(Growing All Year Round) A Step By Step Guide To Making A Geodesic Dome.

Discussion in 'Do It Yourself' started by Skunky Monkey, Aug 25, 2011.

  1. #1 Skunky Monkey, Aug 25, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 26, 2011
    This is not only the best way to grow all year round outdoor but is a great greenhouse security wise if on your own property.

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    Why do Geodesic domes work so well for growing plant's.

    1. The air inside the dome is separated from the air outside of the dome.
    2. The clear (or semi-clear) skin lets light energy in, but traps heat energy.

    Even though the domes skin is thin, it keeps the air inside the dome from mixing with the outside air when the wind blows, or a bus drives by. When the sun shines on the dome, lots of the high-energy light can come through the skin. Light goes through space in waves, and the light that helps us see can go right through clear objects, like glass or our dome skin. When the light bounces off the ground inside the dome and plants and the tools, it loses some of its energy. That means that the waves that bounce off can't move as fast as the waves that came into the dome, and they get trapped inside the skin. So while the sun shines, the dome gets hotter and hotter as the energy from the sun gets trapped. And this hot air can't mix with all the other air outside, and level out. That's why it feels so different in the dome. You feel it right away. It's nice in the wintertime, but when it gets hot, You start sweating right away when You walk in.

    A sphere is defined as the geometric shape that encloses the most volume with the least surface area. A dome is the safest, strongest and most energy efficient building. It takes less building materials to enclose usable living or working area in a dome than any other shaped structure. Forty feet of wall will enclose a 10 x 10 area measuring 100 sq. ft., while forty feet of wall built in a circle will enclose 127 sq. ft., a 27% increase.

    There's no need to worry about storm damage either.



    Geodesic domes offer the safest shelter in the most violent weather extremes around the world. In tornadoes and hurricanes, high winds and negative air pressure combine and get under the eves and soffits of conventional housing, then rip the roof off, leaving the occupants exposed. A geodesic dome's aerodynamic shape offers the best above ground protection against winds from any direction, allowing gale force winds to slip past. During an earthquake, a conventional house rocks off its foundation and topples as the earth makes lateral shifts. A dome has an even distribution of weight and a low center of gravity so it moves with the earth. Engineering for incredible snow loads is intrinsic in its design. Insulating efficiently against extreme heat or cold is a direct factor of the exposed surface area, or outside wall area of any building. The vaulted ceiling in its free span interior allows excellent air circulation and heat recovery. You may design geodesic dome walls where you want them, if you want them, as you are unrestricted by bearing walls necessary to hold up a standard roof. There are no limits to interior design creativity.

    Now you know why geodesic domes are so good we can get to building them


    How to Build A Geodesic dome.​


    Materials
    For wood:
    40 pieces of 1" x 2" x 8' wood
    1 gallon waterproof sealant

    For connectors:
    10 6' flat perforated metal straps
    25 coarse thread bolts 1/4" diameter x 3/4" length
    25 1/4" hex nuts

    For putting everything together:
    250 1-1/4" drywall screws
    250 #8 washers
    box of 10' x 100' 6 mil plastic sheeting
    2000 5/16" staples that fit your staple gun

    For rebar bender:
    4' x 6" x 6" piece of wood
    4 spikes or large bolts
    4' piece of 3/4" plumbing pipe or conduit

    Tools
    safety goggles
    work gloves
    hacksaw
    tape measure
    protractor
    shovels
    2"-3" general purpose paint brushes
    hand wood saw
    bench vise (used to bend metal strap)
    scissors
    staple gun
    ladder
    drill hammer (baby sledge)
    2 socket wrench sets
    drill
    Phillips screwdriver drill bit
    set of multi-sized drill bits.

    Clearing the ground.

    It's important to clear the ground In the location in which you intend to place your dome, clear the ground by removing all grass from an area that is 12' in diameter.

    Cutting The Wood.

    1) Start by measuring and cutting 30 pieces of wood that are 42" in length. These are your "A" pieces. It would be good to mark them with the letter A.

    2) Once you have those pieces cut, measure and cut 35 pieces of wood that are 48" in length. These are your "B" pieces. Mark these with the letter B.



    You will need to weather proof the wood your going to use for your dome. After cutting the wood, use paintbrushes to coat it with the waterproof sealant. Allow it to sit overnight or until dry. Waterproof sealant's can be bought from any DIY store and Walmart.



