Printable View for Presentation #84 (See also "Manual on a String").

Manual DemoUnits Camping Size, first single unit

Find here a series photo's and instruction to assemble the first unit of a DemoUnit suitable for demonstrating but also for Occupy-like Demonstrative Camping. As you will see, the lens of the camera was dusty and the light was not very optimal. One day we will make better pictures, clarifying better.

It is worthwhile to study this manual, the construction system has few parts, only two parts that differ in shape and function, yet you will easily go astray when putting the parts together. Be a sharp observer when working and understand you have to do it this way, other ways don't work well.

Want to put the manual on display for the building team? Find out about the "Manual on a String". the special layout you need for the "Manual on a String" you get by the use the print button in the menu at the left-hand site of this text.

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Author: Demotech, design for self-reliance
Version: Juli 27, 2008 Feedback email info@demotech.org
Postal: Biesenwal 3, 6211 AD Maastricht, the Netherlands

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1
A crew from the Workforce demonstrates how to assemble the DemoUnit: Steffen holds the bundles of cross wires, Anna holds the bundle of 9 sticks for the first element of the DemoUnit, an other Anna, Clown Army Anna, hold more sticks for more DemoUnits to attach to the first one later.

This is what we bring in for a DemoUnit Tower constructed from three units: 21 bamboo sticks and a bundle of cross wires.

Author: Demotech, design for self-reliance
Version: Juli 27, 2008 Feedback email info@demotech.org
Postal: Biesenwal 3, 6211 AD Maastricht, the Netherlands

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2
Be amazed, but do your maths, three sides for each unit, thus three still bundled sets of cross wires and three sets of only three sticks, while they form a square together on each side? Of course that's because the fourth stick is part of the next squire.
Beware, some of the tricks you need for assembling work out differently from what you may expect, Follow this manual!

Triple three: 3 sets of bamboo sticks, 3 sets cross wires, 3 well trained people to build the first unit of the tower.

Author: Demotech, design for self-reliance
Version: Juli 27, 2008 Feedback email info@demotech.org
Postal: Biesenwal 3, 6211 AD Maastricht, the Netherlands

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3
We are to make a tent-like structure. Start with laying out the floor of the tent, then realize that one of the sides of the tent can also be laid out, later to be folded up. So after the first 4 sticks in a square, add an second square to the first one.
When folded up this first side, then what is missing to make the second side? Indeed, only two sticks! Count till 4: the first stick is already part of the bottom, then comes stick 2 and stick 3 that you put in place on the ground and against this bottom stick number 1. And stick number 4 is the stick that fold up with the other side. When you prepare for it now, you will see it happen in the next steps.

Make a pattern with sticks and cross wires as shown. Two squares plus two bamboo stick connected only at one side.

Author: Demotech, design for self-reliance
Version: Juli 27, 2008 Feedback email info@demotech.org
Postal: Biesenwal 3, 6211 AD Maastricht, the Netherlands

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4
The cross wires also have a pattern of their own Understand the cross wires: what they do and how they are attached. What they do is to keep the 4 bamboos of each square together and they make sure the square remains a squire, there is no flexibility.
There are 4 cross wires for each square. Each cross wire hooks in into the bamboo at a corner and are tied together in the middle with a end of rope.
Clowns army Anna has taken out a set of 4 cross wires from the bundle, while making sure they do not get entangled.

Cross Wires have a hook at one end to join the sticks.

Each cross wire has at its other end an eyelet to join them with an end of rope.

The rope is attached to the first eyelet, then woven through the other three.

Weave in the first round. Check now that all the eyelets come together within only a few centimeters distance.

Then weave a second round. Just loose weaving is ok for now, tightening comes only later.

Fold up one square of sticks. Only fold, do not twist to prevent the square from falling apart. With two helpers it works best, with only one it can also be done.

The third helper picks up the loose sticks at the other side.

The third helper hands over the sticks for making the final joints.

For the final joint, stick in the hook in the HORIZONTAL bamboo to complete the third square. Important: check always if done ok.

Final joint done wrongly! Do not stick the hook in the VERTICAL stick. Dangerous, as it can slip out and the tower will collapse.

All three rope joints should be tightened as is shown in the next images.

Pull hard on the rope to join the cross wires without any play left. Space between the eyelets is equally divided.

Make of the rope connection a stiff joint.

Wind crosswise in both directions to make a solid knot.

Securing the rope, tight, but easy to undo.

Check if lock is secure, check all three knots and once again, check if hooks are in correct position. Shake the DemoUnit to test its sturdiness. Correct when this loosens up the cross wires.

Author: Demotech, design for self-reliance Version: Juli 27, 2008	Feedback email info@demotech.org Postal: Biesenwal 3, 6211 AD Maastricht, the Netherlands
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