Still alive - just tackling a HUGE DIY

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:eek: Really?! Wow! I guess if you actually get a specific quote its a little higher. The little estimator calculator is telling me a little over $1,600 for a soft 15' dome.

Well, I can't wait to see what you come up with. I'm sure it will turn out looking fantastic whatever you decide!

I don't remember the details at this point, but when I put my specs in now, I too get 1,600. I know it wasn't that low before or I would have for sure gone that route. Ah well, it'll get done either way!
 
Reading this thread is like watching a very good TV series. You're better off not finding out about it until it's over that way you can read/watch it all the way through instead of having to wait to see what happens next. Amazing work Jester. As someone who is dreading building a collar for a keezer, I really admire people who can do this kind of stuff. I'll stick to building software.
 
So here is the first method I used to make the dome: The ribs were nice and light, and strong, but where they attached to the hub they were very flimsy - the wood just wanted to split horribly, even with pre drilling.

DomeA.JPG


So I went with a solid two-by rib, formed from two smaller pieces joined with a plywood plate glued and stapled into place.

DomeB.JPG


I also made provisions for bolting each rib to the hub with a hardwood plate so that they won't split. Now that I have the basic structure down, now I just need to crank out a bunch more.
 
Ok, so some progress...

Here are some of the rib parts waiting for assembly:

RibParts.JPG


And here they are in place:

DroopyDome.JPG


And, no, it's not a perspective thing - that hub is canted. Not on purpose. Since I have more full ribs on one side than the other, I realized it was never going to sit level under equilibrium. So I did a little rigging:

DroopFix.JPG


The turnbuckle let me get it just where I wanted it. I may add a couple more similar for when that central brace gets removed once all the ribs are in place.

Also, there will be another set of shorter ribs between the main ones around the outside to give a tighter on center spacing for the drywall to attach where the curve is more pronounced.

And on a totally unrelated topic, my pantry sink arrived!

PotSink.JPG
 
Welp, you have thoroughly convinced me never to try building a dome. I'm sure it will look great, but oh lordy...what a pain.
 
Wow, that dome!

It is going to look very cool but man... what a PITA! Reminds me of building half pipes as a kid but 1000x worse!
 
Once you get them all on, you may find it's all good. Typically domes are built equally on all sides rather than stacking one side... Did that make sense?

They do it do that way for the exact reason you noticed. Keeps equal forces all the way round...
 
Once you get them all on, you may find it's all good. Typically domes are built equally on all sides rather than stacking one side... Did that make sense?

They do it do that way for the exact reason you noticed. Keeps equal forces all the way round...

Like a torque pattern on a piece off plate steel or an engine head... it spreads out the load more evenly.
 
Once you get them all on, you may find it's all good. Typically domes are built equally on all sides rather than stacking one side... Did that make sense?

They do it do that way for the exact reason you noticed. Keeps equal forces all the way round...

Yes, I understand exactly what you mean. Two reasons why that doesn't really work here - 1, the dome isn't a complete 360 but more like 270 with 90 of a much shorter rib, due to a bump out in the wall, and 2, I'm way too lazy to move the scaffolding back and forth to alternate adding ribs on opposite sides!

But it's all good - I added two more sets of rigging points so the center hub is now supported at three points, and by adjusting the turnbuckles I was able to get it dead nutz on, even after removing the temporary center brace.
 
And made some decent progress on the dome -

Here is the first split rib installed - my drywall friend said the OC spacing was too much to get a good curve without them.

DomeStub.JPG


Then I went around and installed some steel plates cut and drilled so that I could really crank the attachment bolts

DomeAa.JPG


DomeBb.JPG


You can see where the sun tube is now, and I have cut a hole in the roof for it.

Here is the top of the sun tube, just temporarily popped in for measurements. It's amazing how much light it brings in even with the protective coating still on, and no tube connecting it to the ceiling fixture.

SunTube.JPG


Here is a whole lotta LEDs for the recessed fixtures. Was blown away by the dimmability of these little suckers. No hum, and wide range of intensity, along with a great color temperature..

LEDs.JPG


And a man's gotta relax sometime, right?

Hammock.JPG
 
Jester - what kind/brand/model of LED lights do you have there? Very interested in going that route with my lighting.
 
Doed said:
Jester - what kind/brand/model of LED lights do you have there? Very interested in going that route with my lighting.

It's a Cree Ecosmart ECO-575L. Home Depot has been selling them on sale recently for $25
 
I have endless respect man, this is amazing. How much do you think you have saved to this point DIYing it, when all is said and done how much do you expect to save? My guess, seeing all of those curved walls that what you saved in framing and drywall make the savings worth all the effort.
 
Ok, some new shots - nothing dramatic, but progress at least...

Finally got some garage doors installed
GDoors.JPG


All the home run circuits back to the panel (yes, they are all labeled!)
RatsNest.JPG


Tub and toilet
Tub.JPG


WallCan.JPG


Wiring run in the exterior wall foam
WireFoam.JPG


I ran some conduit from the projector bay to a box in the wall for a panel, with Cat6, speaker wires, and an HDMI cable
Conduit1.JPG


Conduit2.JPG


All lit up
MastLights.JPG


Some ugly guy taking pictures of the temporarily set kids bath medicine cabinet placement
UglyGuy.JPG


And the temporarily placed sink
TempSink.JPG


Fire sprinkler head
Sprank.JPG


And last, the dome with more progress - all the small ribs installed. Waiting to do the last three big ribs til I get the solar tube hooked up
MoreDome.JPG
 
Well oh em gee! Your build looks just amazing! Your craftsmanship is quite apparent in pretty much every detail. I absolutely love the framing on the domed ceiling. You should sheath it in plexiglass so that all may marvel on your handiwork!

:rockin:
 
Everything continues to look amazing. Wanna come on down to Kansas and replicate this build for me?
 
Really amazing work! Are you going to motorize the projector so that it will hide up in the ceiling when not in use? Check out SmartThings it will give you some really neat ideas for home automation! Can't wait to build my own house so I can make it almost completely automated and controllable by smartphone or tablet

Subscribed
 
BadNewsBrewery said:
As a licensed Fire Protection Engineer, I'm glad to see residential sprinklers going in!

Yeah, when I got the build permit, there was a site evaluation from the local FD that basically said, "If you have a fire, you're screwed." My driveway is just under a quarter mile, uphill with a couple of tight turns and they figure they'd have a ***** of a time getting equipment up there.
 
Ok - progress!

First sheet up. Not easy for one person to do! I have a lift, but it won't lift that high, and it won't slant that direction, so it was by hand on a scaffold.

DStart.JPG


Ceiling almost done
Ceiling.JPG


First walls, etc
DWall1.JPG


DWall2.JPG


DWall3.JPG


DWall4.JPG
 
Yeah, when I got the build permit, there was a site evaluation from the local FD that basically said, "If you have a fire, you're screwed." My driveway is just under a quarter mile, uphill with a couple of tight turns and they figure they'd have a ***** of a time getting equipment up there.

For the cost (about the same price as wall-to-wall carpeting), you can't beat the safety factor and likely reduction in insurance premiums. Did the county let you design / install them yourself?
 

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