Wonderfully easy to follow! As a K-5th STEM Lab teacher and amateur videographer, I am impressed and inspired by how cleanly and clearly you explain the assembly. Well done!
The Clarity of thinking that you have put into these designs is Stunning. I'm looking forward to a time I can build one of these beauties. Thanks for all the videos!
Thank you very much for your investment and sharing. You are a very professional artist. I am starting to make a similar model but smaller, and so I learned a lot from your experience. Thank you very much.
This is amazing!!! I just finished building an 8M geodome made of aluminum with bolts and it was so freakin hard and was a 2-3 man job. Next time I'm going to go with this model. Love it, especially those easy connectors!
Yes, they are really cool. I am working on building concrete dome for housing now, and I hope to have videos out next year. Thanks for watching. John Hurt
Hello. Yes, you can buy a 13' dome 6.5' tall at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-kits/13-2v-geodesic-dome-kit.htm Or you can purchase just the hubs from us, and cut your own struts from 1" Schedule 40 PVC pipe. The "Hubs Only Kit" is at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-hub-kits/2V-Std-Geodesic-Dome-Hubs.htm Call us at (931) 858-6892 and we can help you with the strut lengths for your 14' dome. Or you can use our dome calculator at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/2v-geodesic-dome-calculator.htm Just click the "standard 4" hubs" radio button, put "14" in the dome width/diameter, and click the blue "calculate" button. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I once tried to do something like this with 4" pvc hubs, 2"x3' pine logs, and pipe strapping. I was not aware that the edges needed to be slightly different lengths so by the third tier it was seriously out of round and the pvc hubs were beginning to warp from the weight of the logs.
great tutorial and this looks really easy to do. However, zip ties? How are they going to withstand the power of the sun whilst holding up all that weight? I have secured some plastic net on my railing with zip ties and a couple of years later the sun made them brittle.
That is a great question. As this is a temporary build, the video shows us using 250 lb UV resistant Nylon Zip ties which will last for several years. But for all of our large geodesic domes, we provide 350 lb Stainless Steel zip ties that will last forever. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I’m looking for a semi permanent structure. Wonder how it would do over winter in Canada north of Montana Saw the cover video with the use of caps I want a 24 foot diameter 3 season work area protecting from weather
The strongest domes we have are the "Shelter Domes" with 1.5" PVC pipe struts. www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-shelter-domes/index.htm They can support over 300 lbs from a single hub: www.ziptiedomes.com/video/silodomeloadtest.htm You can also buy just the 6" Super Hubs and cut the 1.5" Schedule 40 PVC pipe struts yourself: www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-hub-kits/index.htm Call us at (931) 858-6892 if you have any questions. John Hurt
For those that have a fear of falling off ladders, could the top tiers be consteucted first, pushingnthe structure up as you go? I'm thinking of salt flats where the feet of ladders might sink in unevenly.
Yes, but you would have to cut the glass into triangles, which creates a lot of waste. We usually cover the dome with a single sheet of greenhouse film for a lower cost. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Here are some doorway examples: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/lenabach.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm You can see more at our customer review page: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm John
With 1" PVC pipe and Standard Hubs, the dome will support around 180 lbs from a single hub. With 1.5" PVC pipe and the 6" Super Hubs, the dome will support around 300 to 350 lbs from a single hub. John
Hey, I see that you may still be responding to comments on this video! That's very cool! I was wondering if you know if it's possible to make a dome out of struts that are all the same length.?? And what shape would that be?? I was looking at an icosahedron, and "bisecting" it to make it look more round, but does that mean that the lengths of the struts have to be increased to make it look round? Thanks!
4 frequency 26ft diameter 13ft high 4826³ft 548²ft floor 30 Red A struts 930mm (3'⅝") 30 Yellow B struts 1100mm (3'7¼") 30 Brown C struts 1095mm (3'7⅛") 70 Black D struts 1172mm (3'10⅛") 30 Blue E struts 1220mm (4') 30 Orange F struts 1115mm (3'7⅞") 6 Red 5 way hubs 85 6 way hubs 91 centre rings 500 zip ties The diameter of the struts and holes is covered here : ua-cam.com/video/v_NnY_yYwuc/v-deo.html
@chickkeys It's in the video description, which is sometimes hard to see if you are using a tablet. The struts are made from standard 1.5" Schedule 40 PVC pipe.
We use 32mm as it is much stronger for larger structures, but we can drill the hubs to work with 25mm pipe just as well. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
@@eyyupk Yes, you can build one, but I don't need it on UA-cam. Just send me a picture of your completed dome - in exchange for a license to use our patented hub design. www.ziptiedomes.com/faq/Are-You-Making-your-Own-Hubs.htm Thanks! John Hurt
I’m thinking of a dome built from the top down to the bottom so every level would just raise up and the ladder would be used less. Have you tried that, and if so how did it work?
