20.12.2020 A trolley at play carries the segments away.

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Sunday 20th overcast again.

Still playing with different ideas for the segment transporter trolley. I want to triangulate the frame using minimum materials for lighter weight. While providing widespread support for the semicircular, stacked segments, base flanges. 

Will skewed halving joints unduly weaken the 2x4s? If they stay full depth they end up 8" deep even without the minimum ground clearance added by the jacks and jockey wheels. About 6".

The image [right] shows one option. The curved load is spread over five points. Each carrying 100lbs.With the double, jockey wheels out at the edges for maximum stability and even load distribution.

The grey line marked 3.9m shows the foreshortened curve caused by the dome's cutaway doorway. The segment is still safely supported by the frame.

The image [left] shows the actual mock-up. Because the jack clamps have a minimum height they must be bolted to the upper timber pieces. I am trying to resolve the need for wheel castoring in turns. The tyres will strike the lower timber pieces unless the jacks are raised considerably. 

The cord on the ground is a rough attempt to show the dome's edge curvature. I am striking a 2.2m radius from where the crossbar is resting on the longitudinal 4.4m bar. I tried using a hose but it was stiff with cold and held onto its coils.

There is a danger that the nested segments will not fit onto the trolley frame because of the upright jacks getting in the way. The nearest parallel bar can be moved away from the longest bar [towards the camera] to provide more room. At the expense of reduced area of support. A plywood top skin on the triangle nearest the camera would help. 

Another trolley design [image right] with additional triangulation where the dome segment curves will rest. The new braces offer opportunities for jack clamp fixings at a larger radius and wider track. While avoiding potential conflicts between the segments and the jacks. 

I had enough materials, nuts and bolts to build the entire trolley but decided to leave it overnight. I may have better ideas and there's no point in having it lying or standing around in the garden. It is not as if I have even had confirmation of my igloo order. Let alone an expected delivery date.

The mock-up of the newly reinforced trolley is shown at left. I sawed one 3m length of 50x100 [2x4] in half to make it more realistic. By then it was too dark to perch on top of the stepladder for a wide angle shot. So you'll just have to imagine it looking prettier than this. 

I have found a forgotten box of 8" coach screws to hold it all together. Plus some others for holding on the jockey wheel clamps.

This thing is absolutely huge! 4.6m long x 2.5m wide. This is just a transporter for the nested dome segments. To get them home from an expected dumping on the verge. Over 200m from my home at the far end of the shared drive. 

The ground is still covered in spilt, self-compacting gravel. I will have to rake and brush it away. Before it gets trodden everywhere.

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