Secure Glass to Geodesic Dome

[euthlogo]

Hey all!

I am a hopeful future Burner who wants to bring something great to the Playa, so I have been thinking out possibilities for art pieces to bring to the 2012 burn.

Does anyone know a good way to panel a geodesic dome with glass? Would it be welding? Caulk?

Thanks!

-Tim

[lemur]

why would you do such a thing?

youd be creating a greenhouse or somethin like it.. itll be way hot!


how do you intend to cool it?

[Turnip]

That just sounds dangerous.


You can take every necessary measure to be sure the glass is secured, but that doesn't mean your neighbors' tent won't come flying outta nowhere and shatter the glass.

[junglesmacks]

How about using something else besides glass that's lighter, safer, cheaper and yet still colored and translucent? What about colored mylar or something?

[Eric]

3 Reasons why not to cover a dome with glass:

• 1) It will become an Easy-bake oven in the midday sun
  
  2) Huge MOOP potential- winds can hit 70 mph (that's a category 1 hurricane)- all it take is one thing flying into it to shatter it
  
  3) The "shatter factor"- do you really want to sit under a glass dome put up by amateurs hoping it doesn't fall & send you (or someone else) on an expensive medical helicopter to Reno?

I could go on- put it this way: the BMorg recommends against glass bottles out there, how do you think a whole dome would go over?

[junglesmacks]

+ the sheer cost alone. You're talking a loooooooooooooooot of money.

3 Reasons why not to cover a dome with glass:

• 1) It will become an Easy-bake oven in the midday sun
  
  2) Huge MOOP potential- winds can hit 70 mph (that's a category 1 hurricane)- all it take is one thing flying into it to shatter it
  
  3) The "shatter factor"- do you really want to sit under a glass dome put up by amateurs hoping it doesn't fall & send you (or someone else) on an expensive medical helicopter to Reno?

I could go on- put it this way: the BMorg recommends against glass bottles out there, how do you think a whole dome would go over?

[some seeing eye]

Just handling the panels and erecting would be a weight nightmare. Worse, you should really be using relatively thick tempered glass.

[Ugly Dougly]

That sounds so 2012.

[Oldguy]

Scotty used tranparent aluminum to make that whale tank, remember?

[theCryptofishist]

Explore the plexiglass option. Still too hot. What was Dickey's box made out of?

....long strng of consci....

[euthlogo]

Thanks for the replies all!

I know that there are a lot of things in the way of doing this, which is why I am thinking about it a year early and asking for advice.

My goal is to panel a dome with the exterior being reflective and the inside being heavily tinted, creating a one way mirror effect. I hope this will make for a somewhat disco ball looking dome from the outside, with a semi shaded area inside.

I foolishly hadn't thought about the heat that glass would generate, so I think that it is not the way to go as many of you have pointed out. The mylar option seems worth exploring though.

Has anyone had any experience with one way mirror treatment and a mylar type material?

Thanks again for the advice.

-Tim

Edit: just reread the responses, transparent aluminum seems fascinating as well. Are there any distributors that aren't the military?

[Ugly Dougly]

Mylar or something like it would be a good choice.
A one-way mirror usually has plenty of tint. If you have vent at the top as well as the bottom, it will create its own airflow.

[Eric]

Transparent aluminum, it's not just for Star Trek anymore...

[euthlogo]

Mylar or something like it would be a good choice.
A one-way mirror usually has plenty of tint. If you have vent at the top as well as the bottom, it will create its own airflow.

Great! Thanks so much for the advice.

Have fun at the Burn, see you next year I hope.


-Tim

[Ugly Dougly]

You're welcome Tim. I'll be sitting this one out as well.

[gyre]

I've used reflective mylar before.
Think of it as a beam splitter.

There is a glass dome near me.
Welded steel.
Been there for many years.
Not too portable.

There are films that block or reflect infrared.
3M has a new one that is very tough and can block most heat without much tint.
They use it for hurricane proofing, anti-burglary, etc.
It can be used on windshields.

I'd suggest a reflective cover, rather than a see through one.

Silvicool, solid aluminet, reflectix, even mylar window film over an opaque surface.

[Ugly Dougly]

It might be interesting to have a dome full of people who think they're alone, but all the playa can see them from the outside.

[gyre]

There have been some remote camera broadcasts, two way.