I did, and it seemed to be harder to to. I had to build a pole with a pulley on top, and pull the dome up as I built the lower sections. It was a lot more work than building from the bottom up, but I did not have to get up on a ladder. I would suggest starting with a small dome and build from the bottom up first to get experience on what works and what doesn't. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Here are two good customer review on how to add a door to a dome: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/kimpoppel.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
Yes, just like you can put a circle over a square. It is just "how big" is the circle compared to the square, and where it touches or overlaps. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Thanks for sharing! I've just got one question going through my mind; are your struts have different lengths? Its seems to me that every sextagon has te same diameter? Looking forward to your reply.
Yes, each color strut is a different length based on the geodesic dome calculators on our website and other places. www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/geodesic-dome-calculator-index.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Yes, here are some examples of how to put a door on a geodesic dome: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/forrestbrown.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/matthewtoth.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/aaronbates.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/billlamerdin.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/markleathers.htm Thanks, John Hurt
The 1.5" struts will support around 300 lbs from a single hub. We usually cover these with greenhouse film, as glass is very expensive. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
We usually cover it with a single sheet of plastic. If you cut plywood into triangles to cover the dome, there is a LOT of waste. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Thanks. Check out the Desert Domes website, they show you how to flatten the ends of the conduit, drill it, and bolt the ends together to make your hubs or vertices. That would be a great way to do it and make your own hubs. John
@@chegist It depends on the size of the dome. Pick out a dome from our website: www.ziptiedomes.com/ then contact me at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm Thanks. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes Haven't seen any recent postings to YT, hope all is well as possible, if you are still around with your business, did you try the latex cement as you were planning on covering a dome with this method
Boa noite amigo. que pena nao ter traducao e legenda pois nao entendo ingles mais deu pra enteder muita coisa apenas nao seu a medida dos tubos e fiquei maravilhada com sua inteligencia criatividade e agilidade tambem e vou fazer uma casa assim e uma estufa Deus te abencoe grandemente abraço daqui de pão de açúcar Taquaritinga do Norte Pernambuco Brasil
Well you think you'd be able to make the measurements more of a rounded number I mean what would it do to change the dimensions by just a quarter of an inch here and there I mean I don't know I never built a dome but I always thought simpler was better
Very interesting project. Was wondering why so many different sizes in the struts? Can it be simplified to 1-4 lengths? I'm sure rigidity is the reason but just started learning about these.
We did create a "Simplified 4v Dome Calculator" with only 4 struts instead of 6 at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/simplified-4v-geodesic-dome-calculator.htm But for the dome to be mathematically "correct", it requires 6 strut lengths for a 4v dome. It has to do with how the triangles are broken down into smaller triangles to make the 4v dome design. That is a good question, go to our "Contact Page" if you want to discuss this: John Hurt www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm
Here is an example of a doorway from one of our customer reviews: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm Most people cover the domes with greenhouse plastic. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
How do I figure out the measurements for a 35 foot high on top by 35 foot round? Looking to build one of these under ground and out of metal and concrete reinforced. 10 ft drop from the bottom of the structure straight down? Plus what was the cost of this build with PVC piping and zip ties
Send me an email, or call me and I will be glad to work directly with you on your project, at no charge. www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm Thanks, John Hurt
A dome that large should be built out of steel, not PVC. Contact me if you have other questions, I would be glad to help you, even if you use something besides our hubs. Our contact information is at: www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm Thanks, John Hurt
Hi John, I really like geodesic domes, I believe they are the pinnacle of human ingenuity. They are very rare however, I have never come across one. I'm thinking about building my own in my back yard, although I'm still not sure what I would use it for.... do you have any recommendations? I don't know how I would enter the dome, since there is no door, or how to place anything inside it, for that matter.... I might cover the outside in solar panels since I want to do my part in fighting climate change. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a lot, Steven
Hey VR, I just started building a dome a few months ago and am documenting my process and all of the issues I have run into. The material really depends on what you are looking to do with it. I am building a timber dome using bevel cuts because it results in smooth transitions between panels which allow me to easily attach polycarbonate, film, or wood for the covering. If you were wanting to cover it in solar panels, I believe that would be best as well. With a PVC or conduit dome, I can see there being a lot of issues with being able to sturdily attach anything besides film. As for the door, one of the 5 point attachments is usually disassembled and extended into a door (I can find a source to show it if needed). Best of luck!
