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collapsible spiral tree


kingfish

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just checking in to see if you got your spiral tree planned out yet. My spiral tree that I have in the other post with the link to pictures is about 8 foot. I'm not sure what you plan to have for a height or what you want to do for channels or string length but I could always include some more detailed photos in that link if you're at all interested. The way mine is done it takes me about 10 minutes to set it up and another five to put on the controller

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would love to check out more detailed plans still have no idea what I am doing. I do want about eight feet. the ones I did last year had good theory but did not come out right.

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My tree is about 8 foot. I really don't have any detailed plans, building this is going to depend on the tools you have available and what your skill level is. I can point you in the right direction but the rest would be up to you. Let's start at the top and work down. My top piece is a three-quarter inch piece of plywood that I cut out with A 4 inch hole saw. From there I drilled 8 evenly spaced holes vertically along its Edge to put the cable through. Then I put 8 l hooks evenly spaced around the edge to hang the lights from (each hook is for two strings of Lights). In the center I drilled a hole to epoxy a piece of conduit about 8 inches long( if I was to do this again I would leave the hole open to slide the piece of conduit through with a horizontal hole in the conduit so you could put in a pin in to hold the top when it's erect). Use a butt connector  to extend that piece of conduit  down to the bottom  to get your desired height . At the bottom I have a 10-foot piece of half inch PVC conduit wrapped around unto itself. I drilled 8 holes evenly spaced for the cable to pass through to secure the bottom with what's called A Wheel Color that you can buy at any hobby store that sells model aircraft Hardware (This is done so I can easily adjust the tension). Then I made a cross brace out of 2 inch by 1/8 inch steel in the center I bolted down A 1 1/4 inch flange on the bottom for mounting the tree. On the top side of that brace in the center is a mount to hold the conduit center Pole with 4 shelves braces around it for stability. The bottom hoop mounts to that. Once you have this assembly up you can make three or four more Hoops in the middle to hold its shape. Then you're ready to mount your lights trick here is to not pull tight at all. Then about a million little zip ties to hold everything in place when you collapse it. I've added more detailed photos in my other post for you to look at.

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I would check out this video (he has part II linked in the description).  He also has plans for how to cute each piece.  I made a bigger one last year (10') and this year I'll be adding two smaller 8'ers.  I can send pictures/links to videos of mine if need be.   

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, kingfish said:

ive seen that one and its great but it does not collaspse.

I messaged they guy and he said it COULD be collapsible if you don't glue the vertical poles in their slots - then you can just de-string, store the vertical poles in a box and hang the rings on the wall.  I'm going to give it a whirl.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/5/2016 at 5:46 AM, kingfish said:

ive seen that one and its great but it does not collaspse.

I believe there was a part II for that video in which he makes a second collapsible version.  In the description I think he links to documents on all the measurements. 

Essentially its just as Jaynee said though, just don't glue the side rails into the top, middle and bottom rings.  You're left with three flat(ish) rings and 16 pvc pipes.  I've made three of them this way now (I've also built folding wood platforms to keep them up and out of the snow too ~18").    

 

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On 10/5/2016 at 5:46 AM, kingfish said:

ive seen that one and its great but it does not collaspse.

i use the same design, just don't glue the pieces together.  I made a 11 foot one and an 8 foot one, and they break down all they way to fit into a couple large black trash bags.  and slide between boxes and tubs in my shed.

Edited by ericm
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