Rising star

[Jimmy]

A few years ago I made my first mega tree with a timber frame about 3m high with 16 x 50 pixels. It was a basic start to prove I could do it.
Last year I re used it but added a 270 pixel star.
This year I am going for a full rebuild and upsize.
I got myself a 6.5m pole, topper, winch etc. and made up a portable hole.
I did a test assembly and so far all seems good however I am not sure the best way to get the star up on the top.
There is a substantial weight with the steel pole and parts and only just managed to get the pole in the hole, but with a star on top it would even harder to lift.
I am looking for ideas on putting the star on top, any suggestions will be helpful.

 

[Notenoughlights]

My 6m tree is just over 4.5m without being extended, I just put my star on after the pole is in place before putting on the strips and lifting the whole tower up. If your pole is 6.5m to start with, you might be better asking for someone to help set up that part.

 

[AussiePhil]

mount the star and all the required electrics and cabling for it on the ground then use ideas and concepts from the boating world and amateur radio world on raising top heavy masts. These communities have been doing it far longer then we have.
Personally I use 65mm Aluminum mast @6.5m to keep the pole weight down.

 

[bpratt]

I used 48mm scaffolding pole for my effectively 8m tall tree including star up the top.

Search for ROT4844, and you'll find at least Action Aluminium have it in stock in Australia.

6m ROT4844 with about 3m of ROT383 partially inserted in to the larger pole.

oh and I should add that I bolt it on to a 6m tall, 150mm 'coppers logs', where around a metre of it is in the ground, concreted in to place.

 

[MichaelF5]

hmm bolting it down is a good thing to keep in mind, we get some wicked winds here, I just can't bring myself to do a pixel tree even though there are some amazing ones