That is a great system for the frame construction, do you have a similar system for covering the domes in different fabric and rigid materials? Also how easy is it to adapt the system to produce a structure that is longer in one floor dimension to build an enclosure better suited to a rectangular space?
Steve Baer developed Zome geometry which allows you to stretch the dome shape. It's significantly different from geodesics, though, so I'm not sure it would work with these hubs.
Here is a video of how they cover the dome in South Africa with a simple diamond shaped entrance. ua-cam.com/video/K38FzBInPXQ/v-deo.html And take a look at our customer reviews, there are several domes there: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm A good review for a covering and doorway is this one: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/lenabach.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
it would be easier to start with the top and work down attaching one strut at a time as you go around and down.. if the hub/strut can stand the pressure.
Building from the top down is a good way to build a dome, but you need a crane or mechanical lift to raise the dome for each level for each level that you build, as the completed 4v dome in this video weighs 594 lbs. But when you build the dome from the bottom up, you only need a stepladder to build the dome, and you don't need to use a crane or lift to raise the dome. The top down building technique is a much better way to build a metal conduit dome that is bolted together with a single bolt for each hub - as you have to take the bolt out of the hub each time that you add a new strut. With a top down build, you can add all of the metal conduit struts at once, bolt them to the hub, and they just hang out in space. With our hub design, you don't have to un-bolt the hub to add the new struts, you just drop the struts into the hubs and zip tie them with stainless steel zip ties. This hub design makes the "bottom up" construction technique very easy to do, and there is no advantage to using a top down construction technique. So yes, for metal conduit domes that are bolted together, top down construction is the way to go. For PVC dome using our hubs, the best way is bottom up, as all you need is a stepladder, and no fear of heights. Thank you for your comment. John Hurt
If you don't have the retaining rings, it will just be floppy. There's also some companies that make 4, 5, and 6-way PVC connections for this purpose, but they're a lot more expensive than making your own rings.
Here are two examples of how to add a door to a geodesic dome: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
You would need a crane or a lift to build the dome from the top down, and most people only have a ladder, so I make my videos on how to build from the bottom up. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
We attach the plastic with a Dual Covering Hub, or with the Standard Hubs, as seen on this webpage: www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-hub-kits/about-geodesic-dome-hubs.htm Thanks for watching the video. John
You would have to drill through the panel and through the struts and connect it with a bolt and nut. A better way is to put greenhouse plastic over the dome, as in these two videos: www.ziptiedomes.com/video/coveringsvideo.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/video/coveringtestcaps.htm Thanks for watching. John Hurt
@@sathyashriya3905 The Chord Factors are on the left side of the calculator. If you multiply the chord factor by the radius it will give you the strut length.
You can build a small door as in this video: www.ziptiedomes.com/video/greenhousedoor.htm or a more formal door as in these customer reviews: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm Thanks!
Here is an example of how to make a door: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm We have several more examples on our customer review page: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
$3,295.00 PVC pipe is made from crude oil. The price of PVC has nearly tripled since the gas and oil pipelines were cut off in the US - by the US government. PVC used to be much cheaper. Perhaps our current government will change and things will go back to normal, or is that wishful thinking? I think they make too much money keeping everything scarce. Have a great day. John
Could you make a honeycomb geodesic dome? I have a vision to make a honeycomb geodesic dome that would cover an A Frame tiny house, maybe about 20x20 ft, with the floor diameter of maybe 20 more feet with the house being in the middle so 10ft in radius. And about 20 more feet above the house itself. This way it encloses the house during rain and snow, and making a number of the honeycombs being able to open up but have small mesh to prevent bugs and other pests from coming in. And having 4 smaller domes attached to the large dome to create a 5 point dome system. One dome for growing veggies, one for growing fruits and one for having chickens or ducks and the other for having rabbits. Almost like a biodome enclosures, but being in the forest close to nature without damaging or touching nature. So the large dome acts as a natural greenhouse for the house itself. Making it warm during the winter months and dry during the rain months, thus using less material for keeping warm. Do you think its possible to do this out of your PVC design? And having an entrance door way big enough to fit a car through.
That is a really neat idea. You are welcome to try it, I seem to lack your level of imagination. But what a spectacular idea it is. Thank you for watching the video. John Hurt
We have a 2 year guarantee on all parts, for any reason, including wind damage. So, wind is not a problem for our domes, otherwise we would be out of business. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Here is a good example of how to add a door to a geodesic dome: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/kimpoppel.htm We have several other examples at our Customer Review page: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Yes, I will do a 5v video if I can find enough short pieces of pipe in my scrap pile. A 5v makes a very large dome, and I don't like to work more than 15' off the ground, so I need shorter struts. The 5v 5/15 dome has 425 struts, 151 hubs, and 850 zip ties, so it is a very large project that you want to think about before you jump into it. Thank you for your comment, and I love your personal picture logo. John Hurt
We have several examples of how to build a door in our Customer Review section: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
It is very easy to add a door to a PVC pipe dome. Here is one example: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Wonderfully easy to follow! As a K-5th STEM Lab teacher and amateur videographer, I am impressed and inspired by how cleanly and clearly you explain the assembly. Well done!
