HexaYurts

[clocksnmirrors]

Post some pics of the test setup.

I'll do that for sure.

I've got some questions I'm hoping you may be able to give some advice on:

If I arrive during a dust storm is it correct that it would be better to wait it out than to try to set up?
I'm constructing on top of a tarp. Is it best to tape the tarp to the outside of the yurt to prevent water from entering in case of rain?
Do you use rebar at the inside corners of the yurt?
What advice can you give about ventilation? How many vents are best?

Any tips you can share would be awesome. Thanks!!

[lucky420]

1. Don't ever try to set up a yurt when it's windy, that shit will fly like a deck of cards.

2. you tape the tarp up to the outside of the yurt to prevent excess dust from coming in. If you don't the playa will be all over the inside of the yurt. The playa is VERY fine dust.

3. No you don't need rebar at the corners on the inside of your yurt.

4. go to www.appropedia.org/Hexayurt_playa

all your burning questions will be answered there...

[capjbadger]

You should tap the tarp up the *inside* walls of the yurt, otherwise any rain that hit the outside walls would run down and into your yurt (unless you completely taped it I suppose).
Plus you don't want to cover that nice shiny reflective outside that is bouncing the sun away from you.

-Badger

[Elderberry]

I agree with everything. We tape both the inside and outside to the floor tarp. We also have a window on every side wall, but they don't open, they are just for light, and we hinge the part of the wall we cut out to be able to close them when the sun is shining in. If we didn't have air conditioning, I'd probably have a few windows that cover with HVAC filters for ventilation.

[clocksnmirrors]

thanks, lucky420, capjbadger and jkisha!

i'm going to order some extra tape to make sure i've got enough for inside and outside. that sounds like the best guarantee for staying dry and dust free.

jkisha, i'm assuming that you're running a generator for your air conditioner? did you do a plywood baffle box? I've got some extra polyiso panels and was wondering if they are safe for baffling the generator, or would the heat factor make them a fire risk?

[Elderberry]

Order 2" or 3" bidirectional filament tape for all that non structural taping. It will save you some money.

We built our bafel box out of two sheets of 4' x 8' plywood. We cut each sheet in half and drilled three holes along the vertical edges and tied them together with zip ties. We don't ever cover the top.

If by ployiso panels you mean the same stuff your building the yurt with, I'd say no. It would be too hot. The first year we made an enclosure for the air conditioner with those panels and it blew a fuse on the AC unit. I'd think it would be too hot for the generator. Especially if you ran it as long as we run ours. We bring up freezers for the ice cream, and I also converted one to work as a refrigerator so we don't have to buy ice for food storage, so we run the generator all day from sun up to sundown.

[clocksnmirrors]

@jkisha great tips

do you have to stake down the plywood baffle box for the generator or is it heavy enough to survive the wind?
did you line your box with any insulation?
did you bury the cords going from your generator to your camp?
how many gallons of gas did your generator go through in a week of constant running?

also, do you have any idea where i can look at a map of the 2012 setup? i think i want to set up on the very outer edge between 7:00 and 8:00.

i'll have too much stuff for walk in camping but i do want to be away from the main hubbub. how's the traffic on the outskirts usually?

[FIGJAM]

Zoom in and play with this.

I was at the corner of 5 o'clock and H, and it was very quiet.

http://gigapan.com/gigapans/66285?fullscreen_redirect=true

[Elderberry]

@jkisha great tips

do you have to stake down the plywood baffle box for the generator or is it heavy enough to survive the wind?
did you line your box with any insulation?
did you bury the cords going from your generator to your camp?
how many gallons of gas did your generator go through in a week of constant running?

also, do you have any idea where i can look at a map of the 2012 setup? i think i want to set up on the very outer edge between 7:00 and 8:00.

i'll have too much stuff for walk in camping but i do want to be away from the main hubbub. how's the traffic on the outskirts usually?

We have never had to stake down the baffle box. And yes, we glued carpet remnants to the inside of all four walls. Don't run the carpet all the way to the ends of the verticle edges or you'll have trouble with drilling the holes. We've used that box for several years now.

We have two 100' I think 8 gauge extension chords we run above ground at the perimeter of the camp. I'm not sure of the exact guage, but they were quite expensive and heavy as hell.

We have never camped beyond G and usually it's C or D. Just the right distance, if you ask me. I usually bike out to the outer rings just to see what's there, but it just seems too far away from things for me.

[clocksnmirrors]

http://gigapan.com/gigapans/66285?fullscreen_redirect=true

that's what SHE said!!

great photo. it looks like a lot of the walk in's stay really close to the edge. now that i have an idea of the scale i may just go for the walk-in area.

