Geodesic Dome Greenhouse - Part 3 - Strut Construction

[TimpBizkit]

I wish I had all these tools!!

[mobiusII]

This probably a dumb question but...how did you securely tighten the nuts on the hub bolts since you lathed off the square portion of the bolt that would normally keep it from turning?

[web4deb]

@mobiusII actually, a very good question! There's basically enough friction in the wood and (poor) alignment between the wood and the hubs that the bolts held in place. Once the heads started to grab into the epoxy on the hubs, there was enough friction to tighten them. I think there were only 2 that spun and I just used some vice grips to hold the heads. ;-)

[Hymeteron]

Thank you so much for the link to that russian program! I helped me so much, understanding the pricipals! And you videos give so much insight! I just came up with an idea that works wiith poles as hubs instead of your metal hubs - which are ingenious indeed!

[bayoufilter]

I finally went to acidome.ru! The site is amazing, very well worked out and friendly-interactive. What was your final decision process like, on 3V vs. 4V? Cost of the extra cedar for more/shorter struts? Looks like the extra hubs would have taken only another day...

[web4deb]

@bayoufilter It was based on minimizing the scraps from the polycarb panels since they are the most expensive component. These panels are 6' wide, so with a 3v, 32.5 foot dome, the maximum triangle size from tip to base was just shy of 6'. If you go up to a 4V, I'm sure you could do a much larger building!

[yogabill]

I think the short term expense will be offset by the long term gain. When you are experimenting there is a need to be fearless for sure. Failure is always a step forward. A larger dome would have been nice but then you would have possibly had to have used 2x6 instead of 2x4 and made your hubs beefier. We use a double hub system for 33' - 51'. Then again going to a 4V would have shortened your struts and increased the number of hubs & struts. Gain or loss? email me direct @ yogabill2 gmail

[yogabill]

Just went back and watched you manufacture each hub. I have been installing geo domes for 5 years and really like your ideas about beveling the struts for the glazing. I also like that you have built a shed on the north side to help insulate the dome and avoid the purchase of the north side poly panels. I would love to come visit at some point, check out your scene and just chat about some of your ideas.

Bill, Buena Vista, CO

[web4deb]

@yogabill You're welcome to drop by any time! FYI: Even though the shed has a smaller foot print, it cost more and took longer to build than the dome! I should have either built a larger dome and gone up to a 4V, or did a second northern dome and covered it like a shed. ;-)

[zliminator]

I'm experimenting with the Russian website and I'm not sure what the section is that's labeled: "Material of edges (bar) Width, mm ____ Thickness, mm ____"

Also, how did you calculate the angles of the straps welded onto the 3" steel pipe sections? (If you can't tell me I might have to do some thinking and that would hurt my head).

[web4deb]

@zliminator for a 3V dome, it has 15 sides so I just averaged 360 degrees divided by 15, which is 24 degrees at each angle. If you look at each area, the angles will change a bit but there's enough flex in the steel and wood where a degree plus or minus doesn't make a difference. I ignored all the thickness and based all the calculations on the outer "skin".

[Biofado]

Fantástico:



[drethedog]

Hey Rob, I truly enjoy all of your videos, they are very informative and very well spoken. Keep em coming. Thanks.

[web4deb]

@drethedog Thanks. There's more coming!

[seventhsensestudios]

Would it be possible to cut and bend metal tabs directly from the steel cylinders instead of cutting them flush and having to weld tabs on to them to make the hubs?

Would that work? Did you try that? If so, did they break?

[web4deb]

@seventhsensestudios It may be possible but I don't have the kind of equipment to bend steel that's 1/4" thick. It took about a day to weld everything so it wasn't too bad.

[saeidmomtahan]

just one comment, ' holly shit' u r good man, u r good

greetings from Iran

[OTGNewbie]

Looks Great so far. Where did you get your Hubs from? What did they cost?

[web4deb]

@OTGNewbie I made them....please watch the 2nd video.

[OTGNewbie]

@web4deb I saw that after I asked the question, sorry. Can't wait to se the next video on how this is coming a long.

[amusingisthedawn]

2:10 noooooo, that poor staple.

[pendragon8000]

tried to do a vid responce but i dont know if it worked, so check my channel watch the dome vid, peace...

[pendragon8000]

hi man, you totally inspired me to make i geo dome with aqua ponics. i watched your vids lots of times and other and did research. so now ive got my own 2v dome raised on 250mm stilts under base hubs, 4.3m dia.i got 100 silver perch fingerlings in ther and a few others ( trout, cod muscles and 100 shrimp) and 5 commets. struts are losp (organicly treated pine) 105mm washers as hubs (2 per hub) and covered in builders plastic. triangular door. LED down lights and 12V dc backup pump. video soon

[AulusCordus]

Woah! Pushsticks guy. Watching you run that table saw makes my fingers scared. Also, here I go again with my suggestions. but you do realize you can buy button head bolts, triple galvanized? I guess I don't understand why you're using carriage bolts in the first place. Dont forget the door, lol. I'm anxious to see the finished product!

[web4deb]

@AulusCordus there's 3.5" between the blade and fence. Plenty of room for fingers! I got the carriage bolts for free.....it's worth a couple of hours on the lathe to turn them down.

[proder2007]

How you will make ventilation system on dome? Some auto opening windows or something?

[web4deb]

@proder2007 I haven't quite figured that part out yet. ;-)

[colspyro]

@proder2007

I use 14 vents in the kneewall for 360 degree low level intake including the door. To maximise the chimney effect use the entire top pentagon for the high level vent. Reinforce the pentagon and the opening, hinge it on one side and use hydraulic rams to open it. Don`t forget to install safety chains in case it ever gets loose.

