Tono
Back Home Up Next
 
     
  The Tono, or sometimes Toono, is the Mongolian name for the center ring that holds the roof rafters together.  Mongolians believe that it is the "Eye of Heaven".  It is also considered sacred, and in Shamanic tradition it represents the entrance to the upper world.  It also allows light to enter the Ger, and smoke (from a fire or stove) to exit the Ger, and it is treated with great respect.  It can be built using various construction methods, which can include sandwiching scrap pieces of wood between two rings cut from plywood, to being constructed out of solid wood that is build from multiple pieces of wood, cut at angles, then assembled and rounded.  I will be discussing both methods, but for this Ger construction, I will be using the solid wood style.  The diameter of the Tono will be 3' for this construction, and will contain two (2) rings, and upper and a lower with the lower ring being 3'dia. The Tono will have thirty-nine (39) holes drilled at a 30° angle for thirty-nine (39) Uni, or Roof Rafters to be inserted into. I will also have an alternate tono construction method using 3/4" plywood and scraps that are left over from building the Uni, or Roof rafters.  There will also be a section at the end that describes how the build Bagana, or Ring Stands.  Ring Stands, at least in my opinion, help to add stability to the Ger and are an integral part of the Ger frame.  They also help with easing the load placed on the roof rafters by wet canvas, and snow (if the Ger is used during winter time).  
     
  Tono Construction  
  Materials Needed
Three (3):  2"x4"x8' Building Studs
3 1/2" Drywall Screws
Two (2):  1"x4"x6' Poplar
1 1/4" Drywall Screws
One (1):  2"x3"x8' Building Stud
Wood Glue, Titebond 3 or Gorilla Glue
 
Tools Needed
Measuring Tape, English/Metric
Power Miter Saw
Power Drill with Phillips Bit Attachment
Drill Angle Attachment
3/4" Spade Bit
Hand Plane, Power Plane will work in a pinch
Wood Files

Alternate Tools Needed
Router
Straight Bit		  
     
Construction Method
 
  1. For most of the construction I used a metric measuring tape.  I found that the metric measurements were more accurate than the English equivalent.  I have listed both English and metric for all measurements, though.
  2. Start by adjusting the Miter Saw to the correct angle.  In the case of this Ger construction, 11.25°.
  3. Next cut the end of the first 2"x4"x8' stud at the above angle.
  4. Now measure 7.17", or 18.2cm, from the outside of the angle and place a tick mark.  This mark is the length of each section of the ring.
  5. Flip the 2"x4"x8' stud over and cut at the tick mark.  This is the first piece.  It should have two (2) angled cuts with the one long edge being longer than the other long edge.
  6. Now, place the cut mitered section on the miter saw, up against the blade (while the saw is not running) and place a stop at the end of the mitered section.  This will ensure that all the pieces that are cut, from now on, will be the same length.
  7. Now, cut out all the pieces, using all three (3) 2"x4"x8' building studs.  There needs to be enough mitered sections, thirty-two (32), to make a double thick ring, sixteen (16) sections each.
  8. Once all the sections are cut out, it is time to glue and screw them all together.  This process takes some time, so be patient.
  9. Starting with three (3) sections, place two (2) pieces together, for the start of the bottom of the ring, and place the third on top, centering the third section on top of the bottom two.  Finding the center of the longer side and then using a square to draw a line across the section will greatly help with this step.
  10. Using glue and four (4) screws, two (2) per side, glue and screw the three (3) sections together.
  11. Now continue to glue and screw all the sections together until the ring takes shape.  Using a garage floor will help with this process since a large, flat work surface is needed to ensure the ring is as flat as possible.
  12. Let the ring sit overnight to allow the glue to dry.
  13. While waiting for the glue to dry, the second ring sections can be cut out, and assembled.  The assembly process is the same as for the big ring, just with 3/4" poplar.
  14. Each section will use the same cut angle, but the length will be 5.98", or 15.2cm.
  15. Set the smaller ring aside to allow the glue to dry.
  16. Once the glue is dried, it is now time to smooth the outside edge of the ring.
  17. The easiest way of smoothing the outside edge is to pare all the bumps off with a file, or a hand plane.  Although, a power planer will work, I do not own one, so I used a Japanese hand plane.
  18. Again, this process takes some time, and patience. 
  19. An alternate, and even more time consuming way of smoothing the outside edge is to use a router with a straight bit and a circle jig.  The time consuming part is making sure the exact center is found, since there's no wood in the center of the ring to find it.  But, the outside edge will be a perfect circle.  I used this process on the first tono I built, and it worked wonderfully.
  20. Once the outside surface of the bottom ring is smooth, it is time to start drilling the holes that the Uni, or Roof Rafters, are inserted into.
  21. There will be thirty-nine (39) holes that need to be drilled around the outside of the bottom ring.
  22. Figure out a beginning spot and draw a vertical line from top of bottom ring to bottom of the bottom ring.
  23. Now measuring 2.89" or 7.36cm from that line, measure all the way around the outside edge of the ring until the original line is reached.  There may be a little extra space left over, typically a fraction of an inch, or a few centimeters, but that is ok.
  24. Now draw a line that bisects the vertical lines drawn in the previous step.  This is the "bulls eye" for where the holes will be drilled.
  25. Now, attach the angle attachment to the drill, along with the 3/4" spade bit, and drill all the holes.  The ring might need to be clamped securely to a table top/work bench so that it does not move around while drilling the holes.
  26. The holes are 3/4" because the Uni, or roof Rafters, are 3/4" thick.
  27. Once all the holes are drilled, it is time to attach the smaller, upper ring to the bigger, lower ring.
  28. Using four (4) scrap pieces of 2"x4" building studs, attach the upper ring to the lower ring.
  29. Once the two (2) rings are attached to one another, they can be sanded, painted and sealed.
  30. Set aside for later.
  