    Making The Connectors

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    When you are finished, you will have 10 4-way connectors, 6 5-way connectors, and 9 6-way connectors.

    4-Way Connectors
    1) Begin by cutting ten strips that have ten holes each.

    2) Next cut twenty strips that have seven holes each.

    3) Once you have all of your strips cut, you will use a vise to bend the pieces. Each bend should be approximately a 25 degree angle. On the strips that have ten holes, bend them twice, at the fourth hole from each end. Do this for all ten strips. For the seven-hole strips, bend them once, at the second hole from one end.

    4) Once you have all of the pieces bent, you will assemble them. Attach two of the seven-hole strips to the middle (fifth hole from either side) of the ten-hole strips. Place the seven-hole strips on top of each other. Then, using a bolt and a nut, connect them together. You do not need to fully tighten the bolts at this time.

    5) Repeat step four until you have a total of ten connectors.


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    1) Begin by cutting thirty strips that have seven holes each.

    2) Once you have all of these strips cut, use a vise to bend the pieces after the first hole from one end. Make 25 degree angles on all bends. You must do this for all thirty strips.

    3) Once all of your strips have been bent, it is time to assemble them. Line up the first hole for five of the strips and connect them with a bolt and nut.
    4) Repeat step three until you have a total of six connectors.

    6 Way connectors ​


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    1) For the 6-way connectors you will need to cut twenty-seven strips that have thirteen holes each.

    2) Once you have all of the strips cut, you need to bend them using a 25 degree angle. Bend at the fourth hole from each end (leaves five holes in center space). You will bend each strip twice. Do this for all of the strips.

    3) Assemble them by connecting them at the center hole (the seventh hole) with a nut and a bolt. Do this for all nine of the connectors. Once you have all of these steps completed, you are finished fabricating the connectors.

    Make The Pentagons

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    5-way connector
    Using your drill with a screwdriver attachment, fasten one arm of a 5-way connector to a 42" (A) piece of wood using two screws (with the washer around each of the screws). Look at the picture below for the placement the screws. Once you have your first "A" piece of wood attached, you will repeat this step for the remaining four arms of the 5-way connector. Repeat for all five 5-way connectors.

    4 Way connector.

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    Next you will attach two 4-way connectors to the assembled 5-way connectors and A pieces. Put a washer around the screw (two screws go in each leg), then attach one 4-way connector to one leg at the bottom of the pentagon and attach the other 4-way connector to the other leg at the bottom.

    6 Way connectors

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    Next you will attach two 6-way connectors. Put a washer around the screw (two screws go on each leg) then attach one arm of one 6-way connector to the top of "A" piece of the pentagon and another 6-way connector to the left "A" piece of the pentagon. There will be one "A" piece that does not have a connector.

    Attaching the "B" Pieces.​


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    Attach one 48" "B" piece of wood between each outside connector. Be sure to install two screws and washers for each piece of wood. For more help, see the diagram. There will be no connector on one of the corners of the pentagon.

    Finish The Pentagons ​


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    Repeat the previous few steps to complete the other four pentagons. You will have 5 pentagons when you are done.

    Connect The Pentagons ​


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    To connect the pentagons to each other, connect the 6-way connector on the left side of the pentagon to the right side of another pentagon without a 6-way connector. Repeat all the way around until each pentagon is connected. There will be ten "A" pieces connected around the middle of the pentagons.

    Connect The Bottom Pentagon​


    Now attach "B" pieces between each pentagon at the bottom of the dome using the two 4-way connectors. Repeat until there are ten sides on the bottom of the dome.

    Preparing to make the roof.​


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    At the top of the pentagons, attach a "B" piece to the 6-way connectors between each pentagon. Repeat until the five "B" pieces connected at the top of each pentagon form a pentagon

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    First, pick a pentagon most convenient to where you want your door. Then disconnect the 5 internal legs ("A" pieces) with the 5-way connector from the external connectors (4- and 6-way) on each leg. The five legs that are disconnected will remain attached to a 5-way connector and make a star shape. This will be used to make the roof and the open pentagon will be used to make the door.

    Attaching The Roof.​


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    Now he cool :cool:

    Connect the ends of the legs to the last available 6-way connectors at the top of the dome to form the roof.

    Tighten all the connectors

    Put one socket wrench on the nut side and one socket wrench on the bolt and tighten up all of the connectors on the dome.

    Making the door frame.

