Bloody hell. I should really learn to check my calendar before replying.
I'm teaching in Chicago that weekend ... *sigh* Bleah, but if people in the area want to see what I've got up, let me know, and time can be arranged. Percival On Mon, 2010-02-08 at 22:51 -0500, Brian Chabot wrote: > Hello all, > > As an experiment while on a long conference call for one of my other > endeavors, today, I fashioned a 1/12 scale pentayurt out of some thin > cardboard sign material and stuck it together with some tiny pieces of > scotch tape. > > The design I used was a 5-sided version of the "8-foot Hexayurt" > > I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy it was, even with such a flimsy > material. > > After construction, some things were easier to measure than calculate: > The structure is about 11 feet high and 12+ feet across (I estimated a > little under 14 feet, side to opposite corner). A 6-foot head-room area > begins about 2 to 2.5 feet in from the 4-foot walls. > > For those who remember, I'm trying to figure out a winter-capable > structure that would mix the ease and simplicity of the Hexayurt design > with the strength needed to withstand snow loads and insulation needed > to house people in cold weather. My initial idea was a Pentayurt > designed after the 12-foot Hexayurt with guy lines inside at the roof > edge (forming a 5-pointed star pattern) and custom cut sheets of > insulation to block off the lower 8-feet from the roof area, essentially > forming a cold-storage area attic for light storage. > > While the structural integrity of a 6-sided structure is impressive, > that of a 5-sided structure is *really* impressive. The key points of > failure in my mini model were the bits of tape holding it together and > not in the stiffness of the materials. > > With the strength I'm seeing in my model, I think a full-sized Pentayurt > could withstand moderate (2-3') snow loads if made from properly > fastened 1/2-5/8" plywood. Past endeavors in wood seem to have used at > least a partial internal framework of 2x4's. I'll probably follow suit > at least around the base of the roof and possible half-way up to > reinforce the long roof seams. I'm also considering coating the outside > of the roof pieces and the lower 6" or so of the walls with driveway > sealant if/when I build out of wood. > > In the mean time, as I refine my idea for a winterized structure, I have > good news to report! > > I've acquired (definite and enthusiastic) permission to build a > Hexa/Pentayurt on some property in Canaan, NH! I'm organizing a late > May Day / Beltaine celebration at a farm and spiritual retreat up there > on Memorial Day weekend and the land owner would love there to be a > workshop on the subject. I've already asked Vinay if he'd be willing to > come up and help us out, but he doesn't think he'll be able to be in the > country (US) at that point... > > So my question to the good folks here is whether anyone with some > experience in building this sort of structure be willing to come and run > the workshop? We're running on a shoestring budget, so we can't pay you > but we will definitely waive the gate fee for the weekend. It'll be hard > enough (financially) to acquire 10-15 sheets of insulation and a couple > rolls of tape... > > If anyone is interested and can make it please let me know and I'll get > you on the guest list. If anyone would like to come and attend, > teaching or not, the details of the event are at: > http://www.aspcanaan.org/wp/?page_id=209 > > I can probably arrange transportation for one possibly two or three > people from Manchester (Boston Regional) Airport (MHT) if you are flying > in. ASP has a van we could commandeer for the purpose. > > I'll post more when I finally get out to a local building supply store > to price out options in building materials in the area. > > > > Brian > > > -- > --------------------------------------------------------------- > | [email protected] Proprietor: http://www.JustWorksNH.com | > | Computers and Web Sites that JUST WORK | > | Work: +1 (603) 484-1461 Home: +1 (603) 484-1469 | > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "hexayurt" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/hexayurt?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hexayurt" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hexayurt?hl=en.
