captainron19 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Nothing like coming home from work this morning and seeing this on the front lawn! Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Yep. Nothing like seeing that at the end of the work day. What you think happened capt? Windy night or some little shites that just could not stand seeing something wonderful lighting up other peoples day?What did you use for the push up pole?Sorry to see your mega tree broken like this. Hope you can get it back up smoothly as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Yikes...no one deserves to come home to that!!I originally made my Mega tree out of PVC...but after I set it up, I thought no way would it last in one of our famous windstorms we get here in Seattle...switched to metal pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediKnight2 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Vandals? Looks like it's too high for someone to have done that...wind? Looks like the most important part wasn't messed with either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 JediKnight2 wrote: Vandals? Looks like it's too high for someone to have done that...wind?I would imagine if someone pulled on the lights strings at their level, it could break at the point it did... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdickenson Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 i hate to say it but i think it was a little shi............z.....i have had issue in the late 90sfound out who it was and made a impression.....never had issues since.....sorry to hear.....thats alot of work...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Thanks for the condolences LOLActually it was the wind. We had 45MPH Gusts last night when a storm went through.I was using an aluminum telescoping flag pole. I had 3 guide wires in it but evenn the stakes holding the guidewires got yanked right out of the ground.I only lost about an 8" section of the middle pole but I decided to not go as high when I repair it (Which I am almost done). I only raised the lowest part (widest part of pole) and I raised the central one just a bit so the midway point of the tree has 2 sections for more support.I was worried about it only being about 15 feet and not looking as good as it originally was but it might turn out to be ok. Les height means more volume of lights (now each strand goes from bottom to top then back down to bottom as opposed before when each strand just went bottom to top) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 jimswinder wrote: Yikes...no one deserves to come home to that!!I originally made my Mega tree out of PVC...but after I set it up, I thought no way would it last in one of our famous windstorms we get here in Seattle...switched to metal pipe.I think I might switch to metal pipe next year - what size are you using Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 captainron19 wrote:I think I might switch to metal pipe next year - what size are you using JimI used WAAAAY bigger than I needed to...but my Mega tree sits on the peak of my roof...and I had already welded a base to fit over the peak (when I originally built the mast out of PVC) and I had a 1-1/2" metal stub pipe for the PVC mast to fit over, so rather than have to start over with a new base, I just made my mast out of 2" Pipe.I can get you pics when I get home tonight, if you would like to see them.My tree is only "half" a mega tree also and just stands 8' tall...plus another 6' on top of that, which is a "Bethlehem" star... Didn't need to put lights on the back half that faced the backyard, since no one would really see them...except all the neighbors who live behind me!!! LOLyou can see the "tree" in action here (60 strands - 3000 lights):http://vimeo.com/7912670 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Here's one of my four last year... Needless to say, the guy wire failed and now they're replaced every two years.I only lost 3-4 strands of lights and very few shattered bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Boy that knotting of lights looked too familiar. I think I spent 3 hours just untangling everything. I had 48 strans of minis and only lost one set. But I also had 24 strand of c7 LEDs (Home Depot Brand) and lost about 15 of those strands.I got back up and running but had to make the mega tree a bit smaller for this year. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank A. Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Good morningrepair looks goodI would be curious if any neighbors comment onthe change in sizeyou still made a great recoveryFrank A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 My neighbor across the street actually liked the lower size. He said because it is lower there is a more volume of lightsIt definitely is a lot brighter but I still miss the height of it (sort of was the focal point of my display) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 jimswinder wrote: you can see the "tree" in action here (60 strands - 3000 lights):http://vimeo.com/7912670Great job on the video Jim - I am still trying to get a nice video but having no luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWSanta Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Glad to see you managed to get your tree back up without too much damage. It's amazing what wind will do. If it's one thing I've learned is that you have to over engineer everything so that the ol'wind doesn't send stuff flying.My neighbor learned that the hard way even after I warned him and this year one of his 3 foot Snowflakes flew off his roof after he didn't tether it down. Luckily nobody was walking under neath and it missed his cars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Hamilton Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Hmmm, looks like my experience of a few years ago. I made my first tree out of PVC. After the first big windy night, it all came crashing down.After that, I went overboard. I certainly recommend this approach. I bought 1/2" thick steel pipe (gas pipe). It is threaded pipe. I used several 45 degree elbows to make a small hexagon shape at the top, and of course a much larger hexagon at the bottom. I have 4 pipes coming up from the base that connect to the top ring. I used 4 of those universal couplings on the vertical structure so when I take it down for the season, I simply need to unscrew those 4 coupling and the three collapses into a long set of pipes. The base ring stays together.I'm glad I used that approach. It cost me about $40 in pipe and couplings, but it is on its 5th year now without an issue. It gathers a little rust, but who cares. You don't see it at night anyway.I don't need any support for it at all because the base tends to be much heavier than PVC pipe. We have had some really nasty 50 MPH gusty winds last year and this year, but that tree doesn't budge an inch, and it is on top of the shed (in my photo) where it gets lots of wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Richard Hamilton wrote: Hmmm, looks like my experience of a few years ago. I made my first tree out of PVC. After the first big windy night, it all came crashing down.After that, I went overboard. I certainly recommend this approach. I bought 1/2" thick steel pipe (gas pipe). It is threaded pipe. I used several 45 degree elbows to make a small hexagon shape at the top, and of course a much larger hexagon at the bottom. I have 4 pipes coming up from the base that connect to the top ring. I used 4 of those universal couplings on the vertical structure so when I take it down for the season, I simply need to unscrew those 4 coupling and the three collapses into a long set of pipes. The base ring stays together.I'm glad I used that approach. It cost me about $40 in pipe and couplings, but it is on its 5th year now without an issue. It gathers a little rust, but who cares. You don't see it at night anyway.I don't need any support for it at all because the base tends to be much heavier than PVC pipe. We have had some really nasty 50 MPH gusty winds last year and this year, but that tree doesn't budge an inch, and it is on top of the shed (in my photo) where it gets lots of wind.Do you have any pics of it ... love to see your setup.i thought of going with a steel pipe next year - maybe i can even find one that will fit into the base I have for my flagpole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Here is my metal tree. As you can see I only have half a mega tree as it is up on the peak of my roof. After all the lights are put on I lift it up and put it on the stand that straddles the peak. Mast is 2" x 8' Pipe, three skirt pieces are 3/4" and they are all connected with a 1-1/2' x 1/8' flat metal bar. Light strings are held down with self tapping screws and big fender washers. Then my 6' star slides into the top. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Hamilton Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 captainron19 wrote:Do you have any pics of it ... love to see your setup.i thought of going with a steel pipe next year - maybe i can even find one that will fit into the base I have for my flagpole.I'll make some photos and post later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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