Mini Trees that are built like Mega Trees

AussiePhil said:
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
Click to expand...

Wouldn't of even thought to check eBay for pre-made ones, that'll save some bloody time! They come in varying sizes as well.
 
I think for the smaller sizes it could be an un-taped market, a small market, but it would be there, from the various toppers I came across from various vendors, none of them were suitable for Mini-Trees.
 
The smallest one there of the 12x string I estimate to be $9.00 (18mm Space) and a matching bottom $24.00 (50mm Space), whilst in the 20x string the top with a 30mm space $24.00 and a bottom with 75mm space is $90.00
Mild Steel 5mm thick laser cut. I do have another material (much cheaper!) that can be used, weatherproof and very strong however it's a bit tempermental when cutting so I need to play a bit more to get a consistent cut.
The spacing refers to the distance horizontally between pixel centre to pixel centre. The 18mm space is just enough room for bullet pixels to be used up near the top, however if you only had Square nodes you might need to start them further down or go with the 30mm spaced one.
The string mounting holes are spaced to suit @AAH pixel mounting strip, 2x outside holes are 3.5mm (for zippy tying) and the centre hole is 6.5mm to allow users to use M6 or 1/4" bolt through hooks.
The centre hole can be cut to suit an M12 All Thread rod to go through and clamp down onto some 25mm curtain rod or any other diameter tube material?
 
Although I am jumping in late, and things seemed to have moved to production ideas.

You can find small kids or exercise trampolines that have rings that vary up to 101cm. I bought a used only locally that was 101cm across to use for my megatree base. Also, Holiday Coro sells a small topper that is roughly 20cm across which was used for my megatree this year.

There are several different toppers available on thingiverse that you can print out though. I ran across them while looking for other things.

I do love this this idea and was also thinking of putting some of these together also and look forward to how this thread moves along.
 
BAZMick said:
The smallest one there of the 12x string I estimate to be $9.00 (18mm Space) and a matching bottom $24.00 (50mm Space), whilst in the 20x string the top with a 30mm space $24.00 and a bottom with 75mm space is $90.00
Mild Steel 5mm thick laser cut. I do have another material (much cheaper!) that can be used, weatherproof and very strong however it's a bit tempermental when cutting so I need to play a bit more to get a consistent cut.
The spacing refers to the distance horizontally between pixel centre to pixel centre. The 18mm space is just enough room for bullet pixels to be used up near the top, however if you only had Square nodes you might need to start them further down or go with the 30mm spaced one.
The string mounting holes are spaced to suit @AAH pixel mounting strip, 2x outside holes are 3.5mm (for zippy tying) and the centre hole is 6.5mm to allow users to use M6 or 1/4" bolt through hooks.
The centre hole can be cut to suit an M12 All Thread rod to go through and clamp down onto some 25mm curtain rod or any other diameter tube material?
Click to expand...

All great ideas, I'd be using bullets for the reason you mentioned.

I'd be interested if your keen on doing this type of work? It's really up to you if you think it'd worth your time.

Just an idea regarding the center hole, could you could include some slots to allow people to found a flange to the topper, this threaded flange below fits 20mm galvanized pipe. You could also mount another flange on top of the topper if you wanted to mount a star.



cghgfhgfh.jpg
 
Indigogyre said:
Although I am jumping in late, and things seemed to have moved to production ideas.

You can find small kids or exercise trampolines that have rings that vary up to 101cm. I bought a used only locally that was 101cm across to use for my megatree base. Also, Holiday Coro sells a small topper that is roughly 20cm across which was used for my megatree this year.

There are several different toppers available on thingiverse that you can print out though. I ran across them while looking for other things.

I do love this this idea and was also thinking of putting some of these together also and look forward to how this thread moves along.
Click to expand...

Yep just an active brain storming session at the moment, thank you for everyones input, hopefully it can help some others this season who are hoping for something similar.

I'll also look into Thingiverse and Holiday Coro
 
Brett Douglas said:
Just an idea regarding the center hole, could you could include some slots to allow people to found a flange to the topper, this threaded flange below fits 20mm galvanized pipe. You could also mount another flange on top of the topper if you wanted to mount a star
Click to expand...
What are the dimensions on that flange, have you got a link? By the scale of it I'd say they are 12mm mounting holes.

