You should run for office. That's good. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes Eskimos don't know about off fish (office). They live in their own freezer. If you have not worked it out yet, voting is for people who are stupid enough to trust a black box system run by the one eye. That's why they are using a fake contagion to implement the china style Govern-mental system at the mo.

@@evolutionCEO More Eskimo, less voting!

Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed the video. John Hurt

Let me know if I can help you. You can contact me at: www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm Blessings again to you, my friend. John Hurt

What a beautiful thing to say. Blessings to you and your family. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes How can I get the hubs? I'm in Australia! Regards, Tim

@@timanderson6005 Tim, we do ship to Australia, just send us an email about the Hubs Only kit that you want, and we will work with you on the best shipping cost. www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm Thanks, John Hurt

To install a woodburning stove, cut the covering out of one of the triangles at the top of the dome and replace it with sheet metal, then plumb the chimney through the sheet metal. A good example of how to make a winter shelter is at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/allysonpacker.htm They used tyvek on the outside that was cut into triangles and taped to cover the dome, recycled denim for insulation, reflective mylar on the inside, and astroturf for the floor. The wood stove goes right through the ceiling. If you have questions, let me know. John Hurt

Same here. I am a seasoned carpenter with all the tools necessary, but really would like to do something simple once in a while. This may be it. Something for the chickens

Thanks! I appreciate your ideas, that is very creative. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Thanks for watching the video! John Hurt

Thanks!

We have a company in the UK that makes our domes. They are at PrimeTeknologies.com John

I`m on the east coast too, wind can definitely be an issue here but as long as you anchor down well its not a problem. As for snow, its becoming increasingly difficult to predict what the weather will do these days so its prudent to plan for the worst and hope for the best.. The uk company website John linked to isnt very infomatative and being london based company you can bet they`ll be charging way too much ;)

Thanks, Joseph. If I can help you, please contact me at: www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm John Hurt

Thanks. I met Joel Salatin, and he is a great guy. He gave me the idea for the moveable chicken coop, so I appreciate his work. So, if I sound like Joel Salatin, that is a real compliment. Thank you for watching the video. John Hurt

You have a lot of really good ideas. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Could you put a larger dome over a smaller dome, to create a whole different growing zone on the inside?

@@recoveringsoul755 you could but you'd be looking at a pretty large outer paired with a pretty small inner just to be able to move around comfortably. Alternatively you could rig a pulley to lift the center for access. Twin wall polycarbonate panels attached to gambrel (barn-shaped) trusses may be a better choice if you want to be able to move around in it. The different slopes of each roof section makes it easy to set up 3 different zones. My absolute favorite was one that used the south section for tropical plants, the center for trees and the northern side had black painted IBC totes for rainwater storage and thermal mass with raised beds on the top and grape vines in between that filled the northern wall and roof sections. It felt like a managed indoor food jungle.

@@recoveringsoul755 We have a Dual Covering Hub that lets you put a greenhouse covering on both the inside and the outside of the dome. Here is a video that describes this: www.ziptiedomes.com/video/coveringsvideo.htm Thanks for watching. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes After thinking on this for a bit, it occurred to me that if you replace the topmost center hub with a length of pvc pipe, it could be useful for additional structural support (snow loads on really large spanning greenhouses) as well as partitioning using cheap off the shelf 4-way connections, 3-way Tees and elbows. If you anchor that center support, it will also minimize the repeated flexing in the wind due to the Bernoulli principle - thus making the zip ties last a bit longer.

Thanks, I appreciate your comment. John Hurt

Yes, love this but hate to have to cover it with plastic, takes away from the geodesic beauty, but I don't see what else u can use and keep the elements out? Cheers

Patrick, you are right. The dome does look better with individual windows made from polycarbonate. But you have to cut the rectangular polycarbonate sheets into triangles, which creates a LOT of waste. A single sheet of greenhouse film solves this problem, and is much cheaper. And they have 6 year film now, with different amounts of opacity. It is really a better option than in the past. Thanks for your comment. John Hurt

Some of the automotive steel ties are only rated for 120 lbs. We use 350 lb tensile strength stainless steel zip ties, from this supplier: www.securecableties.com/8-inch-heavy-duty-stainless-steel-cable-tie-100-pack But, if you can find something like this cheaper on Amazon or on the web, that would be perfect! Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Yes, the snow can definitely be a problem, but if it is "dry snow" and windy, it can blow off the dome more than other shapes. And yes, domes do leak with all of the triangles and edges that need to be caulked, but if you put a single sheet of plastic over the entire dome, it seems to solve a lot of the leak issues. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes thanks!

