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frugal storage/greenhouse
11 nov 1997
i'm almost finished a 12' diameter x 11' tall geodesic structure using 25
$2 8' 2x3s covered with $20 worth of uv polyethylene greenhouse film. i cut
a 1.5" long x 2.5" deep x 1/8" wide slot in the end of each 2x3 with a table
saw and slid a 29 cent kant sag mending plate into the slot, then carefully
put 3 2" deck screws through the wooden fork and holes in the plate. 

the galvanized mending plates are 0.040" thick x 1.8" wide x 5" long, so this
leaves a 2.5" tab sticking out of each end of each 2x3. i drilled 3/8" holes
in the middle of the tabs, and bolted 5 tabs together with a 1/4" bolt 3/4"
long. just 11 bolts for the 25 2x3s :-) it feels solid. the bottom 5 2x3s
are bolted to 5 used tires (the local garage paid me $1.25 each to take them
away :-) filled with $3 worth of gravel to make for a foundation inside the
structure. (the local code defines a building as any structure "permanently
affixed to the ground.) i let the plastic film drape over the outside and
bermed that with a little more gravel.

the mending plates bend enough to make up for the imprecise components.
they might also work for a 19' diameter 300 ft^2 version using 25 $5
12' 2x4s covered with $50 worth of 12' wide greenhouse film...

nick