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Mini Christmas trees out of tomato cages


Light_addiction

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Hey everyone, 

I've been a watcher for sometime now and decided to finally join. I've been doing my display for going on 8 years now. I'm looking to buying my first LOR starter set this year. 

 

So my first post is that I'm wondering how some of you made the mini Christmas trees out of tomato cages?  I got the ones that has 3 runners going up and it seems like it needs more runners to make it look more like a tree and round. Any ideas? Or how-to's?

 

Thanks! 

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23 hours ago, Light_addiction said:

Hey everyone, 

I've been a watcher for sometime now and decided to finally join. I've been doing my display for going on 8 years now. I'm looking to buying my first LOR starter set this year. 

 

So my first post is that I'm wondering how some of you made the mini Christmas trees out of tomato cages?  I got the ones that has 3 runners going up and it seems like it needs more runners to make it look more like a tree and round. Any ideas? Or how-to's?

 

Thanks! 

Take 2 cages inside each other until veins don't line up. Solved

at the tops just put a little outside bend and zip tie tight so zip tie won't come off during moving around

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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You will also need lots of zip ties

Welcome to the addiction.

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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20 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

You will also need lots of zip ties

Buy Zip Ties by the thousand and they are a lot cheaper!

 

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28 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

Take 2 cages inside each other until veins don't line up. Solved

at the tops just put a little outside bend and zip tie tight so zip tie won't come off during moving around

JR

Thanks, I didn't even think of that. 

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28 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

You will also need lots of zip ties

Welcome to the addiction.

JR

I knew zip ties would definitely be needed. Lol

 

7 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

Buy Zip Ties by the thousand and they are a lot cheaper!

 

Where do yall buy zip ties in bulk? 

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Just now, Light_addiction said:

Where do yall buy zip ties in bulk? 

I buy them generally from an electronics store near where I work called Pacific Radio, but there are lots of on line sources.  I have also used http://www.cabletiesandmore.com/

 

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And get a Zip tie gun (I got mine at Amazon) . It tightens and snips with a pull of the lever

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2 hours ago, Mega Arch said:

Or use those zip ties on PVC mini trees:

 

Those are cool but looks like a lot more time consuming.

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4 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

And get a Zip tie gun (I got mine at Amazon) . It tightens and snips with a pull of the lever

Good idea. Thanks! 

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Here's another great idea.

PVC mini trees. I am going to build some of these. Last year I jinxed myself by saying "I never had a tomato cage tree cause a breaker trip in the rain". Two days later we had heavy monsoon rains and sure enough. The cause may have been caused by the wire cage but I also discovered some of my cords were semi full of water and mud. Dried everything out after the rain and no further problems. Unusual rain for the time of year.

 

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1 hour ago, dibblejr said:

Here's another great idea.

PVC mini trees. I am going to build some of these. Last year I jinxed myself by saying "I never had a tomato cage tree cause a breaker trip in the rain". Two days later we had heavy monsoon rains and sure enough. The cause may have been caused by the wire cage but I also discovered some of my cords were semi full of water and mud. Dried everything out after the rain and no further problems. Unusual rain for the time of year.

 

Maybe another year. Gonna try the tomato cages this year since I found a bunch on sale. Thanks though. 

I love this forum cause you see different ways people do things. 

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15 hours ago, dibblejr said:

Take 2 cages inside each other until veins don't line up. Solved

at the tops just put a little outside bend and zip tie tight so zip tie won't come off during moving around

JR

This is how I did it. Offset two cages on top each other so you get a more rounded tree. And bust out those zipties.

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1 hour ago, Santas Helper said:

This is how I did it. Offset two cages on top each other so you get a more rounded tree. And bust out those zipties.

Thank you! 

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On 7/13/2017 at 2:22 PM, k6ccc said:

Buy Zip Ties by the thousand and they are a lot cheaper!

 

and lots of zip ties, can be had on the cheap at monoprice.com

1/10th the price of Lowe's including shipping.

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2 hours ago, caniac said:

and lots of zip ties, can be had on the cheap at monoprice.com

1/10th the price of Lowe's including shipping.

Thanks for the lead. 

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I'm sure two cages works fine but I read years ago about using three cages staggered and this is what I do. This gives a lot of attachment points for the zip ties/wires to attach to. Obviously makes them a bit heavier but if that's not a concern three will give you a "fuller" tree and have plenty to attach to without any sags in the wire/bulbs. Just my two cents. :)

Later,

Al

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10 hours ago, Al Saunders said:

I'm sure two cages works fine but I read years ago about using three cages staggered and this is what I do. This gives a lot of attachment points for the zip ties/wires to attach to. Obviously makes them a bit heavier but if that's not a concern three will give you a "fuller" tree and have plenty to attach to without any sags in the wire/bulbs. Just my two cents. :)

Later,

Al

More is always better!! :)   And given that they are usually $1 a cage they are budget friendly.  IMO the fun part was twisting the top and bending it (lack of proper tools at that time).

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