Mega Tree Build Ideas

[Dave76]

My current big tree isn’t so mega, it’s 12’.  16 strands.  I have a pipe on a wood mount and use four guy wires to secure the pole to ground with stakes. The 16 strands are each stakes to ground with adjustable buckles. This allows me to tighten as needed. There are constant tensions on the straps and the I assume stretch some and expand in the sun (South Carolina).  It’s not the best setup. 
 

what I want to do is put a 20’ tree in its place and also move the current one to the over side of my property. Potentially half on driveway and half on lawn. I really want to make both better, and less dependent on attaching to ground. If I could somehow make them independent would be great. Anyone have any ideas suggestions?

thanks!

[Kapkirk]

Dave76

 

Putting a 20 foot mega tree up with half on a driveway is a real challenge, if I had to do that I would think of putting in a threaded insert into the concrete or asphalt driveway. I use a 10 foot diameter of 1 inch pvc as the base ring for my 24 foot tree and the light strings are attached to the pvc at the bottom. Then I drive 1/2 rebar into the ground  to hold the pvc ring to the ground. You could do the same and over the driveway portion attach the pvc ring with a u clamp or metal strap clamp bolted to the driveway into the threaded insert/anchor.

 

Then when season is over just unbolt the ring and the threaded inserts could be driven over until needed next season. You will probably have to hose them out to remove the inevitable dirt and such that gets in. Hope that helps, I wasn't sure what you mean by independent but if needed elaborate and we'll help as needed.

 

Keith

[jwblazek]

I read with interest all the people putting up mega trees and so concerned about anchoring with concrete or large holes. My Mega is 20' tall with a heavy 4' coroplast star on top of that. Tree is constructed of 3/4" conduit for each of the 16 strands and 2" conduit for the uprights to the 10' level. I do not anchor mine in the ground. I use 6 guy wires, 2 on the left, 2 on the right and 2 from behind (about 120 degrees apart). First "tier" of wires (paracord) go to the end of the 10' conduit. Next tier goes up to the 20' mark. The tree has withstood 4 winter storms in California, some with high winds. Only issue I have had is the rebar posts I secure the guy ropes to loosen in high winds and heavy rains. There are no holes in the ground or even rebar under the main support poles

[Kapkirk]

41 minutes ago, jwblazek said:

I read with interest all the people putting up mega trees and so concerned about anchoring with concrete or large holes. My Mega is 20' tall with a heavy 4' coroplast star on top of that. Tree is constructed of 3/4" conduit for each of the 16 strands and 2" conduit for the uprights to the 10' level. I do not anchor mine in the ground. I use 6 guy wires, 2 on the left, 2 on the right and 2 from behind (about 120 degrees apart). First "tier" of wires (paracord) go to the end of the 10' conduit. Next tier goes up to the 20' mark. The tree has withstood 4 winter storms in California, some with high winds. Only issue I have had is the rebar posts I secure the guy ropes to loosen in high winds and heavy rains. There are no holes in the ground or even rebar under the main support poles

So this is a RGB / Pixel type tree right. I thought the OP was working on a conventional string tree. My Mega tree is 135 strands of red white blue LED strands, 46 channels, I tie wrapped 3 strings to a 1/8 inch diameter steel cable times 45 strings. I use 2 boat winch cranks to pull the 135 strings up the 24 foot. RGB would be easier to put up sounds like, but the sequencing is what keeps me from going the RGB route.

[Dave76]

12 hours ago, Kapkirk said:

Dave76

 

Putting a 20 foot mega tree up with half on a driveway is a real challenge, if I had to do that I would think of putting in a threaded insert into the concrete or asphalt driveway. I use a 10 foot diameter of 1 inch pvc as the base ring for my 24 foot tree and the light strings are attached to the pvc at the bottom. Then I drive 1/2 rebar into the ground  to hold the pvc ring to the ground. You could do the same and over the driveway portion attach the pvc ring with a u clamp or metal strap clamp bolted to the driveway into the threaded insert/anchor.

 

Then when season is over just unbolt the ring and the threaded inserts could be driven over until needed next season. You will probably have to hose them out to remove the inevitable dirt and such that gets in. Hope that helps, I wasn't sure what you mean by independent but if needed elaborate and we'll help as needed.

 

Keith

Hey Keith, sorry if that read confusing.  My current smaller tree is the one that will be on half lawn, half driveway. 

By independent, I meant less dependent on the ground for securing.  Something that can potentially free stand with adding each leg staked to the ground.

[Dave76]

10 hours ago, jwblazek said:

I read with interest all the people putting up mega trees and so concerned about anchoring with concrete or large holes. My Mega is 20' tall with a heavy 4' coroplast star on top of that. Tree is constructed of 3/4" conduit for each of the 16 strands and 2" conduit for the uprights to the 10' level. I do not anchor mine in the ground. I use 6 guy wires, 2 on the left, 2 on the right and 2 from behind (about 120 degrees apart). First "tier" of wires (paracord) go to the end of the 10' conduit. Next tier goes up to the 20' mark. The tree has withstood 4 winter storms in California, some with high winds. Only issue I have had is the rebar posts I secure the guy ropes to loosen in high winds and heavy rains. There are no holes in the ground or even rebar under the main support poles

Do you happen to have a picture?  Thanks

[k6ccc]

14 hours ago, Kapkirk said:

Then when season is over just unbolt the ring and the threaded inserts could be driven over until needed next season. You will probably have to hose them out to remove the inevitable dirt and such that gets in. Hope that helps, I wasn't sure what you mean by independent but if needed elaborate and we'll help as needed.

