On Jun 10, 2009, at 7:18 PM

On Jun 10, 2009, at 7:18 PM

I’m wondering what the track record is with the 31’er out on the playa. I’ve seen them out there and noted one as something I’d like to build or buy. Then I got one used this year and wonder about the 200psi irrigation pipe exoskeleton. A lot – most even – of the folks I know, including myself, have built structures out there, albeit less beautiful and drum tight than yours – and used schedule 40. Surely you’ve heard back from customers and maybe even experimented yourselves out there. Do they really hold up to winds with the 200psi?

I expect we have 200 or more domes on the playa each year

The 31’er too?

So far so good; But the 30 is stronger.

Do you sell playa packages with SCH4o?

No.

Or the 200psi like the one I’ve got? Can I safely upgrade to SCH40?

Not worth the investment. Would be very hard to put up

Any experience with that? Is it worth it?

I do not think so. If you give it a try I would like to hear about how it works out for you.

I’m just curious what my best option is to make this thing stay up out there. I don’t want to change to thicker walled pipe if the fabric won’t tolerate the extra tension. Any idea how many guy lines I should use on it and where to best attatch them for wind conditions?

Most people do not set guy lines, But if you want to the 30 and 31 can use up to 20. See the online manual.

Thanks lots for any insight you might be willing to offer on how I might best have success with and longevity from my dome. I also noticed that you sell the 10′ 18′ and 30′ as “one of our strongest” on your website. I have the 31′. is the geometry the same as the 30 from the top down?

Yes.

I’m wondering if I might do well to simply leave the bottom row of pipe off and have a slightly shorter and smaller diameter dome if I don’t really need the extra space.

Yes.

I’m thinking I could either roll up the extra material around the edges inside or remove the bottom row of shingled material all together. Any thoughts you might have on that?

Both will work fine.

Thanks a ton for your help. Impressive design. I’m excited to try mine out this year. I’d love it if you could copy this email in a reply and then insert answers to the questions right where they are – seems the easiest way for both of us to keep track of what got answered and what I should try to find out on my own or from other shelter-systems dome owners.

Let me know what you hear.

There must be a club, right? joke . . . joke. I’m just trying to be as prepared as possible this time for a change and starting to think about camp infrastructure improvements and disaster preparedness / backup solutions. Thanks for your thoughts and have a stellar day.