Bjurt Yurts - Documentation - Cutting and Drilling

The last step was choosing fasteners.

Once you have procured your pole stock, cut it to the lengths indicated in the dimensions table. Sturdy pipe cutters is the most convenient tool for this. You may also use a hand saw. I have on occasion used an electric angle grinder, which is quick but not so accurate or safe as the other two methods.

You should now have 24 longer poles and 16 shorter ones. The longer poles are the 8 roof poles and 16 cross poles, and the shorter ones are 8 horizontal and 8 vertical braces. The roof poles and braces have two parallel holes each, and the cross poles have three parallel holes each. The required drills are as follows:

For each of 40 poles, drill a 1/4" hole 1/2" on center from one end.
For each of 40 poles, drill a second 1/4" hole 1/2" on center from the other end, parallel to the hole drilled in step 1.
For each of 16 of the longer poles, drill a third 1/4" hole in the center of the pole, parallel to the holes drilled in steps 1. and 2.

Tools you'll need: safety goggles, tape measure, permanent marker, drill press or drill, cutting fluid or WD40, work table, clamps, screwdriver or awl.

First, measure and mark the centers of your holes on the conduit. A drill press makes drilling more convenient, but you could also use a hand-held drill. For further convenience in securing the conduit for drilling, I've constructed a little wooden jig as shown in the photo. One end of the conduit rests in the jig that's clamped to the work bench holding the drill press, while the other end is held up at the same height by a bar stool. To drill out center holes in the cross poles, I unscrew and remove the cube plugging up the channel, allowing me to rest the center of the pole in the jig.

One way to help ensure that the second and third holes are parallel with the first hole is to use a screwdriver or awl. Position the pole to drill the next hole and stick the tool in the existing hole. If the tool is not perpendiclar to the ground, rotate the conduit until it is.

Now that the poles are cut and drilled, it is time to assemble the bjurt.