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    Since there are variables that affect the exact dimensions of your completed dome, making the door is a field-engineering task. Measure a piece of wood that will be use to construct the side of the door. Start at the bottom corner of the open pentagon where the 4-way connector is and go straight up until you are touching the top leg of the open pentagon. Mark the wood were it touches the top leg pf the pentagon Repeat this step on the other side.

    Connect The door frame to the dome.​


    After you mark the piece of wood, cut it at an angle so that it fits the pentagon flush against the top piece of wood. Attach the cut piece to the 4-way connector at the bottom of the pentagon. Use a 3" screw to attach the piece of wood from the top of the pentagon where it fits against the wood. This will hold your door frame together. Repeat this step on the other side.

    Adding the top of the door frame.​


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    Next, measure another piece of wood to create the top part of the door. To do this, hold a piece of wood at right angles to the tops of your two parallel door pieces. Mark the spots that will allow you to connect it to the "B" pieces of wood at the top of the pentagon. From the outside of the pentagon, use 3" screws to attach this piece where it fits against the top of the pentagon and the other door pieces.

    Adding the side supports

    Next, measure a piece of wood that goes from the 6-way connector at the side of the pentagon to the piece of wood that makes one side of the door (see photo below). Screw the piece of wood into the connector and into the piece of wood that it touches. This step adds support to the door. Repeat this step on the other side of door.

    Adding the top support for the door​



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    The last step of constructing the door is to measure a piece of wood from the top 6-way connector to the top part of the door, cut it and attach the wood to the connector and the door

    Make a Rebar Bender

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    Now it time to anchor your dome to the 12' X 12' area where you have cleared the grass. You will use twenty pieces of bent rebar to anchor your dome into the ground.

    To see a visual of how to make a rebar bender (jig) and bend the rebar to hold down the dome, visit this website:

    monkeyc.org

    Anchor the dome to the ground ​


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    With your drill hammer (small sledge hammer), hammer two pieces of rebar over each "B" piece into the ground. There are ten sides to the bottom of the dome, so you will use twenty pieces of rebar to hold it down.

    Cover the dome with plastic​


    Bear in mind you will want a type of plastic that will allow the light to pass through.

    Cut out a large sheet of plastic, about 6 to 7 feet long. Cover a section of the dome with the plastic. Start from the bottom and work your way up

    You can also use garden fleese but plastic is recommended because it's a permanent cover.

    Cut out a large sheet of plastic, about 6 to 7 feet long. Cover a section of the dome with the plastic. Start from the bottom and work your way up

    Staple Plastic And Cut Off Extra Plastic

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    Pull the plastic tight over one triangular section of the dome. Staple just enough to attach the plastic to the wood on each leg of the triangle. Then go back and staple the plastic to each leg of the triangle, stapling about two inches apart. As you do this, continue to smooth the plastic to get the wrinkles out. It helps to fold the excess plastic on top of itself as you staple it onto the wood. Continue by covering as many triangles as you can until you have used up the plastic sheet. When your first section of plastic is securely attached, cut off any excess that does not completely cover a triangular section of the dome.

    Keep added plastic until finish​


    Repeat the process until the dome is covered. You will need to put a ladder inside the dome to staple the plastic onto some of the top parts

    Add The Vent

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    You'll most likely need a ladder inside the dome for this step. Place the ladder on the ground under the top of the dome. Cut along one leg of any triangle at top of the dome This will create a vent that will allow air to circulate and help regulate the temperature in your geodesic dome greenhouse.

    Make the plastic door.​


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    To make the plastic door area for the dome, put a sheet of plastic on the door frame, cut it through the middle into two symmetrical halves, staple the plastic onto the frame, then trim the excess plastic hanging from the frame.

    The most important step of all

    Obtain Cannabis
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    Roll blunt.
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    Smoke that fucking victory blunt :hello:
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    Be happy be high and grow all dam year round. :hello:
     
    • Winner Winner x 1
  2. I cannot take any credit for this guide, it was made by a horticulture farm somewhere
     
    • Like Like x 1
  3. Good DIY :) Stickied
     
  4. this is pretty cool man.... i took a greenhouse class and we talked bout insulation and keeping warm air in. a single layer of poly is noot very good insulation by itself. almost all poly film greenhouses using this plastic film double layer it with a pocket of pressurized air between them to increase heat retention in a major way.

    what about fresh airflow? how would you keep CO2 levels up if air is trapped inside? plus what keps it from getting wayyyy to hot in the summertime? greenhouses have major venting systems to keep them from collecting too much of the sun's heat and frying the plants.

    this guide is great for building it but could use info on actually growing in it :)
     
    • Like Like x 1


  5. Did the read the vent part, also you can always leave the door open if you like, but that's what the vent is useful for keeping the temps right. This also makes sure no moisture can settle in the dome which would increase the chances of mold, so that's why you have the vent and like i said if it's really hot you can leave the door open and allow a breeze in or have a mains lead go into the dome and have a fan in there.
     