[clocksnmirrors]

Zoom in and play with this.

THAT is what SHE said..... not the other thing where i messed up and deleted the wrong part of your quote....

[clocksnmirrors]

@jkisha

thanks again. you're a fountain of great info. i hope i get to check out your setup on the playa. any idea whereabouts you'll be?

[Elderberry]

@jkisha

thanks again. you're a fountain of great info. i hope i get to check out your setup on the playa. any idea whereabouts you'll be?

Thanks.
We're sitting this year out.

[clocksnmirrors]

We're sitting this year out.

bummer dude. maybe next year...

In other news, here's some photos of my test build... it was challenging as hell cause i had to do it alone (radical self reliance and is tough but rewarding)

[Elderberry]

Nice. Interesting door construction.

Not a bummer, really. Next year it will be.

[clocksnmirrors]

the door frame is 1x3s with 1x2s for the inside framing. makes a perfect fit for the door. opening is 71 x 30. plenty of room for me to enter upright with my mattress and bicycle.

i still have to cut windows all the way around.

i discovered several things during the test build
- build early morning before the sun is high. it's blinding looking at the sun reflecting off that foil
- i have to miter the edges for the roof panels. it was a bitch getting the thing to stand up
- attach the roof panels together first leaving one side open
- attach the wall panels to the roof panels while everything is still laying flat so it looks like a giant star
- lift from the inside to get the roof sealed
- lift from the inside one wall at a time to jack the whole thing up into final position then seal down the walls
- even light breeze will grab a panel and run so staking with guy ropes is essential
- getting frustrated and rushing just ends up causing nicks and dings to the panels

but the most important thing i learned: THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A WALK IN THE PARK!
i'm in miami where the sun is hot. spending two hours assembling and disassembling the yurt let me know i've been underestimating the demands of the upcoming experience. i've read and read about staying hydrated and getting overwhelmed and i thought i understood it, but i'm now approaching this with a much clearer idea of what i'm in for. I hope all the other birgins out there are testing themselves. this thing is no joke

[Elderberry]

the door frame is 1x3s with 1x2s for the inside framing. makes a perfect fit for the door. opening is 71 x 30. plenty of room for me to enter upright with my mattress and bicycle.

i still have to cut windows all the way around.

i discovered several things during the test build
- build early morning before the sun is high. it's blinding looking at the sun reflecting off that foil
- i have to miter the edges for the roof panels. it was a bitch getting the thing to stand up
- attach the roof panels together first leaving one side open
- attach the wall panels to the roof panels while everything is still laying flat so it looks like a giant star
- lift from the inside to get the roof sealed
- lift from the inside one wall at a time to jack the whole thing up into final position then seal down the walls
- even light breeze will grab a panel and run so staking with guy ropes is essential
- getting frustrated and rushing just ends up causing nicks and dings to the panels

but the most important thing i learned: THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A WALK IN THE PARK!
i'm in miami where the sun is hot. spending two hours assembling and disassembling the yurt let me know i've been underestimating the demands of the upcoming experience. i've read and read about staying hydrated and getting overwhelmed and i thought i understood it, but i'm now approaching this with a much clearer idea of what i'm in for. I hope all the other birgins out there are testing themselves. this thing is no joke

Just a couple of thoughts...

Wind and breezes will be a lot worse on the playa. If it were me, I wouldn't try my first assembly out there without help, and you'll find more than enough of your neighbors willing to pitch in. Late at night or early in the morning seem to be the least windy times of the day, and it's also much cooler, so best for assembly.

I would be afraid that having the roof and walls attached before trying to erect the yurt might be a disaster waiting for a wind gust to happen. With three or four people, building the roof, then the walls, then attaching the roof to the walls, in my opinion, is the way to go--at least on the playa. Not sure how your door design would affect that process.

And a roll of metal tape is perfect for repairing all the nicks and dings.

But, as they say, YMMV.

[Boijoy]

Nice Yurt C n M ! I think a couple Gargoyles would look awesome above the door!

[clocksnmirrors]

I would be afraid that having the roof and walls attached before trying to erect the yurt might be a disaster waiting for a wind gust to happen

i hear you. i'm thinking maybe of having pvc tubes to string the panes together while they are staked. this might add stability and let me draw the bottom sections together like pulling a loop of thread.... i'll workshop it just for kicks. still have a few weeks to shake things out.

And a roll of metal tape is perfect for repairing all the nicks and dings.

hah i'm working on my third roll!

