Tree House time (pictures)

[chipwillis]

TB that looks ready to travel. I like the sidebags with wheels.

[TranquillityBase]

Dave, please tell us you're going to install one MC-E inside each step...

[Data]

Dave, please tell us you're going to install one MC-E inside each step...

[saabgoblin]

You're making me homesick for Pennsylvania but I bet your tree house carpet will stay considerably drier and less mildewy than the one that I had as a kid and thanks for the picture of "Goldfinger".

[Stan671]

Fantastic progress on the tree house, Dave!! Those stairs will look amazing.

What goes from the landing at the top of the spiral stairs to the house? Will that be a straight-up ladder-type thing? Or will be be some more non-spiral stairs?

I would like to come for a visit and offer my day laborer services. I'll give you a call.

[Data]

Stan, you are welcome anytime.

I will post a pic to answer your question.


Cheers
Dave

[greenLED]

What goes from the landing at the top of the spiral stairs to the house? Will that be a straight-up ladder-type thing? Or will be be some more non-spiral stairs?

Seeing what Data's done... I wouldn't be surprised if it were a plasma-powered anti-gravity elevator.

[Data]

Green, thanks for bringing me to my senses. I went from drilling a hole for every step to only four holes for all 24 of them. Only time will tell how the tree takes the trauma. Maybe cutting the treehouse holes two years before the step holes will spread out the shock.

I hope to see you again at the shot show in Vegas!

Cheers
Dave

[greenLED]

Glad to share an itty-bitty bit of ideas to your great project.

I keep telling people I'll make it to SHOT "next year" and something always comes up. So, I won't say anything this time around (but I do plan on showing up, eventually). It'd be great to see you again.

[jch79]

Dave,
When should we start on the manual?
Looking good, and I'm glad you reduced the number of holes in your main (and only) column!
john

[Data]

. . .What goes from the landing at the top of the spiral stairs to the house? Will that be a straight-up ladder-type thing? Or will be be some more non-spiral stairs?
. . .

This is a precision 2 1/4" ball screw. To go with it I have two 2" linear bearings and 2" rail.

[Data]

Have flashlight storage space, will travel... How many miles to that tree house, from Milwaukee?

If you are bringing that here, I get to ride it!

[Stan671]

This is a precision 2 1/4" ball screw. To go with it I have two 2" linear bearings and 2" rail.

So, does that explain the landing that is even with the top stair of the spiral staircase and the vertical rod next to it?

OMFG! You are going to have an elevator that lifts the person from the top of the stairs right into the treehouse??!!! And visa versa like the phone booth on Get Smart? Are you going to call it "The Datavator"?

Just when I thought the treehouse could not get any cooler - it does!

You are amazing, Dave!

[milkyspit]

Dave, given the nature of the tree house so far, as well as its physical situation distinct from your house and deck, but not terribly far away, either, might I suggest solar power inside running LED lights (of course) along with 12 volt electronics? I envision a bank of solar cells on a pole high enough to poke above the top of the foliage canopy, also with a motorized telemetry system to keep the panels turned in the direction of optimal sunlight at all times... and a bank of batteries, perhaps A123Systems cells or perhaps others, to run things in the evenings. This could all be wired into a self-contained power grid of sorts inside the tree house, roughly analogous to the breaker box, switches, outlets, and fixtures in an ordinary home... except in your case it's a lower voltage DC system. This would make the tree house truly green in a whole other sense of the word plus eliminate unsightly wires and/or conduit from mains to tree.

For networking (gotta have the tree house networked to both your LAN and the internet, right?) you could use a wireless access point as a poor man's fixed wireless installation... ought to work well. If you choose the networking components wisely, the DC distribution system in the tree house should do nicely in powering it. You could possibly even bridge a local VOIP phone segment over the wireless installation to bring phone into the tree house.

Finally, given all the above, you could mount a few LAN-based webcams strategically around the place: perhaps one on the solar panel mount to get a panoramic look above the foliage; a second in the tree house proper; and a third looking back at the house and deck, possibly mounted under the floor beams next to the stairs and elevator. That would allow you to take some truly spectacular video footage of pretty much whatever you wish in your general locale, whenever you like. It would also serve to see what's going on back there when you're not around!

