How to: build a mini Dome Pod from Drinking Straws

This idea was inspired and enabled by:

• the lovely Build with HUBs Geodisic Dome KITS and their POD variation
• the fact that wooden drinking straws fit snugly inside silicone drinking straws
• the fact that the silicone drinking straws are easy to cut, punch and screw together to make custom connector parts

PDF instructions

DOME vs DOME POD

The difference between the DOME (a half sphere) and the POD is that the POD has an extra layer of "short" and "long" sticks making it higher without increasing the diameter.

Here images of a DOME and then a DOME POD made using 20cm long wood straws as the "longs" in the design:

Assembly

These are basically the illustrated plans for assembling the longs, shorts and connectors to make a DOME or POD:

Calculating the size of your dome/pod

You can use the lovely website to calculate the lengths of your longs and shorts. make your life easy by picking the long length to be as long as your staws are.

• https://buildwithhubs.co.uk/domecalc.html

Materials & Tools

• 95 x wood drinking straws (20cm long)
• 30 x silicone drinking straws (20cm long)
• 36 x M4 nuts and bolts
• 72 x washer rings

Material Costs

• 35 Euro for wood straws
• 25 Euro for silicone straws
• 15 Euro for screws and washers
• TOTAL: 75 Euro

Parts

for a DOME you will make:

• 20 x 6-way connectors
• 6 x 5-way connectors
• 35 x 20cm longs
• 30 x 16,7cm shorts

for a DOME POD you will make:

• 20 x 6-way connectors
• 6 x 5-way connectors
• 10 x 4-way connectors
• 45 x 20cm longs
• 50 x 16,7cm shorts

connectors

6-way silicone straw connector

5-way silicone straw connector

4-way silicone staw connector

Add a door

In Use

A good size for small people:

As a model space in the project Random Acts of Vulnerability:

Further Links

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/plusea/albums/72157720186707790

see also:

Dome Pod KIT

Mini Dome Pod Staw KIT