     
     
  Alternate Tono Construction
These plans are taken from two different sources; www.simplydifferetly.org, page 3; and www.yamakaminari.com, How To Make A Yurt.  I blended both to make a quick and dirty tono that can, and will, last as long as the one above.  It just will not look as nice.
  
  Materials Needed
One (1) Sheet:  3/4"x4'x8' Plywood, Outdoor Grade would be best, but any will do if painted
Approximately Three Hundred (300):  1 1/4" Drywall Screws
Scrap Pieces of wood from the cut ends of the Uni, or Roof Rafters cut into 2 1/4" long pieces (cut as many as possible)
One (1): Piece of Uni, approximately 12" long (used to space the 2 1/4" pieces above)
  
  Tools Needed
Scroll/Jig Saw, or a Router with Straight Bit and Circle Jig Attachment
Cordless Drill with Phillips Bit
One (1):  Small Quick Clamp, or a Large Squeeze Clamp will work
One (1):  Finishing Nail, large enough to fit in a center hole from the circle cutting process
Protractor
4' Straight Edge
Marking Tool, i.e. Pencil/Pen/Ultra Thin Sharpie
  
  Construction Method  
 
  1. Take the 3/4" plywood and cut two (2) 3' circles from it, using either a scroll/jig saw or a router with a straight bit attached and using a circle jig.  I prefer the router/circle jig over the scroll saw since it produces a cleaner circle.
  2. Take one of the 3' circles and find the center.  It should already been found in the previous step when the circles were cut.
  3. Using the finishing nail and the 4' straight edge, draw a line from the center of the circle all the way to the outside edge of the circle.
  4. Leave the finishing nail in place throughout this entire process.
  5. Now, place the protractor over the finishing nail and place the 0/180° mark on the line drawn in the previous step.
  6. I recommend that the following steps be done in quadrants.  It is extremely easy to forget steps along the way if done all at once.
  7. Now, draw a tick mark at every 10° mark on the protractor until 90° is reached.
  8. Remove the protractor and draw a line, from the center of the circle to the outside edge of the circle.
  9. Now, do the same thing all the way around the circle.
  10. Once all the lines are drawn, from the center of the circle to the outside edge, the center of the circle can be cut out.
  11. Again, I use the router/circle jig method, but the scroll/jig saw will work.
  12. Cut out a 28" circle from the center of the 3' circle.
  13. Do the same with the none marked 3' circle and set aside.
  14. Take the marked ring and place it marks up on a tabletop, or workbench.
  15. Take a break.  This next part can be a little nerve racking.
  16. Take one (1) 2 1/4" scrap piece and place it on the right side of one of the lines that are drawn on the ring.  Clamp this piece in place and flip the ring over and screw the piece, in place, using two (2) of the drywall screws.
  17. Now, continue to clamp and screw pieces around the ring, placing the piece on the same side of the drawn lines, as the first piece.
  18. Once done, there should be one (1) piece per line all the way around the ring.
  19. Now, take the 12" piece of Uni, or Roof Rafter, and place it next to one (1) of the 2 1/4" pieces that is screwed to the ring.  While holding the 12" piece in place, clamp another 2 1/4" piece  to the ring so the 12" piece is caught in between the two (2) 2 1/4" pieces.
  20. Screw the "new" 2 1/4" piece in place using two (2) drywall screws.
  21. Now do the same thing, with the remaining 2 1/4" pieces, all the way around the ring, using the 12" piece to space the pieces.
  22. Now take a much needed break.
  23. For the next step, take the other ring and place it on top of the ring with all the pieces screwed to it, sandwiching the pieces between the two (2) rings.
  24. Now screw the ring to all the pieces using two (2) drywall screws per piece.  Using the 12" piece will ensure none of the 2 1/4" pieces shift during this process.
  25. Once done, sand, paint, and seal the ring.
  26. Set aside for later use.
  
     
     
  Bagana  
  Bagana are, in essence, ring stands that help hold up the ring and helps to take stress off the khana.  The bagana resemble a "T" when built and will have are usually reinforced at the top with brackets and are decorated in the same fashion as the rest of the Ger.  It is also considered an insult to the host to lean against them.  "In the shamanistic tradition, the Ger is regarded as a representation of the universe", and the bagana represent the World Tree which links this world and the upper world.  They will take up some room in the Ger and most people do not use them.  Personally, I like using them in all my Ger, since they add something more to them.  
     
     
     
     
References:  http://www.mongolinternet.com/GenghisKhan.htm
                      http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/109807118/Ger_Mongolian_yurt_.html
                      The Complete Yurt Handbook. Paul King. Eco-Logic, Bath. 2001
                      Mongolian Cloud Houses: How To Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably. Dan Frank Kuehn. Shelter Pulications, California. 2006
                      http://www.simplydifferently.org
                      http://www.yamakaminari.com