Building 30ft yurt

[Ethan]

In the past week we have sanded and put a finish coat of paint on all the lattice pieces. I used a belt sander clamped down and with a 50 grit rounded off all the corners and blemishes, Hannah went over them with a palm sander to sooth them off to a finish, it might sound easy but theres 200 pieces so it took a while. Didn't do anything fancy with the finish coat, mixed some water based polyurethane and satin paint 5:1 and it went on pretty good as a stain and finish coat all at once.

Yesterday we started drilling the wholes for the latts, i measured everything out to the 1/16 of an inch for where the wholes needed to go and using a 5/16 bit (the carrage bolts are 1/4 inch) drilled about 15 latts. here is where the problem is, we bolted those latts together and they would only open about 5 inches before it would tighten up and not open the full distance.
Anyone had this problem before? It looks like the whole spacing is right on. Could it be the warped boards in the deck? maybe because the latte are 3/4in thick and don't bend well?

[Bob Rowlands]

It's most certainly nuts snugged down on an uncured new finish. And a tentative pull from a yurt newby. Be assured that wall IS gonna open.

The hole spacing check is, when you install the bolts the laths will align exactly parrallel to eachother when the wall is in the closed position. Every lath should nest nice and snug to its neighbor. Also check your nuts for tightness. You are overcoming a TREMENDOUS amount of friction with the nuts snugged too tight, especially with a brand new uncured coat of finish.

Get that wall layed out on a flat smooth surface like a driveway, or garage floor, shop floor, with the carriage bolt heads facing down. That will protect the wood. Get two of you one on each side and pull that sucker open. You aren't going to hurt it. If a couple laths break in the process, big deal. Replace them. Work at it. You WILL open that wall.

Good work. Good luck.

[Bob Rowlands]

BTW, I had the same problem. I had to loosen the nuts, and had uncured paint. The laths were sticking together as well. I used substantial force opening mine.

Once you get the yurt erected, you could go back and install a washer on the bolt between each pair of laths. Also, if you installed a washer under the nut, be aware there is gonna be music in a breeze unless the nuts are snugged down. I removed ALL of my washers, and thought about installing them between the laths. Too much work though.

[Ethan]

So went back into the shop this morning and realized one bolt hole was off! (Me confusing numbers and not double checking) It was an easy fix and we were able to get most of the latts drilled and bolted.

[Bob Rowlands]

I knew you'd get it fixed. The wall looks superb. Good job.

[Ethan]

Starting on the door frame today,
Anyone ever have problems with leaking around the door? If so where and how so that i may build a defense against it.

[Bob Rowlands]

Yeah Ethan I have both air and water leaks at the door. Air blows in all around the door frame, and at the junction between the cover and the frame. Water only comes in if the rain blows at the door. I really don't care too much about either since it's my man cave, and not my primary home.

My suggestion on how to solve any peroblems you might have with air and water getting in the yurt, is to just go ahead and build the yurt. Then you'll see first hand what the air and water issues may be, and possible solutions. There really isn't anything that could be said about this stuff without having a first yurt build done.

Have fun. Tou will have some problems, for sure. Be assured you will solve them as they arise. That's life.

[Nate]

How is the door frame coming?

[Ethan]

It is coming along well, thanks for asking. I have been working my normal job all week so haven't much done yet. The frame is up, if you notice on both sides of the face boards theres a 3/4in wide 1/2 deep joint on the face board, i figure this is where the fabric will attach, i can wrap it in a dowel and pinch it down with the finish board on top. Didn't get a side picture but there are 3 layers on the door frame, 2 wider (like the face you can see) sandwiching a skinnier one, this leaves a gap for the lattice to bolt into.

also started the dutch door, picked up 1x6 rough cut from saw mill, sanded them down cut to length. it will be 3 layers thick, a sandwiched frame sort of X thing with

insulation

as shown in picture. Its going to be a little heavy but since its a dutch door i don't think that will matter much.

Thinking of using tung oil with a little dye for the door finish, anyone know if thats a good or bad idea?

Again, questions, comments, advise, are all welcome!

[Ethan]

Let me know if you can't see image. Seem to have trouble loading some of them.