Mega Tree Bun Foot

**walter** · 08-05-2009, 08:41 PM

So today I drove all over town just to find a bun foot to make for the top of my mega tree and found one so i decided to post some pic's.

**John** · 08-05-2009, 09:31 PM

Looks good Walter.

Caution - I had one of those wood ones once. Dang thing didn't hold up to the weather and split. Spilled the lights. Had multiple coats of outdoor rated paint on it too.

Now I use one I welded out of some steel rod.

Not trying to be negative, will probably work out well for one season depending on how wet your winter is.

**Al in Raleigh** · 08-05-2009, 10:29 PM

Nice job Walter. The rest of the folks on our forum should see stuff like this. John may have a point but it should last a few years here. Our weather is tamer than John's so are our women.
Al

**walter** · 08-05-2009, 10:37 PM

I'm still working on building a shutle but I think i'm going to run out of time this year so that was just to get me through. but still have not come up with any ideas yet

**mschell** · 08-05-2009, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by walter

I'm still working on building a shutle but I think i'm going to run out of time this year so that was just to get me through. but still have not come up with any ideas yet

Walter,
When I built my megatree, I used the same bun foot. Looks very much like yours. That was 5 or so years ago, and I painted it. It has a few places where it's has weathered, but haven't had any problems.

I didn't have a star on top until last year, so it had most of the elements hit it most of the time. Now that there's a flange on the bottom, and on the top for the star, I don't think it will come apart.

To get an idea of a good replacement that might slide up and down a pole, take a look at Darryl Brown's new topper for his trees @ http:\\christmaslightshow.com. He sells plans for a 20 or 30 ft tree that has a pulley to raise/lower the lights. My PVC tree is built from his kit from 4-5 yrs ago, and has survived several spills and strong winds.

**Don Williams** · 08-06-2009, 09:42 AM

Walter

We have 5 mega trees , and one we used a bun foot like yours. Hope you got a good price on it. The ones I have seen have been pretty expensive.

The other trees I just took some pressure treated 2X6 and cut out the topper and used the same flange you used. Then I applied a good paint to it. Have have had no problems with them.

Just don't use plywood because you will have problems from the get go.

Don

**John** · 08-06-2009, 06:07 PM

Walter,

I'm glad to hear the good results the others have had with the bun foot.

Maybe I just got hold of a bad one.

**Al in Raleigh** · 08-06-2009, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by John

Walter,

I'm glad to hear the good results the others have had with the bun foot.

Maybe I just got hold of a bad one.

Yep, you must have gotten a bum bun foot.
Al

**victory402** · 08-06-2009, 06:58 PM

My third wife had a bum bun foot and she split after 5 years.

**Wayne J** · 08-08-2009, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Al in Raleigh

Nice job Walter. The rest of the folks on our forum should see stuff like this. John may have a point but it should last a few years here. Our weather is tamer than John's so are our women.
Al

I am going to agree with John on this one...... here is mine that lasted one season (had 4 heavy coats of polyurethane on it)... near DISASTER!!!

If you have time, I would make a steel one.

**Al in Raleigh** · 08-08-2009, 07:32 PM

I still think Walter will be okay. He used exterior grade paint. Paint when properly applied is very elastomeric. Standing water is what kills painted wood.