Stackable PVC Design
Here's a cheap way to make an inexpensive stackable minitree using PVC. This mini tree stands about 32" tall.
Materials (for 1 tree)
- 1 - 10' section of 1/2" PVC pipe
- 2 - 90 degree angle PVC elbows, 1/2" size
- 1 - 3-way connector, 1/2" size
- PVC glue, zip ties
- Lights (1, 2, 3 strings... use your imagination...)
Construction
It's suggested to press-fit the parts together first before gluing them permanently.
1. Cut the 10' length of PVC pipe into three, 32" sections and two, 12" sections. Be accurate with your measurements. This will use up the entire length of pipe. (Note: Make one tree with these dimensions and decide whether you like the look of these dimensions. You may want to make the tree 33" or 34" tall and slightly less wide. The original idea was to use only one 10' length of pipe per tree.)
2. Insert an elbow onto the ends of each of the two 12" sections.
3. Insert the other ends of the two 12" sections into the 3-way connector.
3. Insert a 32" section into the unused hole of the 3-way connector.
4. Twist the elbows on the ends of the 12" sections so they point upward.
5. Insert a 32" section into each of the elbows. Now you should have a triangular base with three vertical posts.
6. Temporarily bring the three vertical posts together at their tops to make sure they all fit nicely. If so, then now is the time when you may want to glue all the sections into the elbow fittings and let the glue set before finishing the tree.
7. Optional: Bring the three vertical posts together and temporarily wrap the ends with tape to hold them together.
8. Drill a hole large enough for a zip tie through the tops of all 3 of the vertical posts.
9. Run a zip tie through the holes and fasten the post tops together.
10. The basic tree is complete. You'll notice that the side posts will bend outward slightly. As you wrap the lights onto the tree, the wrapping tension will naturally bring the side posts straighter and the tension helps hold the lights better. However, if you want to straighten them, use a heat gun to warm the PVC near the elbow joints and this will relax the bowing-out. Be careful so you don't melt the PVC and do it outside where there's plenty of ventilation.
11. Spray paint it with flat black or flat dark green paint, or whatever paint best matches your light strings. Flat finish paint will not only be non-reflective but will provide more friction for holding lights in place when you wrap them, which will then require fewer zip ties.
12. Wrap lights on the tree, fasten with zip ties as needed. In this example, the lights were fastened to a side post, then wrapped around it, brought to the center so the wire was wrapped on the front side of the center post, then around the other side, etc. This left the back open and made them easily stackable. Because two colors of lights were used, they were first coiled together into a "super string" and both colors were wrapped on the tree simultaneously. Not only is this faster, it's about the only way you can fish the lights around and through things without breaking bulbs.
In use, you may want to use a couple garden stakes to peg the side sections down to the ground so they don't blow over. But as the trees are non-conductive PVC, you shouldn't run into any GFCI trips.
