Metal ring for a 20ft yurt

[Yurtman]

Im designing a more permanent yurt than my usual

camping yurts

and would like to use a sleek metal ring. Has anyone had any experience with this or done it?
I would like to keep it as thin as possible to save weight, perhaps 3/16” thick and 6” tall to use with (2x6 rafters). Might have to go with 1/4” though.

[Jafo]

I believe the

Colorado Yurts

utilize one, but can't remember for sure.

[TSRalex]

Originally Posted by Yurtman

Im designing a more permanent yurt than my usual

camping yurts

and would like to use a sleek metal ring.

Which advantages do you expect from the metal solution?

[Bob Rowlands]

Richard, there's a youtuber called

EngelsCoachShop youtube

that makes and rebuilds wooden wagons and coaches up in Montana. He has a couple videos of making the 'iron tires' for the wood wheels. You might want to check that out. The ring is formed on hand operated machinery and then the seam welded. That might help give you an overview of the process. Good luck

[TSRalex]

Additional to my question about the expectations (advantages) of a metal ring:

Do nobody concern about lightnings?

I can imagine, that a lightning would love an big metal ring on the top of the Yurt more than a wooden ring - but that are only unprofessional thoughts by an bloody amateur in this field....

[Jafo]

If everything else connected to it is not a conductor, then it shouldn't be an issue I would think. People use metal roofing all the time without it attracting lightning. The metal itself isn't really grounded.

A tree may attract lightning because it is full of sap/water that leads to the ground, but that is not the case if you are using wooden rafters connecting to a metal ring.

[TSRalex]

Originally Posted by Jafo

.....that is not the case if you are using wooden rafters connecting to a metal ring.

OK - I´ll believe you.

As written above electricity isn´t really my field.....

But the thread brought me to the problems of lighting and I found some interesting sites about. Should I use this thread for sharing the information, or would you prefer that I open an new one, @Jafo?

[Bob Rowlands]

Ralex, my first thought about metal ring was lightning. I googled it. I don't understand the reasoning, but supposedly lightning striking a yurt is not a danger. All I know is I wouldn't want to be in a yurt that had a direct lightning strike.

Our house HAD a direct lightning strike. It literally blew a hole about a foot in diameter in the roof. Shingles, tar paper, sheathing completely blown away. We were home in the master bedroom suite, retiring for the evening, when the strike occurred. It hit the house about ten feet directly above my wife while she was in the tub. She didn't even feel a tingle but the breakers tripped and lights went off. I was reading in bed. Yeah, it was terrifying. I hate lightning.

[Yurtman]

I like the idea of a really thin ring rather than the big block rings you usually see. I’ll weld flanges to the ring and then cut a slit in the end of the rafter that buts up against the ring so the flange is hidden inside the rafter and then bolt them together. Minimalist design.

[Yurts_latvia]

Hey there Richard,


Did you make the metal ring in the end?


My friends made one for a 16ft yurt last year, a bit of a different scale to your idea, but seemed to work great so far. I can take photos of it next time I'm over there if they'll let me! (I think they won't be back til the spring though ...)


Charlie