Mini Trees that are built like Mega Trees

HertzSwift

HertzSwift

Apprentice elf
Joined
Sep 16, 2019
Messages
89
Location
Perth
Hi Everyone,

My Mega Tree worked flawlessly this season, stable, strong and reliable, I was really pleased with how it held up. My 3 metre high Mega Tree followed the pattern of alot of others, trampoline base, centre pole, steel topper. I've seen the mini-trees available off-the-shelf, like the Dalek ones, though they don't have the density I want.

I'd like to build some Mini-Trees this season, something like the image below, and I think building it the same way, only smaller to my Mega Tree would be the way to go. First problem I've come across is no one makes toppers this small, and trampoline bases don't come this small either. I thought about 3D printing a topper out of ABS, but these toppers when tensioned with pixels strips have alot of load on them and I'm worried it'd snap.

Does anyone have any suggestions on toppers and base rings, preferably steel, for these sections?

ghfghfgh.png
 
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Brett Douglas said:
Hi Everyone,

My Megatree worked flawlessly this season, stable, strong and reliable, I was really pleased with now it held up. My 3M high mega tree followed the pattern of alot of others, trampoline base, centre pole, steel topper. I've seen the mini-trees available off-the-shelf, like the Dalek ones, though they don't have the density I want.

I'd like to build some mini-trees this season, something like this, and I think building it the same way, only smaller to my mega tree would be the way to go. First problem I've come across is no one makes toppers this small, and trampoline bases don't come with small either. I thought about 3D printing a topper out of ABS, but these toppers when tensioned with pixels strips have alot of load on them and I'm worried it'd snap.
Click to expand...
A 3d printed one from ABS would likely snap but bolt it together with a sheet of Aluminum sheet (2mm or above) and you would have no issues.

If you check out my storm damage thread you can see how tough that combo can be, the megatree one uses top and bottom Alu layers but seriously doubt you need both for what you are planning
auschristmaslighting.com

Storm Damage - Wind and hail - very lucky with megatree

It has been easy over the years to say "i'm sheltered from the big winds and all is ok" and we have survived some big storms over the years. My megatrees have always been sunk about 1M into the ground with a solid concrete in place tube for the pole that is broader at the base than at ground...
auschristmaslighting.com auschristmaslighting.com
Photo's two and three are relevant.
The topper was only damaged after we dropped the pole to the ground in an uncontrolled fall from vertical and then it's just needs one hole reamed out
This shows the topper construction and would be dead simple to scale down to size https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/like-riding-a-bike-reinvigorate-the-megatree.13868/page-2

Brett Douglas said:
Does anyone have any suggestions on toppers and base rings, preferably steel, for these sections?
Click to expand...
Steel just makes it top heavy, a simple Aluminum one combined with a 3D printed section in a half corrugated setup would be more than strong enough after the storm experience
 
Following this. How dense are you wanting to go? As in closer than 1” spacing? Or do you have a goal height?
 
AussiePhil said:
A 3d printed one from ABS would likely snap but bolt it together with a sheet of Aluminum sheet (2mm or above) and you would have no issues.

If you check out my storm damage thread you can see how tough that combo can be, the megatree one uses top and bottom Alu layers but seriously doubt you need both for what you are planning
auschristmaslighting.com

Storm Damage - Wind and hail - very lucky with megatree

It has been easy over the years to say "i'm sheltered from the big winds and all is ok" and we have survived some big storms over the years. My megatrees have always been sunk about 1M into the ground with a solid concrete in place tube for the pole that is broader at the base than at ground...
auschristmaslighting.com auschristmaslighting.com
Photo's two and three are relevant.
The topper was only damaged after we dropped the pole to the ground in an uncontrolled fall from vertical and then it's just needs one hole reamed out
This shows the topper construction and would be dead simple to scale down to size https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/like-riding-a-bike-reinvigorate-the-megatree.13868/page-2


Steel just makes it top heavy, a simple Aluminum one combined with a 3D printed section in a half corrugated setup would be more than strong enough after the storm experience
Click to expand...

I like the sandwiched topper idea, with the plywood and aluminum, I own a drill press so drilling won't be a problem. I also own a router but I think it's only for wood....I do won a small jigsaw that can cut metal, but I'd think I'd have trouble cutting a perfect circle. Does it need to be perfect though..hmm...could probably get away with a bit of unevenness.

That's quite a bit of damage on your Mega Tree gezz. I had 6 pieces of rebar 50cm deep securing my Mega Tree ring to the ground, with guide-wires stabilizing the topper, held up well, though we didnt get a summer storm this year. I know my centre pole has a weakness, it has a coupler connecting two poles together making the centre pole, could come to regret that later, I'll likely change it to a solid single piece this season.
 
brando said:
Sht, sorry mate I was quickly reading in between meetings and wanted to see the responses
Click to expand...
Alot of the figures are just place-holders at the moment, nothing is fixed, I'm not sure were I got 3.81cm spacing from... That's not 1 or 2 inch spacing...

I'd like to do 1 inch spacing so 2.45cm, though that's now 980 pixels per tree, and I plan to make 5 trees, that's alllloottt of pixels, maybe to many.

Height will be around the 1metre - 1.2metre mark
 
Brett Douglas said:
I like the sandwiched topper idea, with the plywood and aluminum, I own a drill press so drilling won't be a problem. I also own a router but I think it's only for wood....I do won a small jigsaw that can cut metal, but I'd think I'd have trouble cutting a perfect circle. Does it need to be perfect though..hmm...could probably get away with a bit of unevenness.
Click to expand...
Routers with a flush cut straight bit work really well to trim Alu to size, for mine i 3d printed an actual routing template as i had sloped sides on the insert section so two different circle sizes.
Not an issue for what you want to do if you can fit the print onto the bed.
So rough cut with jigsaw and trim to size with the router.... umm Alu chips are bloody hot when they fly off :)

though a quick ebay search turned up things like
www.ebay.com.au

ALUMINIUM CIRCLE DISC PLATE FLANGE 100mm DIAMETER - 6mm THICK | eBay

ALUMINIUM ROUND DISC. SHEET THICKNESS: 6mm. MILL FINISH.
www.ebay.com.au
just drill holes, 6mm is likely excess thickness for mini trees
 
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Some fantastic ideas guys, thank you.

Those build photos Adsy, BooY and uncledan are really helpful, thank you.

​

 
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