JeffL 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 I'm trying to understand how they will hold their shape and not bash into each other when the wind blows. Is there something tying them from the top back down to the ground to keep them from whipping in the wind? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Wow, looks great, I like the idea of the rebar because it will be easy to move them around and bend the rebar for design. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) I'm trying to understand how they will hold their shape and not bash into each other when the wind blows. Is there something tying them from the top back down to the ground to keep them from whipping in the wind? Like Richards, I want them to sway around in the wind. After all we creating a type of artificial tree with lights on them. Roll back up to Richards diagram in post # 41. His are much taller than mine. I think his went up to 18ft. Mine are only 10ft. If I remember correctly he made a "halo" to limit some their movement. Once I get all my lights on, I may have to do the same. Edited June 8, 2009 by mnkyboy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted October 17, 2009 Report Share Posted October 17, 2009 Hi, I am finally getting around to the final project that needed lights added. Here is one of the Frames with only 4 stems finished so far... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeffL 0 Posted October 17, 2009 Report Share Posted October 17, 2009 Darn these look nice. Too late for this year though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted October 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2009 Hi, I am finally getting around to the final project that needed lights added. Here is one of the Frames with only 4 stems finished so far... Your Tree looks good. Are those LED's? The lower I tie them the more the branches bend out. I dont think you'll need a halo on your 10' tree's, I have three 10 footers, three 15 footers, and one 18 footer and the 18 foot tree is the only one with the halo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) Your Tree looks good. Are those LED's? The lower I tie them the more the branches bend out. I dont think you'll need a halo on your 10' tree's, I have three 10 footers, three 15 footers, and one 18 footer and the 18 foot tree is the only one with the halo. Yep 5mm concaves, a set of red/Blue/Green and Cool white. I will have them so I can switch between colors. here is another photo of all 8 stems done.. I will probably use some fishing line and lightly put tension on them about 3 feet up just to keep them from getting crazy. I am also thinking of extending the center piece of rebar up about 2 more feet so the center stem which is the longest is a bit more straight. sitting on the grass its not level. It will be when bolted down to the concrete here soon.. BTW one of these lights up my entire back yard pretty bright! My neighbor is going to love these!! ( look at the last photo how close his house is) Edited October 18, 2009 by mnkyboy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted October 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Yep 5mm concaves, a set of red/Blue/Green and Cool white. I will have them so I can switch between colors. here is another photo of all 8 stems done.. I will probably use some fishing line and lightly put tension on them about 3 feet up just to keep them from getting crazy. I am also thinking of extending the center piece of rebar up about 2 more feet so the center stem which is the longest is a bit more straight. sitting on the grass its not level. It will be when bolted down to the concrete here soon.. BTW one of these lights up my entire back yard pretty bright! My neighbor is going to love these!! ( look at the last photo how close his house is) That will be nice to have them bolted down, no worries that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 I finally set one up out front, and bolted it down. With it bolted down it's easy to "shape" the tree by just grabbing the pipe about where the top of the rebar is and moving it just past where you really want it. I also extended the center piece of rebar for the longest pipe by 2 feet and made a BIG difference for the center pole. It still sways in the breeze great but stays more erect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Garrison 10 Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 These came out awesome William! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Goldglove106 10 Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 Wow they really do look AMAZING!!! There gonna look great running up your driveway like that... They really do resemble Ocotillio's... Great job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 The trees are finally up and have been tested... a video of them in action, the audio is low but is audible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nutz4lights 2 Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Dang those look nice.... I am totally kicking myself for not doing these this year.... I love how you lined your driveway, I think I will try to work a "driveway line" into my display next year. Great job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Wow i like how you lined them along your driveway, the whole concept how easy and fast they go up is great as well dont you think. And you can place them anyway and place in the display... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Leona 10 Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 Thanks for the info and great idea. :giggle: Husband has own plumbing business. Always lots of odd sized spare pipe at his shop. I will have to do an inventory. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 just to let everone know how tough these are. Here in Phoenix we just had a freak Monsoon blow through...Monsoons here are known for 60MPH+ microbursts. They will remove roof tiles like a fan in front of a stack of paper at times. I was noticing the winds pick up and watched my wireframes on my roof for a bit start to shutter, Needless to say I was up on the roof in 35MPH winds and had them down in 5 minutes. about 1 hour later the winds picked up more. I had to actually do some quick emergency guys on my megatree since it was moving a little bit. AS time went the winds picked up even more. The Octillios were swaying like mad. They were bending over almost at right angle!!! But so far no issues, The mounts held perfectly. In this picture the one closest to the house is somewhat blocked from most of the bad wind. But look at the ones towards the street. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 here is pictures of them after the severe winds we had last night...reported gusts were up to 75mph. The first one close to the same angle I was at last night during the storm. I will know tonight after work if all the lights survived. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted December 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 (edited) I added a halo to my tree's to keep the branches from moving around, worked great. I used a 10' peice of rebar and laid it on the ground and steped on it and starting beding. Here are some pics. All my tree's are minute tree's or pvc tree's. All my tree's are wrapped with Paul Sessels C-6 LED's G/R/WW Edited December 29, 2009 by bowenrichard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drivemewilder 18 Posted January 6, 2010 Report Share Posted January 6, 2010 Dumb question....did u slightly bend the pvc before you slipped it over the rebar? I like how they lean and wonder if that's just a natural occurence from gravity and the weight of the pipe, or if you previously bent it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mattera68 0 Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Hey Richard I love these trees, how did you connect all the pipes at the base? You have only one piece of rebar in the center for each one, right? Did you add the halos for the smaller trees also? What happened did they sway too much? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted January 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hey Richard I love these trees, how did you connect all the pipes at the base? You have only one piece of rebar in the center for each one, right? Did you add the halos for the smaller trees also? What happened did they sway too much? I did add a halo to the 10' tree's as well. it kept the stems from all swinging to one side. I just took a ten foot peice of #3 rebar and bent it with my foot and attached it to the #4 rebar with rebar wire. Worked great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mattera68 0 Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 I did add a halo to the 10' tree's as well. it kept the stems from all swinging to one side. I just took a ten foot peice of #3 rebar and bent it with my foot and attached it to the #4 rebar with rebar wire. Worked great. How are the bases of the pipes connected? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted January 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 How are the bases of the pipes connected? I just pound the center # 4 rebar into the ground, then i just wire the pvc to the halo, I just set the pvc bases on the ground. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 Posted December 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2010 Has anyone tried making these with rebar? I am thinking about trying it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mnkyboy 0 Posted December 31, 2010 Report Share Posted December 31, 2010 Rebar?? Interesting idea Richard.. If anyone has noticed some of my images are now missing from posts in this thread, you can find them all hiding here. I had some issues where I had them stored and no way to go back and replace them here... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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