Date: October 1, 2009 11:39:22 AM PDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: Bubble domes
I first read about your products and Robert Gillis in Design Like you Give a Damn. Great Book, very inspiring.
Most of these are product questions, so please pass those on.
Customer Service questions –
Where are you located and where does product ship from?
Menlo Park CA
Where is product manufactured?
Santa Cruz CA; we also ship from here.
How long does it take from order time to delivery to my door?
For a special order which the BD 14 is it would take about 2 to three weeks, call the order desk for more detailed ship time. Special Orders are not returnable. The BDs other than the 10 are hard to use the height and are more subject to wind. Why not the standard 18′ dome.
Product questions –
The Bubble Dome is very beautiful. My use for it would be as temporary outbuilding – up all winter in Portland backyard, for storage and painting projects, probably a 14 footer.
1. I wish you had more photos in your online manual. Drawings are sometimes hard to read, especially the numeric dimensions. Is a hardcopy included with purchase?
We include a printed manual with our domes but there is more and more current info in the online manual.
2. Will material burn if it comes into contact with a fire or sparks or a hot stove or will it just melt?
Our Shelter Covering is FR. It will melt and burn if you supply a flame to it but will go out once the flame is removed.
It will be under deciduous trees. So damp, cold and rainy for 6 months.
3. What is expected life of the material under those conditions?
In Portland under tree shade about 6 years or more.
The white is lovely, but I fear discoloration from moss/mildew. I don’t see that other colors are available. I am assuming it is one big piece of material.
We only use white; it will not mildew but dirt on it can if you do not keep your dome dry inside. It can be cleaned with soap and water.
4. If there are no color options, Can the material be painted (with some kind of fabric dye/paint)? Do you know of anyone who has done that or who has made it a more colorful dome? I see pictures of a deep blue and brown on your testimonial pages. How is that done?
I have known people to use can spray paint on the dome. Test first.
5. I see it says no tarps or other material over the dome in the Q and A. Is the warranty voided if they are used?
Tarps can collect material and or rain and collapse the dome. Do so at your one risk. If you created a peaked tarp cover it should shade the rain to the ground and not collect rain or debris.
6. Is the fabric detachable from the frame?
Yes
Is it washable?
It is best washed while set up.
7. Can it be put up by one person?
Yes, but strongly recommend two able people at least the first time.
I wish you had a video/dvd showing setup.
https://shelter-systems.com/upin30min.html
8. Once up, can things be hung from walls or roof; from the lightweight – laundry, to heavier items – a wood backed mirror? It looks like the structural elements are on the outside only.
How “hang” liners, net doors, dividers, floors and decorate inside your dome?
When you go to tie in the liners, net doors, divider and and the floor a paper clip (large is best) or small bent piece of wire will be helpful in threading their attaching cords to the inside clip holes on the dome. See photo: the clip on the left is the inner clip of the dome; the clip on the right is the accessory with cord attached. The paper clip is used to pull the accessory’s cord through the dome’s inner clip hole. The cord is then knotted. Although the threading can be done with out the paper clip tool makes it easier.
9. I see that liners, floors and porches are available. Are windows available for bubble or do I have to make them?
Windows are not standard in the bubble domes. We can put in small trangulare windows at the trangular panles for $35 each. but on the BD they are too high to see out of.
New Subject –
10. Is the Tentporch available or is it just part of a 30 foot dome?
Porch
Our Porch is a 5 1/2’x5 1/2′ arched square. Porches can be attached in minutes to any of our domes. With a porch you can keep your door open in a warm rain. It gives you space to take off your raincoat or boots before going in. Wet gear can be hung underneath it. The porch covering is made out of our translucent greenhouse woven ripstop film for maximum light transmission. However if you wish, you can special order the porch in white for less light or in white with black for a shade porch. An excellent addition to your Dome.
The website is great. There is a lot of info there, so I may have asked questions that are answered.
And I keep finding new products. Maybe the Bedroom Dome would be better for my use. It comes with windows. Are there other products that would be suitable for my use? What else comes in a 12 – 14 foot size? There are lots of different names and I keep finding new products. A summary page might help comparing ‘all’ your products of a given size. It would make it easier for me to compare. Then I can go to the specific page for that product. Maybe I should look at a 14′ regular dome or Solarium.
Also people should include the exact name and size of their dome with their pictures, which are very helpful. Oh well. Hope to order one soon.
Thanks,
Elaine