How to Build a Geodesic Dome Out of Newspaper
A geodesic dome is a polyhedron composed of same-sized triangles or other geometric shapes that fit together. The design of geodesic domes was invented by Buckminster Fuller. He based the design on a natural molecular structure that is sometimes referred to today as a "Bucky ball." A geodesic dome's structure is extremely strong compared to other designs. A good example of a geodesic dome is the Epcot Center at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida. You can make a surprisingly strong geodesic dome from newspapers and some tape.
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Instructions
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Place three layers of open newspapers in a stack. Begin at one corner of the stack and roll the newspapers tightly into a tube. Tape the tube so it does not unroll. Repeat 64 more times for a total of 65 tubes.
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Cut 30 of the tubes to 28 inches. You must cut from both ends so both ends are flat and do not taper. These are the long tubes.
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Cut 35 tubes to 26 inches. Remember to cut from both ends. These are the short tubes.
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Tape 10 long tubes together, end to end. Place two strips of tape on opposite sides of the tubes running parallel to them. Half the strip will be on one tube, half will be on the other. Wrap another strip of tape around the end of each tube connected, covering and reinforcing the first two strips. When you tape two tubes together, it creates a somewhat flexible joint.
When you get to the end, tape the first and last tubes together. When you do this, it will curve around to form a 10-sided polygon. This is the base of the dome. Place it on the floor.
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Tape one long tube and one short tube to each joint on the base. Place them in the same order on each joint so that two long tubes are adjacent to each other alternating with two short tubes that are adjacent to each other. Continue this pattern all the way around the base.
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Tape the free ends of two adjacent long tubes together. This forms a triangle. Repeat for the next two adjacent short tubes. Continue this procedure all the way around the base until you have five triangles made from long tubes and five from tubes.
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Tape short tubes to the tops of these triangles, joining the top points. This should form a 10-sided polygon of short tubes. The geodesic dome will start to take shape.
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Tape a short tube perpendicularly at each point where four short tubes connect. Tape one end of a long tube to the free end of one of these short tubes. Tape the other end to the next joint on the previous row where two longs and two shorts meet. Repeat this all the way around. The result is a shape that will resemble a five-pointed star.
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Add another row of long tubes connecting the inner apexes of the star. This will form a pentagon in the middle of the dome.
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Tape one end of each of the last five short tubes to the angles of the pentagon. Tape the other ends of the short tubes together where they meet in the middle on top of the dome.
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Tips & Warnings
You can decorate the tubes before you begin.
Try placing magazines or other somewhat heavy, flat objects on top of the dome to test its strength. It will be surprisingly strong.
References
- Photo Credit science world, vancouver image by Peter Shersby from Fotolia.com
