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The categories are Accessories, Anchoring, Climate, General, Miscellaneous, Parts & Components, Purchasing, Sizes, and Uses. We list the subject of each question-and-answer, in quotation marks, at the top of each entry. Some questions fall into several categories and are listed more than once.
Can you section the domes poles to make a smaller package.
We have produced an 18' Yurt Dome for a group of Yellowstone packers (photo attached) with sectioned poles so they could fit the poles into there pack horse packs. We sectioned the poles and added a "bell" to half of the sections so they could quickly be pushed together when they assembled the tent (see attached photos). They were pleased with the way it worked out for them. This will add some cost to manufacturing.
I am interested in purchasing a large yurt dome for the 2001 Burning
Man Festival. I was wondering if you had any occurrences of domes falling
down due to the wind of the 2000 BM. I remember seeing a few of your domes,
and as I remember, they fared very well in the 60+ mph wind that we experienced.
I did not hear of any of our domes failing at Burning Man last year. We were there for the wind and we plan on adding to our site a whole section on dealing with wind at burning man in a month or two. So stay tuned.
Also, I was wondering if you have a catalog that you can send to me. I was hoping to show it to other members of our group that are going so I can get some money out of them as well.
Our current catalog is compleatly web based at this point. I will send you an old catalog; note that it does not have all our products and you will have to rely on the web for current pricing.
We bought a $400 tent last year and staked it down with
rebar, and had some of the poles break, as well as some of the
anchor rings. As you can imagine, it was quite disappointing.
We also had our shade structure go down on Thursday of the event,
which was not quite a surprise, but the wind actually bent 2 of
the metal poles that came with the shade.
VERY impressive. I think I've found a great alternative to the run of the mill greenhouse structure!
Hi, we're interested in two separate shelters--one thirty foot and one twenty foot. Our questions: how comfortable would they be without liners in 20 degree weather (we're in Mendocino at 2,200 feet)?
Liners are nice and worth the price but you can keep warm with out them.
Is there a humidity difference? (one is by a creek and one is higher, on a dryer meadow).
No.
How does the liner work with windows and doors
The liners have the same windows and doors as your dome.
(esp. if you use insulation between)?
You would not add insolation were there are windows.
If we used a wood stove, how much gain in temperature would the liner give us?
I do not know what the exact degree of gain would be but I would guess at 1/3 to 1/2 increase.
How much light does the liner cut out?
The liners cut the light in about half. There is still a lot of light
Can you get a porch for the 30 ft?
Yes, it is the same porch.
I assume you can for the 20 foot.
Yes.
Since we're right here, can we pick up them up at your factory and save shipping and handling?
No; having people come to pick up slows production to much; but if you are very close by we can ship for 1/2 price.
Also, can we see one set up? (I gather you don't have a showroom, but I'm wondering if in fact you do have one set up.)
No.
How long does it take after one orders to receive it?
We have 20s and 30s in stock.Say about 4 to 5 days.
I AM INTERESTED IN YOUR 20 FOOT. WILL THE COLD MAKE THE PVC .HOW WELL WILL IT TAKE SNOW
It will not hold much snow with out heat to melt it off. Extreme cold will stiffen the PVC poles some but the dome is till use able (do you plan to put it up and down a lot in the cold? If so I would order it with out the vinyl windows as they are stiff in the extreme cold.
It was a pleasure to hear from you some few weeks ago.
I promised to sent you some pictures and feed back about the tents,
I am sorry for the delay but do not worry because you must feel
proud to
manufacture such
high quality product. The people who are really using the tents
likes so
much. I have seem
the tents around the all country and all the people are very satisfied
with
the tent's us
Can you please tell me the difference between your " Survival and Preparedness Yurt Dome Portable Shelters and Tents" and your other lines? - or is it (are they) really just one of your regular lines under an au courant name?! Looks good - I'm interested - under any name! Thanks. Ken
Mostly their are differt names for the same structure. Sometimes they different in what the covering is made out of.
Hi
I have a boat which is 42 feet long, 14 feet wide. When
on the ground for
Winter Storage it is about 18 feet to the highest point from the
ground.
I generally build a ridge pole running the length of the
boat out of 2X4's
using 2X4's for legs about every 10 feet. This ridge pole is about
6 feet
off the deck and a tarp is draped over it covering the boat for
the Winter.
Due to wind and snow loads the tarps generally last one or two
seasons.
I am wondering if you make a structure that would enclose
the boat either
from the ground or from the deck up and if the costs would be
worthwhile in
the long run.
Thanks
Pete
Hi Pete
We do not make a structure the size you need but from you letter I can make some suggestions that may increase the life of your tarp substantially. First suspend the tarp under your 2x4 frame using our Heavy Duty Grip Clips. This will prevent the tarp from rubbing and wearing on the frame when it moves in the wind. It will also prevent heat build up where the tarp traps the sun's heat between the tarp and the 2x4s. This heat accelerates the rotting of the tarp at these points. Try to buy a tarp that is UV stabilized for a long sun life. Next make sure the tarp is pulled and kept tight using enough Grip Clips to pull it tight; check it out in high wind and tighten it if necessary. A lose tarp flaps in the wind and the flapping causes the tarp to degrade and fail. When your tarp does wear out the Grip Clips can be removed and appalled to a new tarp.
your more than welcome to add my name to your list. I've
been researching
Aleut Kayaks and Inuit Style kayaks, and maybe i would like to use your 4
hr Kayak
method and then make one out of skin.....peace
> >dear sir:
> >thank you for the sharing such an ingenious and practical
kayak, with
> >the total cost of 22 dollars and the little girl lifting
it over her
> >head! it's amazing what one can accomplish with the basic
tools and
> >resources in our environment. i had to laugh at myself,
i spent 800
> >dollars on a second-hand kayak and it weighs 60 lbs(i
dare not to
> >attempt to lift my kayak by myself, i need assistance
to carry to the
> >water each time).,....your idea is very practical and
economical....hats
> >off to you! p.s...you can guarantee I'll book mark your
website.
