Building a Wooden Geodesic Dome Skeleton - Lessons learned

This is a video of our experience building a wooden Geodesic dome skeleton, based on the video tutorials of Paul Robinson. We cover the tools we used, some of the techniques as well as the lessons learned along the way. Special thanks to Zig Zag hostel in Lima, Peru for sponsoring this project!
For detailed instructions on how to build a geodesic dome search for "Paul Robinson beveled frame"

[@souljahroch2519]

Very helpful ideas. Thanks for sharing ✌️

[@Wishwader]

Intersting project. Thanks for sharing.

[@StanEby1]

Well done and well presented. Thanks.

[@martincardozo389]

Gracias por compartir su experiencia felicidades y éxitos

[@mehmetakbas3751]

You can see the original dome and equipment on my channel, friends.

[@ecomood]

How do you cut 72 degrees with circle saw?

[@HergerTheJoyous]

Thanks. I actually purchased plans from him quite a while ago. I'm trying to come up with a way to consistently cut the ends off on my table saw to help speed up the process, also I'm planning on using wood glue and furniture staples also to speed things up. And I want to modify it so I can pour aircrete walls all the way around for winter insulation.

[@JohnGuest45]

If your only building one dome, just as easy to cut them by hand.

[@PERSONA1111]

I hope this is not late but watch the video where Paul explains why not to use glue

[@HergerTheJoyous]

@@PERSONA1111 I'll check it out.

[@davidsahlstrom4787]

@@PERSONA1111 Which video is that? Thought I've seen all of his videos by now but can't find any mention about not glueing..

[@clbooth3]

Use proper screws. The ones in this video are for attaching metal to wood, not wood to wood. They would have had a much easier time using the right fastener.

[@gerva78]

Hello from Portugal i have the plans for a zome but its in goodkarme+semicone and i cant see how to cut the mesures can you help me please. My best regards

[@boobizzy4173]

Thanks!!

[@JohnGuest45]

The frame method is good for very large domes as most of the assembly is done in the shop, not on top of a ladder or scaffold. The biggest drawback is making all the joints between the triangleswatertight. Being a natural material, wood has a tendency to expand, contract, twist and bow.. If you build another i`d recommend using the hub and strut method. It involves a lot less cutting / drilling and takes about half as much timber..

[@gazsto9510]

Yeah that is definitely a better way to build these domes. The actual hubs can be squared off and the wood struts angled to create the dome. Paul sometimes uses hexagon and pentagon blocks as his hub connectors, then you would only need to cut the ends at 72 and 74 degree for a 2 V dome structure. Some variations on hubs exist, from circles to metal and wooden plates. These are great builds, but can get complicated if the connections are not accurate and aligned. Wood thickness another important factor in comparison to overall size of the dome.

[@JohnGuest45]

@@gazsto9510 My hub preference is heavy wall aluminium tube and hanger bolts. It gives a nice clean look and makes assembling the dome very easy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gp-7Y4poosyfZrM

[@TheRebelmanone]

I have a question about that calculation tool on Geo-dome site, it appears like it calculates a single strut for each vertex, but to build a wooden triangle beveled frame out of triangles it takes 2 struts per vertex. Did you just double what it told you?

[@18kilos72]

If you look a bit further down in the tool calculations, it also gives you the information for "panelised construction". That information includes the number of panels you need and the strut lengths they are composed of. You find the total number of struts you need by multiplying accordingly.

[@shnarfy]

for the future ....drill pilot holes before screwing.

[@huxmetalworks7371]

Great job I have been looking at Paul's channel and I have tried to figure out how to calculate the bevel angles for the long side of the struts I don't see that anywhere my question is do you think you could explain or how you came up with itinerary have contacted Paul with no luck I thank you for sharing your information

[@franciscordovarios5447]

Hi how do you know the angle to cut the wood lengthwise

[@franciscordovarios5447]

I can't find the information anywere

[@mcdowell356]

At 2:00 min in he says you can get the angles from the dome calculator .

[@m.beemann287]

What do you think of bevelling the ends instead of bevelling the whole lenght and weaken the struts. Would be realized with one short cut.

[@JohnGuest45]

You`d need to cut 2 very accurate compound angles on the end of each strut. Hub and strut is easier than bevelled panel but a lot depends on the domes intended purpose and cover material.

[@josephdupont]

Did you glue too

[@user-jf6ly9ps2x]

ممتاز

[@kennyyang2566]

How do I figure out bevel edge angle?

[@kulwinderThandi]

The abeveld angle is rounded to 72 and 74 degrees. But in the video above he rounded both to 73 . This will work but may need slight adjustments as you build the dome. Also the bigger the dome the more noticable that difference becomes.

[@JohnGuest45]

@@kulwinderThandi That is the axial angle used for hub and strut domes. The panel method requires a full length bevel. An accurately made 2v dome involves 3 different edge bevel angles. The 10 equilateral triangles have 79.2 degree bevel on all three sides. The 30 pentagon triangles have 78.8 degree bevels on the short sides and an 82.8 degree bevel on the long side. The corner angles for the equilateral triangles are all 60 degrees. The corner angles for the pentagon triangles are (2x) 55.57 degrees and (1x) 68.86 degrees. The chord factors are 0.618 and 0.5465

[@marclosier8032]

Hey i want to build à dôme 12 feet wide can some one can help me for angle and mesure thanks you

[@locomotive3845]

So what did the finished dome look like as a 2v dome? how high? how wide?

[@arnethielenhaus2307]

At the beginning of the video I show a photo of the finished dome. The dome had a radius of 1.3 meters so the diameter was 2.6. With 2v domes the height is the same as the radius.

[@user-jf6ly9ps2x]

استمر

[@jacquestube]

Do British people really say minus instead of hyphen

[@gfplv]

jeezus, self tapping screws are ment to be used on metal.....

[@olarmariusalex]

This was exactly what also bother me. Those screws are specially made for metal in order to make the hole by screwing it, not good for wood at all, it will break the wood like he showed in the video.

[@PERSONA1111]

yes i thought the same

[@Zerpersande]

So you guys basically, and essentially, did a pretty good job? Drill looks too heavy for the task, needed longer screws, should have considered pilot holes for screws, and not use a hacksaw to cut wood.

[@masaratech]

Geo minus dome

[@FireRupee]

I think that's just outside.

[@BradGrassforest]

@@FireRupee lol

[@gabrielbattika]

If you were going on a mission trip to help poorer people and build something worthwhile it would be wise to get some skills outside a single project.

[@starkaran8390]

I heard very good opinions about the Stodoys plans.