Geodesic pool domes: back in time

Jan 062013
 

We know that many are visiting Domerama to find out how to make a geodesic pool dome. We have a page on it explaining that either a dome or a yurt will make a very nice structure over your pool. But this post is about when it all began, back in the time when geodesic domes were under patent protection and required a person to pay a royalty to Buckminster Fuller.

Taff, the prolific individual who created most of the geodesic Sketchup models available on the web today, pointed me to a Popular Science article from the May 1966 issue featuring sun domes for pools. He mentioned that it was his first introduction to domes. And then took it upon himself to reverse engineer it (while most others would simply send in the $5 to Popular Science to get the plans). What do you expect? Taff is a physicist :-) . Here is the cover of the magazine:

postpop_science_sun_dome_may_1966_0

You can view the scanned article by clicking here.

You can see our page on pool domes by clicking here.

 

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Geodesic dome frames: some images

Jan 052013
 

If you want to build a geodesic dome, it’s nice to see what others have done to give you ideas and possibly motivation. Below are some images of frames of various sizes and shapes. But we need to mention that even if the basic shape is spherical, you can always add to the core design; that just takes imagination!

 

40-foot (12 metre) 4v 1/2 geodesic dome frame

40-foot (12 metre) 4v 1/2 geodesic dome frame

 

26-foot (8-metre) 3v 5/9 geodesic dome frame

26-foot (8-metre) 3v 5/9 geodesic dome frame

5,6,7 metre garden geodesic dome frames

5,6,7 metre garden geodesic dome frames

 

20 metre geodesic dome frame

20 metre geodesic dome frame

 

Big Day Out 2011 geodesic dome frame

Big Day Out 2011 geodesic dome frame

 

18 metre geodesic dome frame

18 metre geodesic dome frame

 

12 metre hemisphere geodesic dome frame

12 metre hemisphere geodesic dome frame

 

10 metre hemisphere geodesic dome frame

10 metre hemisphere geodesic dome frame

 

8 metre hemisphere geodesic dome frame

8 metre hemisphere geodesic dome frame

 

6.5 metre white geodesic frame

6.5 metre white geodesic frame

 

5m plastic geodesic dome frame

5m plastic geodesic dome frame

 

 

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Forget the traditional gazebo: build a hot tub yurt!

Jan 042013
 

Almost everyone has the same thing: a traditional gazebo structure or some type of miniature house over their hot tub, or nothing at all. Here at Domerama Labs, obecause we have too much time on our hands, our efforts finally paid off into something useful, beautiful, inexpensive, and easy to build!

hot_tub_yurt

 

It’s a very simple idea: build a yurt around your hot tub, as simple as that. The features are attractive: it extends the use of your hot tub and makes the experience more enjoyable:

No expert skills required: browse our yurt section to give you ideas and suggestions. In fact it’s the kind of project the entire family can do together.

Inexpensive: all the materials can be found at your local hardware store, mostly regular timber, bolts and screws.

One or more doors: you can have many doors built into the yurt, and add another one anytime,

Opaque, transparent or nothing to cover walls: choose how much privacy you want; hang a fabric around the yurt, or simply staple on a mesh to keep the interior bug and insect-free. For a longer hot tub season you can add a small stove and drape the walls with insulating material.

Skylight and roofing: you can choose among many types of vinyls or tarps to cover the yurt. You can also use a combination of opaque and transparent materials

Portable: You can take down the yurt easily (depending on how you covered your roof). The way we show in our yurt section almost eliminates the use of nails.

 

Transform your hot tub yurt into a garden!

 

 

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Geodesic profiles: how are domes divided?

Jan 022013
 

If you have read about geodesic domes, you have certainly seen expressions such as 1/2, 4/9, 5/9, 7/12 and so on.  These fractions represent a portion of a sphere.

One way to identify a dome is called the profile, or percentage of sphere. This is expressed as a fraction. The denominator or bottom half of the fraction is equal to the frequency times three.

geodesic_profile_fractions

You cannot have an improper fraction, so if you need exactly half a sphere, you need an even numbered frequency. A 4 frequency half dome is a 6/12 dome. If a 4 frequency dome was a complete sphere, it would be a 12/12th’s sphere, or 1 complete sphere. A 5v dome less than half sphere is a 7/15 and more than a half sphere is 8/15; complete sphere 15/15th’s.

 

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Assembly times for geodesic domes

Jan 012013
 

When building a geodesic dome a question always comes up: “How long will it take to assemble the dome?”

Below is a summary chart with estimates on how much time it takes to assemble a conduit dome (timber ones take much longer to put together!). We suggest equipment based on the diameter of the geodesic dome and estimates on capacity and resources required.

For a more detailed chart with additional capacity information, visit Triadomes

 

Dome diameter Capacity (estimate) Equipment to use Shape Setup time
20-foot / 6 meter Dome 5/9 (3v) Tall ladder, scaffolding 3v_59_frames_color setup_20
24- foot / 7 meter Dome 5/9 (3v) Tall ladder, scaffolding, scissor lift 3v_59_frames_color setup_24
30-foot / 9 meter Dome 5/9 (3v) scissor lift, scaffolding 3v_59_frames_color setup_30
36-foot / 11 meter Dome 1/2 (4v) scissor lift, scaffolding 4v_frames_color setup_36
44-foot / 14 meter Dome 1/2 (6v) boom lift, scissor lift, scaffolding 4v_frames_color setup_44
50-foot / 15 meter dome 1/2 (6v) Boom lift, scissor lift, scaffolding 6v_frames_color setup_60
90-foot / 27 meter dome 1/2 (6v) Boom lift, scissor lift, 6v_frames_color setup_90
120-foot / 37 meter dome 1/2 (8v) Boom lift, scissor lift 6v_frames_color setup_120

 

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