RaceMedic Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Hello Everyone ....I am looking for some feedback on what would work.Below is a quick diagram of my home ....I want to suspend 5 stars across the center part of my roof, it is a 3 level roof. I was going to attach the cable ( blue ) with an eye hook to the higher part of the roof but if I keep the cable horizontal it will clear 2nd roof on the right. I was thinking it would be about 30' from the ground to make the line straight.I was thinking of getting 10' metal pipes ... a 2" a 1.5" and a 1" ... overlap them about a foot and put bolts in them. Then sink it about a foot into the ground and brace it against the wall of the house and have it up against the fence.Would this work !?Or any other suggestions ?!Thank-you !Dave Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Benedict Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Don't know what your peak-to-peak distance is, but I've used half sized electrical strut bolted together to span 20 feet easily. You might make a bracket to hold each end and attach the brackets to the roof edges. Actual pictures would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceMedic Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Does my Avtar do .... or is this better !? Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 How heavy are the stars?If you are wanting the stars in a straight line (no sag) I think you might be out of luck...with either your line sagging (not being able to pull it tight enough) or the support pipe bending a bit...especially 1"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceMedic Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Not sure of the weight ... it is rope light on 1/2" dowel.Not TOO heavy but there are 5 of them !Maybe keeping it 2" all the way up and using the 1.5" as an inside sleeve at the joints would be better.I knew this could be a problem.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcompanik Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I tried to do something similar last year, but I couldn't get rid of the sag. I had 7 stars that spanned 20 feet or so attached on one end to my mega tree, and the other end to an old house antenna. I had the stars attached to steel cable. I used turnbuckles at each end so I could tighten the cable if they sagged. The top of the mega tree was secured to the ground with steel guy wires. No matter how tight I made the cables, I still got sag.Here is a link to my video. You can see the stars at :51.You would definately have to add supports to the stars. No matter how tight you get the cable, they will sag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceMedic Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 OH OH .....Now I am concerned ... any suggestions ?!Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcompanik Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Will the stars go over the peak of the middle roof? If so, you could add a couple of supports for the wire. Something as simple as a couple of PVC pipes painted bleck with a notch in the top for the wire to sit in would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 RaceMedic wrote: OH OH .....Now I am concerned ... any suggestions ?!Davenow that I look at your house pic again..I would build a support system along the peak of your roof (the one in between the end peak and the middle peak).like I did for my mega tree... (don't have a pic of it here at work)...but if you go to my website: westseattlelights.com then the "about us" page, you can see some pics of how I built the base to go over the peak of the house.You could also build something like Holdman did with his star:http://www.holdman.com/christmas/star/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 If you use guy wires on the pole it can support much more horizontal load.For a good example, see where a power distribution line makes a right-angle turn at a corner. The guy wires can anchor just a few feet from the base of the pole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceMedic Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 mcompanik wrote: Will the stars go over the peak of the middle roof? If so, you could add a couple of supports for the wire. Something as simple as a couple of PVC pipes painted bleck with a notch in the top for the wire to sit in would work.That is exactly where it will be and that is exactly what I was thinking !!Break it into 3 sections and have 2 supports.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceMedic Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Something like this !Dave Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 What about something like this?Having some sort of cross beam/bar with T-connectors that allows a support bar to go up and behind each star to support it. All painted black. The cross bar could mount on long 2x4s that lay perpendicular on the roof slopes.No sag, will hold your stars steady (thinking of the effects of the wind on hanging stars), and will look a lot better during the daytime. Plus probably easier and cheaper. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ainsworth Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Jim's solution is the one I would go with. Wind loads will be the biggest factor in your peak support design. Not a problem, just dictates how you far down the roof you go with the supports to prevent tipping. Make the base as heavy as you can, and the overhead support as light as you can. Wind is going to create a lot of torque because the stars will act like sails if you don't let them rotate. If your 5 stars have a total surface area of 3000 sq in (assuming 2' stars) a 10 mph wind will create a force of almost 300 lbs. That gets multiplied by the height of the vertical supports to give the torque created at the roof peak.I would not use wire unless you want to build a "sag" into the design. Your neighbors house looks too close to use guy wires. Most people don't realize that the use of guy wires moves the stress point on the pole, it doesn't eliminate it (because the guy wire stretches under load). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mwhite7097 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 If you are worried about sag in the line, temporarily attach your stars to your cable and see how much sag there is. Then, alter your verticle support wires by shortening where it sags most to bring the stars to an even plane. This way, the horizontal cable can sag, but your stars look level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 ainsworth wrote: Jim's solution is the one I would go with. Wind loads will be the biggest factor in your peak support design. Not a problem, just dictates how you far down the roof you go with the supports to prevent tipping. Make the base as heavy as you can, and the overhead support as light as you can. Wind is going to create a lot of torque because the stars will act like sails if you don't let them rotate. If your 5 stars have a total surface area of 3000 sq in (assuming 2' stars) a 10 mph wind will create a force of almost 300 lbs. That gets multiplied by the height of the vertical supports to give the torque created at the roof peak.I would not use wire unless you want to build a "sag" into the design. Your neighbors house looks too close to use guy wires. Most people don't realize that the use of guy wires moves the stress point on the pole, it doesn't eliminate it (because the guy wire stretches under load).There definitely will be some wind factor, but not as much as you calculated. I don't believe these are "solid" stars, but rather more like a wireframe but made out of dowel rods. The roof supports are vital though--and secured down some how, possibly sandbags if the slope will allow.it is rope light on 1/2" dowel. Not TOO heavy but there are 5 of them ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceMedic Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 Surfing4Dough wrote: There definitely will be some wind factor, but not as much as you calculated. I don't believe these are "solid" stars, but rather more like a wireframe but made out of dowel rods. The roof supports are vital though--and secured down some how, possibly sandbags if the slope will allow.You are correct ... they are hollow ... 5 pieces of dowel shaped to be star and the rope light zp tied to the outside of it.THANK-YOU for all the suggestions. I will be up on the roof finding a solution to this challenge.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Roberson Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Surfing4Dough wrote: What about something like this?Having some sort of cross beam/bar with T-connectors that allows a support bar to go up and behind each star to support it. All painted black. The cross bar could mount on long 2x4s that lay perpendicular on the roof slopes.No sag, will hold your stars steady (thinking of the effects of the wind on hanging stars), and will look a lot better during the daytime. Plus probably easier and cheaper.+1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 The other idea (and was mentioned in a form) use Rich Holdman's Star base, but instead of the flat plywood star, have the 2x4 frame hold a vertical pipe to which each star is mounted. No sagging wires needed.. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ainsworth Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 my mistake. I stand corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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