You can use a latex acrylic paint to paint the dome to keep it from interacting with the greenhouse film, as the PVC in close contact with some types of greenhouse film will cause the film to deteriorate. The UV only goes through the top .001" and discolors the PVC. High temperatures in the desert will cook the PVC pipe and make it more brittle, but it will still be very strong. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

It is expensive to cut 4x8 sheets of polycarbonate into triangles. A single sheet of plastic has less waste. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes you speak wisely, sir.

Nick, - The 1" PVC pipe will support over 200 lbs from just one of the hubs. Here is a video of my son doing a chinup on the 16' dome with 1" PVC pipe: www.ziptiedomes.com/video/pvcloadtest.htm Here is a customer review from Wisconsin where they get several feet of snow: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/genehersey.htm We have a 2 year warranty on all parts, and will replace any parts for free for any reason, including snow load. You can use 3/4" or 1" EMT conduit, but EMT is more expensive to use and not necessary. Here is a review where the customer used EMT: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/johnthompson.htm Be sure to tell us before you order your hubs that you are using EMT, and what size EMT for your struts, as we have to drill the hubs differently for EMT. Thanks. John Hurt

That is definitely a good idea. Thanks again. John

You can use PVC Gray Conduit Schedule 40 for better results outdoors.

Well it really could have broke, you know, and I was glad to not be that far off the ground. Thanks for watching. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes Just kidding I thought you did very well 👍👊🙏😊

It is a beautiful design, based on the geometry of Nature. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

L.J. - Thank you for your comment. The gray Schedule 40 PVC conduit has an anti-UV agent added to the PVC. It has also not been pressure tested as the white PVC plumbing pipe, which means it can be cheaper than the white. But as far as UV degradation, here is what the PVC plastics industry said: www.nacopvc.com/c/tech-info/the-effects-of-sunlight-exposure-on-pvc-pipe www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=774 That is, UV light only travels through the top .001" of the PVC pipe, and so the UV degradation is really more about discoloration than weakening the pipe. I have domes made from white PVC pipe that have been up since 2010 with no noticeable problems. But either gray or white PVC will work. PVC pipe will slowly out gas chlorine gas, which can degrade the greenhouse film, wherever it touches the PVC pipe. To prevent this, our instruction manual recommends that you paint the dome with a thin layer of white latex acrylic paint to protect the greenhouse plastic from the PVC. If you use the gray conduit, this looks messy, but with the white PVC pipe, it is "white on white" and you can't see it at all. Thank you for your comment. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes pvc is however harmful if you wish to live inside the dome

@@imondtitanic - PVC pipe is used as plumbing pipe in the USA and elsewhere. All of the water that you drink comes through PVC pipe, which if PVC pipe is harmful, drinking water stored in PVC pipe would be more of a problem than using PVC pipe to build a geodesic dome. Plastic is not as good as organic materials for health, but PVC pipe appears to be acceptable to most people to handle their water supply. As a result, building a dome from PVC pipe should not be a problem. Thank you for your comment. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes the worst problem is the heat from sunlight directed to the pvc

At 4:20 it is a greenhouse used to grow orchids. They are using a 70% opaque overwintering greenhouse plastic to cover the dome. You can purchase this plastic at these links: www.growerssupply.com/farm/supplies/prod1;gs_greenhouse_films;pg108627.html www.growerssupply.com/farm/supplies/cat1a;gs_greenhouse_films.html

@@ZipTieDomes or, you can make paintings on ghse plastic, then caulk a second piece on, and get a stained glass effect.

@@d.e303-anewlowcosthomebuil7 that would be pretty

@@recoveringsoul755 it is, and is durable too

That's a great idea. I appreciate your comments. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes and line the inside with tybec as it is nicer to look at.

No, there is no moisture between the plastic that would cause mold to appear.

Did you even watch?