Subject: Stick Kayak; Hi. My name is Andy, from Boy Scout Troop 67. Last week at summer camp, we had to build our own boat/canoe/kayak and race it. We jumped on the Internet and found your plans. We had the most impressive boat out there! (We placed first too!) I just wanted to thank you for putting this design out on the Internet! -ANDY
I am fascinated by your products... Did you design the "oval interntion" tent. Used to have one and was great. Hope your business is going well. L.C.
Yes.
I would like some details on the 4.5' high 14' across wind wall.
I want to use it on a Beach for sun in the winter and also a wind break. How
heavy is it
About 15 lbs.
and is the material clear for sun penetration.
We make Wind Walls of of the White Yurt Dome covering, the Translucent Greenhouse covering, or the White/Black sun block covering.
All Wind Walls are by special order only.
How is the
structure held up?
The top poles form a ring which is held up by the upright poles. Stakes are included and guy lines.
Can you use grip clips with tyvek to make a light weight
tent? If so what
size of clip would you use?
Robinson
Because Tyvek is stiff and yet thin both the Light Fabric and the General Purpose will work. The GP will allow you to join more layers but is heavier than the LF. I would try to use the LF.
Hi,
Thanks for the information,
Do you have wood stove vents for any of your shelters?
Don
We do not supply stove vents but suggest that the user roll up a door (there are 4 and shingle in a section of plywood and then use regular stove pipe fittings.
http://www.shelter-systems.com/lighthouse-manual.html
Hi Bob
I have sent Japan your website and They have informed me that
they are
interested in
air inflated tents. Now I have check the web site myself and I
have not seen
any on the page.
Do you manufacture and Air Inflated Tents??
regards
shin
No. Air inflation is not reliable with out a reliable means of inflation. It is interesting Shelter Systems Geotensic Structures behave like inflatables in that they are resilient and can spring back if hit by an extreme load.
I noticed the black/white tent material you had on your
web page and I was
looking for a 76"x42" strip of material that would block
100% of vis and UV
light for a dark room. Is this something you might be able to
help with?
Thanks!
-Elliott
Although our black/white blocks 100% of light I am not sure
if it would be suitable for dark room use. There may be an occasional
pin hole. Perhaps you could block any pin hole leaks with back
tape of a dab of paint..
Will this work?
What do mean will it work? If you mean will it hold the sign above the dome: I'm not sure. The sign looks big. How heavy is it. Wind on the sign may be a problem also. It would be best to find this out experimentally. I would make the sign as light as possible, attach it to the dome at pole intersections at the top of the small triangles (the dome is strongest at these points) and have flaps in in the sign to let strong wind blow through or make the sign of a mesh that allows the wind to flow through it. With a light wind porous sign it should work.
I was sent your site by a friend and am very interested in your
products. Do you have a distributor who is in Australia?
Diana
No.
Can we get
these here?
Yes we ship UPS Air out of country.
What is the weight of the 20' diameter yurt?
Thanks
Tom
70 lbs divided into two 35 lb packages, one for the poles one for the covering.
Just wanted to let you know that we purchased two of your domes to use as dining tents on our treks in Bhutan. They were a HUGE hit with our clients and our local trek staff as well. The trekkers came to call the 20' dome the "Taj Mahal" and enjoyed luxuriating in the roomy interior. We did have one gusty day that lifted the dome off the ground (our staff hadn't tied the guy lines tightly enough) but other than that, they held up extremely well. If you are interested in any photos, we hope to have some up on our site in the next few weeks. Look at our site and go to the Bhutan section (go to Asia first, then to Bhutan). All the best! Brent Olson Geographic Expeditions
Dear Henderson
Has there been any comment on whether the 30 foot domes are attractive for weddings? What kind of wedding party would they best suit?
They have been used in weddings. I suggest that weather permitting that you have it set up in the Open Arch form (http://www.shelter-systems.com/arch-domes.html ).
Can two 30 foot shelters zip together to form a larger auditorium and where most people are still able to see each other.
Two set up in the Open Arch form can be joined at the arches.
Also may the tent poles be purchased separately from the tent and fittings? I live in Auckland, New Zealand, 3000 miles east of Australia. Rather than freight them from the US it might be easier to get the poles here.
You can save 10% off the price of the dome and of course the cost of shipping the poles if you provide your own poles.
Hi -- I'm looking to have a sweat house ceremony in the
next few weeks
and was wondering if you thought one of your yurts might be an
option
for that kind of an endeavor and if so which one. Does the material
stand up to high internal temperatures (130-140 degrees F) and
high
humidity?
