Lego compatible tree

thingiverse

This is a Lego compatible tree I created for those of us who just need more trees in our Lego builds. It's considered a large tree compared to store-bought options. The base consists of one piece, designed to allow all the branch plates to slide onto it seamlessly. The stem of the base is keyed to keep all the branches aligned and stepped to ensure each plate is evenly spaced. I spent a lot of time measuring and trial-error fitting to compensate for PLA shrinkage, snug fit to a Lego plate, and overall ease of assembly. To secure each branch plate firmly and evenly in place, I used the base of a small deep socket. The top of the tree can be lightly tapped on - take your time and don't force them into place, as they do fit with a little wiggling. I highly recommend gluing each part to the base for stability, especially if you plan to move or reposition this tree frequently. CA glue works great in this case. I printed the base at .1mm and .2mm layer height, while the branches were printed at .2mm. Both combinations work well, but I'm not sure what happens with lower layer heights. I am currently working on a smaller tree design that uses some of the same parts but features a shorter stem/base. When I have more time available, I will post this new design for all to see. To minimize any potential issues, print the base both with and without supports - either way, there might be some plastic residue that could interfere with a perfect fit. Make sure to clean up the inside diameter of the base carefully. Each file name corresponds to a different level of branches - L1 is the top, while L9 is the bottom. I labeled them this way so that if I design an even taller tree with more branches in the future, I can simply add larger lower branch plates and continue counting up (L10 to L20). Please share your creations - I'd love to see all the unique color combinations out there! Post any comments or questions you may have, and I'll do my best to answer them. Enjoy building with this Lego compatible tree!