  6. Damn this is legit.
    Fuck Skunky! I may just have to adapt this for a single plant grow lol.
     


  7. Yeh that would solve your issue with trecking out to the woods :D it's good for security as well if you don't have a mega see through plastic then it's nearly impossible to identify the plant inside.

    Also there's a vent at the top which allows the smell out it rises up so there's minimum smell. VIVA LA REVOLUTION :D
     
  8. o okay.... yeah im seeing a fan as absolutely necessary in my area to keep something such as this from flying into the 100s. and im way up in new angland so summer arent as hot as they could be many other places.

    I had a friend with a small greenhouse and it simply built up heat faster than he could vent it without a fan.

    but year round growth without a heater? id have to move to florida :p

    edit: how would the smell not still stink up the neighborhood through the vent? :laughing: id keep a pet skunk right next to it :devious:
     

  9. Nope man that's the thing with the shape, it mimics the curviture of the earth and stores heat in, hell you could grow a dam mango tree throughout the winter if you wanted to :D but yeh you probably wont be needing a heater it stores in heat very well.
     
  10. I've wanting to make one of these since I read the Mother Earth Catalog back in the 70's
    can't help thinking though much of this design has been superseded by cheap 'instant' type green house you can buy in kit form these days.
    I think the very!! strange shape will attract to many curious passerbys...blow ya cover..pun! intended...lol
    still 10/10

    "V"
     

  11. There becoming increasingly more common and like i said if you have a secure property i don't think it would be a problem, i recommend maybe growing a few other plant's around your "special" plant's ;) not to tall but not to small therefor it wont be visible unless someone's actually looking for them, you can make your some pretty hard to get into and maybe have a CCTV sign on it.
     
    • Winner Winner x 1

  12. Damn that's even better!
    Yea I have the perfect spot on my third story balconey. It get's tons and tons and tons of sunlight, and providing there's no clouds, it's in the sun from sun rise until sun set.

    Eh I don't think I have to worry about the smell. I blaze on the balconey all the time and the house system is a triplex and my neighbours definitely know I blaze, but they haven't said anything. Growing could be a different story though.

    How clear does the plastic need to be?
     
  13. Is the balcany going to be big ebough for a geodesic dome !!??

    Not that clear but it should be kinda clear but misty is always good here's a product that's pretty good. Ultra Violet Inhibited Sheeting, UVI Polythene, 5 Season Sheeting for polytunnels and greenhouses, all in stock, Order online now!

    Keep in mind thatyou will want the plastic to be thick enough to withstand minor damage like a kamokazi bird smashing into it or something so this one's good as well. They have a few more products Ultra Violet Inhibited Sheeting, UVI Polythene, 5 Season Sheeting for polytunnels and greenhouses, all in stock, Order online now!
     
  14. Not the the size of the one in your OP, but I'm pretty sure I could adapt it. The balconey is 10feet by 10 feet. You think I could make a tent version of this or something?

    Thanks for the links and info, also lol at the kamokazi bird :laughing:
     

  15. It sounds do able, check if you need planning permission or some shit, they might try to pull that one just to see what's in it, Canada is notorious for MJ growing :p so make sure with your local council or something that it's Ok so if they do come to the door you can shun them away :D

    Also yeh it's a commen thing man, there migrating from a island somewhere in the sea and the media said..........................THEY HATE AMERICA :eek: :laughing: but you should be fine in Canada it's not America
     
  16. I don't think I would need permission, possibly though but it's good to check none the less, better to know before then be mid operation and the popo's knock down your door. Oh yea man it most definitely is, a fucking grow op caught on fire near my school lol! The fucking police and narcotics squad were there, asked them what's up when they said a grow op caught on fire I was like, "Shouldn't you be chasing down a meth lab or something," I got one hell of a dirty look from those coppa's. My neighbourhood alone has I think 2 grow ops, maybe three. And I live in a nice neighbourhood too LOL. Every other house has children in it xD

    Damn bird haters! Don't target the people! Shit bomb the whitehouse! Imagine that lol
     


  17. Haha that's crazy, also yeh i can imagine then stealth bombing the eorlds biggest nature reserve in the world :laughing: it's actually something they would do :D
     
  18. The history of geodesic domes.​


    Here are some pretty awesome facts about Geodesic dome's it explains why they work so well ect..

