mega tree base ring material ideas....go!

**aknflyer** · 11-04-2019, 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by jchuchla

I like the idea of the cable reel spool, but those aren't exactly easy to come by, and I don't think they'd come in a 13' diameter.

Sorry Jon, I missed that size. They are very easy to come by though. The local contractor was happy he did not have to dispose of it. We have like 8 or 10 in our yard waiting for disposal in 6' 8' sizes if anyone in Alaska is interested.

**ags0000** · 11-04-2019, 12:31 PM

1) The HF tubing roller is what I used to make all 9 of my hoops, from 32" diameter to 14' diameter, using 1/2" and 3/4" EMT. It does take some practice. I found that drawing a line along the tubing with a Sharpie was a good way to keep track of the "yaw" in the roller, and help to prevent the twisting described by others.
2) This may be obvious or not practical for you for some reason, but here goes: you seem to be talking about two forces here - static (just the weight of the tree, tension to keep pixels straight) and dynamic (wind). I separate the two in my build. I have beefy guy wires from the top of my mast to 6' lengths of 1" angle driven into the ground. There is no way they will move short of a catastrophic weather event. That leaves the bottom hoop as a mechanism to keep tension on the pixels (only - not the dynamic loading handled by the guy wires) and for that I use much smaller cable, vertically down to the ground from the bottom hoop to much shorter stakes into the ground.

Maybe this would be a simpler project for you? Good luck.

**jchuchla** · 11-04-2019, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by ags0000

2) This may be obvious or not practical for you for some reason, but here goes: you seem to be talking about two forces here - static (just the weight of the tree, tension to keep pixels straight) and dynamic (wind). I separate the two in my build. I have beefy guy wires from the top of my mast to 6' lengths of 1" angle driven into the ground. There is no way they will move short of a catastrophic weather event. That leaves the bottom hoop as a mechanism to keep tension on the pixels (only - not the dynamic loading handled by the guy wires) and for that I use much smaller cable, vertically down to the ground from the bottom hoop to much shorter stakes into the ground.

You're right, there's two types of loads here, but they're not separate, they're additive. The guy wires on the main mast keep the mast straight. But that's all they do. And that's the lesser of the forces involved here. The mast guys don't bear any of the load from the strings, regardless of weather they're dry or caked in snow and ice. The tensioning of the strings is done by holding the base ring toward the ground with stakes and then applying countertension with the lift cable of the headstock. The loads from ice, snow and wind greatly increase the tension between the stakes and the headstock. and this almost always happens in a non-uniform fashion. Some strings have more ice than others, etc... So this causes deformation in the base ring, typically bending upward. This is what pulled out the stakes when I was just using rebar stakes. So I'd say the dynamic loads add to the static loads rather than being separate from them.

**barlav** · 11-04-2019, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by bob81354

barav nice job can you tell us what the dimensions are of the circle is and are the vertical pipes going in to the ground then stake that to the ground ?

It is a 10' piece of EMT curved into a 1/2 circle of approximately 7' in diameter. The 'vertical pipes' are 4' sections of rebar sunk 2 feet into the ground, no stakes needed as there is nothing that would be able top pull these things out. When it comes time to remove them each year my back can vouch for how secure they are. Probably is overkill but CNY winters have known to be harsh ;) The tee fittings are slid onto the ring and then secured to the rebar with a nut/bolt. I use a portable hole with the ASAP pole for the tree structure for rock solid install. I use a guy wire on the back side but I don't think it's really needed. Tree is 18' from ground to top of star.

Full build thread if interested

asap.jpg

**bob81354** · 11-05-2019, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by barlav

It is a 10' piece of EMT curved into a 1/2 circle of approximately 7' in diameter. The 'vertical pipes' are 4' sections of rebar sunk 2 feet into the ground, no stakes needed as there is nothing that would be able top pull these things out. When it comes time to remove them each year my back can vouch for how secure they are. Probably is overkill but CNY winters have known to be harsh ;) The tee fittings are slid onto the ring and then secured to the rebar with a nut/bolt. I use a portable hole with the ASAP pole for the tree structure for rock solid install. I use a guy wire on the back side but I don't think it's really needed. Tree is 18' from ground to top of star.

Full build thread if interested

asap.jpg

Thanks that's probably the way am going to do it thanks again for the info

**ben&bobbi** · 01-01-2020, 11:01 PM

i ended up ditching the ring all together. I am using stakes and bungee cords.

I use a string attached to the center pole. 48" out is a loop tied in the string. From there the other end of the string is 9" and a loop tied in the end. I set the first stake in the 48" loop. Take the loop off the first stake and put the end loop on that stake. Now the second stake goes where the 48" loop and the shorter section are tight, kind of like a triangle. Continue around the tree, moving the end loop to the previous stake put in. All my stakes are (roughly) 9" apart and in a 48" diameter circle, or half circle in my case.

Not the quickest idea, or a ring like you asked. I also wanted the spool ring mentioned above, but they aren't sitting on the side of the road around me anywhere. This works for me, the bungee keeps the strings pretty tight, but lets them move in the wind.

**NDNS00ner** · 01-02-2020, 07:13 PM

Ditto....

Originally Posted by ben&bobbi

i ended up ditching the ring all together. I am using stakes and bungee cords.

I use a string attached to the center pole. 48" out is a loop tied in the string. From there the other end of the string is 9" and a loop tied in the end. I set the first stake in the 48" loop. Take the loop off the first stake and put the end loop on that stake. Now the second stake goes where the 48" loop and the shorter section are tight, kind of like a triangle. Continue around the tree, moving the end loop to the previous stake put in. All my stakes are (roughly) 9" apart and in a 48" diameter circle, or half circle in my case.

Not the quickest idea, or a ring like you asked. I also wanted the spool ring mentioned above, but they aren't sitting on the side of the road around me anywhere. This works for me, the bungee keeps the strings pretty tight, but lets them move in the wind.

**nutz4lights** · 01-02-2020, 07:48 PM

Hi Jon,

I know you've been around here a long time, so I'm curious as to the reason not to use a forming tool? I have had one of these for probably 10 years. Only used it once, for $59.99, and it was well worth it... that same ring has been in use at my house for 10 years. Never had to change it... use fence top rail that costs $8 per 10 foot at

https://www.buildmyowngreenhouse.com...-bender-1.aspx

I wish you were closer, I would tell you to come pick it up to borrow. I have offered it to local lighting guys for years... these things are amazing.