Thanks, I really appreciate your comments. You made my day! John Hurt
Very concise, no BS, and very visual. Thank you Sir for the knowledge. Blessings from Portland.
Thanks, I appreciate your comments.
The Clarity of thinking that you have put into these designs is Stunning. I'm looking forward to a time I can build one of these beauties. Thanks for all the videos!
Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate it. Have a great day. John Hurt
Thank you very much for your investment and sharing. You are a very professional artist. I am starting to make a similar model but smaller, and so I learned a lot from your experience. Thank you very much.
Thank you for the kind words of encouragement, you really made my day. John Hurt
This is amazing!!! I just finished building an 8M geodome made of aluminum with bolts and it was so freakin hard and was a 2-3 man job. Next time I'm going to go with this model. Love it, especially those easy connectors!
Thanks for watching the video. Have a great day! John Hurt
The hubs simple but are not self-centering, which will become apparent when you try to re-center them under load.
That’s fantastic. Always loved domes. Makes it look like a space colony.
Yes, they are really cool. I am working on building concrete dome for housing now, and I hope to have videos out next year. Thanks for watching.
John Hurt
Thank you for the video. I will look at your calculator to build a 14' diameter 2v dome for my daughter as a greenhouse/hang out space.
Hello. Yes, you can buy a 13' dome 6.5' tall at this link:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-kits/13-2v-geodesic-dome-kit.htm
Or you can purchase just the hubs from us, and cut your own struts from 1" Schedule 40 PVC pipe. The "Hubs Only Kit" is at this link:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-hub-kits/2V-Std-Geodesic-Dome-Hubs.htm
Call us at (931) 858-6892 and we can help you with the strut lengths for your 14' dome. Or you can use our dome calculator at this link:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/2v-geodesic-dome-calculator.htm
Just click the "standard 4" hubs" radio button, put "14" in the dome width/diameter, and click the blue "calculate" button.
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
I'm so glad you commented on my ShyCow Farms Channel. I looked you up. I absolutely love your Channel. Why to go. 🎉
Thanks, Jennie. Best wishes to you and your family. John Hurt
I once tried to do something like this with 4" pvc hubs, 2"x3' pine logs, and pipe strapping. I was not aware that the edges needed to be slightly different lengths so by the third tier it was seriously out of round and the pvc hubs were beginning to warp from the weight of the logs.
Yes, I would use metal hubs for pine logs. But that is great that you are developing new ideas. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Having set up geodesic domes with PVC connectors, your hub, spoke and connector system seems much improved.
Thanks, I appreciate your comments. John Hurt
great tutorial and this looks really easy to do. However, zip ties? How are they going to withstand the power of the sun whilst holding up all that weight? I have secured some plastic net on my railing with zip ties and a couple of years later the sun made them brittle.
That is a great question. As this is a temporary build, the video shows us using 250 lb UV resistant Nylon Zip ties which will last for several years. But for all of our large geodesic domes, we provide 350 lb Stainless Steel zip ties that will last forever. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Amazing, thanks for sharing your knowledge!!!
Thanks!
At least you are acknowledging that various strut lengths are needed...observe a soccer ball for reference.
This is so fun to watch 🙏
Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I’m looking for a semi permanent structure. Wonder how it would do over winter in Canada north of Montana
Saw the cover video with the use of caps
I want a 24 foot diameter 3 season work area protecting from weather
The strongest domes we have are the "Shelter Domes" with 1.5" PVC pipe struts.
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-shelter-domes/index.htm
They can support over 300 lbs from a single hub:
www.ziptiedomes.com/video/silodomeloadtest.htm
You can also buy just the 6" Super Hubs and cut the 1.5" Schedule 40 PVC pipe struts yourself:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-hub-kits/index.htm
Call us at (931) 858-6892 if you have any questions.
John Hurt
For those that have a fear of falling off ladders, could the top tiers be consteucted first, pushingnthe structure up as you go? I'm thinking of salt flats where the feet of ladders might sink in unevenly.
Yes, people do build their domes from the top down. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes Thanks for the videos. Take care.
EXCELENTE VIDE. FELICITACIONES !!! CUAL ES LA CARGA EN KG/M2 QUE PUEDE SOPOTAR EL DOMO ?
About 300 lbs from a single hub.
