Tree Stand Support

thingiverse

I've been on a mission to find an affordable tree stand that really works. After trying many different kinds, I was thrilled with "Santa's Last Stand," but it had one major flaw - the use of bolts that pierce the trunk either when tightened too much or as the tree leans and eventually breaks through. I experimented with quarters, but they slipped out, then tried bottle caps (metal ones), which were too flimsy and didn't offer enough surface area for support. It wasn't until I decided to use my 3D printer that I finally created a solution. In the picture of the tree stand pieces, you'll see three different models, including one with cracked threading - this is because I went through two iterations before arriving at the final product. From right to left in counter-clockwise fashion, the iterations are visible. I note that the threading may have been overkill since once it nears the tree, the support stops spinning and the bolt starts to thread more than necessary. For this reason, I've included a model with no threads so that the bolt can spin freely while still providing the needed support. If you prefer the threads, simply thread the bolt on just enough to hold it, then when the support hits the tree and stops spinning, you'll have much more room for the bolt to keep threading into the support. When printing this design, consider printing with it facing down - if you print on its edge, due to pressure, it may crack more easily since the bolt will be in parallel with the layers. Printing face down puts the bolt perpendicular to the layers, and you may want to use support and/or a raft since there would be very little actually touching the print surface. I hope you enjoy this tree stand design - I'll check back to provide any help I can.