HexaYurts

[mayermar]

I do something with my Hexayurt that i have not seen anyone else do. My panels are sandwiched between two sheets of plywood for transportation. one sheet of plywood has a hinged door and shutter windows. It is taped to the front panel of the Yurt and the insulation pieces are taped to the inside of the door and windows. It makes a great latching door and windows that we can open at night. The other sheet of plywood is also hinged in two places to make a shower stall for the side of the Yurt. i have prebuilt legs and it sits in my evap pond. The plywood really protects the panels nicely and they dont just lay on the Playa for a week.

[jkisha]

Personally, I don't like the idea of using wood in the construction of a hexayurt.
Though I would be interested inn seeing your shower concept.

Following the Hexayurt almost since it's conception, I find it interesting how the construction is evolving. Especially the evolution that uses only the original materials (i.e. 1" panels and 6" tape) in unique ways that actually improve on the original assembly concept.

I have yet to see one made with alternate materials that has excited me.

[yp983]

GOOD NEWS + ONE LAST QUESTION

- We successfully built the yurt yesterday. It was an amazing feeling. When we trapped our friend inside and got the roof on the walls, and it all seemed to click together in place, a sudden weight flew off my shoulders and the dust on my fingertips started to tingle that much more... i cant believe we'll be inside of it on the playa in less than 7 days Thankyou for all of your help. I don't think we could have done it so seamlessly (no pun intended) without you. Yes, it is a magical feeling to see that silver roof shine.

- SO... one last question about the Ring and Tape Anchors. I read that for the tension ring at the end, you just run the tape all the way around the yurt , a single unbroken strand... and that when we get to the tape anchors "we have a choice."

But do we really? Can we actually go over or under? If the anchors are positioned about six inches below the ground edge of the isosceles triangles, where the split in the two boards is, then wont these be taped to/over the edge of the panels? Therefore getting in the way of the tension ring? Or do they not connect the walls and the roof. Where does it stop then?

And so the only real option is over the tape which "holds the tape anchors, so that the actual plastic tubes stick out just under the tension ring" - however, then is the seal on these parts of the roof/wall edge really intact? Seems like somethings missing.

Can you incredible folks help us out?
Thanks so much! so soon....

I have been thinking about and considering this exact thing. Every way I play it out in my mind, it seems that doing the tension ring followed by the tape anchors going over the tension ring is what makes sense. Therefore, you will make the tape anchors, then do the tension ring while "lifting" the tape anchors as you go around, and then re-securing the tape anchors. An added bonus of this will be that the pressure from the rope pulling down on the tape anchor will just help keep the tension ring in place.

[yp983]

I also have another question:

I'm making the semifolding yurt with hopes of making it very reusable. Therefore, I'm adding extra tape on every seam that will require tape to be applied over it during on-playa construction, and the goal is that the tape will only ever touch tape. Then, when it comes time to dissassemble, you don't have to be so carefil in ripping the tape off, since you will just be ripping it off of another layer of tape.

The only thing I am concerned about is if the tape on tape adhesion will be less "sticky" than tape on foil adhesion. Any opinions?

[lucky420]

i don't have the semi-folding yurt just the standard basic model but I taped every seem before coming to playa. Then on playa when your taping panels together you will be putting tape on tape. I had no problem last year with that, I think as long as it is new tape on new tape you should be fine.

One stupid thing I did last year before we left for the playa was painting my roof panels after I had taped the raw edges. This year in pulling the panels out of the garage I noticed that all the paint that is on the tape is peeling off. Now I get to make sure it is all peeled off before I leave because if not it would be really awful tiny moopy latex paint chips everywhere. The paint that is just on the foil is fine though...lesson learned

[Fidget Wigglesworth]

Hey lucky - what kind of paint did you use?
And also - any advice on how the tension ring of tape goes around (over/under) the anchors - this doesn't make total sense in my head and the sites/wiki's don't really address this directly.

thanks!

[yp983]

Hey lucky - what kind of paint did you use?
And also - any advice on how the tension ring of tape goes around (over/under) the anchors - this doesn't make total sense in my head and the sites/wiki's don't really address this directly.

thanks!

My opinion is that it would be better to keep the tension ring under the tape anchors. Doing it the other way could keep the tension ring from keeping a full seal around the perimeter.

