Tools
None in the box list. Steps 6 and 9 send you up a step stool, step 8 asks for gloves, and step 10 puts a timer between the tree and the wall.
Parts (14)
| Part | Count | Size | Goes in | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stand leg | 2 | 74 × 5 × 3 cm | step 2 | The two legs are hinged at the middle and open into an X. |
| Stand cup | 1 | Ø 7 × 14 cm | step 2 | Three threaded holes near the rim take the thumb screws. |
| Pole, section A (bottom) | 1 | Ø 3.2 × 84 cm | step 3 | The widest pole, tagged A at its bottom end. |
| Pole, section B (middle) | 1 | Ø 2.8 × 76 cm | step 5 | |
| Pole, section C (top) | 1 | Ø 2.2 × 54 cm | step 6 | |
| Branches, section A | 1 | Ø 130 cm, 100 cm tall | step 4 | Hinged to pole A and folded up in the box, lights already on. |
| Branches, section B | 1 | Ø 100 cm, 90 cm tall | step 5 | |
| Branches, section C | 1 | Ø 66 cm, 75 cm tall | step 6 | |
| Light plug, section C | 1 | 4.5 × 2.4 × 1.6 cm | step 7 | Hangs at the bottom of section C and goes into the socket near the top of pole B. |
| Light plug, section B | 1 | 4.5 × 2.4 × 1.6 cm | step 7 | Hangs at the bottom of section B and goes into the socket near the top of pole A. |
| Main plug, section A | 1 | 4.5 × 2.4 × 1.6 cm | step 10 | Powers the whole tree. Its fuses sit behind the sliding door on the plug. |
| Foot switch | 1 | 9 × 7 × 3.5 cm | step 10 | |
| Star topper | 1 | 16 × 16 × 2.5 cm | step 9 |
Hardware (3 pieces)
| Part no. | Hardware | Count | Size | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300840 | Thumb screw M8 × 45 (stand cup) | ×3 | Ø 8 × 45 mm | step 3 |
Sizes are the blueprint's, as drawn in the 3D: diameter × length for fasteners, in millimetres.
The 10 steps
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Step 1: Check your parts
Open the box on a clear floor near an outlet. Lay out the folded stand and its cup, the three sections in order (A bottom, B middle, C top), the star topper and the foot switch, and find the bag with the three thumb screws.
Watch out: Lift each section by its pole, never by the branches or the light wire.
Tip: Every pole has a letter tag at its end. A is the widest and goes at the bottom.
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Step 2: Open the stand and seat the cup
Unfold the two stand legs into an X on a hard, level spot near an outlet. Drop the cup onto the hub with its three screw holes facing out.
Watch out: Keep the tree at least 1 m (3 ft) from heaters, radiators, candles and the fireplace.
Tip: Pick a spot where the bottom cord reaches the outlet without crossing a walkway.
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Step 3: Seat the bottom section
Stand section A up and lower its pole into the cup until it bottoms out. Turn the three thumb screws in by hand until the pole stands straight and does not wobble.
Watch out: Tighten the screws a turn each in rotation. Cranking one screw hard pushes the pole off center and the whole tree leans.
Tip: Have someone look from the front and from the side while you tighten, so it ends up straight both ways.
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Step 4: Lower the bottom branches
Pull each branch of section A down and out until it stops at its hinge, bottom row first. Work around the tree so the weight stays even.
Watch out: Keep the light wire clear of each hinge as the branch comes down. A pinched wire is next year's dark section.
Tip: Do not fluff yet. You shape all three sections in one pass once the lights are tested.
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Step 5: Add the middle section
Slot pole B into the top of pole A until it seats. Then lower section B's branches the same way, bottom row first.
Watch out: Check the tag says B. Pole C looks similar but is thinner, and it wobbles in pole A.
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Step 6: Add the top section
From a step stool, slot pole C into pole B and lower its branches. The top rows are short and stiff, so bend them down one at a time.
Watch out: Use a step stool, not a chair, and keep its feet clear of the stand legs.
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Step 7: Connect the plug chain
Find the plug hanging at the bottom of section C and push it into the socket near the top of pole B. Plug section B into the socket on pole A the same way.
Watch out: Push each plug in until it stops. A plug that is half in is the most common reason a whole section stays dark.
Tip: Test now: plug section A's cord into the wall for a minute. A dark section is far easier to fix before you fluff.
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Step 8: Fluff from the bottom up
Start at the bottom row, at the pole, and work out to the tips: spread each tip up, out and down like a fan. Finish a whole row before you move up, and do the top section last.
Watch out: Wear gloves: the tips are wire and PVC. Wash your hands when you are done.
Tip: Step back every few rows and look from across the room. Gaps show from a distance, not up close.
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Step 9: Fit the topper
From the step stool, slide the topper's spring over the tip of pole C and turn it to face the room. If it lights, plug it into the socket at the top of section C.
Watch out: Unplug the tree before you connect a lit topper.
Tip: Under a 244 cm (8 ft) ceiling this tree leaves about 19 cm for the topper. Measure before you buy a taller one.
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Step 10: Plug in safely, on a timer
Set the foot switch on the floor at the edge of the tree and plug section A's cord into it. Plug the switch into a timer, and the timer into a wall outlet.
Watch out: Never plug more light sets into the tree than its tag allows. If you need an extension cord, use one indoor-rated cord, never under a rug or across a doorway.
Tip: Set the timer to switch off at bedtime and while you are out. Then nobody has to remember.
After the build
Finish it in the app and it parks itself in My Garage with these care guides:
- Find the dead section: every November, about 20 minutes. Test the lights every year before you fluff. A dark section is far easier to fix while the branches are still flat.
- Take the tree down and store it: every January, about 40 minutes. Tape the bag of screws to the stand. Next year it is the first thing you look for.
How the reminders work is in the garage post.