I needed a geodesic dome that could:

• pack down into my Subaru, with room to spare
• be set up by one person
• be comfortable for a week for a few people
• provide sun and wind shelter

I consulted my Buckminster Fuller book for ideas, and went to lumber yards and hardware stores to see what was available to me.

I settled on a wooden hub and spoke design. The hubs are usable for any size or shape of wood up to 2" wide, and I made enough for a 3v dome with extras. This is an early sketchup of the hub plans. They're cut from 1/2" plywood. I tried thinner, but it was too flexible.

Another plate with holes fits over the top, and sandwiches the wooden slats onto the base and locks them onto the pegs. A bolt through the middle holds it all together. I recommend wingnuts for assembly.

The first version was built with yardsticks. They were the cheapest way to prove our concept and learn what we could before buying more expensive hardwood.

The yardstick dome, all finished, with us inside.

The entire dome fit into this picture when unassembled. This is definitely small enough to pack on a trip

So we bought red oak hardwood flooring, rounded the ends, and cut it to the two lengths necessary for the height we wanted

Almost finished...

This dome was meant for surfing trips, but the night before burning man we found out that our other dome had been destroyed. We took this one instead, and lived happily inside for a week. It assembled and survived the week with ease. I'll have to find a picture of that somewhere.