[lucky420]

I used regular water based acrylic house paint that i had. There was another problem with that too. I had painted the panels about 1 or 2 days before we left for the playa. I live pretty close to BRC (about 100 miles south) so the humidity/dryness is about the same. We got on the playa on Monday morning and slept in the back of the truck the first night. Rainstorm came monday night, so glad we didn't set up earlier. Tuesday morning after rolling the tape up the painted roof panels the tape didn't want to stick right away (oh shit moment). That little bit of humidity plus the water based paint painted on tape...duh. Fortunately no more humidity and the tape did eventually stick after the sun dried it up a bit. We had no more problems with it after that.

Put your tension ring on before the tape anchors, at least thats what we did. Then we ran another tape strip up the roof panels for the tape anchors. This strip for the tape anchors stuck fine to the tape that joined the roof panels together.

[ratkins]

Completed:

http://gallery.me.com/ratkins/100037/IMG_1467

I'm done now and it all went pretty well, except I had to re-do one thing: the joins between the two 4'x4' panels (the inner "concertinas" in the above linked diagram) need to be "loose hinges", i.e., one panel thickness in between, otherwise I couldn't get them around to the correct angle when folded out (I'd originally tried half-panel thickness hinges.) Also, I wish I'd never bothered even trying to use foil tape for edging, it was way too narrow and I had to go over most of them with 3" tape.

Just putting that here for future reference.

Cheers, Robert (so excited at the prospect of being able to sleep past 8:30am!)

[Canoe]

... wish I'd never bothered even trying to use foil tape for edging, it was way too narrow and I had to go over most of them with 3" tape...

3" 2.7mil foil tape.

[kman]

... wish I'd never bothered even trying to use foil tape for edging, it was way too narrow and I had to go over most of them with 3" tape...

3" 2.7mil foil tape.

Correctamundo...

[playa hanjin]

Hello all,

On a different topic. Our rental car situation has gone south and I'm now faced with a dilemma: I can accept the vehicle they give me, but in all likelihood, it won't have a roof rack.

Is it a dumb idea to strap the hexayurt, bareback, to the top of a rental?

I don't have a very high risk tolerance, btw.

Am I crazy to hold out for a roof rack?

[Canoe]

...Is it a dumb idea to strap the hexayurt, bareback, to the top...

Bareback, you'll trash the roof and likely loose the hexayurt.

Am I crazy to hold out for a roof rack?

Explain to them how your trip requires a roof rack to transport all your belongings. I wouldn't get into trying to explain hexayurts.

Can you buy/rent a roof rack that can install without trashing the rental?
Check camping type stores (and online) for varied solutions.

But, assuming no roof rack, and I assume you'll have it stacked in-between two sheets of plywood, off the cuff I'd suggest:
* making the bottom sheet somewhat thick (half inch enough people?)
* get two 2"x3" 8' studs and screw them to the 8' sides of the lower plywood to stiffen & strengthen them (the studs are the roof rack)
* get the foam canoe/kayak type roof protectors - they sit on the roof, the studs sit on them - ropes/straps hold everything down to the vehicle
* you need to tie this down really well - this could include, side to side, down to the roof (wide strap - not rope - over the top and through the open doors), front (attached to forward studs somehow) to the front bumper (to hold against the drag) and at the rear to the rear bumper for braking and rear winds - specifics depend a lot on the vehicle. Search to see how others have done this.
* drill through the studs to have attachment points for rope, loop a rope through to run a strap through the loop
* You also need separate securing of the plywood-hexayurt panels-plywood sandwich. Wrap it in a tarp. Consider a wooden end across the front due to the air drag - keeps the air out. Search here on how others have packaged their panels for roof trips successfully

examples
http://www.seattlesportsco.com/productc ... ategory=89
http://rotordesign.com/bm/page/2/
http://www.johnclarkemills.com/2010/08/ ... -hexayurt/

how long is the rental?
as in, a sedan, wagon or passenger van?

[waxpraxis]

This is just some armchair engineering, but I've done something similar in the past to get fragile sheet goods transported when I didn't have a roof rack. I basically cut up some cardboard and folded it into triangles ala the Ikea roofracks:



Then I made a sandwich - bottom layer, 1/4" plywood, then sheet good, then another sheet of plywood. Finally I used ratchet straps to hold down the "racks" and another pair to hold down the sheet goods.

