Lawrence Drive Lights - Spiral Tree Build

LawrenceDriveLights

LawrenceDriveLights

Senior elf
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
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I had seen a few people use tomato planters with strip simply wrapped around it and that seemed like a nice easy solution to create a spiral tree.

However I wanted to use bullet pixel nodes as I had them and I also wanted to try and ensure all the lights in the spiral tree would be visible.


I was after something to mount the bullet nodes to that I could wrap around the tomato frames to look like spiral trees. I had some left over building strap (similar to this https://www.bunnings.com.au/abey-25-x-0-6mm-x-30m-punched-metal-strapping_p1090030)


It allowed me to use the punched holes in the strap to cable tie the bullet nodes to then I wrapped the strap around the trees. It did take a bit of time to cable tie the bullet nodes and a lot of cable ties but it did give the effect I was looking for as you can see all the pixels (360 viewing so to speak) as the galvanized strap also gives some nice reflections from the pixels.

Attaching bullet nodes to strap
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3fj68p5wlk4q7af/Photo%2027-1-18%2C%2010%2031%2049%20am.jpg?dl=0



View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uaq0cvl79qgx8mw/Photo%2022-7-18%2C%204%2017%2021%20pm.jpg?dl=0


Looks like this
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/122bphso47au8pw/Photo%2011-4-18%2C%201%2019%2050%20pm.jpg?dl=0


Basic Spec of Spiral Trees

Approx. 1400mm high

75 bullet nodes @ approx. 75mm centres.


4 x Spiral Trees for display.

Note: Originally was not going to have a Ray Wu type star on the top of each tree.
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eq2e0w7rh3w5a5u/Photo%2011-4-18%2C%201%2011%2023%20pm.jpg?dl=0


But they looks a bit small, so went with the Boscoyo coro ones instead

The Ray Wu stars get used later.


I will add a video of them in the next few days
 
I like the idea of the hoop iron. I attempted to make my own trees a few years ago and couldn't get a nice round look, so ended up buying the trainers.
This idea could have saved me heaps.
 
Looks great! Thats a lot of work and zipties. I finally got a nice round look with my trees by wrapping the whole tree with chicken wire. Bloody job... Great work!
 
Just a quick update.

I located my Spiral Trees roughly in position over the weekend so I could measure the lengths for the leads etc.

Here is a quick pic of them where I am going to locate them for our display.

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cc4xw0t335q9zuv/Photo%204-9-18%2C%2010%2029%2041%20am.jpg?dl=0


View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fkoog54yk70u65a/Photo%204-9-18%2C%2010%2028%2059%20am.jpg?dl=0



I am going to secure them to ground simply with a hole drilled through the legs of the tomato frame and then a tent peg into the lawn.
 
Great! I love simple and effective! I would love to see a video of these in action!

Are the frames 3 plant stakes tied together or do they come as a pre-built frame? If so, I would love a link to where you got them!
 
They are three single stakes tied together at the top with a cable tie, they are sold as a tomato frame and come with additional brace which clip onto the stakes, but I didn't need to use them as the builders brace (hoop iron) supports the stakes.

Here is a quick video of them running a very basic sequence


View: https://vimeo.com/289182276
 
LawrenceDriveLights said:
They are three single stakes tied together at the top with a cable tie, they are sold as a tomato frame and come with additional brace which clip onto the stakes, but I didn't need to use them as the builders brace (hoop iron) supports the stakes.

Here is a quick video of them running a very basic sequence


View: https://vimeo.com/289182276
Click to expand...


Awesome. Thanks! They look great!

My wife was bummed when our small spiral trees (incandescent) burned out and broke apart a few years ago so I've been looking to replace them with something similar but RGB. This will do the trick cheap and easy!
 
Thanks Lawrence. Thanks for the great post mate, will be doing a couple of your spirals and prob use the same method for a couple of mini trees
Leaning a lot here

They're on backorder :(

I do have a couple of other alternatives I was considering

https://www.bunnings.com.au/moroday-38-x-1-5mm-x-5m-rectangle-rubber_p4000021
or
https://www.bunnings.com.au/zenith-19mm-x-700m-poly-pro-insulation-strapping_p0810984

Both can be drilled with a standard drill bit as opposed to Rods webbing straps which require a bit more work.

Thoughts?
 
I would send Troy a message and ask when he will have the Boscoyo strips back in stock as they are the best and easiest way to do pixel MegaTree.
Lots of people use the Boscoyo strip
 
Hey mate,
Love the idea. You did an amazing job. Only prob is I went to Bunnings for the strip and the holes are different so can't get a good even spaced layout :-(
 
Hi Renzo, I got the strapping from Bunnings I think it is available in different widths and thinkness. From memory I went with the thing strapping to make it easier to spiral up etc.

There is also other ways for spiral trees using strip and other type of planter frames mentioned in some of the other spiral tree build threads in this forum
 
uncledan said:
Looks great! Thats a lot of work and zipties. I finally got a nice round look with my trees by wrapping the whole tree with chicken wire. Bloody job... Great work!
Click to expand...
Hello. Sorry for posting on an old thread but are you still using chicken wire? Would you mind sharing some pics? I'm looking for ideas. Thank you.
 
PotentPotables said:
Hello. Sorry for posting on an old thread but are you still using chicken wire? Would you mind sharing some pics? I'm looking for ideas. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Yes, I've been using these mini trees for over 10 years. Originally they had incandescents, then dumb rgb nodes and now pixel nodes.
 

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