Yes.
Does the structure stand on its own without the material
if
we opted to use another material for the sweat lodge ceremony,
No.
Hi
My name is Michelle and I am VERY interested in buying one of
your
greenhouses. It is the best deal and quality I have seen since
I began my
search for a greenhouse. My specifications are that I live in
a rented
space therefore it can not be permanent and I think is zone 8
here in
Seattle. My deck is around 400 square feet and I am interested
in using
1/2 or 1/4 of it for a greenhouse. I have many tropicals and frost
tender
plants inside that I would like to grow in the greenhouse along
with
spring germination of seeds. I guess my questions would be how
low of
temperature does the greenhouse get at night,
It can approach the outside temp if there is no sun for days.
should I use an
alternative heat source,
Yes if you need to. The only way to tell is watch it or use a thermostat.
and how small is it to store in the summer when I
want all my plants outside???
Tie all pack up small. Two duffel bag size.
I am interested in the GroRow, GroDome and
lighthouse. I also rent a 200 square foot garden plot in another
location
and the GroRow would work there also. What would be the benefients
of
having the Grodome or lighthouse instead??
You can not grow in the lighthouse.
Hello,
I would like to build a 20 foot round straw bale house on some
desert property that I have and have been thinking about a custom-domed
roof for it.
I need ultraviolet , and water-proof protection for long-term
use. Do you have these materials, and can you give me an estimate
on price? I would also like to know if you have any ideas for
attaching the roof to the straw bales.
Please let me know. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Dale
Sounds like a great idea. Our 30' roof shell would work, being about 23' in diam. Our covering will last about 3+ years or much more if you shade it. You could attach it by running a cord from the clips (there are 20 base clips in the 30'er) down the bales and staking it to the ground or the bales.
Let me know if we can help.
This system is thrilling, my head swims with the possibilities thanks
Would you please send me a catalog.
We have had a small color catalog in the past but in order to produce a catalog that would have any where near what we show online it would be cost prohibitive, we therefore encourage you to rely on our web catalog. We also put our complete manual online for you to look at.: http://www.shelter-systems.com/lighthouse-manual.html
Dear Shelter Systems Folks,
I have a couple of questions about the 30 ft solar dome yurt. How many
doors does it have?
Eight.
is it possible to get more windows with net screening in
addition to net doors installed?
No.
I wish I was in a position to purchase one of your beautiful dome kits
however our budget wont allow that. We will be moving to the Philippines in
the future and plan on making a dome using bamboo.
We were wondering if possibly your firm might be able to provide us
with hubs or connectors that might be suitable for this type of application.
Thank you,
Ron
ps your website is really great!!!
The connectors with out the covering will not stand. You could buy the tent with connectors and then use bamboo poles.
I'm very interested in your 14 ft. greenhouse. Can you tell me more about
the
skin it's made of and how much light transmission it admits?
Over 90%. It lets through more than glass.
I'm concerned
about heating it on cold nights, too, since it's so high. What
about
ventilation on hot days?
Since the panels of our domes are shingled, overhead ventilation is easily attained by inserting a lightweight object (eg, an empty plastic flower pot) between several panels (two "vent tubes" are included with each dome). When the can is removed, the panels snap shut and are watertight. For maximum ventilation the walls themselves can be rolled up, transforming the dome into an Opened-Arch Form.
Can one or more of the panels be rolled up when it's
hot? Thanks for any information. Can I get a catalog? Please rush.
I need
to buy soon.
We do not offer a hard copy catalog at this time. Please look at our online catalog: http://www.shelter-systems.com If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
An informative and well costructed website.Appreciate the carefully presented information and pictures. Your questions and answer component is very helpful.As an emergency response planner and facilitator,I will share the details of your products with my colleagues.
Dear Shelter Systems, I am interested in purchasing, or having made, a tent. I plan to use it for a project I am working on, as a "Reading Tent." I am hoping to start a "Reading Road Show," I'd like a tent large enough to hold 25 or 30 kids.
Great idea. I would recommend the 20'er.
I wonder if it could be made with pockets inside, and then if it would be strong enough for those pockets to hold books.
This would be easy for you to do.
I would like it to have an awning over the entrance if possible.
Look at our porches.
I'd like it to be red and black in color and festive in design.
We have white and white/black, no red. You could paint some of it or cover some of it with red cloth. You could also attach flags to make it festive.
I also envision it to have a window, large enough to serve as a puppet theater on the inside, also with an awning or some type of shelter around it on the outside for the puppeteers.
Perhaps a 14' SolarDome with it set up in the open arched form.
I am trying to find out if your 30' Yurt Dome shelter could
be adapted for use at the Burning Man festival in Black Rock Desert,
NV.
Conditions at the festival are extremely hot and sunny, with no
available shade, but also fairly windy. Even with the sun shade,
would we be able to keep the dome shady in 120 degree blistering
sunshine?
With enough sun shades; I would get at least 3.
I know that your website says an all-black dome would be too gloomy, but what about a completely checker boarded black and white dome?
That would be interesting.
Do you think that would provide some shade, but still have enough light to use the dome for other purposes?
Yes. I would still get a couple of sun shades.
We were planning on keeping two large doors open for cross-ventilation, and it is okay if the dome is the same temperature as outside, but shade is very important. Do you know if anyone has used this dome at Burning Man before?
We had sold three 30'ers for Burning Man last year.
hello i am wanting to have a greenhouse nothing too fancy but kinda like
what
you have to offer....i have one question though...what keeps the plants warm
at night ? do you have to put a heater in there ? i understand during the
day the sun hits the plastic and generates heat then but what about night ??
it still gets down to 40 here in southern indiana where i live....i
appreciate your ideas.
thank you,
Its called the greenhouse effect: the sun shins through the covering and heat up the ground and what ever else is inside it. Then at night the heat is slowly reradiated from the ground into the air of the greenhouse. This is what makes it work at night. You can increase the heat retention by adding jugs of water to your greenhouse.
I would like to know if any of your tensegrity-tents are any
in production or are for sale?
send your reply to;
Most of our tents are a hybrid of tensegrity and geodesics. They are a type of tensegrity. The poles will not send with out the covering.
i read all your replies to wind questions & am seriously
considering the
option of purchasing a dome for Burningman--- although
i want to know
what is the worse case scenario in extreme winds...
It is best to take the dome down in heavy wind or at least the bottom 12 poles and then re-secqure the dome.
if i used concrete stakes for the guy lines and dome anchors,
i'm pretty sure it wouldn't blow away--- But what are the chances
of the
dome ripping in heavy gusts??? Is it more likely that the PVC
will bend
& buckle first (i've seen that happen on home-made domes)????
A few poles will brake and the covering could get torn in extreme winds.
Also, after Burningman, is simply hosing off the dome the best
way to clean it???
I would put it up on a clean site and hose it off. Be sure to let it dry before you put it away or any little speck of dirt will mildew and your dome will smell the next time you put it up.
BUT -- the reason I'm writing is that I saw at least two other
of your
domes that looked to be the same size that were STILL INTACT at
the end
of the event (and there's a rave on the BMAN web site about
a 20' dome
which survived) ... which makes me think that we're doing something
wrong with staking or guying. (The failure seemed to occur primarily
at
the point where the small bungies attached the female PVC pieces
to the
structure.)
I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
One thing we noticed at Burning Man was the wearing out of base clip cords where people were staking their dome with re-bar. This happens because of the wind pushing and pulling on the dome, causing the cord to rub up and down on the ruff re-bar (like a saw blade) there by cutting through the cords. The way around this is to tie the base clip cords to the re-bar with sections of 3/8" or thicker cord. (The clip cords are only 1/8" and are designed for the plastic (not ruff) stakes we provide)
white fabric: uvB=0% transmission
uvA=0% transmission
visible light tansmission 25%
greenhouse fabric: uvB=59% transmission
uvA=68% transmission
visible light transmission=84%
Our tents have done well in 30 mph winds. However winds can be considered moderate or strong but then gust in the extreme. Anchoring is important.
4 hr Kayak
To make a stronger boat you can cover the frame with heavy coated nylon or vinyl. You can also make the frame of thicker wood. Silicone rubber can be used to seal the gathering at the stern and bow by applying a generous amount between the layers before securing (this is not necessary unless you plan for the seam to be under water). This boat is intended for flat water use and not for use in white water. One reason for this is if the boat was crushed against a rock, the frame could collapse or brake pinning you in the boat and preventing you from swimming to safety and possibly drowning you.Wear a life jacket at all time.
Hi, I am very interested in purchasing one of your 14
ft. domes. I would like to know if I can order
everything except the pvc poles. I have some bamboo
that I would like to use. Please inform me if I can
order all except the poles.
Yes. For less 10%.
You should know that you will have to bend the bamboo so it should be 3/4" to 1" green or if you use seasoned bamboo it will have to 1/2" so it will bend and then you will want to put smaller diameter connectors on the dome (or have us do it for you) so that the 1/2" will fit the covering. Call if you this is not clear.
Hello,
I think your grip clip product may be the kind of thing I'm looking
for,
but I'd like to ask you a few questions about my specific application.
I
am a graduate student in the School of Natural Resources at the
University
of Vermont, working on a scientific research project in which
I am
manipulating nutrient inputs to seedlings in pots, through fertilization
to the roots. (I'll study resultant physiological responses.)
Because of
the nutrient treatments, I need to protect the seedlings from
rainfall,
but they need to be exposed to more or less normal light and temperature
regimes. We have some steel cables suspended already, left over
from a
previous project (imagine three top corner ridges of a long tent).
I'd
like to suspend some heavy-duty clear plastic (like greenhouse
film) below
the cables. It would normally hang to one side, so that it can
be drawn
across (like pulling across a shower curtain-tent) so we can protect
the
seedlings quickly when it starts to rain. I'd also attach the
bottom
edges to low wires so that the sides wouldn't blow around in the
wind.
I'm having a difficult time describing this without a picture,
but
hopefully you have some idea of what I mean. Obviously I couldn't
use
regular grommets, at least along the top ridge, because they'd
leak badly.
So, my questions are:
1) Do you think your clips would perform well as the hangers
to suspend
the plastic sheet below the wires?
Yes.
2) How sturdy are the little hangers to which the clips are
attached? Are
they wire or plastic? I'm sure I'd have to use a different piece
that
actually slides across the wire, but I'm wondering whether your
clip
connectors/hangers would stand up to the tension this would create.
They should.
3) Do you think these connectors would stand up to the tension
stresses
that would result from both wind and rain in this situation?
Yes; you would need to use enough of them to support your cover (how big is it?)
4) Do they perform well when they are *not* under tension (like
when my
cover is pulled back for sunny days)?
Yes; once you put them on they stay on unless you take them off.
5) What size clip would you recommend?
Most likely the General Purpose; this depends on the spacings of your covering and what type of film you use.
6) If I ordered a lot (like 30 or 50) could I get a volume discount?
Yes
How
long would it take to get them?
A few days at the most.
One side of the door can be left hooked closed all the time if you do not need the extra ventilation. This is particularly nice if you're using a door pole, since it allows the door to swing open and shut easily. In strong winds, hook both sides closed. Binder clips are provided with your dome to secure the doors in wind or when a tight seal is desired. They also work well on net doors. They hold best if you overlap the door and side wall materials a little as you clip them together. If you want more binder clips, you can get them at a stationery store. To prop your door open, tuck the tip of the door pole under an adjacent horizontal pole. Of course, if you aren't using a door pole, just roll the door panel up and tuck it over the pole above the door.
Burningman read all your replies to wind questions & am
seriously considering the
option of purchasing a dome for Burning man--- although i want
to know
what is the worse case scenario in extreme winds...
It is best to take the dome down in heavy wind or at least the bottom 12 poles and then re-secure the dome.
if i used concrete stakes for the guy lines and dome anchors,
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't blow away--- But what are the chances
of the
dome ripping in heavy gusts??? Is it more likely that the PVC
will bend
& buckle first (I've seen that happen on home-made domes)????
A few poles will brake and the covering could get torn in extreme winds.
Also, after Burning man, is simply hosing off the dome the
best
way to clean it???
I would put it up on a clean site and hose it off. Be sure
to let it dry before you put it away or any little speck of dirt
will mildew and your dome will smell the next time you put it
up.
Hello- I'm looking for window awnings for my 100" wide (south-facing, miserable) windows. Do you sell something that big? I couldn't tell from your website. Thanks in advance. Linda Miller
We sell a white and black (total sun block) shade woven film that is 6' wide $10 per yard and Grip Clips (set of 4 for $10) http://www.shelter-systems.com/accessories.html which allows you to attach poles to the cover and attach the cover to your house. You could then make your own shade.
If the warranty is just less than 2 yrs. What would you say the life execpetancy
of one of you domes
Thanks
It depends on the location the elevation and amount of sun. They can last up to 10 years in the shade. and less then 2.5 yearson at 10,000' in Arizona.
Hi Nate
i read all your replies to wind questions & am seriously
considering the
option of purchasing a dome for Burning man--- although i want
to know
what is the worse case scenario in extreme winds...
It is best to take the dome down in heavy wind or at least the bottom 12 poles and then re-secure the dome.
if i used concrete stakes for the guy lines and dome anchors,
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't blow away--- But what are the chances
of the
dome ripping in heavy gusts??? Is it more likely that the PVC
will bend
& buckle first (I've seen that happen on home-made domes)????
A few poles will brake and the covering could get torn in extreme winds.
Also, after Burning man, is simply hosing off the dome the
best
way to clean it???
I would put it up on a clean site and hose it off. Be sure
to let it dry before you put it away or any little speck of dirt
will mildew and your dome will smell the next time you put it
up.
Did you receive my online order for a 8 ' a week or two ago?
Thanks
Bill
Yes, Thank you.
You can call 813-457-1153 to find out about the status of your order.
Your order will be filled in the order it was received. Most orders are shipped out within a week. We ship UPS ground. We try to keep all items in stock. If an item is not in stock it may take a week or two weeks to make it, depending on other pending orders. It takes about 3 shipping days for orders in California and 6 shipping days for orders on the East Coast. If you do not receive your purchase within three weeks, please call Redwood Devitt, Production Manager, at shipping and receiving 831-457-1153 so we can track your order for you (leave a message if you do not reach him).
Let us know how your order works for you. We want you to be satisfied with your purchase. Please don't hesitate to call us.
If you need to return a dome for repair or a refund, please
make sure that it is clean and dry. If need be, hang the dome
from its top clip in a room with a high ceiling to completely
dry it out. Include a copy of your invoice and ship UPS to 24
Granger Lane, Santa Cruz CA 94060. To receive a full refund, return
your dome in its original condition within thirty days of receipt.
Special Orders are not returnable; since we do not offer them
in our catalog and we would have trouble reselling them.
Hi Guys
Your products look like they will meet my requirements. Since
your products
our based on overlapping shingles do you have any suggestions
for dealing
with bugs like mosquitoes and black flies. I was thinking of covering
the
entire structure with no-see-um screen mesh.
The shingling is under significant stress by the poles which causes the 3" overlap to be pulled bug tight at least for insects the size of mosquitoes and black flies.
Hello- I'm looking for window awnings for my 100" wide (south-facing, miserable) windows. Do you sell something that big? I couldn't tell from your website. Thanks in advance. Linda Miller
We sell kits for smaller window shades and materials (a white and black (total sun block) shade woven film that is 6' wide $10 per yard) and Grip Clips (set of 4 for $10) http://www.shelter-systems.com/accessories.html which allows you to attach poles to the cover and attach the cover to your house. You could then make your own shade.
Its called the greenhouse effect: the sun shins through the covering and heat up the ground and what ever else is inside it. Then at night the heat is slowly reradiated from the ground into the air of the greenhouse. This is what makes it work at night. You can increase the heat retention by adding jugs of water to your greenhouse.
hello i am wanting to have a greenhouse nothing too fancy but
kinda like what
you have to offer....i have one question though...what keeps the
plants warm
at night ? do you have to put a heater in there ? i understand
during the
day the sun hits the plastic and generates heat then but what
about night ??
it still gets down to 40 here in southern indiana where i live....i
appreciate your ideas.
thankyou,
I would like to know if any of your tensegrity-tents are
any in production or are for sale?
Most of our tents are a hybrid of tensegrity and geodesics. They are a type of tensegrity. The poles will not send with out the covering.
I was wandering how stable the kayaks that you built are?
are they
stable enough to go down rivers with?
Yes, it is quite stable; but a mono hull kayak has advantages over an interal
fraim kayak like the 4 hr kayak. If you hit a rock hard the kayaks ribs could
brake and pin you in so that you would drown. We recomend that you do not
go down a rive in a 4 hr kayak.
It is best to take the dome down in heavy wind or at least the bottom 12 poles and then re-secure the dome.
if i used concrete stakes for the guy lines and dome anchors,
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't blow away--- But what are the chances
of the
dome ripping in heavy gusts??? Is it more likely that the PVC
will bend
& buckle first (i've seen that happen on home-made domes)????
A few poles will brake and the covering could get torn in extreme winds.
Also, after Burningman, is simply hosing off the dome the best
way to clean it???
I would put it up on a clean site and hose it off. Be sure
to let it dry before you put it away or any little speck of dirt
will mildew and your dome will smell the next time you put it
up.
As I understand the information, your return policy and 1.5 year warranty do not apply to the Bubble Domes. Am I correct?
They are covered by the 1.5 year warranty but are not returnable since they are a special order; except the 10'er.
Questions about the Solar Dome:
One of the tables indicate that the height of the opening for the 20' is 7'5"
for the open arch situation. Yet the photographs suggest that there is a pole
running across the opening at about 5'5".
That measurement is for the"open arch" form of the dome: http://www.shelter-systems.com/arch-domes.html
What is the highest opening possible with a 20' Solar Dome?
7'5"
How are the net walls intended to be used? They replace two sidewalls in the 14 and 18'ers.
Are they for the open arch?
No.
Do they offer a fairly unobstructed view?
Yes.
How do the net doors differ from the net wall?
The net doors are under the doors. You can up to 4 per dome and 8 on the 30'er.
How much light does the liner block?
40%
Is it possible for one person with patience to setup a 20' dome?
Yes.
I am looking for a shelter that could house a 22 foot diameter balloon. The
trick is providing an entrance/exit system for the balloon while it is
inflated. If you do not already have a design that could accommodate this,
would such a design be possible with your technol
The 30'er made in a full sphere (http://www.shelter-systems.com/spheres.html) with an open arch (http://www.shelter-systems.com/arch-domes.html) would work I think. You would have to support the sphere with 4x4 posts set in the ground.
On the translucent, how long does it last for covering a fraim green house
purpose, and how much per foot or yard? Thank you .
It should last at least 3 years in most conditions. You should shade it with a strip of wood where it contacts a wooden frame. It is $5 yd. It is 6' wide.
The first catalog of yours I still have in my file goes back to 1988 I'm really glad to find the website. Richard
I work for Columbia University, and we are looking to find some sort of portable structure for our softball field to house our scoring and public address table. It needs to have an opening in front to view the game and be able to put an eight foot table with chairs facing the field. We would put it behind the backstop fence.
Looking through your inventory, it looks as if your Crystal
cave may work well. I have two questions:
1. Does the Crystal cave let in light?
It is very cold on the field and sunlight is important for the
workers. Plus, they will need light to see what they are doing.
Order it with the translucent cover.
2. Can a door be installed in the back side? We would need one side completely open to view the field, and since that would be against a fence, would need to enter from the rear.
There is a door in the back
You should also consider the "Open Arch" http://www.shelter-systems.com/arch-domes.html forms of out SolarDomes or GroDomes say the 18'ers. Looks more like a softball.
Dear Ed,
Yes, a riser wall built of wood can be made for the 30 and 20.
It could be attached with "eye" bolts where each of
the poles normally comes down to the ground. There are 20 poles
on a 30' and 12 poles on a 20'.
Use rubber bands first, then put on string. The rubber bands balance each other. If you have trouble, call.
The Yurt Dome covering does catch 60% of the suns energy and it reflects 40%.
Thank you,
Ron
Yes, but do read our warnings that are in our online manual.
Your yurt dome could be destroyed in extreme weather and your life or safety could be at risk. In heavy snow or wind your yurt could collapse, damaging what you have or compromising your shelter. Do not rely on your yurt dome as your only shelter. Accumulated snow, must be melted or shaken off periodically. Do not set your yurt dome under a tree or branch that might fall on you. Keep all flames and heat away from your yurt dome's covering and objects in your yurt dome.
i would like to know more about permanent structures. I would love to get one of these and just live in the woods. if you have any info on permant stuff please email me
What do you mean by permanent.?We make light weight shelters that last from 2 to 10 years depending on the setting.
The reason we up from 20' to 30' has to do with the efficient use of materials. A 25' dome would cost as almost as much as a 30'er to make.
I would not need one as large as the 14 footer. My photo blind
is about four feet wide. Would a shelter eight feet wide give
me enough air space between me and the shelter to help relieve
me of some of the
heat? What is the typical temperature difference between the ambient
air and air under the shelter. Thanks
The 14' half dome of silver and black should help a great deal. It would provide total shade for your smaller unit. Still, you should realize that the air temp. under the half dome will approach the air temp outside. It is the shade that should protect your smaller unit from heating up more than the air temp.
30' in diameter. It is not practical to connect them.
Will the heat that rises melt the structure or covering?
It may depending on the size of the fire. We do not recommend
an open fire inside.
The best we could do is our 30' dome. You could have some of you boat sticking out and covered at one end. It would be a wonderful workshop.
It weakens the dome to put netting all the way around. Best is to get four doors with netting.
1. Can I purchase extra material from you and run a wall
part way across the center of the dome? I would like to make it
two rooms by hanging a partial wall, to still allow ventilation
and passage between
the rooms.
Yes you can.
2. Is the floor installed here or at your factory? I want to
put the
floor tarp under a plywood floor, for moisture control.
You install the floor.
and if you built a roof structure over it to combat the snow issue, do you think that it would work?
That should keep the snow off.[[is this feasible?]]
Thank you for your time and help.
Thanks for your interest in our Rooftops. We do make a 25'er: RoofTop 25' (Top of 30'er) $1200 Shipping $110. You would need to melt or shake the snow off.Heating the pool may do this.
You mention that I can sew wider widths of film. Could I do this on my own sewing machine? If so, what type of thread would I need?
Yes. Use heavy duty cotton covered polyester.
The difference is in how much material they grip. The HD grips about twice as much as the GP. So when your tarp is loaded, the HD will be less likely to rip out the tarp. It is the tarp the usually fails not the clip. I would recommend the HD where you can only grip at a few places on a large tarp.
availability?
which floor is applicable?
is there a net door and a liner available?
since it has only one door, can a side be rolled up? and if so,
is there a
net wall available?
The BubbleDomes are special order items and are non refundable; since we get few orders except for the 10'er. It would take about one to two weeks to ship.
You would need to use a 18' floor. The floor on the 18' BubbleDome comes in at the base to about 16'.
I thought you were looking for a tent pole, but I see you are looking for a tent tube. We can make our GroRow into a tube. Call and lets talk.
The covering we use is not nylon but a woven ripstop film which is very strong. It is a high grade version of the "blue tarps" you see.
I am very interested in the construction of your poles as well.
Is the PVC tubing really
strong enough to last for three years?
Yes.
What would the weight of the greenhouse be? What would the
cost of a
greenhouse this size be? How difficult would it be to assemble
3 stories up?
The best we could fit with you is our SolarShed.
I think the SolarShed might work out perfect. Just a couple of questions:
1) Could I attach 2 sheds together? Since they are 5.5' long,
two would
perfectly fit on the balcony.
Yes you can.
2) How is the shed attached to the wall - I want to make sure
that no bugs
can get in the shed.
You can use eye bolts, wood slats and or other means. Bugs are hard to keep out of any enclosure.
3) The picture on the web site shows a door inside the shed.
This is exactly
what I want to do (the door would be the door to the balcony).
But how is
this possible if the shed is only 6' tall?
The door you see is only 5' high.
So I think I have my structure choice - 1/2 of a Crystal
Cave 9. Now can I
do that? Next could I lengthen it to 11' long? If that seems like
a possible
choice, then all I have to figure out is the covering.
The best we can do is to make you 3/2 of a Crystal Cave because of the connectors. It can also only be extended by 1/2 its length to 13.5'.
We do sell Grip Clips and our Covering material which might be of use to you.
If you built a fraim you could then use Grip Clips to hang a cover under it.
Tonya,
We believe our shelters would work fine for fertilizer or sulphur
storage. We don't believe there would be any chemical reactions
between fertilizer chemicals and the dome materials, which are
quite inert. The 18, 20' or 30' SolarDome would be suitable.
A liner will keep the greenhouse warmer in the winter. Whether
a liner is necessary, depends on the particular weather in a particular
winter.
Another possibility is using tarps, together with the our Grip
Clip tarp fasteners, to cover the roof when you are not working
on it.
We have a web page dealing with making paper models of geodesic domes which may be useful to you: http://www.shelter-systems/modle.html. We don't have any specific suggestions for building a small dome as a science project. We do have a page which shows the size-volume comparisons of different-sized domes (http://www.shelter-systems/sizes.html) and one on tensegrity and geodesic design in tent structures (http://www.shelter-systems/tensegrity.html).
I would recommend the 30' Yurt Dome. The floor does not rip easy and would handle dancing and walking fine
The 18'er comes in two 30 lb. packages.
We have tried that. It did not work well. You need a tall, chimney-like structure to create an up-draft to vent the smoke adequately.
Jon,
I don't think this material would work too well for a kayak
because, although the material is extremely rip-stop, it can
be punctured or abraded. Therefore, you couldn't drag the kayak
across rocks.
I made a kayak, using a regular blue tarp, green willow shoots and our Grip Clip tarp fasteners, in four hours. You might want to check out our website with many photos of the kayak construction at www.gripclip.com/kayakassem.html.
The 18' dome is stronger than the 20'. Their poles are the same diameter, but the 18' dome's poles are shorter and therefore the smaller dome is stronger.
I suggest the 18 foot Yurt Dome. It is 9' tall. Shipping $40.
I do not recomend our 30'er for you; 60+ winds are too much.
Yes.
Does the structure stand on its own without the material
if
we opted to use another material for the sweat lodge ceremony,
No.
then
strip the material off the structure and put up the original material
and then use the yurt as it was originally designed.
It is 7' tall in the center. You would not have much walk around room; perhaps an 8' circle. How about the 18'er?
Keeping it small in Montana might be
a good idea. I would love the room of the 20, but fear that it
could not be
heated well.
Glenn
It would only make sense if you wished to exclude the moisture in the air.
It sounds like your climate is dry enough so you do not need the vapor barrier.
A friend of mine used the same type of dome in the mountains of souther Ecuador
and had alot of problems with rain blowing in through the closed doors.
In our area
there is not so much wind, but I will be wanting to keep all four doors open
even
when it rains. What do you suggest in this case, to keep the rain out.
I suggest you attach a small tarp porch over the door openings with small tarps (Grip Clips may help you do this). Attach the tarp to the clips above the door and to the pole running horizontally to each side of the door. The tarp should be wide enough to protect the open door from rain. Tie the other corners of the tarp out and away from the dome to create a open porch. You could alternatively use our porches.
Dear Sir,
I hope this email finds you well. I live in the U.S. Virgin Islands, on
the island of St Thomas. I have designed and built a high performance 18"
Newtonian telescope which I use to do public and private Astronomy
Presentations. I am very interested in your 18' Star Bubble. Please email me
a
photograph of this particular unit, so that I can see if it will work for my
purposes. I am particularly concerned about how I can rotate the dome (Star
Bubble) in order to access different areas of the sky. Please send me any
information you have that might be useful in this regard, as well as any other
information you may have. Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Kary Williams President Star Charters Astronomy Adventures
Here is an image of a 20' Bubble. The 18' Star Bubble is the very similar but
is make of our light blocking covering. The structure is free standing and can
be attached to coster wheels.
I visited a smallish dome in an avocado grove about 25 years
ago. It was
very open with lots of skylights and was lovely. It seems that
people try
to make these domes into regular houses with corners, sheetrock
interiors,
and small room spaces. I would like the interior very open with
lots of
skylights. My place is on a hill with lovely views. I'm not much
worried
about building codes or what the neighbors would think, because
it's VERY
isolated here.
So my questions is this: If you were going to put up a permanent
residence
dome, who would you hire or what company would you use? Or do
you do this?
My other question is esthetic: Do you think living for the summer
in a dome
covered mostly with vinyl will be a good test?
Just do it yourself with the help of a couple of friends. Our domes are not made of vinyl; but yes a great idea.
It can approach the outside temp if there is no sun for days.
should I use an
alternative heat source,
Yes if you need to. The only way to tell is watch it or use a thermostat.
and how small is it to store in the summer when I
want all my plants outside???
They all pack up small. Two duffel bag size.
I am interested in the GroRow, GroDome and
lighthouse. I also rent a 200 square foot garden plot in another
location
and the GroRow would work there also. What would be the benefients
of having the Grodome or lighthouse instead??
You can not grow in the lighthouse.
Sounds like a great idea. Our 30'roof shell would work, being about 23' in diam. Our covering will last about 3+ years or much more if you shade it. You could attach it by running a cord from the clips (there are 20 base clips in the 30'er) down the bales and staking it to the ground or the bales. .
5'wide and 4.5' high
and the 14?
4.2' by 4.2'
No, the structures need the stability of the woven film for strength. However you can cut many large holes in the woven film between the poles and then cover the structure with the shade cloth.
My climate is not conducive to plastic, and I need the ventilation
that the
shade cloth allows.
I would be interested in talking with you, I am looking for a
product that I
can adapt to a traveling Butterfly exhibit. This would need to
be portable,
and easy up and down.
Something that will withstand putting up and down on a weekly
basis.
I would also need to be sure that it can be closed on all sides
to prevent
the Butterflies from escape!
We could make you a special structure where in the shade cloth was sewn into the panels.
I need the rectangular style, and I would like to be able to
make it longer
than the styles you show. I would like to go up to 30 feet long,
and still
keep the height around 7 feet! Is it possible to have something
such as
this?
We could go the length 33' and the height 7' but the width would have to be 9' or 11'.
We also have a 30' dome.
I would like to know if you have shelving that fits into your greenhouses to hold flats, or if you have designs for them.
We do not offer shelveing but do describe how you can make your own in our online garding manual: http://www.shelter-systems/gardening-manual.html
Look at our BubbleDome 10. or our GroDome 14.
Still more Email Questions Answered
1 1/2-YEAR GUARANTEE. If for any reason you're not completely pleased with your purchase, return it in original, dry and clean condition within 30 days of receipt for a full refund or exchange as you wish. All items in this catalog have a warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for 1 1/2 years. Should any product prove defective we will repair or replace it at no cost to you. Special Orders are not returnable. Read Snow and Wind Warnings.
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