posted 7 years ago
I'm building a small two-story dome to start, with the top dome used as a loft / office / relaxation area. I'm planning lots of small-to-medium windows in the upper dome. I'd like to pass some of that light below. What I'm thinking is putting circular windows near the edge of the dome, where people are unlikely to walk, and glazing them with tempered glass microwave trays. The ones that sit on a roller and spin in the middle of the microwave.
I've tested these trays by jumping on them and striking them with a mallet. It did shatter when I threw a bullet-shaped, fist-sized chunk of solid iron through it. But in general it was far more resilient than I expected. It didn't shatter into little squares as I expected, but rather largish chunks. So it would not be safe to step through if it broke.
Does it seem foolhardy to put these windows near the edges of the dole to let some light through? Or is the minimal risk acceptable for the gain of extra light below?