    Since the beginning, mankind's ambition has been to feed, protect and improve itself. The oldest civilizations evolved living in round yurts, igloos and teepees because of a need for strong shelter, the scarcity of building materials, and light weight that took the least effort to transport during migration. Many of the world's oldest and architecturally beautiful buildings in Europe and Asia are arched domes, or buildings with clear span arch entries and halls built strong enough to survive the centuries. Dr. Walter Bauersfeld, using spherical geometry, was first to combine the strongest geometric shape, the triangle, with the sturdy arch in Jena, East Germany in 1922.

    Some popular geodesic domes known today are:
    Future World Exhibition at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World
    Tacoma Dome in Washington State. At 530' in diameter, it is the largest public geodesic dome covering a football field and grandstands
    Minneapolis Convention Center expanding to 500,000 sq. ft. under four low profile domes
    America's exhibit at the 1967 World Fair in Montreal, for which the United States commissioned Buckminster Fuller
    Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Conservatory with three geodesic domes sitting on elliptical bases that provide tropical flower gardens year round
    Biosphere desert project in Arizona
    Des Moines Arboretum, a self contained ecosphere
    Los Angeles city housing project with over two dozen domes
    Geodesic jungle gyms in many American city parks
    Thousands of family residences and cabins throughout North America
    Geodesic Dome Facts

    A sphere is defined as the geometric shape that encloses the most volume with the least surface area. A dome is the safest, strongest and most energy efficient building. It takes less building materials to enclose usable living or working area in a dome than any other shaped structure. Forty feet of wall will enclose a 10 x 10 area measuring 100 sq. ft., while forty feet of wall built in a circle will enclose 127 sq. ft., a 27% increase.

    Geodesic domes offer the safest shelter in the most violent weather extremes around the world. In tornadoes and hurricanes, high winds and negative air pressure combine and get under the eves and soffits of conventional housing, then rip the roof off, leaving the occupants exposed. A geodesic dome's aerodynamic shape offers the best above ground protection against winds from any direction, allowing gale force winds to slip past. During an earthquake, a conventional house rocks off its foundation and topples as the earth makes lateral shifts. A dome has an even distribution of weight and a low center of gravity so it moves with the earth. Engineering for incredible snow loads is intrinsic in its design. Insulating efficiently against extreme heat or cold is a direct factor of the exposed surface area, or outside wall area of any building. The vaulted ceiling in its free span interior allows excellent air circulation and heat recovery. You may design geodesic dome walls where you want them, if you want them, as you are unrestricted by bearing walls necessary to hold up a standard roof. There are no limits to interior design creativity.

    The key structural unit in a geodesic dome is a four-surfaced pyramid figure called a tetrahedron. The geometric shape on which all geodesic domes are based is a 20-sided polyhedron called an icosahedron. Like the tetrahedron, each side is an equilateral triangle, and at each point five triangles meet to form pentagons. Unless it is a complete sphere, all geodesic domes have six pentagons, one at the top and five around the perimeter. The largest domes, hundreds of feet in diameter, have thousands of hexagons but still only six pentagons.

    There are three ways to identify a geodesic dome; diameter, frequency and profile. The diameter is the distance from one side of the sphere to the other through the center point. The frequency is the number of framing members, called chords, from the center of any pentagon to the center of any other pentagon. Typically, a dome building is flat on the bottom so it will sit flat on the ground, and the profile is a percentage of sphere, expressed as a fraction. An example: The Imagination Room geodesic dome displayed at the Science Museum of Minnesota is a three frequency, 36' diameter, 4/9ths sphere.
     
  19. Hey skunky, I know you do outdoors. So I have a question for ya', and I'm gonna LOL if your answer is no, being the poster of this thread and all....Do you use one of these things? :)

    And I remember you have bastard demon neighbors from hell.
     

  20. Do you remember my post about making a tie pie out of Bamboo and garden felt to disguise my plant's from the dam neighbors's.:D

    Well i changed it from a tie pie to a Geodesic Dome basically i did it with flexible bit's of wood and putting them together and covering it with garden fely and it works great, it need's a bit more work but yeh it's pretty good.
     

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