Gray PVC for Mega Tree Hoop

[captainron19]

Right now for my mega tree hoop (holds lights only and does not support pole) is using (4) 10' sections of the gray pvc conduit so it is giving me a diameter of about 12.5 feet.   I want to make my diameter be 10' (half the height of my pole)

 

Right now the (4) 10' sections bend nicely to form my hoop.

 

Creating my new hoop so where the lights attach it will be off the ground by about 6-8 inches so I am building 2 hoops with 3/4"  T's connecting each section so they can be placed on top of eachother connected by verticle supports of PVC.  Also that will allow me to make the front vertical pieces a little higher in the front of my hoop since my land grades down where my mega tree goes making it more level. (sketch below of what i plan to do)

 

Based on my calculations I will need roughly 32' of pvc to get a 10' diameter so I plan on using (4) 8' sections

 

My question is.....the 10' sections bend nicely now to make my hoop....... should I expect any problems bening 8' sections?   I know its only 2' shorter each but wondering if anyone ever did it

 

[Jim Hans]

I've done the same thing... you will not have any issue putting it together!

[amtrak115]

do these sections have to be "glued" together or will friction hold the circle.  I was thinking it would be easier to store them as 4 10' pipes vs a large ring.

[captainron19]

amtrak

 

My plan is to glue only one side of each "T" into the pvc piping - that way I can take it apart and store it as 8' pieces

[Frybread]

I made one last year and did not glue any of the joints and did not have any issues.

I drove stakes on either side of the loop in several places then attached twine over it to succure it to the ground.  Did not have any issue with the ring.

 

On some other such joints I have taken wood screws and ran them through the joint and pipe to hold them so that I could take them apart for storage.  I have done this with my two 7' webers and they have worked just fine.

 

I am still trying to find something that tells me the stress strenght of PVC.. For construction use not water pressure.

[Steven]

My small mega tree (12') uses 2 10-foot sections of PVC for the bottom ring, which bends to about a 6' diameter.

 

I store it in a circle; and I stake it to the ground.

[Max-Paul]

A 10' dia ring is about 3 10' pipes (see pie). I used the electrical PVC conduit with built in coupler. So, just to stay on the safe side I drilled a small hole into both ends while put together and used a small sheet metal screw to secure the joint.  What I would do with the above diagram. I agree with the gluing the T to one pipe. then when put together, drill and screw together the other end of the T. Put the screw back in to the T after breaking it down. This way it will be there next year when you put it back together..

[captainron19]

Finished up the new mega tree hoop this morning..... ended up using (8) 4'6" sections of the gray 3/4" pvc for top and 8 for bottom connected with 3'4" T's and 1' vertical pieces of which I will shorten some to make up for the grade on my ground to have the hoop level.

 

Ended up not gluing any of the T's and it held together nicely and bent easily.   Plus experience from past (especially when making a tighter circle the white PVC T's are what will fail first (had them snap on me) so if that happens by not gluing them in place I can easily just insert a new "T" without having to cut more gray PVC.

 

The (8) 4'6" pieces ended up giving me a hoop diameter of just under 12'.  I know I was trying to stay close to 10' (half the height of my pole) but based on calculations...... 20' pole (actually 19' because 1' of it is underground) with a 12' diameter will require strands of lights to be just under 20' and my mega tree light strands are 23' so I will just wrap the excess around the pvc ring.

 

[captainron19]

Also decided to color code the sections of pvc since my mega tree uses 16 channels I alternate red and green

 

[Jim Hans]

Don't glue them! They're hard enough to get apart at the end of the season!!!

[k6ccc]

Just wondering what you are using for the 1 foot spacer?  Unless it's an optical illusion, the spacer in the bottom of your second photo (the one with the red and green) looks like it's two pieces that I can see the concrete behind the middle of it.

[captainron19]

Just wondering what you are using for the 1 foot spacer?  Unless it's an optical illusion, the spacer in the bottom of your second photo (the one with the red and green) looks like it's two pieces that I can see the concrete behind the middle of it.

 

I think you are seeing the writing on the PVC for the vertical spacers I used 3/4" white pvc