[ZombieLocked]

I love it.....Jjust let me know what I can do to help!

[mschdk]

Lovely videos man! I subscribed right away!

I'm in the process of building my own dome and your video was actually a suggestion from youtube when I had viewed my own first dome video.

I'm so happy I saw your video now, as I now manage to do a flat base on my 3/8 3V dome thanks to that Russian calculator ;-)

I'm very impressed by your work, amount of space, tools, etc... Definitely looking forward to more videos of your progress!

[therawlifefamily]

Also, what has been the cost of materials for the frame so far?

[web4deb]

@therawlifefamily The cedar alone is about $2K. The total cost of the structure and site work will be around $15k

[therawlifefamily]

How about making those jigs/patterns for other people?

[web4deb]

@therawlifefamily it's in the second video at around 1:30.

[therawlifefamily]

@therawlifefamily I meant for resale. IE: If I were to want to replicate your structure, those jigs you made would allow me to do that.

[emrcon]

I really appreciate all the work you are putting into this project and commend you for putting up on here for other to use as well. I was wondering what type of fish are you planning in your aquaponics system? I live in Michigan and have been planning on doing something along this line as well and really like your design for the geodome greenhouse. I have been thing Tilapia and Catfish, but have also considered Crayfish. Any thoughts will be appreciated. Mark

[web4deb]

@emrcon Thank you. I enjoy doing the videos and hope people can use them for ideas for their systems! Here in CT it gets cold too. Since I don't want to keep my water above 75 for the Tilapia (which I can barely get to that during the summer), I just grow goldfish in my small greenhouse. When I finish this GH, I'm planning on goldfish, koi, and trout. I may do some other native fish to the area like perch or bass. I'm not too sure yet. I may throw in the crayfish from the stream too.

[tybeejeffro]

Outstanding series! I plan to start building a geo-greenhouse for aquaponics this fall and this looks to be exactly what I had in mind so far. Started on a chicken tractor this week and hopefully by this time next year everything will be up an running smoothly!

[Andy00011]

Excellent video! Great work

[dwiggs77]

i wonder if it would be a good idea (and maybe help keep the cost down) to use a different material for the lower triangle segments. like plywood with vinyl siding. after all, the sunshine shines down from above

[web4deb]

@dwiggs77 Maybe in the south you could do it, but up here in the north the winter sun is VERY low.

[happygameshow]

nice shop

[808quake]

VERY INterested, i own a geodesic dome kit from growing spaces

[web4deb]

@808quake They have great domes!

[popitch64]

@web4deb Hello, why you show my calculator tool in video and don't show link? Please, public this link in video description: h t t p://acidome.ru/lab/calc/

I am fan "without metal connectors" connections type.

Thanks for use, russian JS-developer.

[web4deb]

@popitch64 I'm sorry, I forgot to add it. It's in the description box now. Keep up the good work!

[popitch64]

@web4deb Have any comments / suggestions to the calculator?

[photactor]

@popitch64 Hello, thank you for such a great web page.

I have one question. In the section for the triangles, you list this:

1. 45 pcs. L412-R235-L412-R235-L404-R240

I know that L is the length of the sides of the triangle. What is the R?

[ortsa123]

Excellent Video. I Look forward to your next.

[BlueCherryFae]

This is a great video!!! I'm having series equiptment envy! Thanks so much for the info for angles and the website calculator. I can't wait to see how you put on the panels. Are you going to put in some motorized temperature controlled vents similar to what you did with your other greenhouse?

Are you going to use this greenhouse just for aquaponics? If so, do you have a floorplan yet for how your are going to set up your system?

[web4deb]

@BlueCherryFae It's primary use will be for aquaponics and testing some of the automated controllers that we design. There is a floor plan in the first video of the series around the 2:00 minute mark. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. It's fun to share the info!

[popitch64]

@BlueCherryFae Sorry my english, i am developer dome-calculator been showed in video. Welcome to calculator page acidome.ru/lab/calc/ and be happy.

Coming soon: new connection type "Cone" without connectors.

[krfoerster]

Great job. My wife will probably leave me once i start a project like this. Really nice detailed video.

[buckstarchaser]

That lathe looked like it was just as happy to be used as you were to use it. It munched that square bit off like it was made of chocolate.

[mobius1234]

thanks looking forward to the next one

[web4deb]

The BigelowBrook domain is working now....I think we had a small outage. Thanks for letting me know.

[tmc200527]

Hi, Great video. Looking forward to seeing its completion. The BigelowBrook domain doesn't seem to be working though.

[GrapeStreetVids]

That's excellent man. You've got all the pieces together for a prefab shop...once the idea's proven, you should commercialize.

How are you going to mount/seal the glass to the struts?

[web4deb]

@GrapeStreetVids You'll have to watch a future video on how this is done! ;-)

[iyuriy3]

do you make and sell your hubs?

i've been looking around but couldn't find any for sale

[web4deb]

@iyuriy3 Hubs like this are very labor intensive and expensive to build. I would guess they would be around $100 each to build!!! You would need 45 of them for a 3V dome! Sorry, I'm not in the business to make them. You could try the folks at growingdome com and see if they sell hubs. I know they sell complete domes.

[iyuriy3]

@web4deb Understood. too bad no one cast irons them. are they at 120 degrees?

How do you plan to cap the holes in those hubs? and what is the source for double glazed polycarbonate? just trying to get a best deal possible.

once you have made the final changes to the pivot of your struts-hubs you could add wooden gussets to reinforce the structure. then again i never tried to build a geodesic dome other than on a small scale.

[SCGoodOlBoy]

Great update man. Can't wait to see it all done. How long do you think this big project will take you to finish?

[web4deb]

@SCGoodOlBoy I'm hoping to have it covered and heated for this next winter.