Introduction: Anti-Gravity Tree Stand

A real tree in the house has long been a Christmas tradition.  The look, feel, and scent of a real tree far out ways the the downside of falling needles and sticky sap.

A few years back the puddle under the tree said it was time for a new stand.  The faithful plastic one (with a cool built-in adjustable tilt feature) had cracked.  A scramble to find a new stand a few days before Christmas proved fruitless...with the popularity of artificial trees; a live tree stand was no where to be found.

Improvisation once again found itself hot on the heels of necessity.  

With some spare parts from Santa's workshop... A floating Christmas tree is now part of our family tradition. 

Why would we ever go back to a conventional stand, with all the advantages the Anti-Gravity Tree Stand offers?
-  Its off the floor so its easier to clean-up the needles
- The tree spins, so you can decorate it standing in one spot.
- It won't tip over (a plus around small childen and pets)
- And best of all, It always points straight-up North!

In keeping with the spirit of the holidays and all...the instructions are roughly influenced (and I do mean roughly) by the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Please bare with...
And by the way; this Instructable is entered into the  Homemade Holidays Contest.
Please come back when the Voting opens on December 28th.




Step 1: Instructables Poem

I stumbled upon this original Instructables manuscript while searching the attic for the Christmas Tree Stand...thought it should be published here in its entiriety along with accompaning photos. Enjoy.

HERE IS THE WHOLE INSTRUCTABLE AS TOLD IN VERSE.
(or as some would have it, told in prose - it's really much worse.)
And so, like a nut-covered treat to enjoy, if you please,
Here is a bit of Instructable-flavored, holiday Cheese.


(This is the lesser-known version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" )


Twas a few nights before Christmas and all through the rug,
the tree stand had leaked much more than the dog.

I'd just settled the nerves with a long swill of nog.
contemplating how the tree would burn nicely as a fireplace log.
When up in the brain there arose such an instructable,
I stopped prepping the tree for the flames of a firey destructable.

I dashed to the garage and threw in the trash,
the old stand that I'd loved; it'd failed me for last.

The light on the bench of laborious toil,
gave hints to a solution that had started to boil.
When, what to my twitching eye should appear,
but a length of black pipe and steel cable right here.

With my little old driver so lively and quick
I drilled a hole in the floor and tapped it up quick.
Spreading an eyelet, I threaded this hook
behind the closet door where surely no one would look.

I fashioned some plywood to support a "cant" boom
and the length of steel pipe soon swung out, over the room
Secure at one end tucked under the hook tight.
From the other end dangled a steel cord with a loop and a bight.

Noose the tree up...and heave on the leaver
freed from the ground it will twirl from here eaver.

Usually, I thought these trees must be kept moist.
but how is it done, when up on a hoist?
Held tight to the stump by the threads of screw teeth
the 3 liter with water encircled the stem like a wreath

As bulbs that appear tangled by wild hurricane fly
when wrest by installer, blood pressure mounts to the sky.
So up to the tree-top the LED's flew,
With the help of twist-ties and a star'ed "Bumble" too.

Hang a cane on a tree or tree on a cane?
So that it seems like you know what you're doing, add a curled bit of conduit
to the top of the boom, made to look like a cane when red ribbon's are wound on to it.
As i'm reminded, it'd look more like the candy with ribbons red /
white
but when put away last year, they were too well-hidden from sight.

Thinking myself a right clever old elf
My wife laughed when she saw it in spite of herself.
til she ascended the stairs and found the pole in her path.
She let out a noise... not-so-much like a laugh.

Laying a cuff upside of my head
She stepped over the boom and headed to bed.
Never you worry, she couldn't have been much too sore.
for we've hung it like this, for the the last four years or more.

Something unusual born from a need, is really about nothing to whistle
but I rather like this one that twirls but won't topple down like a thistle.

The instructions are written and the photos you've seen
I hope you agree, A floating fir tree creates a wonderous scene...give it a try if you might
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.


Step 2: Silver & Gold (or at Least Some Type of Metal)


The light on the bench of laborious toil,
gave hints to a solution that had started to boil.
When, what to my twitching eye should appear,
but a length of black pipe and steel cable right here.


Materials Needed:

- 1" diameter steel pipe  10' long.

