Wooden Geodesic Dome

Woodworking has been an interest of mine for about 3 years now, however, ever since I became pregnant 2 years ago, I have been unable to work on wood projects. It has been a combination of fatigue, lack of time, and lack of good work space in a new rental house that have kept me from my projects. Well, I have FINALLY completed an idea that has been brewing in my mind! This is an encouraging victory!

We recently studied Buckminster Fuller, the man who invented the geodesic dome. In fact, "Bucky" lived and taught in my town (Carbondale, Illinois) and the first ever dome home where he and his wife lived is located a few blocks from where I previously lived.

So after attending a week of events to celebrate Buckminster Fuller, I was inspired to craft a dome of my own.

1. First I cut and sanded plywood triangles

2. Piece by piece, I attached each part with a strip of fabric on the inside. I worked from the bottom row up, waiting for each connection to dry before adding another.

3. Once all the pieces were attached together, I reinforced each spot where 6 points met with a circle of fabric.

4. After all the fabric reinforcements were dry, I used white puff paint like grout in each gap between triangles. This was quite the process: I had to add at least 3 layers of puff paint "grout" to each trench. Every time I walked past, I would add a little more.

5. I added the white paint around the doorway, and it's done! Hooray! It's not quite what I had envisioned, but that's the beauty of art, right?

I plan to create a scene with a handmade 'guy' and plants and scenery and then take a photo of it to sell as art prints.

Wishing You Completed Projects,

Mama Randa the Once Again Woodworker