how to build a yurt (7 of 10)

These pictures are all of the tension ring going up. First you see the ring, this huge piece of multi-layered wood, really pretty. I was all “the instructions say to use a rope and lift it up using the scaffolding as a fulcrum…” and the men looked at me like I was nuts and said, “we’ll just muscle it up there.” Which they did. I was so nervous, watching them, that I forgot to take any pictures of that very exciting moment–so you just see it below, and then above, poof.

Next, a couple of people held it in place (they took turns) until the others got four of the rafters hooked up, which held the ring up, like magic. There was this scary moment where the holders let go…and it didn’t fall down.  Yeah!  That’s why they call it a tension ring–the pressure from the rafters is all that is supporting it. Next they added the rest of the rafters until all fifty were in.  The top end of each rafter hooks into the ring, and the lower end hooks onto a metal cable that rests on top of the lattice.  The weight of the roof is thus transfered down into the lattice–which is just thin pieces of wood, but together very strong, strong enough to hold up all of that roof, plus a heavy load of snow–and down to the pilings that hold the floor up. A yurt is an engineering miracle, if you ask me.

The last picture is of Paul and my cousin Noah sitting on the ring, suspended sixteen feet up in the air. Everyone cheered!