- 1/8" stainless steel cable  (approx. 8' in length)

- Cable clamps

- Hose clamp

Step 3:


With my little old driver so lively and quick
I drilled a hole in the floor and tapped it up quick.
Spreading an eyelet, I threaded this hook
behind the closet door where surely no one would look.

Materials Needed:
- Threaded Eyelet
- 1" to 1/2" reducer fitting
- 1/2" 45 degree fitting
- Short length of 1/2" pipe

A steel eyelet with wood screw threads is used to anchor the end of the pipe.  The eyelet was "opened-up" to create a hook.  A pilot hole was drilled through the carpet and into the subfloor. 
The hook remains there all year and the 1/2" pipe fittings are slid under it.  

Note: The closet door can still close with the pipe and hook in place.  

I suppose with shorter sections of threaded pipe, and a few more fittings, the pipe could be made to follow the floor to be less of an obstacle in the hall than the diagonal path used here.  (Ref. last photo on this page)

Step 4: You Should Have Seen the Size of the One That Got Away!


I fashioned some plywood to support a "cant" boom         
and the length of steel pipe soon swung out, over the room
Secure at one end tucked under the hook tight.
From the other end dangled the steel cord with a loop and a bight.



3/4" Plywood with a notch cut for the pipe is used to prop up the cantilevered beam.  The plywood takes the load rather than the molding at the top of the loft's railing.  It is placed on the floor and rests against the half-wall without any attachments..

A loop is made in the 1/8" steel cable around the 1" diameter black pipe and secured with two cable clamps.  A hose clamp is tightened around the pipe and is used to position the cable along the length of the pipe.   (Ref. last photo on this page)

Step 5: Hook Line and Sinker


Noose the tree up...and heave on the leaver
freed from the ground it will twirll from here eaver
.



 A second loop at the working end of the cable allows a lasso to be slipped over the main stem of the tree (about 1 foot down from the top) and tightened like a noose.

Step 6: Water Water Everywhere


Usually, I thought these trees must be kept moist.
but how is it done, when up on a hoist?
Held tight to the stump by the threads of screw teeth
the 3 liter with water encircled the stem like a wreath


Cut the top off a 3 liter pop bottle... the poem says the rest.

Step 7: Bumbles Bounce


As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.


Wow! thats right out of the original poem....I'm not sure I can do much more damage to that stanza than the author, Clement Carke Moore, did but, I will give it a try.

As bulbs that appear tangled by wild hurricane fly
when wrest by installer, blood pressure mounts to the sky.
So up to the tree-top the LED's flew,
With the help of twist-ties and a star'ed "Bumble" too.


The power cord runs along the beam and down the cable to power the tree lights.  This allows the cord to wind and unwind as the tree twirls.

LED "branches" are used here to disguise the cable and the electical cord.  Three LED shrubs were tie-strapped to the cable.  (The shrubs are LED's taped to pose-able metal branches and sold as a unit)

Step 8: Is That a Candy Cane or a Shepards Hook Hiking Staff?


Hang a cane on a tree or tree on a cane?
So that it seems like you know what you're doing, add a curled bit of conduit
to the top of the boom, made to look like a cane when red ribbon's are wound on to it. 
As i'm reminded, it'd look more like the candy with ribbons red 
/ white
but when put away last year, they were too well-hidden from sight.


Metal electrial conduit is bent into a curve to simulate the curl of a candy cane.  The conduit is slid into the black pipe beam and wedges in place at the start of the bend.

Wrapping the conduit and beam in red ribbon ribbon gives it a candy cane look.  (red and white ribbon would add to the candy cane appearance but I didn't have any handy this year so I had to settle for red and gold)

Step 9: Happy Holidays to All the Instructables Family


Thinking myself a right clever old elf
My wife laughed when she saw it in spite of herself.
'til she ascended the stairs and found the pole in her path.
She let out a noise... not-so-much like a laugh.

Laying a cuff upside of my head
She stepped over the boom and headed to bed. 
Never you worry, she couldn't have been much too sore.
for we've hung it like this, for the the last four years or more. 

Something unusual born from a need, is really about nothing to whistle
but, I rather like this one that twirls but won't topple down like a thistle.

The instructions are written and the photos you've seen
I hope you agree, A floating fir tree creates a wonderous scene...give it a try if you might

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Homemade Holidays Contest

Runner Up in the
Homemade Holidays Contest