Odd Building Ideas

Started by glenn kangiser, June 24, 2006, 02:51:22 PM

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glenn-k


Deana

Thanks for the link, Glen, I think that is the same one I found today. Not much out there on that roof style.


glenn-k

#52
There is not any load information but the construction info gives more clues - they welded tie tubes to the outer perimeter making a band to keep from spreading.  That is the 3rd leg of the triangle.  They also built a support structure although I think you could do it with one beam supported to the ground then continue around - read in one place that the last beam then gets slipped under the first - another site I think.


desdawg

That is pretty interesting. Obviously the most difficult part is holding it in place while it is being built. Which one do you put up first? The one statement you never want to hear "Here hold this while I get a nail started."  :-/ Figuring those compound angles could be a bit touchy too.

glenn-k

Forget figuring the angles -- use round poles and a forklift to support the center then raise or lower it until it fits.  I have no idea if that would work -- but I may be crazy enough to try it sometime. :-/


desdawg

It looks really good on paper Glenn however I can visualize a lot of tricky stuff putting it together in the air. But I like the concept.

Freeholdfarm

A whole bunch of very interesting reading!

The reciprocal roof looks like it might solve the problem of roofing a round structure -- IF I can figure out how to build it!  Maybe a temporary support in the middle, until the roof was framed?

Kathleen

glenn-k

#57
That's the way I see it - that is what they did on the pavilion and I think Simon left a support in.  Tony Wrench has pix of the temp pole in the middle.

http://www.thatroundhouse.info/how.htm


glenn-k

Well -- I couldn't resist building this structure to see if it really did work.  It Does.  

I looked around the house and came up with a pack of pencils.  With nothing more than friction and leverage against each other to hold them together , here they are in all their number 2 glory.




Amanda_931

I'm glad to see that.

The only time I ever tried to do it, I was using kindling, (and, um, not supporting the first piece from the ground), and things kept sliding down.  After a few really frustrating minutes I gave up.  

And this was in front of an audience, of course.

:-[

mark_chenail

Glenn:  You really are a mechanical marvel.  I looked at the website and studied the math and scratched my head and was still clueless.   And then there you were with your pencils and even I was able to reproduce the structure.  Ive been wanting a little round tower at my place but never could figure out the roof structure.  This might just be the solution.

Freeholdfarm

#61
QuoteWell -- I couldn't resist building this structure to see if it really did work.  It Does.  

I looked around the house and came up with a pack of pencils.  With nothing more than friction and leverage against each other to hold them together , here they are in all their number 2 glory.



:)  Neat!  I wouldn't have thought of doing that!

I saw that most of those roundhouses had sod roofs -- I wonder how much earth a reciprocal roof could support?  If I do end up moving back to Alaska, I'm going to want to be buried pretty deep.

Kathleen

Edited to add:  guess I'll have to do some experimenting of my own, LOL!

glenn-k

Alright -- everybody get out your pencils.  After I did that I set the coffee pot on top if it.  I can now say that I know it is strong enough to hold up a pot of coffee.

I think kindling should work just fine when nobody is watching, Amanda.

Sometimes I just have to try it to see how it works, Mark.  If someone else can do it I should be able to also.

QuoteNeat!  I wouldn't have thought of doing that!
That's why I get the big bucks, Kathleen.  I think that a lot of these use straw decomposing to grow things on - lighter than sod.  With much sod, you would want engineering as it gets heavy fast - 100 to 150 lbs per square foot many times - add snow load with water in it and you could have a smashing good time. :-/

desdawg

According to my load charts a #2 pencil should not have carried the weight of the coffee pot. But then I don't know how many cups it holds or if it is just a glass carafe or an old aluminum pot with a basket strainer in it. I wouldn't be glueing those #2's until we have a proper design.


glenn-k

#64
There is just something about it--- the excitement of knowing that at any moment I could sustain a disfiguring injury from boiling coffee... I guess it's the adrenaline rush that keeps me doing things like this.. You know I don't drink much -- I have to do something for fantique. :-/

Deana

Found this at http://www.lamafoundation.org/build/here/now2000/tour/10.html
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Glen, try the coffe pot AND a coffee cup.....


Looks pretty strong to me  :-)
Would this even fly with the building codes in the US especially in a zone 4 earthquake zone?

Also found a detailed description taken from the designer Graham Brown's "book" (He patented the system in the UK):
http://www.crest.org/discussion/strawbale/199809/msg00232.html






glenn-k

#66
That's cool unless the girl in the picture is holding him up with her right arm. :-/

The pencils I had were from China - not sure they meet code. :)

bartholomew

First you use commercially produced building materials. Then you start worrying about code requirements. What next, heading into town to pull a permit?!?

Freeholdfarm

One of you engineer types ought to do some testing.  But I suspect, looking at it, the reciprocal roof (properly designed and fastened together) could take an earthquake better than a standard roof.  It's really interesting to see the guy standing on the little sticks above!

Kathleen

glenn-k

This may be a sign of senility kicking in.  I seem to have completely dropped my standards.  I think it is time to get out the ungraded kindling and try this again.  Thanks for bringing me back to reality Bart.  I nearly lost it there and gave in to the system. :-?


Deana

bartholomew said:"First you use commercially produced building materials. Then you start worrying about code requirements. What next, heading into town to pull a permit?!?"


No,  I'm still collecting ideas/information as to what I want to incorporate into my house. Part of that research includes notations as to if it will  pass current building codes or not.  Most of what I'd like to do doesn't, so it looks like I'm going to be looking for property far away from the bureaucratic microscope.   deana

mark_chenail

Happened to stumble on this unusual method of applying metal siding to a structure.  Sure is quick and easy and eliminates the need for purlins.  Think how nice it would be if you bought odd color lots from the bargain bin and did stripes. ;).  It sure is a nice big spacious bathroom tacked onto a tiny little cabin.  I nice galvanized horsetrough would make a dandy bathtub and continue the metal motif.





Amanda_931

I hope it doesn't seriously freeze there.

glenn-k

I didn't think about that -- it would be bad if you stuck to the seat wouldn't it. :-/

Amanda_931

I was thinking of a frozen and therefore busted toilet.

:o