But, as they say, YMMV.

ok you lost me on this one

[clocksnmirrors]

Nice Yurt C n M ! I think a couple Gargoyles would look awesome above the door!

hahah thanks!

I actually have these really cool wall mount candle holders that have a dungeon vibe. those are going at the entrance with some solar lights

[Elderberry]

YMMV=Your Mileage May Vary.

I'm pretty much a purist and don't like making any major variations to the original design. After all it's been around for a long time, as has the wheel. So, the only other thing I will say is don't over think or over design it. I've seen nothing but disastrous results from most who do.

[clocksnmirrors]

do you think the doorway might be reason for concern?

i know the triangles on the sides are going to have to be cut to shape so the edges can be neatly taped all the way around.

if there's anything you see that you think may be a problem please let me know.

[Canoe]

...if there's anything you see that you think may be a problem please let me know.

Catching wind or rain.
Make sure you use the good filament tape for strength against the extra loads from the door construct catching more wind force.
Cover the filament tape with foil tape to protect it from heat & UV.

For ease in putting it up, look at the folding tape hinges used for the Folding Hexayurts.

[Elderberry]

The main engineering feature that makes any yurt a yurt is the CONTINUOUS tension ring that goes COMPLETELY around the structure. With the hexayurt, that is the final piece of bidirectional filament tape that goes completely around the yurt securing the top to the walls. It is the major point of construction that gives the yurt structure and stability.

I think the beauty of the structure lies within its simplicity. Once other materials need to be introduced to reinforce any changes to the original design, it is no longer true to itself and the whole concept of what a yurt is.

But, if your modifications work for you, that's all that counts in the end.

Also, you don't need to over tape the bidirectional tape with foil tape. One week in the sun isn't long enough to have to worry about the effects of heat and UV. You'll have to replace all the tape for the next year any way, and foil tape is expensive too!

[clocksnmirrors]

thanks canoe and jkisha

i watched a couple of videos last night about doing the taped hinges and i think that looks like the way to go

i was considering doing the foil tape over the filament because i read something about fire risk of the combination of filament tape and polyiso panels. it scared me a little

thanks for explaining about the tension ring. even if i'd known about that i'm sure i'd have still gone with the full height door mod. i can appreciate the satisfaction you must get from using only the original design, but for me, not having to crawl in is way more important. in fact the door is the part i'm most proud of. it swings so freely and really fits well. i can't wait to get out on the playa!!

i really appreciate you sharing your knowledge. i'll be sure to post up pics when i get there

[TreasureAnn]

To: Craftsmn I wanted to ask what size Hexayurt did you transport on top of your Xterra? Im driving up a Pontiac Vibe this year and wondering how the hell to get the Hexayurt to the playa. Any comments is much appreciated

[Elderberry]

I will say that your door solution seems to be one of the best I've seen at least based on the picture.

I don't like crawling under the 3.5 foot door either. Our main yurt has 6' walls and the entrance to the bedroom is the only time you have to duck. But that's only two times a day.

We decided to go with 6' walls on the other rooms because of the wind, and I really can't see any benefit to going higher, though I've come to believe 8' walls would probably survive the wind OK.

[lucky420]

the tension ring really saved our asses at Symbiosis this year. It got pretty windy (about 30-40 mph gusts). We got a little lift here and there from the gusts. It feels like the yurt is breathing when it does that. The ground was dirt/sand so some of our rebar reall wasn't all that tight in the ground...

[lucky420]

TreasureAnn
To: Craftsmn I wanted to ask what size Hexayurt did you transport on top of your Xterra? Im driving up a Pontiac Vibe this year and wondering how the hell to get the Hexayurt to the playa. Any comments is much appreciated

Symbiosis 2012 001.jpg

We also used shrink wrap and wrapped it first before putting it on the cruiser. It worked like a charm. Just be sure to bring some with you so you can wrap up for the trip home. Wrap it length wise and width wise.

For bm we rent a big truck to haul it, but I gotta say this worked out really well and if I didn't HAVE to bring everything I own to bm, I would go this route.

[clocksnmirrors]

the tension ring really saved our asses at Symbiosis this year. It got pretty windy (about 30-40 mph gusts). We got a little lift here and there from the gusts. It feels like the yurt is breathing when it does that. The ground was dirt/sand so some of our rebar reall wasn't all that tight in the ground...

i'm planning to use two stakes for each of the five sides. that should hold it down really good.

i also plan to cut down the panels at the top of the door and angle the top piece so water runs off and there's no loose flaps to catch wind.