[Julie Danger]

Hey Hexayurters, more from that Julie Danger:

Join us for the 2nd Annual Black Rock City Hexayurt Happy Hour, Burning Man 2011. Wednesday 8/31, 2-5 pm, at Bayesian Conspiracy (home of the massive TriDome, within Playagon Village!) Approx 4:00 & E. We'll be serving Gin and Tonics, the Official Drink of the Hexayurt Project. More beverages, shwag, and snacks welcome, extra points if they're hexagonal. Clothing optional, but remember: silver is the new black. Plus: special guest appearance by Vinay Gupta, depending on technical capabilities.

Also, not in time for burning man (unless you're friends are building a hexayurt this weekend), the first ever full-scale Camp Danger Hexayurt Build video is up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C95VfH_3nCE

[Fidget Wigglesworth]

Hey Julie,
thanks for everything! Can't wait to see you out there- so freaking soon!!

Question:
Can you please clarify the process of the tension ring and the tape anchors. I am confused, amongst others.
If we put the tape anchors on before the roof goes on the walls, then when we do the tension ring - won't it get in the way? And if we go over, then won't that 6" of space where the tape anchor is not have a good seal from wall to roof? Please explain... pirty please.


thanksyou!

[Julie Danger]

Hi fidget (great name!)
I personally don't dig tape anchors. They're a waste of tape in my mind b/c they aren't reuseable, and I have heard of them failing--a lot!

I did not use them last year. I made a rope halo, and I suggest you do the same!

here's a little info on both options: http://www.appropedia.org/Hexayurt_play ... r_Hexayurt

If you insist upon the sleek look of the tape anchors, I believe you can use the info above. Don't trust me on it. However, from what I've seen and heard, it would appear that the BEST way to make tape anchors is to run extra, separate lengths of 6" bi-fil tape up and over the yurt after it is all taped together. Yep, that's a lot of tape, if you run 3 (creating 6 points of contact) it'll cost ya about 50 feet of tape. But that way, you're depending on the baring load of the filaments to keep the sucker down. I think that people who have snacked tape anchors onto the very ends of their tape-the-roof-together-lengths-of-tape have seen failures.

Hopefully that makes sense. I'm better when I can wave my hands and point at things.

Hasta la playa! Come to the happy hour!

[Julie Danger]

Hi again, hexayurters,

I am making a little mini-roof to playa-test a variety of tapes this year. I'm looking to improve upon the bidirectional filament tape. It would appear that this proabably can't be done more cheaply, but considering I've seen what 3-4 weeks of playa weather can do to the bi-fil tape, which means adding foil tape or something similar to UV-protect it, I'm throwing cost to the winds.

If anyone has tape they think would work and would like to attempt to get it into my hands for this burn, please contact me. Of course I leave on Friday so I will need to connect w/ you out there.

Thanks!

JD

[Fidget Wigglesworth]

Awesome.
Thanks Danger!!

I agree about the waste of tape... it upsets me just thinking about it.

What kind of knots do you use to make the loop for the halo, and then to tie the ropes onto it?

Yippie....
so soon!!

[tenhigh]

Does anyone have thoughts about how to hang a fabric divider inside? ideally, i'd like to hang a clothesline type rope that I could use with fabric for a curtain-like effect. velcro tape? seems like thumb tacks might work if i tape the holes once we're packing up.

[waxpraxis]

Thumb tacks probably wouldn't have nearly enough grip. I would look for a brand of wall anchors called "Wall Dogs" - you drill a pilot hole and then can just screw them in with a regular screwdriver. They can hold up a ton of weight because of their large, heavy duty thread. You can then screw right into them (like a regular hook for a clothesline)

[A Jester]

I couldn't find a supplier I liked for the bi-directional tape, so i ended up using FSK tape.

Something very similar to http://www.venturetape.com/pdfs/datashe ... %20TDS.pdf

It looks like the adhesion is about 25% lower (75 oz/sq in compared to 100 oz/sq inch) but I don't think that's going to be a major issue if I can get a continuous length over the top.

I can get this tape through work, so it's a lot cheaper for me than the other stuff.

I'll let you know how it holds up!

For the record, this did just fine. Though, it was particularly still out there this year, but I don't think more wind would have made a huge difference.

[Aviax]

Any reports on how the H13's or any of the other gabled yurts held up?

