As can probably tell, the final model is quite the departure from my 3D model. That form was more so the ideal form if I were able to have it printed from durable material. I opted to build it from scratch instead, which meant some compromises had to be made. These were mostly the result of material availability, my own resources, and my construction skills.
The result is a six-branched tree with a wooden dowel rod trunk with aluminum tube branches and aluminum sheet leaves. The trunk and the leaves are covered in aluminum foil, giving the structure an interesting aesthetic, both industrial as well as natural. The trunk is snugly fit into a mason jar lid top. This means that structure can standalone, be moved around, secured in the ground , or onto the jar.
The branches are secured to the trunk via screws and then supported with a zip tie that wraps around all three branches on one level, pulling them tightly to the trunk. In truth, the leaves are duct taped to the aluminum tube branches. This provides ample support and security for any caterpillars or butterflies but more importantly allows for the leaves to be removed. This may be necessary depending on where the caterpillar decides to build its cocoon on the branch. If the cocoon is built too close to the leaf, there will not be enough room for the butterfly when he is stretching out his wings after emerging from metamorphosis. In retrospect, longer branches would have allowed for bigger loops and more room.
Unfortunately when it came to testing the viability of my tree, I was not able to obtain a live chrysalis. This was largely due to the time of the year, but also the complications involved with shipping live creatures across the country. As an alternative, I have put together a time-lapse image sequence of what (hopefully) would have happened.
connor mitchell 