Project Information
Ger is the name of a tent that the nomads of Mongolia have used for centuries when they move with there herds for grassing.
I built my first one in 2012, after almost a year of research in to these tents, seeking the magical rules that guide there construction. Looking at so called Yurts, yurt is not the name of the tent but a bad word used by Soviet Russians to downpress the herders, built in western world I could clearly see a lack of respect for the crafts traditions that go in to these tents.
So after a year of talking to people in mongolia I had found the "magic" measurements, its all Buddhist, it all have to do with how many wooden wall sections they have and the 15 crossings of the Han, steam bent wall slats. The Un, roof poles, have a specific Buddhist number in standard size Ger of 108, the Toono, center roof hub, is constructed like the Buddhist symbol of the wheel and also divide the heaven in morning and evening. There are a lot more of things that goes in to the design of a Ger but I don't want to sit here and write a book.
Firs things first. By lots of wood, this is what will become the Un.
After a whole day at the table saw I finished cutting the Han slats
Next day I built a Han slat with nails for all the holes to be drilled, all the holes in the Han have different spacings so a Jig is a must, or I had to measure all 12 on 100's of slats… One day of drilling.
Next is hand planing the Han, it had to look nice to.
After 3 days of hand planing the Han, I started with the Un, hand planing the tapering of the Un.
Un are 1/3 square and taperd down to the end and 2/3 rounded.
I dont have any pictures of the steam bending or the tying of all the knots that create a Han section from Han slats but this is the first one finished after a week more of work. Its standing on its own from the curvature of the steam bent slats…
At this time I went to Nederlands to fetch the Felt from Mongolia. The wool felt the most important part of the Ger, no felt, no Ger. The Mongols has a saying that the felt is the muscle of the Ger, not the fat! This is true as the Ger wont stand up to winds at all without the 3-5 cm thick wool felt.
After this trip I started with the door frame, its a bit different from a "normal" door frame as the frame holds the whole Ger together.
Door frame done, Han sections done, Un, rounded on a moulder, done and now for the Toono.
The Toono is a strange construction but really strong, I'm sorry I don't have more pictures of the construction but the woodwork is done…
Night time test pitching of the Han and door frame.
Daytime test pitching the skeleton of the Ger.
The whole Ger packed and painting stared. First a white base paint.
Next the all so important and traditional Orange paint.
Finally, with the help of a friend, we pitched the whole Ger for the first time. Note that the door is not finished yet.
Door finished and I moved in.
This is what it looks like living in a Ger with all the mess one can have…
And finally a Swedish winter, living in a Ger.
I built my first one in 2012, after almost a year of research in to these tents, seeking the magical rules that guide there construction. Looking at so called Yurts, yurt is not the name of the tent but a bad word used by Soviet Russians to downpress the herders, built in western world I could clearly see a lack of respect for the crafts traditions that go in to these tents.
So after a year of talking to people in mongolia I had found the "magic" measurements, its all Buddhist, it all have to do with how many wooden wall sections they have and the 15 crossings of the Han, steam bent wall slats. The Un, roof poles, have a specific Buddhist number in standard size Ger of 108, the Toono, center roof hub, is constructed like the Buddhist symbol of the wheel and also divide the heaven in morning and evening. There are a lot more of things that goes in to the design of a Ger but I don't want to sit here and write a book.
Firs things first. By lots of wood, this is what will become the Un.
After a whole day at the table saw I finished cutting the Han slats
Next day I built a Han slat with nails for all the holes to be drilled, all the holes in the Han have different spacings so a Jig is a must, or I had to measure all 12 on 100's of slats… One day of drilling.
Next is hand planing the Han, it had to look nice to.
After 3 days of hand planing the Han, I started with the Un, hand planing the tapering of the Un.
Un are 1/3 square and taperd down to the end and 2/3 rounded.
I dont have any pictures of the steam bending or the tying of all the knots that create a Han section from Han slats but this is the first one finished after a week more of work. Its standing on its own from the curvature of the steam bent slats…
At this time I went to Nederlands to fetch the Felt from Mongolia. The wool felt the most important part of the Ger, no felt, no Ger. The Mongols has a saying that the felt is the muscle of the Ger, not the fat! This is true as the Ger wont stand up to winds at all without the 3-5 cm thick wool felt.
After this trip I started with the door frame, its a bit different from a "normal" door frame as the frame holds the whole Ger together.
Door frame done, Han sections done, Un, rounded on a moulder, done and now for the Toono.
The Toono is a strange construction but really strong, I'm sorry I don't have more pictures of the construction but the woodwork is done…
Night time test pitching of the Han and door frame.
Daytime test pitching the skeleton of the Ger.
The whole Ger packed and painting stared. First a white base paint.
Next the all so important and traditional Orange paint.
Finally, with the help of a friend, we pitched the whole Ger for the first time. Note that the door is not finished yet.
Door finished and I moved in.
This is what it looks like living in a Ger with all the mess one can have…
And finally a Swedish winter, living in a Ger.