Pixel Strip Support (Mega Tree)

Hey fellas. First year setting up a mega tree.

I’ve done everything, ready to go pixel strips at 2inch spacing, it’s 4m tall.

I’m just wondering what would you guys recommend to use in the middle of the tree to support the pixel strips to keep them all facing the right way?

I custom made steel framed the entire structure just a bit stuck with the middle support.

Any help would be appreciated.

If you’ve got spare megatree strip - it can work well going around horizontal. I printed some of these: https://www.printables.com/model/332939-12mm-pixel-strip-plug and then ran it around the middle

(Also, welcome to ACL. Always good to see another Victorian on here.)

Unfortunately I don’t have a 3d printer, have access to laser cuter but not printer.

I could rig up something to retrofit it though I guess.

Thanks for your help mate! Il post up some pics when she’s all set up!

An "old school" method would be to basket weave a spare strip horizontally in and out of the vertical strips and zip tying the horizontal to the verticals.
We do this at about 1/3 of the way up the tree (most of ours are 12 to 16 feet tall).

As Algerdes suggested, just place some pixel strip horizontally and fix to each vertical strip with a cable tie. Should only need 1-2 horizontal strips to keep it all facing front.

A friend reminded me that he used a thin cable (aircraft style ?) as the cross-member. Just another option.

I've used the spare strip solution at the bottom of the ring to make sure the spacing is all the same. Then I've used cable ties between the open holes at about 1/3rd, and 2/3rds up on the tree. I'ts a bit wasteful as you have to cut and dispose of all the cable ties at the end of the season, but a quick solution, and it is adjustable so you can get your vertical lines 100% correctly spaced.

Going a slightly different route this year, and printing 2 loads of these as I've gone from 2" spacing to 1". They are perma mounted on the strip, and only the wire needs to be removed at the end of the season. (Or if you need to take a line down due to pixel failure(s)) Will probably again go the 1/3 and 2/3 route, and hope and pray I don't have any pixel failures.

I've just thrown them in the 3d printer, and it uses about 230g of plastic to print 32 of them. So all in all about 500g of filament, or half a roll. Reach out to some of the other members in the Vic area, and find out if somebody is willing to print them for you. I am up in Brisbane, and time permitting may be able to print them and ship them for you, if you are unsuccessful when reaching out to other Vic members.

Hi I have 35 of the mega tree strip stabilizer that I made a couple of years ago made out of PLA that you can have if you want to try them for free