Welded steel ring?

[Almosthomeless]

I would like to build a 30 foot Yurt to be a semi / permanent structure to augment a cramped RV. My question is about the center ring. Is there any reason I should not fabricate this out of steel? I was thinking of using a length of channel iron as a bracket for each rafter, possibly securing the rafter to the ring with a bolt or two. I'm not terribly concerned about authenticity or weight (I plan on supporting the ring with an H). What elsw should I keep in mind?

 

[Jafo]

I have seen several yurts with Steel and composite rings. Asheville Yurt Company comes to mind. I saw other pics, but here is one I found online:

I have even heard of people using old tractor rims for the center ring, but never heard how they turned out.

 

[dennishl]

I use a welded ring. I had the basic ring fabricated at a local shop and then welded on a few pockets to receive the roof poles. We've had over 200 inches of snow so far this year. No problems at all, as far as snow goes. My yurt pics are in the members yurt section if you want to take a look.

 

[Asheville Yurt Company]

Not sure if this topic is current still but we've been using steel and aluminum rings for quite some time. Have a look at our website for newer designs too.

Nate
Asheville Yurt Company