Happy for you that you got the igloo done and you were able to experience some igloo living. I hope your toes didn't suffer any permanent damage.
I do hope you get to carry on with the igloos now that you've taken the first step.
Thank you,
How big was your igloo, in the end, in terms of what you got for your time?
I bunch of other people and I threw together an igloo from cutting blocks with snow shovels on a course a few years back. There were probably ~10 people working on and off for a couple of hours at least, in a fairly bad storm but nowhere unsafe, and I remember feeling quite claustrophobic for my brief time inside. It was probably partly the very small space to slide in and out through. I bet it can take some getting used to.
fruitbat's pics are on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.10150269615478088.355421.824418087&type=1
Looks like they made the smallest one. You can build differemt sizes by extending the length of the pole on the icebox. See http://www.grandshelters.com/icebox-details.html
We made the smallest one, 2 of us, took about 6hrs.Roomier inside than it looks in the photos. Had a platform each on either side to sleep on with a ledge between for gear. We could stand up inside and had a reasonable sized tunnel and door.
More light comes into an igloo than a snow cave which makes it a bit less dark and spooky.I went in a snow cave once that you could only sit up in and found it claustrophobic.
I see at least seven layers/courses of blocks in the pictures. The smallest (7 foot inside diameter) only takes five courses to build and it is quite cramped for two people. I suspect you built the 8 ft. igloo which is just right for two people.
I've had a few customers call and ask advice about the claustrophobic thing. I've told them that the walls are thin and let light through and one could just bust out through the walls if it came to that. I had one person get back to me about it and he said it didn't work for his wife.
But, we did have 21 people in a 9 ft. igloo once...
Oh yes you're right Ed. We made the 8 foot one. Plenty of room.
Just heard from Stew from ADRIFT who do guided Tongariro Crossing trips. He's been keeping an eye on the igloo and apparently it has suffered from the rain and has no roof and is filling with snow. He says 'it's a handyman's delight at best or more likely a demolition job.'
Hi,
a cheap and readily available way of messing with igloos made from "box-moulded typ bricks" is this:
Buy a mid sized plastic box that has a slightly conical shape so that similar boxes are stackable into each other for storage without taking much room. The tapered walls are necessary for the "brick" to come out nicely.
Then, fill the box, dump out a "brick", repeat, and build your igloo from those bricks.
Of course this method has no guide to achieve a good geometry, and it is not collapsible either. But it's lightweight, cheap, relatively fast, and a good way to get started.
Cheers,
Matt
Igloo Ed has just posted some old pictures on Facebook of working with a prototype block mould that did not have the guidance pole. Seems it ended in frustration http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=10150255944161569&set=a.10150250965701569.315047.675056568&type=1&theater
My one experience, many years ago, with igloo building we attempted to build an oval igloo to fit the available space. It didn't work.. you can't build an oval igloo. Getting those upper layers of blocks to support each other is critical.
I'd hoped the igloo would last longer but sometimes they don't last. There are a lot of different reasons they sag or collapse. I've actually only seen a few igloo collapse of the hundreds I've built. Usually they either sag to the floor or they melt through on the sunny side. They tend to collapse when the snow is very fluffy and the spring sun comes out. The fluffy snow compresses a lot on the sunny side and the rest of the igloo doesn't sag near as much. This distorts the shape and the support is lost. If an igloo sags evenly, it could sag a long ways before any problems occur. More than likely the rain warmed up the roof of the igloo and it compressed more than the walls. That would allow the roof to sag rapidly into an inverted dome. When it sags fast, cracks can form and the roof could fall or collapse.
There is a product called "Eski Mold" that is a set of plastic tubs that fit within each other for storage. As Mariku pointed out, one wouldn't have the guidance of the pole to end up with the right shape. Another draw back is dependent on snow conditions. If the snow is very cold and icy, the blocks are very weak and at the least the edges will crumble it the blocks are handled right away. One would need to let the blocks set around for an hour or more before they sintered strong enough to handle. The ICEBOX can be moved very gently and the blocks don't break.
The cracks between blocks would also need to be patched but there are no cracks when using the ICEBOX.
I have to smile, Peter. "ended in frustration" is oh so true. I'd put a lot of hope into it by that point and my heart was broken. Only when I reasoned that I should at least write down my problems did I gain hope again.
I hope you guys have a good trip to the South Island.
