? reflective and cool, until it reaches flash point.. well.. we all have dreams..

nick · Post by **nick** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:41 am

Tarp is square, dome is a collection of triangles arranged in a semi-spherical shape. Square tarp will not properly cover this shape. Sort of like a square peg and a round hole ;>

Fabrics must thus be cut into strips and articulate lest they flap and tear and sail away in the severe winds...

Ahh, the challenges of BRC!

-nc-

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:07 am

nick wrote:Tarp is square, dome is a collection of triangles arranged in a semi-spherical shape. Square tarp will not properly cover this shape. Sort of like a square peg and a round hole ;>

Fabrics must thus be cut into strips and articulate lest they flap and tear and sail away in the severe winds...

Ahh, the challenges of BRC!

-nc-

.....sounds like you haven't tried it yet! Easier to find RECTANGULAR tarps than square, and try using smaller ones that overlap.....no problemo. Agreed, a bigass square tarp on a dome is a no-fit.

nick · Post by **nick** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 8:18 am

I've experimented with a bunch of solutions and found that lashing tarps to my dome (especially the 24') is difficult, noisey, looks bad and doesn't give much insulation...

Since this thread was about Space Age materials on the playa, I volunteered my experiences with Reflectix -- but, if a bunch of tarps lashed to your dome gives you what you want, then good for you!

-n

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:14 am

.....oh, they're, uh, FUTURISTIC tarps. or something. Yeah, that's it.

Space Age Materials

Space Age Materials

Try Reflectix

Tarp is square

Re: Tarp is square

Hmmm