Thinking that ladder is your all expense paid trip to an emergency room or even the cemetery.
are they all the same length
There are 6 different lengths of struts, each color strut represents a different length. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Great video! How can a glass geodesic dome be created by installing glass panes?
Yes, but you would have to cut the glass into triangles, which creates a lot of waste. We usually cover the dome with a single sheet of greenhouse film for a lower cost. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I love this and want to build one but need to know how you incorporate a door opening into the design.
Here are some doorway examples:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/lenabach.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm
You can see more at our customer review page:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
John
Appreciate the video. What is the snow load?
With 1" PVC pipe and Standard Hubs, the dome will support around 180 lbs from a single hub. With 1.5" PVC pipe and the 6" Super Hubs, the dome will support around 300 to 350 lbs from a single hub.
John
Hey, I see that you may still be responding to comments on this video! That's very cool!
I was wondering if you know if it's possible to make a dome out of struts that are all the same length.?? And what shape would that be?? I was looking at an icosahedron, and "bisecting" it to make it look more round, but does that mean that the lengths of the struts have to be increased to make it look round? Thanks!
The 1v dome can be made with struts all the same length. Here is a calculator:
www.desertdomes.com/dome1calc.html
Thanks for watching the video.
John
i somewhy want fo make this dome and add see through mesh and add a floor chairs round table so it could be a hang out
That is a great idea. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
4 frequency
26ft diameter
13ft high
4826³ft
548²ft floor
30 Red A struts 930mm (3'⅝")
30 Yellow B struts 1100mm (3'7¼")
30 Brown C struts 1095mm (3'7⅛")
70 Black D struts 1172mm (3'10⅛")
30 Blue E struts 1220mm (4')
30 Orange F struts 1115mm (3'7⅞")
6 Red 5 way hubs
85 6 way hubs
91 centre rings
500 zip ties
The diameter of the struts and holes is covered here :
ua-cam.com/video/v_NnY_yYwuc/v-deo.html
@chickkeys It's in the video description, which is sometimes hard to see if you are using a tablet. The struts are made from standard 1.5" Schedule 40 PVC pipe.
This is great, really enjoyed the video. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, I appreciate your comments. John Hurt
Hi. Can a pipe diameter of 25mm be used for 4v? (width 8m height 4m)
What thickness would you recommend?(25mm-32mm)
We use 32mm as it is much stronger for larger structures, but we can drill the hubs to work with 25mm pipe just as well. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes Thank you very much. Do you mind if I make this 4v structure with my own means and share it with you on youtube?
@@eyyupk Yes, you can build one, but I don't need it on UA-cam. Just send me a picture of your completed dome - in exchange for a license to use our patented hub design.
www.ziptiedomes.com/faq/Are-You-Making-your-Own-Hubs.htm
Thanks! John Hurt
thank you , very nice structures you do there, i have checked the calculator online it is amazing also, what is the diameter of central ring ?
It depends on the hub size. Either 2" or 3".
Do you have instructions on building them from the top down?
No, I am sorry, I don't have anything more than a schematic drawing for building from the top down. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I’m thinking of a dome built from the top down to the bottom so every level would just raise up and the ladder would be used less. Have you tried that, and if so how did it work?
I did, and it seemed to be harder to to. I had to build a pole with a pulley on top, and pull the dome up as I built the lower sections. It was a lot more work than building from the bottom up, but I did not have to get up on a ladder. I would suggest starting with a small dome and build from the bottom up first to get experience on what works and what doesn't. Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
Brilliant! Thank you.
Thanks!
Guess no door and if u wanted it, how would you incorporate one in?
Here are two good customer review on how to add a door to a dome:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/kimpoppel.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
Now do a waterproof cover... then insulation? Show your ideas... thank you!
Is it possible to put a geo dome on a rectangular base?
Yes, just like you can put a circle over a square. It is just "how big" is the circle compared to the square, and where it touches or overlaps. Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
how much weight can it bear? Can you climb it like a jungle gym at this stage for example?
Yes.
Thanks for sharing! I've just got one question going through my mind; are your struts have different lengths? Its seems to me that every sextagon has te same diameter? Looking forward to your reply.
Yes, each color strut is a different length based on the geodesic dome calculators on our website and other places.
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/geodesic-dome-calculator-index.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes And all this time I've been modeling my domes/shapes on the same-length-strut idea. Thanks for clearing my head.
Brilliant, but can you make a door? In case you want to make it as an animal shelter, or greenhouse...
Yes, here are some examples of how to put a door on a geodesic dome:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/forrestbrown.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/matthewtoth.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/aaronbates.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/billlamerdin.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/markleathers.htm
Thanks,
John Hurt
How much weight can this structure sustain? Can you show a finished product with glass?
