How to raise/lower a mega tree

BundyRoy

Dedicated elf
Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Messages
1,026
I now have all the ingredients for a mega tree. I would like to set it up so I don't need an army of helpers to help me set/pack it up. I figure the easiest way to do this is to have some sort of pulley system to raise/lower the top ring.

How do people achieve this? Do you need two pulleys to try and keep the ring basically straight so it slides up the pole better or just have a double pull from one pulley? Do you lock the top ring up there some how after raising or do you rely on the pulley rope to hold it up.

Is there an other way that is better? Any thoughts/photos would be greatly appreciated.

Roy.
 

Fing

Full time elf
Generous elf
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
405
Location
Muswellbrook
Hi Roy,


have a look at my post for my tree. http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,7938.0.html


I used a ebay special winch ( $40??) with one pulley and a metal upper ring. worked well enough, but I had to install a guide wheel to stop it jamming from the single pull. If I get a "roundtuit" I'll change that to a two cable pull so it doesn't jam.


My tree is 5m, 36 string, @ 50 pix per string, which with the topper and ring and cables etc was heavier than I thought. the winch allowed me to raise and lower it by myself easily and let me stop half way to sort out tangles etc.


Cheers
Fing
 

BundyRoy

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Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Messages
1,026
Thanks fing. I hadn't thought of a winch. Hadn't thought of a guide wheel either. You might find it is still required with a double pull too although if you have only one guide wheel and a single pull then it should be right I guess. Not sure? Do you just have a flat plate at the top of the pole with a pulley hanging from it.
 

Bill Ellick

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 31, 2011
Messages
282
Location
NY
I use a hook head with a pulley top piece from Christmas Light Show for the top of my tree which is a 21 foot by 1-1/2" galvanized steel pole. Darrell offers some different styles of tree topper for different uses depending on what you are going to be using (ie. LEDs or Pixels).


Then to hoist the head up I use a winch with 3/8" galvanized cable run up through the pulley and to the hook head. The pulley head also allows for using 4 guy wires back to ground for stability of the tree as well.


I have been using it for the last 8 years without any trouble at all.


A couple of things to be careful of though:
Make sure that all the components will handle the load that you have.
Inspect the cable, pulley and all every season and lubricate the pulley a bit to prevent corrosion.
Make sure your guy wires and anchors are strong enough to hold the tree in the highest winds that will be expected in your area as the mega tree acts as a very large sail in winds so it tends to want to blow over. Mine has held up to 75 MPH gusts with no sway and I am using 96 strands of C6 LEDs that are 23 feet long each on my tree.


Hope the information helps and good luck!
 

Fing

Full time elf
Generous elf
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
405
Location
Muswellbrook
Hi Roy,
sorry if i wasn't clear with my last post. When I said double pull I meant attaching cables to both sides of the top ring so it doesn't tilt when It's winched up. If you look closely at the photo of the top ring you can see the wheel. It was a cheap plastic thing I had lying around. After 4 weeks in use it had developed a flat spot caused by the heat and weight on it... so it didn't work when trying to bring the tree down. ( but you can't beat gravity)
another issue I had was that it was a 270 tree and I was pulling on the unused side so the weight of the strands worked against me as well.


at the top I just has a long eye bolt through the pipe with a pulley attached. I might redesign this for next year (or not lol)


beeill is correct, the mega tree thinks it is a sail and loves the wind. Are you using pixel mounting strips? I had to use a strip horizontally about half way up to stop the strips twisting in the wind.
Cheers
Fing
 

BundyRoy

Dedicated elf
Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Messages
1,026
Thanks gents. I'll give it a crack and modify as required.
 

Stephan

New elf
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
Messages
31
Location
Parkes
Hi, What type of winch is better to use for the ASAP Sr pole, 'Strap vs Cable' and would it be helpfull to have a 2 speed winch?

Cheers
 
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