Mini Tree Topper and Base

cults3d

January 2022 - revised the base added, old base and spacer removed.... Also, placed hole in center to allow 3 foot rebar support in middle of tree. While taking tree down the base broke. New base should stand up better to stakes. This model only cost 1 dollar because I am only pricing the topper and Star mount, the rest is free with the purchase. This is a pixel tree mount to build an eighteen string 216 degree pixels tree. Height can be up to 5 feet. The base design is a remix from the GE Spiral Tree Stand https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4680632. Had bought four of these for my show and decided to build two small trees to go beside my Mega tree. The topper was designed after several attempts. It uses ¼ x 1-inch bolts that screw into the topper at an angle and hold the strings. Center pole is ¾ inch EMT Conduit. Bottom poles are ½ inch EMT conduit. Top strings overlap from 1 to 18 to give an even look. ¼ x 1 ½ inch bolt mounts through topper stop at height for tree topper. I had to heat the ½ inch conduit to get it through the outside base holes, as they were a little tight. Sheet metal screws can be used to hold conduit in base and base end caps. 4 small holes in the top are for guy wire anchors. Build – To build mount the four ½ inch EMT conduit pipes into the base and secure with sheet metal screws. Add the four end caps and secure with sheet metal screws. Drill a hole in each ½ inch conduit about 4 inches from the end. Drilled a hole through the ¾ inch EMT conduit about 4 inches below the tree topper stop. You can add a little black electrical tape around bottom of center pole if needed to have a tighter fit. Then run wire through the ¾ inch conduit and to one of the holes in the ½ inch conduit. Then run another wire through the ¾ inch conduit and down to the adjacent ½ inch conduit hole. Repeat for the other side. Tighten so the pole is center. Beware you do not want to bend the ½ inch conduit up as you tighten, keep it level with the ground. This will support the center pole during mounting. Mount this assembly to the ground by driving two 3/8 x 12-inch spikes through the two holes in the bottom of the base, using the base spacers. Taking care to not drive too deep and breaking the base. Just needs to be close to snug. The topper is assembled by securing a string (with pixels) in each hole, starting at 1 and finishing at 18. Overlapping as going and not over tightening bolts. The strings need to be able to move a little. The topper is then slid down on the ¾ conduit to the stop. (If you skipped the above step to secure the center pole, well everything is now laying on the ground as the weight of the pixels has broken the base.) I then secure the back 2 guy wires and front 2 guy wires to the topper anchoring to the ground using four 3/8 x 12-inch spikes and tighten guy wires. The tree should be secure now. The last thing is to attach the strings to the ground however you choose. I use 3/8 x12 inch spikes from Lowes and bungie cords. Mount star on top if you choose. There are holes in the topper to run the wire from the star. Supplies – 18 – ¼ x 1-inch bolts 1 – ¼ x 1 ½ inch bolt and nut 23 – 3/8 x 12-inch spikes 18 – 6-inch bungie cords ¾ inch EMT conduit – height of your choosing 4 – ½ inch EMT conduit 18 inches each STAR MOUNT - If needed the mount for the Star is included. Print with same settings and use supports for holes. All parts are printed at .3mm layer height and 75% infill. I also printed with a line width of .5mm. This is not needed for the print, I only did it to speed up printing time. Wall line count is 7 and Top and Bottom thickness are 7 layers. Supports are needed on the base to keep holes round. No supports on topper. Side holes on topper will be slightly oblong which helps to hold threads.