The 1.5" struts will support around 300 lbs from a single hub. We usually cover these with greenhouse film, as glass is very expensive.
Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Please give us the dimensions of the bleu,black,orange.... in centimiter plese.❤
You can use the 4v dome calculator to make your dome:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/4v-geodesic-dome-calculator.htm
Thanks,
John
What type of materials are used to enclose the dome? Can you attach wood or plastic triangles into the pipes as a form of roofing?
We usually cover it with a single sheet of plastic. If you cut plywood into triangles to cover the dome, there is a LOT of waste. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes thank you
Awesome. What is best way to weather proof this structure? I live in tropical Phillipines 💚🌴
Thanks
Use greenhouse plastic, or cover it with mesh and aircrete. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I just love what you do. Congrats 👏
Thank you for all of your comments. It really helps for me to hear what you have to say. Have a great day. John Hurt
Sheep sounds make this video priceless!
Hi,
Great video! What diameter is the pipe, hub and center rings that you use?
Thanks.
This is 1.5" PVC pipe with 6" Hubs. More information is at www.ZipTieDomes.com
Thanks,
John Hurt
No BS here. Great video. Great idea for a Permanent Home structure...using 1 inch Conduit.
Thanks. Check out the Desert Domes website, they show you how to flatten the ends of the conduit, drill it, and bolt the ends together to make your hubs or vertices. That would be a great way to do it and make your own hubs. John
Loved your video! Want one. Do you have any recommendations for coverings? Would love to make it a permanent structure.
I would cover it with mesh and spray it with latex cement for a roof.
@@ZipTieDomes do you know how much of it is needed ?
@@chegist It depends on the size of the dome. Pick out a dome from our website:
www.ziptiedomes.com/
then contact me at this link:
www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm
Thanks. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes Haven't seen any recent postings to YT, hope all is well as possible, if you are still around with your business, did you try the latex cement as you were planning on covering a dome with this method
@@sjr7822 I made a concrete dome prototype, but I have not made a video about it yet. Thanks for keeping tabs.
John
Boa noite amigo.
que pena nao ter traducao e legenda pois nao entendo ingles mais deu pra enteder muita coisa apenas nao seu a medida dos tubos e fiquei maravilhada com sua inteligencia criatividade e agilidade tambem e vou fazer uma casa assim e uma estufa Deus te abencoe grandemente abraço daqui de pão de açúcar Taquaritinga do Norte Pernambuco Brasil
Bênçãos para você e sua família.
John Hurt
Amazing 👏 thanks so much 🙏
Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
wonder how you cover it best for waterproofing and to put in windows and doors?
You can find examples of how to add doors and windows on our customer review pages: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
Well you think you'd be able to make the measurements more of a rounded number I mean what would it do to change the dimensions by just a quarter of an inch here and there I mean I don't know I never built a dome but I always thought simpler was better
If you are "close", the struts will still work. Thank you for watching the video. John Hurt
Very interesting project. Was wondering why so many different sizes in the struts? Can it be simplified to 1-4 lengths? I'm sure rigidity is the reason but just started learning about these.
We did create a "Simplified 4v Dome Calculator" with only 4 struts instead of 6 at this link:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/simplified-4v-geodesic-dome-calculator.htm
But for the dome to be mathematically "correct", it requires 6 strut lengths for a 4v dome. It has to do with how the triangles are broken down into smaller triangles to make the 4v dome design. That is a good question, go to our "Contact Page" if you want to discuss this:
John Hurt
www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm
@@ZipTieDomes great, I'll check it out and reach out if i have any more questions. Thank you!
Interesting! What can this be used for? How do you create a door? How do you cover it?
Here is an example of a doorway from one of our customer reviews:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
Most people cover the domes with greenhouse plastic. Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
Very informative
Thanks for watching the video! John Hurt
How do I figure out the measurements for a 35 foot high on top by 35 foot round? Looking to build one of these under ground and out of metal and concrete reinforced. 10 ft drop from the bottom of the structure straight down? Plus what was the cost of this build with PVC piping and zip ties
Send me an email, or call me and I will be glad to work directly with you on your project, at no charge.
www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm
Thanks,
John Hurt
What covering would you place over the dome?
We use Greenhouse Plastic, here is a video:
ua-cam.com/video/CMsRCiYZl0A/v-deo.html
Would you mind tellin how much did it cost.. In total.. Thank you for your service and humanity showing how we can make it ourselves.
It cost around $1,500. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes thank you kindly for your answer. Blessings
About how much should it cost to put one of these over a house and get the plastic required to cover it?