I also thought of some peg holes for the bottoms.

www.bunnings.com.au

Holman Universal Hold Down Stakes - 10 Pack

Find Holman Universal Hold Down Stakes - 10 Pack at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.
www.bunnings.com.au www.bunnings.com.au

Brett Douglas said:
I'd be interested if your keen on doing this type of work? It's really up to you if you think it'd worth your time.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, I've already done 90% of the design work so adding a few slots here and some holes there doesn't take long. Our machine sits idle most of the time so I'd like to start doing some products like these to get some more revenue from it.
 
BAZMick said:
What are the dimensions on that flange, have you got a link? By the scale of it I'd say they are 12mm mounting holes.

I also thought of some peg holes for the bottoms.

www.bunnings.com.au

Holman Universal Hold Down Stakes - 10 Pack

Find Holman Universal Hold Down Stakes - 10 Pack at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.
www.bunnings.com.au www.bunnings.com.au


Absolutely, I've already done 90% of the design work so adding a few slots here and some holes there doesn't take long. Our machine sits idle most of the time so I'd like to start doing some products like these to get some more revenue from it.
Click to expand...

In typical Bunnings fashion, no datasheet of detailed specs, I'd have to go there and measure one up.

As for the mini-tree bottoms, I'm not sure they're the solution for me, I like to keep a pretty decent front lawn. A ring has a small footprint, allowing sunlight and water to still get in where the mini-tree is secured. A solid base will leave a circle imprint after being left on the lawn for a month, it'd take weeks, perhaps months, for my couch grass to recover.
 
Brett Douglas said:
A ring has a small footprint, allowing sunlight and water to still get in where the mini-tree is secured
Click to expand...
So what if the bottoms weren't solid? I could cut some little brackets, legs, spacers, pegs, or stand-offs out of the internal waste of the base ring? I'd make the width of the ring 15mm or greater to minimise bending between spokes.
 
The bases not being a solid piece of steel, or the other material you mentioned, would be the way to go IMO. Not to just save peoples lawns, but it'd save on weight, thus cheaper shipping. Turning some of that excess material into some sort of stand to raise the bottom is a solid idea.

The 19.20cm topper and 47.50cm base, unfortunately, doesn't give me the desired look of the mini-trees I've envisioned. I need the base to be wider, at least 60cm, this gives more of a cone shape, like in my initial post. A 19.20cm topper and 47.50cm base with a 1m center pole will look like this, the sides are to steep IMO; And reducing the size of the topper, while giving that cone shape, won't fit the high density strings I want to do.

hdfhfddhdh.png
 
The look of the tree is a personal thing. Here is my mega tree which is on the steep side. :) I was not sure how it would work out but it did better then expected. I think I am going to look to increase from 40" to 48" and that might give it just the little extra at the bottom. I did learn you should have your base, pole and topper all set before you decide on the overall length of the strips.
20211218_104301.jpg

Here it is at night turned on.
20220112_205310.jpg

Dean
 
BAZMick said:
Mild Steel 5mm thick laser cut. I do have another material (much cheaper!) that can be used, weatherproof and very strong however it's a bit tempermental when cutting so I need to play a bit more to get a consistent cut.
Click to expand...
5mm is overkill for a mini 1/8 / 3mm is more than enough
Brett Douglas said:
All great ideas, I'd be using bullets for the reason you mentioned.

I'd be interested if your keen on doing this type of work? It's really up to you if you think it'd worth your time.

Just an idea regarding the center hole, could you could include some slots to allow people to found a flange to the topper, this threaded flange below fits 20mm galvanized pipe. You could also mount another flange on top of the topper if you wanted to mount a star.
Click to expand...
You can use the gal pipe with a nut threaded down it and put a coupling on top to lock it in place and give a through threaded hole for a starmini nut1.JPGmini coupling.jpg
you can do the same at the bottom to allow to thread in a stake to stand them up as well
 
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