Moon Base Alpha-Part 1

The Initial Drywall Test Panel with angled wooden slates


It is that time of year again. One month to go till Burning Man. Which means I have to get my ducks in order.

Burning Man sort of comes together in a chaotic way, starting with a loose concept and narrowing down to a sharp focus the nearer you get to the burn.

This year’s project, is another Geodesic Dome. Learning from the experience that I had last year, I am pushing the envelope and making a 'better' dome. Or at least that is the plan. Whether or not my abilities meet my expectations will be determined in the next 28 days. That is how long I have to complete the project that has been knocking around in my head for the past 3 months.

Last year’s dome was made of cardboard and wood. The plans for the dome came from the Internet and were pretty well laid out. The results were a dome that I found to be surprisingly useful and rigid. It also made me the envy of most 'tent' dwellers at Burning Man.



Another angle of the initial test triangle. Each wooden edge strip has to be set at a specific angle. (Baby Dome visible in the background)


Learning from last year’s experiment, I wanted to try and go one better this year. My grandiose plans got whittled down due to constraints beyond my control (time and cargo space to get it there). So I opted for a dome the same size, but much nicer. I will be trying to document my attempt to fulfill this project over the next few weeks.



The flip side of the test triangle, with wood flashing to prevent the screws from tearing into the drywall.


The dome this year will be made of drywall and wood. It will also have a different construction method, and hopefully, electricity, carpeting and air conditioning. Some upgrades this year will be windows and a more functional door, not to mention a bit more rigidity and some more sound proofing.

For those of you that want to see all the angles and layout of the basic design, the PDF file for the plans are located here

This weekend was the initial experimental phase to see if my construction technique would work. I created on of the 36 panels that I will need for the dome, and much to my surprise, it came out pretty well. There were a few minor glitches, which I can iron out in the final production assembly.

So for the next 3 weeks, almost all of my free time will be devoted to this little project. I will keep you posted. Hopefully, I can make this work. If not. Then you get a ring side seat to view my 'agony of defeat'.

Also, if there are still any stragglers out there that want to attend Burning Man this year, we have room in the R.V. if anyone is interested. August 28 - September 8, cost of a ticket is $300. Contact me if you are interested.