When you set the anchors in the driveway, drill deep enough that the top of the anchor is about a quarter inch below the driveway surface.  Then countersink the hole.  After setting the anchor, insert a flathead bolt into the hole when not being used so that you don't get the anchor full of dirt.  When you need to use the anchor, unscrew the bolt and the anchor is ready to use.  Obviously you would have to determine how big of a countersink bit to use and how large to make it and how deep to set the anchor, but if you do your planning, it should work fine.

 

[jwblazek]

Dave76, looked thru pics, nothing showing all , this one is close from a couple years ago. Zoom in for details.

 

Actually, forum won't let me upload photo, says its too big but only 22KB, suggestions?

Edited April 9, 2020 by jwblazek
Can't upload a 22kb picture, getting warning msg. Asking for help

[Dave76]

On 4/9/2020 at 12:34 PM, jwblazek said:

Dave76, looked thru pics, nothing showing all , this one is close from a couple years ago. Zoom in for details.

 

Actually, forum won't let me upload photo, says its too big but only 22KB, suggestions?

Not sure.  Maybe send it to my email?

[dibblejr]

Here is what I have been tossing around and I finally did it for the corona show.

I retired my LED mega tree after a lot of consideration.

It has the winch system pole setup. I purchased the kit last year from CLS.

Last week I took my 16 ccr tree hook head and zip tied it to the round hook head on the top. The way the hook head is designed it also snapped in place. My ccr hook head is 3/4 " square al tubing. It will not come off. I then used 4 zip toes each on my emt conduit strands, 4 just in case the wind and the little movement cause a ziptie to break, There are backups..

I winched it up and I used 1/2 of my trampoline frame as the base.

Works perfect and its a one man job setting it up.

It will take 2 people to take down, one on the winch and one to walk the emt strips out so they don't jamb in to the ground.

Tomorrow we are in direct path of tornadic super cells perfect test before the holidays.

I also have a couple mt build threads on the forum but its the old way. This is much easier. 16' doesn't look tall until you start trying to put it in the air on whatever frame you build.

JR

[dibblejr]

On 4/8/2020 at 7:25 AM, Dave76 said:

Hey Keith, sorry if that read confusing.  My current smaller tree is the one that will be on half lawn, half driveway. 

By independent, I meant less dependent on the ground for securing.  Something that can potentially free stand with adding each leg staked to the ground.

When half of my old setup was in my driveway I used 3/4" Red Heads to secure it in the back. The Redheads are strong enough I didnt need anything for the front. The frame was triangular.

JR

[caniac]

On 4/7/2020 at 8:55 PM, jwblazek said:

I read with interest all the people putting up mega trees and so concerned about anchoring with concrete or large holes. My Mega is 20' tall with a heavy 4' coroplast star on top of that. Tree is constructed of 3/4" conduit for each of the 16 strands and 2" conduit for the uprights to the 10' level. I do not anchor mine in the ground. I use 6 guy wires, 2 on the left, 2 on the right and 2 from behind (about 120 degrees apart). First "tier" of wires (paracord) go to the end of the 10' conduit. Next tier goes up to the 20' mark. The tree has withstood 4 winter storms in California, some with high winds. Only issue I have had is the rebar posts I secure the guy ropes to loosen in high winds and heavy rains. There are no holes in the ground or even rebar under the main support poles

it would be gone in two weeks in Nebraska.  I use ChristmasLightShow steel bases, 3ft "legs", 300lbs of sandbags, and 1 1/4 galvanized pipes (above 10ft I use ChristmasLightShow pole pins).  This setup has withstood 50mph winds which are a common occurrence here.

[Dave76]

Thanks for all the input and ideas.  DO you happen to have any pictures to go along with your setup?  I also have limited storage space so I try to make builds keeping that in mind also.

[caniac]

2 minutes ago, Dave76 said:

Thanks for all the input and ideas.  DO you happen to have any pictures to go along with your setup?  I also have limited storage space so I try to make builds keeping that in mind also.

asking me specifically? or all that responded?

[k6ccc]

On 4/9/2020 at 9:34 AM, jwblazek said:

Actually, forum won't let me upload photo, says its too big but only 22KB, suggestions?

The forum only allows a small amount of total upload space per user - last I think I heard was 500KB per user.  The solution is to upload the photos to a website and post a link to the file location.  You can use almost anything for your photos as long and it can be reached from the internet by anyone.

 

[Dave76]

20 hours ago, caniac said:

asking me specifically? or all that responded?

Anyone that may have some to share.  Don't run out of upload space though on my account.

[caniac]

 

[dibblejr]

Here you go, my converted 360 MT to my 180 ccr MT that will be a 360 pixel MT this year. Feel free to ask questions. Space at the top is for the star but the eagles love it to.