miniTree build suggestions wanted

Aurbo99

Aurbo99

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Staff member
I'm looking to add/upgrade a few items for next season. I've not changed my layout in several years and I want to add a few more items

eaves trough pixels
Large snowflake (pixels)
singing bulbs/tree combo
upgraded North Pole

MiniTrees are on my list as my incandescent bulbs cannot be found in the quantities required.

I can go retro and rebuild tomato cage mini's wrapped in C6 led strings using SSRoz 4 channel per tree
OR
I can try pixels

My display is 270 degree viewable to the public

Any images/suggestions for Minitrees would be appreciated.
 
If you are going pixels, there are a couple vendors that provide them. I bought the Boscoyo mini trees a few years ago and have loved them. 70 pixels (if you go full 360) each, 49 if you go for 270.
 
I changed mine this year. I was using tomato cages already and saw someone wrap the cage in chicken wire then do spirals with pixels
and that's what I did as well. I really like the look. 100 pixels per tree. To me it's not a waste to wrap 360 as the ones on the backside
I can see from the house and they just look GOOD! I used the 46" cages.
 
I use 42" tomato cages wrapped in chicken wire for my mini trees. They've made the transition from incans to dumb RGB and now pixels. I have 62 of them in the display with 100 pixels each spiral wrapped. minitrees.jpg
 
I built non-pixel mini trees about 7 years ago. I didn't really like the narrow cone shape of the tomato cages so I built frames out of 1/2" PVC. I formed the base by heating and bending the bottom pieces using a jig so that I only needed T connectors. My display is only visible from the front (180° viewing) so I took the approach of using a "half" tree. This requires fewer lights to cover and as a bonus they can nest into each other to take up less space in storage. You could also do a full tree using the same design concept if desired.

Here are some pictures:
• Front and side view of PVC frame
• Wood jig for bending PVC
• PVC vs. Tomato Cage comparison

Jig template was added to post #31.
 

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ppohlman said:
I built non-pixel mini trees about 7 years ago. I didn't really like the narrow cone shape of the tomato cages so I built frames out of 1/2" PVC. I formed the base by heating and bending the bottom pieces using a jig so that I only needed T connectors. My display is only visible from the front (180° viewing) so I took the approach of using a "half" tree. This requires fewer lights to cover and as a bonus they can nest into each other to take up less space in storage. You could also do a full tree using the same design concept if desired.

Here are some pictures:
• Front and side view of PVC frame
• Wood jig for bending PVC
• PVC vs. Tomato Cage comparison
Click to expand...

I like this suggestion! How long is each section of PVC pipe that you bent? Also how wide is the base and how tall?
 
I made the change this past year from LED to Pixel on my mini trees. I used tomato cages for my trees and Boscoyo Pixel strips to hold the lights. I figured on a height that I liked and then adjusted it slightly to match the strips. When I figured out the final height of the cage and rolled rings for the top of the cage. These rings were welded in and the remaining material cut off the top to complete the tree. I made my trees 180 degree sing they only faced the street. So in the end I have trees that are 16 pixels high, 2 inch spacing, and 8 rows wide for a total of 128 pixels each. I built a total of 8 trees, one that goes under each of my arches. By using the strips the pixels are all aligned and the trees work like a matrix so patterns are easier to do. I can also scroll letters in them to spell words. They were a great addition to my display. Pictures can be provided if needed.
 
I had spiral trees made by Gilbert engineering, you can see them in the video and in this picture. 100 nodes each. he is planning to sell them in his store as i have had a lot of positive feedback from people. I have a simple 3d printed stand for them as well.
https://fb.watch/2RTK4I8wGL
131003341_1691216277713294_5030427077059588189_n.jpg
 
My wife plants a garden every year and we have plenty of tomato cages. I use 2 tomato cages per mini tree to give a better shape, probably the same idea as using chicken wire.
 
NDNS00ner said:
Anyone ever think about using an upside down fan trellis for mini trees?

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...29-c-7861.htm?tid=-5618629475312308967&ipos=1

https://www.lowes.com/pd/24-in-W-x-48-in-H-Brown-Exterior-Grade-Stain-Fan-Garden-Trellis/1002647750
Click to expand...

I used the wire trellis type for a couple of years with AC strings wrapped around them. This year I switched to pixels and ty-wrapped pixels to the verticals but did not like the look. Then I tied the Boscoyo pixel mounting strips to it and did not like it. All of these were really flimsy.

So I ended up welding some EMT supports and connecting the Boscoyo strips and finally got something that I liked.

Small Tree EMT.jpg
 
@kev the one to the left in the picture looks nice. That's what I am thinking of doing. Where did you get the parts from?
 
munu said:
I am new to this but read through a lot of threads. The tomato cage with chicken wire seems the least expensive and most DIY solution. The problem I see with it is storage. So I am thinking of getting something like this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001845050078.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.6d303c009hLGkx&mp=1 take of the lights that are included and replace them with pixels.
Click to expand...

I have 62 mini trees made from tomato cages and chicken wire. They stack quite nice. Takes up about 15 sq/ft of the garage floor. To me thats not a lot, but I have a 3 car garage for nothing but blinky
 
munu said:
@kev the one to the left in the picture looks nice. That's what I am thinking of doing. Where did you get the parts from?
Click to expand...

The one on the left is a "Spiral" tree. I bought the trees at Walmart after Christmas 2019 at 50% off. Then strip the incandescent lights off and ty-wrap pixels onto the spiral.

I actually made all of the trees the same height by mixing the poles from the two sizes and cutting the extra plastic spiral where needed.

There is a pretty good discussion of options here - http://doityourselfchristmas.com/fo...-trees-strips-or-nodes&highlight=spiral+trees


Spiral Trees Box.jpg
 
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