[slvrnmph]

I had an H13 out there this year and it was great. Built it on Sunday and it was up until the following Sunday night. No wind problems and I only tied down in 6 spots, but we did have a lot less wind than we have in previous years. We did pay attention to the prevailing wind directions when we setup and faced the door wall and gabled part of the roof away from the wind. Everyone who saw it was super impressed and it was by far the most comfortable yurt I've had yet. I'll be sticking with this style, for now.

[ibdave]

Any reports on how the H13's or any of the other gabled yurts held up?

h13.. photos? new to the yurts world as we had one added to the camp this year and very cool stuff...

[jkisha]

Actually, the UV degradation of the tape is the main flaw in the folding Hexayurt design. If you have to replace the tape each year, I'm having a hard time justifying the extra work involved in the folding design only to have to redo it each year anyway.

Now if I ever find a bidirectional filament tape that is designed to resist UV radiation, I'd change my mind rather quickly.

Hi again, hexayurters,

I am making a little mini-roof to playa-test a variety of tapes this year. I'm looking to improve upon the bidirectional filament tape. It would appear that this proabably can't be done more cheaply, but considering I've seen what 3-4 weeks of playa weather can do to the bi-fil tape, which means adding foil tape or something similar to UV-protect it, I'm throwing cost to the winds.

If anyone has tape they think would work and would like to attempt to get it into my hands for this burn, please contact me. Of course I leave on Friday so I will need to connect w/ you out there.

Thanks!

JD

[deutlich]

MAN is this thread helpful. I don't own a tent at all and frankly if I'm going to BM I may as well bust out all the building I can possibly fathom. So, a yurt it will be in 2012. Transporting from DC and storage will be a WHOLE other bag of apples but that's all right. I imagine something will iron itself out.

Given the tape deteriorates in UV rays, I'll probably stick to taping the edges here and then shipping it and taping it together there. I'm all of 5'3 so that 4' yurt will probably do me just fine!

Anyone ever worried about people actually walking IN to their yurt? (I'm assuming I'd be going solo and I guess I'm just mildly worried someone would walk in on me or something. (probably just Burgin paranoia)

[jkisha]

I don't know why you'd think someone would walk into your yurt and not worry about them walking into your tent. IMHO you'll have a lot more privacy and less chance of people barging in with a yurt.

The folding design, regardless of the UV degradation, might be a better option for you, especially if you're coming alone. They are definitely easier to setup on the playa, especially is you need assistance (which you will) from neighbors in setting the roof.

MAN is this thread helpful. I don't own a tent at all and frankly if I'm going to BM I may as well bust out all the building I can possibly fathom. So, a yurt it will be in 2012. Transporting from DC and storage will be a WHOLE other bag of apples but that's all right. I imagine something will iron itself out.

Given the tape deteriorates in UV rays, I'll probably stick to taping the edges here and then shipping it and taping it together there. I'm all of 5'3 so that 4' yurt will probably do me just fine!

Anyone ever worried about people actually walking IN to their yurt? (I'm assuming I'd be going solo and I guess I'm just mildly worried someone would walk in on me or something. (probably just Burgin paranoia)

[deutlich]

I don't know why you'd think someone would walk into your yurt and not worry about them walking into your tent. IMHO you'll have a lot more privacy and less chance of people barging in with a yurt.

The folding design, regardless of the UV degradation, might be a better option for you, especially if you're coming alone. They are definitely easier to setup on the playa, especially is you need assistance (which you will) from neighbors in setting the roof.

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that I'd think someone wouldn't do the same in a tent. I just wasn't intending on using a tent (I don't actually like them very much).

As for the folding because I'm alone? I hadn't quite thought that through and that's a very good point! Thanks!

[ConnieH]

Actually, the UV degradation of the tape is the main flaw in the folding Hexayurt design. If you have to replace the tape each year, I'm having a hard time justifying the extra work involved in the folding design only to have to redo it each year anyway.

Now if I ever find a bidirectional filament tape that is designed to resist UV radiation, I'd change my mind rather quickly.

I spray painted over some of my pre-taped roof joints with silver paint, some I left alone. I'm hoping the paint will have given the tape some kind of UV protection, but we'll see next August when I unwrap it. The semi-folding roof design worked like a charm and I'm glad I went to the effort to convert it - we battled annoying gusts of wind all afternoon on the 26th and had a very small window to put it up, only having to make one roof seam really sped up the process.