@@recoveringsoul755 sorry I got bored I watched n mine don't collapse it's knowing what n how but I agree on the done I lived in the second largest done at the time in northern Canada but we have tube type green houses up in nor Cal that have been through hell n still work fine n they're huge I've watched them collapse so I'm aware of the problem but it's how u do it n I'm a skilled lolhahahaha contstructor I also build acoustic guitars n tree houses but I agree about domes being very solid structure

U can dual cover inside and outside tube type green houses they make clips for attaching the cover great sales pitch but a tube type green houses r more efficient as far as space n amount u can grow we heat them with a large rocket stove n I mean warm even in freezing weather n snow n thanks I like ur domes great idea with the PVC hubs I'll recreate the same thing to live in zip ties r another great accessorie

Yeah I watched it now thanks great sales pitch there is something strange living in a dome not sure I think they r good to live in though just weird not having square walls but easy to heat n camoflodge

Can you do a chinup on a hoop house? Will the PVC pipe bent in a 180 degree loop support your weight? Can you climb on top of your hoop house? Just curious as to how you build them in Canada. Thanks. John Hurt

You don't need to inflate between the layers, as the struts will keep the inner and outer layers apart. I suppose if you sealed the edges of the two layers, you could inflate it, but it is not necessary. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

That would be great! Thanks.

Thank you for your comment. Yes, I will look at your channel. John Hurt

It is a 2v dome sitting on top of a kneewall.

My first domes were metal conduit. The 1/2" is too flimsy, you can't climb on it without bending the struts, and if they bend, they crimp and you can't get them straight again. You need at least 3/4" metal conduit to 1". 3/4" conduit is more expensive than 1" PVC. Conduit domes are too heavy to move for a chicken tractor. You have to buy a press to make a metal dome, and I still have my press from 2009 when I made my conduit dome, and have not used it since. There is a lot more labor in building a conduit dome, as you have to cut the struts with a chop saw, flatten the ends, bend it exactly 12 degrees, then drill a hole through it - 330 times for a 3v 5/8 dome. With PVC struts you just cut the strut and drill a hole across the ends. It is a lot less work. Assembling the conduit dome is a nightmare, every time you add a new strut, you have to take the nut and washer off the bolt, then put the strut on the bolt, then put back on the washer, nut, and tighten, all while the strut swings back down towards the ground. With our hubs, the PVC struts are held in place by the hub, and all you have to do is zip tie it to the center ring. No tools are required just zip ties, which makes a lot of difference when you are up on a ladder, and drop the bolt, nut, washer or two wrenches or power drill, and have to climb down the ladder to get them. Also, you don't have tee joints, or 90 degree, 45 degree or other types of plumbing joints for metal conduit, so it is harder to fabricate a door that looks good. Where the 5 or 6 metal struts come together at a hub, you have a lot of sharp edges that have to be covered or they will rip the greenhouse plastic. If you did not bend your strut ends at exactly 12 degrees, the ends cannot be bolted together to make a hub. And there is no place to attach your greenhouse plastic to a metal conduit dome. With our domes, we are able to attach plastic greenhouse film to every hub on both the inside and outside of the dome for better insulation, and you can't do that with metal conduit. If you try to staple mesh to a metal dome, or even put a screw into metal conduit to attach mesh for concrete, it is a lot harder than PVC. So you can't easily attach mesh to a metal dome for spraying it with concrete as you can a PVC dome. And even galvanized metal can ultimately rust and spall the concrete dome, which is not a problem with PVC. UV only goes through the top 00.1" of PVC and does not affect the strength. Here is the proof: www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=774 But if you have a problem with UV, then you can just paint the PVC. Metal conduit weighs more and costs more to ship. For this reason, and that metal is more expensive than PVC, our domes are at least 1/2 the cost of any metal conduit dome manufacturer. If you are DIY, you can do EMT conduit domes. But most people are not DIY, don't have a press, and need a something they can build without using any tools. This is the only geodesic dome you can build without tools. I did not use metal conduit domes because I wanted to make mobile chicken tractors that were light enough to slide on the ground. But to each his own. If your greenhouse is working for you, and the 1/2" metal conduit struts don't bend under the snow load, then that is good news. Have a great day. John Hurt

Too many suppositions to go onto, but I find the 1/2 conduit adequate (I can do 3/4 easily if needed) , rigid, structurally sound (pumpkins, beans, and squash hang from the struts), adaptable, beautiful in simplicity, long lasting ( my first one is 20 years old). It does require more skill and precision in fabrication. Shade cloth and plastic is changed easily with the right system. Mine are intended to also be a trellis. A metal storm door is also a simple addition if done right. This is my choice after seeing wood and plastic struts. All solutions are site specific. So many ways to success. @@ZipTieDomes

A trellis is a great way to use a dome. Best wishes. John Hurt@@danielhalsey2679

2v is 2 frequency, and the higher the frequency, or "v", the more triangles that the dome has. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

There are people that live on our domes, or make temporary shelters out of them. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

I don't think so.

