Main Page/Hexayurt

Here's my page on what I did for initial construction:

http://philthysanchez.com/cib/2008/hexayurt/index.html

Nobody has double-checked my math yet, and since I know you all are smart, this would be great to do so we can post these instructions more widely.

The basic hexayurt model (no vestibule) is easier to build and set up, but does not have a regular sized door (one has to crouch to 4 ft to go in and out). The vestibule increases the standing/tall storage room inside substantially and allows a 6 or 7 ft door. The basic model uses 12 sheets; the vestibule adds another 2 sheets.

There's some pics of the backyard mock-up and playa installation here:

http://gis.washington.edu/phurvitz/photos/2008/09_sep/burningman/philthy/

Especially noteworthy is the tie-down method:

http://gis.washington.edu/phurvitz/photos/2008/09_sep/burningman/philthy/pages/dscn0945.jpg.html

which used aluminum angle sheathing, only a few inches were necessary to spread the force of the tie-down ropes across the foam in order to avoid the line to tear into the foam. A sandwich job. like this in cross section:

(foam)
 ____ 
| ____
|     |
|     |
      |

(foam)

|
|     |
|____ |
  ____|

(foam)

A line was then just tied around the support, anchored into a candy cane at the base of the yurt, at 5 or 6 places around. This avoided guy lines entirely, and there was no detectable movement during the heaviest of windstorms last year.

I used bi-directional filament tape for assembly which was expensive and hard to find for cheap. I believe that high-quality (3M) duct tape would work just fine, especially as there will be basically no movement at any of the joints other than the door hinge. I found that the adhesive on the filament tape fatigued: basically turned to dust over the week, perhaps it has little UV resistance. So duct tape would probably be preferred, though it is NOT TESTED by me.

I put in windows but would not recommend that, as it allowed lots of dust in during the heavy storms, but a clever fellow could figure out a way to make a better seal. Nikki suggested skylights of colored gels.

Keep a spray bottle in the yurt; when it heats up (which it will, though not nearly as much as a tent), just spray around and things will instantly cool way down.

Have a broom and dustpan handy at all times.

The only special tool needed for assembly was a long piece of PVC pipe with a T on the end (or a paint roller, or a 2x4 or anything long and soft/smooth) as a tamper for the tape. The final pieces of tape need to be placed when it is impossible to reach the places where you need to reach. See the videos on the hexayurt web site for how they did it. Basically I did the same: one person at either end of the tape, a 3rd person following with the tamper.

For lighting, not much is necessary since the surface is reflective. I wired a series of LEDs that ran the entire week of evenings from 12v (8 x 1.5 v rechargeable AA batteries) but if you are on the grid then lighting would not be a problem.

A few things I'd do additionally/differently:

• figure out a better door latching system (I used wire, but a wooden mechanical latch or a sliding latch would work well, though you want this to close solidly to keep dust out, plus it has to allow opening from inside and outside)
• better interior hooks (again, I just taped pieces of wire, which tended to fall off). I'd use for each hook 2 x 2-in washers, 2 x nuts and threaded eye hooks so the hooks would be anchored in the walls, with the washers spreading the force across more surface area. The only things I hung from these were lightweight" lights, hats, etc.
• taping the bottom edge to seal out dust: I just used duct tape but it was not easy getting tape to fold and seal the corner/edges where the walls met the floor. Using an additional piece of wider material and then taping it to the wall and floor would be faster, easier, and provide a better seal.

Materials needed for initial assembly:

• 12 or 14 pieces of 1" 4x8' TuffR (14 for vestibule model)
• duct tape (lots, enough to go around each edge of the TuffR in order to avoid MOOP)
• aluminum angle sheathing (I don't remember how much, but the equivalent of 4 x 4" (=16") per tie-down, of which I had either 5 or 6. I cut these into pieces using tin snips while at Home Depot.

Tools for initial assembly:

• sharp knife (thin blade, and longer than a utility knife: for cutting through 1" foam)
• table saw
• sharpie pen
• measuring tape

For on-playa assembly:

• cold beer
• lots of duct (or filament) tape
• blue tarp, 16x16'
• knife/scissors
• tamper (see above)
• line for tie down
• candy canes
• 6-8 people at critical assembly time

Assembly:

1. Roof is assembled separately
2. Walls are taped together in hexagonal arrangement
3. 2 people stand inside hex
4. 4-6 people pick up roof and move it onto the walls, passing off to the people inside.
5. Walls are taped to roof
6. Secured to ground

If conditions are not windy this goes easily. We assembled and then made small adjustments in placement before securing to the ground, but under heavier wind it may be necessary to have several hands holding the yurt down while others do the securing.