A dome that large should be built out of steel, not PVC. Contact me if you have other questions, I would be glad to help you, even if you use something besides our hubs. Our contact information is at:
www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm
Thanks,
John Hurt
Hi John,
I really like geodesic domes, I believe they are the pinnacle of human ingenuity. They are very rare however, I have never come across one. I'm thinking about building my own in my back yard, although I'm still not sure what I would use it for.... do you have any recommendations? I don't know how I would enter the dome, since there is no door, or how to place anything inside it, for that matter.... I might cover the outside in solar panels since I want to do my part in fighting climate change.
Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks a lot,
Steven
Hey VR, I just started building a dome a few months ago and am documenting my process and all of the issues I have run into. The material really depends on what you are looking to do with it. I am building a timber dome using bevel cuts because it results in smooth transitions between panels which allow me to easily attach polycarbonate, film, or wood for the covering. If you were wanting to cover it in solar panels, I believe that would be best as well. With a PVC or conduit dome, I can see there being a lot of issues with being able to sturdily attach anything besides film. As for the door, one of the 5 point attachments is usually disassembled and extended into a door (I can find a source to show it if needed).
Best of luck!
That is a great system for the frame construction, do you have a similar system for covering the domes in different fabric and rigid materials? Also how easy is it to adapt the system to produce a structure that is longer in one floor dimension to build an enclosure better suited to a rectangular space?
Daniel, We don't offer covers at this point, and so far we only have round dome designs. But those are two very good ideas. Thanks. John Hurt
Steve Baer developed Zome geometry which allows you to stretch the dome shape. It's significantly different from geodesics, though, so I'm not sure it would work with these hubs.
@@ZipTieDomes What is the purpose of this structure if not to add greenhouse plastic or covers to turn it into living tent space of some sort?
Thank you 😊
Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Brilliant.
Thanks!
what to fill in panel with? glass?
We usually cover the dome with plastic film for a greenhouse, or with mesh and concrete for a shelter dome.
So wheres the entrance? And how you cover it?
Here is a video of how they cover the dome in South Africa with a simple diamond shaped entrance. ua-cam.com/video/K38FzBInPXQ/v-deo.html
And take a look at our customer reviews, there are several domes there:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
A good review for a covering and doorway is this one:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/lenabach.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
it would be easier to start with the top and work down attaching one strut at a time as you go around and down.. if the hub/strut can stand the pressure.
Building from the top down is a good way to build a dome, but you need a crane or mechanical lift to raise the dome for each level for each level that you build, as the completed 4v dome in this video weighs 594 lbs.
But when you build the dome from the bottom up, you only need a stepladder to build the dome, and you don't need to use a crane or lift to raise the dome.
The top down building technique is a much better way to build a metal conduit dome that is bolted together with a single bolt for each hub - as you have to take the bolt out of the hub each time that you add a new strut. With a top down build, you can add all of the metal conduit struts at once, bolt them to the hub, and they just hang out in space.
With our hub design, you don't have to un-bolt the hub to add the new struts, you just drop the struts into the hubs and zip tie them with stainless steel zip ties. This hub design makes the "bottom up" construction technique very easy to do, and there is no advantage to using a top down construction technique.
So yes, for metal conduit domes that are bolted together, top down construction is the way to go.
For PVC dome using our hubs, the best way is bottom up, as all you need is a stepladder, and no fear of heights.
Thank you for your comment. John Hurt
Are you brain-damaged?
is it possible to build a geodesic dome using only some size pvc pipes?
If you don't have the retaining rings, it will just be floppy. There's also some companies that make 4, 5, and 6-way PVC connections for this purpose, but they're a lot more expensive than making your own rings.
Ok. Very good. But where is the door?!
We have a video on how to make a door at this link:
ua-cam.com/video/asnoCFTzJyQ/v-deo.html
Thanks,
John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes Thanks!!👍💯
This is awesome but what about the door
Here are two examples of how to add a door to a geodesic dome:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
It’s amazing
Thanks! John Hurt
What about starts the build by the top?
You would need a crane or a lift to build the dome from the top down, and most people only have a ladder, so I make my videos on how to build from the bottom up. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
@@ZipTieDomes Thank you, John! You make a great job, I am learn a lot with yours videos.
@@alex_zani Thanks Alex. Have a great day. John Hurt
Is this strong enough to be used as a child’s backyard jungle gym?
For legal reasons, our domes should never be used for climbing.
How much would something like this cost approximately?
We have a complete list of our domes at:
www.ziptiedomes.com/index.htm
Thanks,
John Hurt
Awesome 👍
Thanks!
How do you put the plastic on?
We attach the plastic with a Dual Covering Hub, or with the Standard Hubs, as seen on this webpage:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-hub-kits/about-geodesic-dome-hubs.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John
How do you clip glass panel to this?
