Airforms for building domes

Years ago I attended the training classes at Monolithic Dome Institute where they teach people how to build "monolithic domes". I helped build a 20 ft dome and a 40 ft dome and learned a great deal about that method which is very good for many applications, but not as good for small builders. At the end of the class I realized that their method requires around $50K worth of equipment, so I left that idea on the back burner.
Later on, I bought a used 20' (314 sq ft) Monolithic "eco shell" airform and built a few domes using that. Those forms are very heavy, it took a hydraulic lift to get it in and out of my van. When it sat for a while some rats decided to make homes in it, and basically ruined it. It could be repaired, but a better system has been developed.

After I got a commercial (Juki 555) sewing machine I made several air forms out of used sign vinyl. They work well and are far more manageable. Airforms are not easy to make, but if properly cared for they can be reused many times. Getting the gores just right is tricky and the pattern spreadsheets online are not very good so I had to make that too. And of course the form gets it own wooden box so the damn rats can't get at it!

Here's the latest and greatest, it's 20' in diameter with a 3' stem wall so the ceiling is 13' high.

If you wanted to do more posts explaining this is detail, I would love to read them.  I want to make small domes for dog houses but don't really know how or what to use for a form.

Wonderful news.  I applaud your results.  Thinking beyond the "box" is always interesting to me.

Trace Oswald wrote:If you wanted to do more posts explaining this is detail, I would love to read them.  I want to make small domes for dog houses but don't really know how or what to use for a form.

Depending on the size required I would use one of the igloo shaped dog houses made of plastic for a form. You could cover it with papercrete or EPIC (see other posts and future ones on that). Put some thin plastic over the form to keep the material from sticking.

Nicely done! I've been on the monolithic dome email list for a long time, nice to see a DIY version.

When putting the layers of cement on, what do you like to use for reinforcement? If you've used that basalt fiber roving stuff, I'd be curious to hear what you think of it.

Abe Coley wrote:Nicely done! I've been on the monolithic dome email list for a long time, nice to see a DIY version.

When putting the layers of cement on, what do you like to use for reinforcement? If you've used that basalt fiber roving stuff, I'd be curious to hear what you think of it.

Basalt roving is very strong, but IMO it is unnecessary and it negates one of the key benefits of EPIC (recyclability).

Do the papercrete deep dive... cellulose reinforcement is built into the mixture, and for many uses it is plenty strong enough. The trick is to spray the papercrete in very thin layers at first and prevent problems that would cause the balloon to lose pressure. Faster cements reduce the risk period and the cost is generally worth it.

Not sure if any folks here have checked out Aircrete Harry on YouTube , he much prefers the air form way of constructing domes.
I like the shape of Dave's versus Harry's.
Always nice to see alternative way's of building, and way easier on the pocket book.

Eric Martens wrote:Not sure if any folks here have checked out Aircrete Harry on YouTube , he much prefers the air form way of constructing domes.
I like the shape of Dave's versus Harry's.
Always nice to see alternative way's of building, and way easier on the pocket book.

Harry has several airforms he bought from MDI but once I taught him how to make them out of Tyvek he switched to that method. Its a bit tricky making the gores.

Have you tried making any monolithic airform? Say three soap bubbles together?

Ryan, how does one go about making a monolithic airform?

Back when Dave originally posted he said:

Those forms are very heavy, it took a hydraulic lift to get it in and out of my van.

Have you come up with a solution?

To be more specific, how would you make it out of tyvec? Lay mesh overtop similar to the aircrete harry method. Yes one can measure out gore shapes and stitch them together as a single dome but how could you sew multiple domes together to create one monolith airform out of tyvec?

Hi, wer live in N .Florida would you make and sell us an 10 ft diameter airform?