I, too, have been thinking of using wood blocks for a plywood hexayurt. I used small patches of sheet metal on my last one, but did not get sufficiently tight seams. I would make blocks 1.5″ x 3″ (much smaller than the London hexayurt’s blocks), and cut a 120 degree in them. I would put at least 5 along each edge (like with my metal patches), depending on thickness of material. before screwing them all the way in, while there was still a gap between the panels, I would caulk between the panels to get a good seal.
Cool that they used recycled wood and just threw it together to prove the concept of the method. I really like the slight overhang, too. However, I think it best to put the door at least 4″ from the joint so you are not joining wall sections and making a door frame in the same place. It’s complicated and weak. I think the door opening should be a hole in the wall section, completely surrounded by plywood–at least 1.5″ at the top and bottom, reinforced by a 1×2 (.75″ x 1.5″ piece of fir).
Jeeves
July 21, 2010 at 4:12 pm
… and that’s why you don’t build them out of plywood.
The Hexacomb method is the way to go. Works better, looks better, and a lot easier to carry around.
Doesn’t look very impressive!
And that is maybe one of the core problems with appropriate technology stuff. It does not look “cool”.
Vinay,
I, too, have been thinking of using wood blocks for a plywood hexayurt. I used small patches of sheet metal on my last one, but did not get sufficiently tight seams. I would make blocks 1.5″ x 3″ (much smaller than the London hexayurt’s blocks), and cut a 120 degree in them. I would put at least 5 along each edge (like with my metal patches), depending on thickness of material. before screwing them all the way in, while there was still a gap between the panels, I would caulk between the panels to get a good seal.
Cool that they used recycled wood and just threw it together to prove the concept of the method. I really like the slight overhang, too. However, I think it best to put the door at least 4″ from the joint so you are not joining wall sections and making a door frame in the same place. It’s complicated and weak. I think the door opening should be a hole in the wall section, completely surrounded by plywood–at least 1.5″ at the top and bottom, reinforced by a 1×2 (.75″ x 1.5″ piece of fir).
… and that’s why you don’t build them out of plywood.
The Hexacomb method is the way to go. Works better, looks better, and a lot easier to carry around.
Cheers!