[Data]

Stan,

A treehouse like this needs to have a small hole in the floor. The first plan was to use a near vertical stairs from the platform 7' below. But, that is plagued with problems and dangers as older adults, kids and dogs come and go carrying lots of "stuff".

So yes, this is an elevator. The ball screw is going to be connected to a servo control system that will move the platform up and down with almost no noise. If people are sleeping, one could come and go quietly. The platform will be of the type seen in both Star Trek Voyager and Deep Space Nine. It will have a guard rail around two sides of the platform and the platform itself will be expanded metal so you can easily see through it.

The unique part of the elevator is the ball screw; it is quiet, strong, indestructible and safe even in the event of a power loss. They are not normally used in elevators because of the extreme costs, but with only a 6' rise and ebay surplus, I could not resist.

Milky, I agree, security is a issue I need to work on. Video cameras are a good idea. Can I get you and Wade to design the network / video?


Cheers
Dave

[jch79]

Ok... I'm coming to see this when it's done, Dave - this thing is too cool. A freakin' elevator? Security camera's? And a servo control system... I don't even know what that is, but it sounds like something I'd like.

This thread and Don's Maui Time thread are the two best non-flashlight related threads on CPF, hands down - IMHO!

john

[gollum]

very cool Dave

you'd get this on all manner of tv shows
not to mention Guiness book of records for more than a few reasons.

[turbodog]

very cool Dave

you'd get this on all manner of tv shows
not to mention Guiness book of records for more than a few reasons.

Excellent way of attracting the wrong attention, like that of your local building dept or some opportunistic kids with nothing better to do than fall and sue you.

Sorry... speaking from similar experience of sorts.

[TranquillityBase]

If you are bringing that here, I get to ride it!

Dave, what city are you in? I need to Google map it, to see if my butt can ride that far

[karlthev]

Wow! This the first time I've been HERE in awhile! Didya say ya once worked for Otis Dave? Always inspiring!



Karl

[greenlight]

This is all very exciting.

[dealgrabber2002]

No more updates or pictures? I rather live in that tree house than live in my condo.

[milkyspit]

Would you guys believe I visited Data's home last month and was so dumb that I never even looked at the tree house, even though I WAS RIGHT THERE?

[Th232]

Well, now you've got an excellent excuse for another visit!

That tree house never ceases to amaze me...

[HSG]

Thank goodness someone chose to post in this thread tpday or I would never have seen it.
All I can say is ... WOW !!
I've actually never read a thread where I started getting upset that it was ending. No new pics? I guess I'll just have to go over and see it for myself! Road trip to Data's from New Jersey! Carpool anyone?

[dealgrabber2002]

Thank goodness someone chose to post in this thread tpday or I would never have seen it.
All I can say is ... WOW !!
I've actually never read a thread where I started getting upset that it was ending. No new pics? I guess I'll just have to go over and see it for myself! Road trip to Data's from New Jersey! Carpool anyone?

Sure... pick me up in Cali?

[Kid9P]

Would you guys believe I visited Data's home last month and was so dumb that I never even looked at the tree house, even though I WAS RIGHT THERE?

LOL Scott.
I was over at Dave's this past summer. The first thing I wanted to see was the treehouse

Here's the only pic I took. Karl and Dave are posing by the steps. Hope you don't mind guys

What I found interesting is that even though there is no railing on the steps, you really feel no sense of "falling off" as you climb up. It truly is one freakin amazing treehouse

[Data]

kid, that is a great photo. I have the railing parts but no time to weld it together. There will be 2.5" rope spiraling up as the hand rail.

[1wrx7]

This is a precision 2 1/4" ball screw. To go with it I have two 2" linear bearings and 2" rail.

WOW... I haven't checked this thread in awhile...and I thought it couldn't get any cooler As soon as I saw this pic of the ball screw/nut I knew there would be an elevator We use these on some machines at my work. They are quiet and very robust. Have you found a motor, gear reducer and servo drive to run it yet? The AB stuff we normally use needs a minimum of 120v power and for higher drive speeds it needs 240v. The cool thing is depending on how far you want to take this, you can start the elevator slow then ramp up the speed for most of the trip. Or are you looking at an AC motor with a VFD to control it?

I agree with jch79... treehouse and Maui time are the best, with the pumphouse rounding out the trinity.

Awsome work Dave

[Cosmo7809]

When I see the pictures in the first post I smile.