Copper Clad - Rebar Freestanding MegaTree

(taken from the design of FLALOOP)

This design originally used ½” PVC Sched 40 pipe and fittings. I used this design successfully for 7 seasons for (3) 10’ Megatrees. The issue I found was the PVC fittings became brittle with age and started failing after about 3 seasons. I cobbled together various fixes, but the issues were becoming too frequent and major to continue repairs.

After looking at other Megatree options I decided to try to improve on the original design. Copper pipe was the only metallic material that I could find with reasonably priced fittings that could mimic the original design. I went with ½” plumbing copper pipe and fittings, to strengthen the base I inserted ½” Rebar into all the longer sections of copper pipe. This gives me a Freestanding 10’ MegaTree with no guy wires that disassembles into very compact pieces for storage.

Supply List

Qty Material 2020 unit $ ext Cost

 4 	 ½”x10’ copper pipe			@$  8.42		$33.68
 4	 ½”x10” steel rebar			@$  5.49		$21.96
26	 ½” copper Tee			        @$   .72		$18.72
14	 ½” copper Elbow			@$   .48		$ 6.72
 8	 ½” copper 45° Elbow		        @$  1.26		$10.08
 1	3”x10” PVC Sch 40			@$ 16.30	        $16.30
 1	3” PVC Coupling			        @$  1.66		$ 1.66
 2	3” PVC Cap				@$  4.98		$ 9.96
 8	8-32x1 SS Machine screws
 5	8-32x2 SS Machine Screws
13	8-32 SS Nuts
13	8 SS Washer							_______
Total								      ≈$100.00

Parts List

32	½” x 1 ⅛” copper pipe		Connectors
16	½” x 1 11/16” copper pipe	Outside Connectors
 4	½” x 1 ⅜” copper pipe		End Leg Connectors
 1	½” x 4” copper pipe		Base Brace
 4	½” x 21 ½” copper pipe		Inside Support
 4	½” x 30 ½” copper pipe		Bottom Leg
 4	½” x 40 ¾” copper pipe		Outside Leg
 4	½” x 29” rebar			Inside Support
 4	½” x 34 ¾” rebar		Bottom Leg
 4	½” x 41” rebar			Outside Leg

Construction

Clean and Flux all joints as assembling. DO NOT solder any joint until instructed.

Center Section

Crowns

Start the Center Section by cleaning and fluxing (1) 1 ⅛” nipple to 2 standard tees Repeat until 8 are complete

Add (1) 1 11/16” nipple to the perpendicular tee openings, then add a 90° elbow oriented up. Repeat until 8 are complete.

Take 4 of the assemblies, alternate as shown, and join into a single “crown” Repeat to form the 2nd crown

Adjust each crown so the vertical fittings are plumb in all directions. Since the assembly is not yet soldered there is a lot of adjustment available.

Once the assembly is adjusted properly, Solder All Joints on the crown NOW.

Bottom Crown

Take (1) crown assembly (4) 1 ⅛” nipples, (1) 4” nipple, (2) 90° elbows, and (2) tees

Attach a tee to each end of the 4” nipple, connect the perpendicular opening to opposite openings on the crown using the short nipples. Attach the 90° elbows to the remaining openings on the crown. Adjust elbow to face out at 90°. Solder when adjusted properly

Middle Uprights

Take the 21 ½” Inside Support pipes and insert one in each of the vertical openings in the bottom crown.

Then insert the opposite ends of the Inner Supports into the remaining crown. Solder all joints.

Insert Rebar Supports

Turn the center column upright and insert 1 ⅛” nipple in each opening. Then insert a 29” Inside Support Rebar into each copper Inside Support tube. This is a VERY tight fit. I found I needed to pound on the end of the rebar quite hard to drive the rebar all the way into the copper pipe. Insert rebar so it is flush with the top of the copper nipple.

In order to protect the fittings on the bottom of the column, I threaded a piece of wood through the lower crown and supported that with a couple of 2x4 scraps lifting the column off the floor. This allowed me to hammer the rebar into the tubing without damaging the fittings on the bottom.

Finish Upper Crown

Assemble 4 pieces each of 45° elbow, 1 ⅛” nipple, and 90° elbow.

Attach each assembly to the nipple protruding from the top of the Upper Crown. Adjust each elbow to 90° to the rest of the column inline with the fitting on the Lower Crown. Solder all joints

Assemble Legs

Assemble 45° elbow, (2) Tees, (2) 1 ⅛ nipple, and (1) 1 ⅜ Nipple as shown above. Solder, repeat until you have 4 assemblies.

Connect Bottom Leg pipe to Tee, and Outer Leg pipe to 45° elbow, Solder. Insert the corresponding length of rebar into both the Bottom and Outer Legs. I then drilled holes through the Outer and Bottom legs and rebar and inserted SS bolts and nuts to prevent the rebar from turning. Additionally, drill a hole through rebar at the open Tee connection sized for a Tent Peg into the ground.

Slide 1 ½” long piece of Thin Wall ½” PVC onto the outer end of the assembly and add ½” PVC Snap Tee to each Leg Assembly.

Insert Bottom Leg into Lower Crown, and Outer Leg into Upper Crown. I then drilled through each joint to insert a small bolt and nut for assembly and disassembly.

A 3” PVC Pipe Cap is attached to the Bottom Crown assembly to capture the bottom of the Pole. Attach the cap in at least 2 places to prevent turning during assembly and disassembly.

Outer Ring

The outer ring of the tree consists of (2) 10’ lengths of ½” Grey PVC Conduit formed into a circle. I put a SS Screw through each slip joint. This gives your a ring with a 6’ diameter, which fits perfectly into the snap tee at the end of each leg.

Center Pole

The center pole is made by cutting a 10’ length of 3” Sched 40 PVC pipe at 25 ½” from one end. The two pieces are rejoined using a 3” coupling, this coupling gives extra width at the upper crown for additional support.

The Center Pole then has a PVC cap attached to the long end.

For my Pixel tree, I used a 6 ¾” drain strainer with a steel floor flange screwed directly into the top of the cap to mount my J-hooks and the pipe nipple for mounting my topper. I then use pixel strips hung from the J-hooks and then zip-tied to the outer ring at the bottom.

For my AC string trees, I installed brass cup hooks around the top cap and loop my light strings from those hooks, and once again zip tie to the outer ring. I also use the steel floor flange screwed into the cap to accept my topper.

Finally, I pound a 10” tent stake into the outer tee on each leg. I have never had one of these move at all in many years of use.