Week notes #15
Hello all!
Thanks to all who made it to the first event yesterday! Here is the link to the recording if you want to watch it:
We had more questions than we had time to answer so I'm hijacking week notes to instead answer them below! Have a good weekend!
Q: Will there be gable and sloping roof options for the L internal span? So, 5.4m internal span instead of the current “M” 4.8m internal span?
A: Yes there will! We’re hoping to release a new block (or two) every week, so keep a look out for this.
Q: Does the manufacturing costs take into consideration the costs of the plywood or do you need to add this separately to your costs calculations?
A: No it doesn’t the manufacturing cost in the Block list spreadsheet does not include the plywood cost, and this is only a rule-of-thumb. Refer to the individual Block pages in the web library for quantities and costs.
Q: Did you use Spruce plywood for Skylark? Birch is stronger, but like approx. 20% heavier and bit harder to cut. Maybe something to consider. (in WikiHouse Swift we used birch for frame-parts only)
A: Yes, we did use spruce plywood in our testing. We also tested some elements made up of OSB. Birch is indeed stronger, and it can be a good option to improve the capacity of the elements. However, the stiffness might not be too different, so at the end the design constraints might be the same. It would be good to try it out for bow ties or in general any other element which design is governed by capacity requirements and not by stiffness.
Q: What CNC machines do you recommend?
A: It’s designed for 2440mm x 1220mmx18mm sheets, so any ‘8x4’ machine will do the job, even a relatively affordable one. Ideally you want one with decent capabilities to run quickly and for extended periods. More info here:
https://www.wikihouse.cc/guides/manufacturing
Q: Do you have files in Fusion360?
A: Not yet. As a small team it’s a challenge to maintain a library across all software formats, but the beauty of open source is that anyone can take the base files and adapt them for their CAD tools, and share this back with the world. We’re exploring ways to move beyond just files, but allow people to stream Skylark data directly via plugins (like Speckle).
Q: Would you actually encourage someone who is looking to “self-build” on an average budget to attempt to build with Skylark?
A: Yes, definitely an option to self-build (DIY) the main chassis, but it might be helpful having an experienced site manager to oversee the assembly and health and safety.
Q: What nails or screws should be used to assemble the boxes and where?
A: Typically just using No 18 gauge Brad Nails (l 35mm, d 1.25mm) using a brad nail gun. The nails are just used for handling and transport purposes.
Q: Is there or will there be a tutorial for designing your build in SketchUp?
A: Yes, on our to-do list. Keep a look out on our Youtube channel in the next couple of weeks.
Q: There are plenty of benefits to Skylark, would be interested in hearing your thoughts on durability compared to traditional build and what to consider in this regard when choosing WikiHouse.
A: The material itself is guaranteed for a 60 year life span but in reality could last many hundreds of years, provided it is kept dry and the building is not left unoccupied for too long. (Some of the oldest buildings in Europe are timber frame houses, and plywood is almost insanely strong)
Q: Are there any previously built WikiHouses that have been tracked over time to see how they hold up?
A: Yes - one of the oldest was built in 2014 (on the windy West coast of Scotland - and is still there!) and there have been lots of homes and workspaces that the occupants are very happy with – but we haven’t yet got any hard data from sensors. This is definitely something we’d love to do soon.
Q: Has there been some thought about what files and the formats that they are in? SketchUp 2017 (Maker) or other free tools (FreeCad, etc.) would make the designs more available.
A: There has. All the SketchUp files in the library should now be 2017 version and openable in Maker (please let us know if you have any problems). On the topic of which formats are in the library, as you can imagine, it’s a trade-off between supporting as many formats as possible, and working within the constraints of being a small team. We have started with the most heavily used formats, but we’d really love but we’d like to add more, including FreeCad especially because it’s open source, and if anyone wants to help with this, it would be fantastic. If you download the design kit there’s also blender and ifc format in there. On the long run we’re really interested in tools like Speckle which will allow us to share data in a way that can be exported into many formats without it adding to the maintenance burden.
Q: Would the old wikihouse map ever come back online to coordinate international network support and coordination on developments?
A: Possibly! We’re really aware that lots of different audiences come to the WikiHouse website and the map caused a bit of confusion (as well as being hard to maintain). So at the moment we don’t think this is a priority, but we’re open to persuasion otherwise!
Q: It feels to me that you’ve created the app store for buildings and this the infrastructure for all the creativity to be unleashed. Do you see it like that?
A: I think we’d prefer the analogy of a library - in that all the information is free! But we do definitely see WikiHouse as a piece of infrastructure; basically our agenda is to tool-up absolutely everyone, especially small businesses, self-builders and community organisations to build beautiful zero carbon homes for themselves.
Q: Would a typical council building inspector approve Skylark as a system?
A: Yes. Provided the space layout and final finishes are right, the building system itself should comfortably meet building regulations. In fact, it should significantly exceed building regulations in most aspects. However, in order to be signed-off by your building inspector you will need a structural engineer to run calculations and provide a structural certification.
[These weeknotes started in late 2021 in the lead up to the release of WikiHouse Skylark, as a weekly update for our WikiHouse Slack community. Follow the link to find out more about the community and how to join.]