You would have to drill through the panel and through the struts and connect it with a bolt and nut. A better way is to put greenhouse plastic over the dome, as in these two videos:
www.ziptiedomes.com/video/coveringsvideo.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/video/coveringtestcaps.htm
Thanks for watching. John Hurt
how did you determine the no. and size of struts?
I used our geodesic dome calculator at:
www.ziptiedomes.com/geodesic-dome-calculators/4v-geodesic-dome-calculator.htm
John
@@ZipTieDomes how does the calculator work? Is there any formula to calculate the strut length manually?
@@sathyashriya3905 The Chord Factors are on the left side of the calculator. If you multiply the chord factor by the radius it will give you the strut length.
Thank you :)
where is the entrance
You can take out a section of pipe and frame in a doorway. Here is a good example:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
Thanks!
John Hurt
I fail to understand why you would not preassemble individual rings and then assemble modules
The chance of error may be greater with modules, as they are not all the same. But thanks for the idea.
John Hurt
Great video... Than you!
Thanks!
Took a shot every time he said strut. Drunk.
Now that is a real man's drinking game.
Where is the door?😊
You can build a small door as in this video:
www.ziptiedomes.com/video/greenhousedoor.htm
or a more formal door as in these customer reviews:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/nathanbyrd.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
Thanks!
No ladder needed if you start with the top.
Good point! But you need a way to lift the dome to add the sections at the bottom. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Interesting and amazing
Thanks!
These fts inches make it prone to errors just mm would be much easier...
Thanks for watching the video. The dome calculators on our website allow you to enter metric or imperial measurements. Thanks,
John Hurt
Do you have a rectangular door kit that can go with the dome?
I want to use it as a storage shed, with a roll-up garage door.
Here is an example of how to make a door:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
We have several more examples on our customer review page:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
Outriggers to support that ladder.
By the light going down, this must be a all day project?
About 5 hours or so to build it.
Total cost?
$3,295.00 PVC pipe is made from crude oil. The price of PVC has nearly tripled since the gas and oil pipelines were cut off in the US - by the US government. PVC used to be much cheaper. Perhaps our current government will change and things will go back to normal, or is that wishful thinking? I think they make too much money keeping everything scarce. Have a great day. John
Could you make a honeycomb geodesic dome? I have a vision to make a honeycomb geodesic dome that would cover an A Frame tiny house, maybe about 20x20 ft, with the floor diameter of maybe 20 more feet with the house being in the middle so 10ft in radius. And about 20 more feet above the house itself. This way it encloses the house during rain and snow, and making a number of the honeycombs being able to open up but have small mesh to prevent bugs and other pests from coming in. And having 4 smaller domes attached to the large dome to create a 5 point dome system. One dome for growing veggies, one for growing fruits and one for having chickens or ducks and the other for having rabbits. Almost like a biodome enclosures, but being in the forest close to nature without damaging or touching nature. So the large dome acts as a natural greenhouse for the house itself. Making it warm during the winter months and dry during the rain months, thus using less material for keeping warm. Do you think its possible to do this out of your PVC design? And having an entrance door way big enough to fit a car through.
That is a really neat idea. You are welcome to try it, I seem to lack your level of imagination. But what a spectacular idea it is.
Thank you for watching the video.
John Hurt
How much it cost for all those parts?
Our website is at: www.ziptiedomes.com/index.htm
Very inovative....
Thanks!
Thanks a looot!
Thanks!
wind?
We have a 2 year guarantee on all parts, for any reason, including wind damage. So, wind is not a problem for our domes, otherwise we would be out of business. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Perfect
Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Do u sell as a kit ?
Yes, you can see all of our kits at:
www.ziptiedomes.com/
Thanks,
John Hurt
This dome looks like is easy to build. It looks nice but I notice that your dome building doesn't a door.
Here is a good example of how to add a door to a geodesic dome:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/kimpoppel.htm
We have several other examples at our Customer Review page:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
Awesome!!!!!
Thanks!
5-freq. Next?
Yes, I will do a 5v video if I can find enough short pieces of pipe in my scrap pile. A 5v makes a very large dome, and I don't like to work more than 15' off the ground, so I need shorter struts. The 5v 5/15 dome has 425 struts, 151 hubs, and 850 zip ties, so it is a very large project that you want to think about before you jump into it. Thank you for your comment, and I love your personal picture logo. John Hurt
You can see the original dome and equipment on my channel
Where’s the door?
We have several examples of how to build a door in our Customer Review section:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/index.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
Where is doors 🚪??
It is very easy to add a door to a PVC pipe dome. Here is one example:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/dougsikora.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt