Cardboard Geodesic Dome

October 27, 2006 6:10 PM

I want to build a small, inexpensive geodesic dome using cardboard. Where can I find good specs and instructions? Is this even feasible with regular cardboard?

The idea is to build a small dome with friends at a minimal cost with inexpensive materials. The idea is to make one that is 5-6 feet in diameter.
I do not know of any books by Bucky Fuller that actually give out this information.

I plan on doing during the Winter Solstice and have great fun doing it.

posted by goalyeehah to Technology (8 answers total)

This isn't cardboard (apologies for the semi-derail right off the bat!), but I recently saw a bamboo & wood geodesic dome that was about 20' in diameter. It had been built with long bamboo poles as the main beams, and connected with spokes made of .5" wood bound together with either wire or rope (I forget which). Because bamboo is so invasive, you can probably find a ton of it for free if you post an ad on craigslist or freecycle, though the catch is you'll surely have to cut it down yourself.
posted by soviet sleepover at 6:16 PM on October 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

Best answer: #1 Google hit on the search string "small cardboard geodesic dome".
posted by paulsc at 6:20 PM on October 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

This site focuses mainly on strut-hub construction but triangles with properly proportioned edges can just be taped together.
posted by aubilenon at 6:34 PM on October 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

Looks like this could be a good resorce for you:
http://www.cjfearnley.com/fuller-faq-4.html
(Looks like info is pretty old, but a good place to start & for background.)
Main page is here:
http://www.cjfearnley.com/fuller-faq.html
Enjoy!
posted by davidinmanhattan at 7:07 PM on October 27, 2006

Best answer: The monkeyc site was the subject of a FPP which contains some more links to dome information.
posted by Mitheral at 5:46 AM on October 28, 2006 [1 favorite]

Instead of paper cardboard, try to find some of those corrugated plastic signs on telephone poles. They'll hold up to the weather and you'll be doing everyone a favor by removing them.
posted by Frank Grimes at 6:21 AM on October 28, 2006

Response by poster: Yeehah! Thanks for the input.
posted by goalyeehah at 7:11 AM on October 28, 2006

The technical/product name for the plastic corrugated signboard, BTW, is Plasticor. It is weather resistant, and you should be able to crease it like cardboard as well, by tapping it with a metal yardstick and a mallet.
posted by jimfl at 8:18 AM on October 29, 2006