Week 4 (Cont.)

The last structural panel for the house swinging into place:

 

And then we wait for the foam to set before the seams are concreted and the overhang attached. 

What to do, what to do while waiting...They know! Build a garage:

Oh well. I waited too long for the garage pictures. The ribs system got another row or two, then the work continued on the cupola and voila! all panels, structural and decorative are place on the house. Yay!

A couple more house pictures showing the finished cupola: 

One outside...

There are still supports holding up the overhang
until the concrete sets.

...and one inside.

Week 4

I was shocked! On Monday, no body came to work on the dome. Here we have a steel scaffold that stands taller than any hill for miles around, just think of the view. Sure it was wet from the rain, but they worked in rain before. They missed a birds-eye view of a great lightening show. Imagine standing on wet steel on level with the clouds, and flying all you around are bolts of el e ct ri c i t y...oh!

Tuesday and Wednesday morning was spent building the form for the collar around the opening and filling it with concrete. Nothing to take a picture of, and nothing else to do on the house until that concrete sets. So, they are  starting on the garage dome.

There will be pictures added to this post as the view improves.

The morning sun...

Photo by NN

Photo by NN

...and the setting sun.

Week 3 (and how we got here and what greeted us)

A week on the road visiting family in three states, delivering merchandise from folks back home. Finally, we reach our destination in mid May. And what do we hope to see? Our dome under construction; workers with their sleeves rolled up, happily going about their jobs in the warm breeze; the sun shining just right to properly cure the concrete, birds singing, flowers about to bloom, asparagus sticking its shoots up...you know, mid-May, spring time...

So, what was our welcoming party? Snow falling from a cloudy, dreary sky; cold wind blowing in from the western plain; workers bundled up like hunters in December; and our consultant ready to head back south! But, the project continues and I can see that there is a dome taking shape on the side of the hill.

Pictures will be posted as I get them.

Finally, our dome!  

Hmmm. Doesn't look right!

Maybe you should take a prezi stroll to see what's really happening. (It was very windy today, and so we have a lot of construction debris floating all over.)

NOTE: After you open the prezi, click on the right arrow to advance to the next picture; the left arrow will take you to the previous one. You can use either the arrows in the prezi or the arrows on your keyboard.

Enjoy, but don't look for a cupola, it will be built this week, weather permitting.

Week Two

The High Profile Entry and one Standard Entries are taking shape. This picture offers a good view showing the difference between the High Profile and Standard Entries. The top of the Standard Entry on your right will be the floor of the balcony off the master bedroom.

High Profile and Standard Profile Entries photo by MKB

Photo by MKB

The Standard Entry on the left is the one under the balcony from the master bedroom. The two missing triangles will be window dormers, one for a bathroom, the other for an office/bedroom. On the right is the beginning of the walls for the link to the garage.

Photo by KK

 This pictures shows channels around the entries that take rebar and concrete not only for strength around the openings, but to add to the overall structural strength and integrity as well.

Photo by KK

All of the panels are installed around the entries.

Photo by KK

And, the week comes to a soggy end...with most of the next row of panels installed. The ground turned to mud in the rain, but work went on as much as possible.

End of Week 1

As the first week ends, things are starting to look up.

Photo by MKB

This is the High Profile Entry--all the others are a bit shorter. The first day, the rectangular "riser panels" were placed and cemented in, then the temporary rib support system was built, followed by the next row of panels with its initial layer of cement  inserted.

Photo by MKB

The blue line shows where the top of this opening will be. The circle is at another entry that has panels projecting out from the dome. All entries will have these, they provide support against the outward forces of the sphere, they provide a flat, vertical wall in which to install doors and windows, and they offer overhead cover for those doors and windows.

Notice the difference in height between the Standard Entry and the High Profile Entry.

Photo by MKB

This picture, taken by our consultant, shows the partially constructed Standard Entryway. Above it will be the balcony that opens into the master bedroom.

He says that on Monday, they will install the side and top panels for all the entryways, including the balcony.

Photo by MKB

I will let you decide what manner of creature came by to inspect the goings on at the site. Where was it (and its mama) when the thieves broke in last winter and helped themselves to all of my tools, gas, batteries, etc.?  

Photo by MKB

If you want to know how big the foot is, this is a size 8 lady's foot.

Working Above Ground

At last, working up, not down...

Photo by MKB

          The house: The first row of panels, the rectangular riser panels, are in place and the temporary rib support system is built.

Photo by MKB

Mortar mixer and pile of fine sand for the mortar.

...and I'm not there, yet.

It's Spring

Spring time. That means two things, winter is over, and summer is coming. Spring is the time to look over the site to see how everything weathered the snow and cold, and thieves!

Broken doors in the RV and travel trailer that we use for living quarters while building. Batteries from both as well as induction cook tops, heaters, and other domestic equipment. The doors in the shed were too solid to break open, so they went through the window. They managed to unlock it and get in without breaking the glass, just the screen. Then they sprayed the door with black paint--Why? Who knows.

Thousands of dollars worth of theft and damage! Not the proper way to meet spring.

Summer is coming and is looking a bit more promising. A crew and a consultant will arrive shortly to put the domes together. The plan is to start on Monday, 28 April--I won't be there until later, but it will be nice to pull in and see the assembly well under way. We had hoped to start earlier in April, but Mother Nature didn't cooperate. It is northern Minnesota, after all, so we hoped, but didn't really expect to start earlier.

I have been promised pictures which I will post as I receive them.