Yes.

I think that is a 16' dome.

Yes. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Yes, dome homes are much safer in a hurricane. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Cutting 4' x 8' sheets of polycarbonate into triangles is very wasteful and expensive. We recommend that you cover the dome with a single sheet of greenhouse film. That is what we encourage people to do, and so I don't have any customer reviews where someone has used polycarbonate panels. John

@@ZipTieDomes You did not answer my question. I don’t care about how expensive Or recommendation. Has anyone done polycarbonate panels over your domes?

@@dominicferro8314 I really do not know. Like I said, we have had some people say they were going to do it, and then I would talk them out of it, and after that I never heard from them again. If money is no problem, then look at some of the steel domes that are made for polycarbonate. I think they run around $2,500 to $3k just for the 16' frame. You can also look at a wood frame dome, but they can rot. Bigelow farms made a great series on their wooden dome a few years ago, and this past year, they made a followup video saying that their dome had rotted and fallen apart. They also said that it was cheaper to not use polycarbonate, but just cover the entire structure with greenhouse plastic. I hope this helps. John Hurt

@@ZipTieDomes Does polycarbonate panels insulate better than plastic sheeting?

They are expensive. We use the 300 lb steel ties for our domes, and they are around $33.00 per 100. Thanks. John Hurt

You can contact us from this web page: www.ziptiedomes.com/contactus.htm Thanks, John Hurt

Tony, Sunlight and UV only affects the first .001" of PVC pipe. Sunlight ande UV do not travel all the way through a PVC pipe to weaken it. Here is what US Plastics and other members of the PVC pipe industry have published about the reasons UV does not degrade PVC pipe: www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=774 www.nacopvc.com/c/tech-info/the-effects-of-sunlight-exposure-on-pvc-pipe I think the people that wrote these articles would qualify as "real engineers".

@@ZipTieDomes Both articles report decreased impact resistance and recommend painting PVC for long term outdoor installation.

@@C-Hirsuta Yes, you should paint the PVC to keep it from interacting with the greenhouse plastic. The impact resistance is still quite strong on the domes I have had out in the weather since 2011 - and they are still standing. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

@@TheRebelmanone You can use Schedule 40 Gray Conduit for your struts, as it is rated for UV. And yes, I do have a lot more experience than you do on this subject. But I never argue with a, hmmmmm.

The geodesic dome is one of the strongest structures known to man, based on the amount of materials used and the volume it encloses, with no interior supports. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Strong enough to swing on. Thanks for watching. John Hurt

You don't have to clip the ends of the zip ties, you can fold them around the center ring. You can also tie the dome to a tree, or push the stakes in by hand, I suppose. But this is the only geodesic dome that can be assembled without tools. After assembly, you can do what you want. Have a great day. John

But you do need to clip the end of the ties if you want to cover the frame with polythene sheet, as shown in another one of your videos...So you still need at least one tool.

@@sigmasd10 Arrgh! You got me! The secret is out at last! Of course, you could nibble the zip ties off with your teeth. But then your teeth would be a "tool", so that would still not be "tool less" Have a great day, and I hope you never lose a discussion. It is great to see someone that just does not give up. Thanks for watching the video. John

Looks good to me.

@@ZipTieDomes It's a great video. It just looked like he hit his head there, so I chuckled. Just the angle I guess.

@@FireRupee I laugh at myself all of the time. On one video, I obviously trip over a strut - and somehow I did not edit it out of the video. I think a good sense of humor keeps us "more human" than those that cannot laugh at life in general. Have a great day, and thanks for watching the video. John Hurt

Yes, the pipe will bend in the middle, but the joints are held by several pipes. So it is much stronger at the hubs than in the middle of the pipes. Thanks for watching. John