North Pole(s) sorta

[caniac]

looking at using what looks like the North Pole pole as part of my decorating scheme for this upcoming season. will make 10 of them. someone on here had taken what look to be 2-4 inch PVC and cut it 2ft high. They then did the red and white candy cane effect to them and topped them off with a globe. How do i make something like that and how do i keep it upright in the yard (weights?rebar?)?

[TJ Hvasta]

I used a 2 1/2" pvc pipe, abt 4' tall, threaded reducer(silver) and a glass globe.. pounded a 1x2 into the ground to stand it up.... the wife taped off the stripe and spray painted it.. the crossbar is a 1" pipe with pingpong balls on the ends.. the sign is foamcore..

Attached files

[caniac]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

I used a 2 1/2" pvc pipe, abt 4' tall, threaded reducer(silver) and a glass globe.. pounded a 1x2 into the ground to stand it up.... the wife taped off the stripe and spray painted it.. the crossbar is a 1" pipe with pingpong balls on the ends.. the sign is foamcore..

very nice but what i saw was a foot or two and the globe was lighted, this person had them line his yard like most of us do with mini trees.

[TJ Hvasta]

Oh, a ball of 50 mins is inside the globe.. the cord runs down the tube.. but I only have one in the yard.. globe was hard to find cheap.. I like the idea of a line of them.. instead of the candy canes I use..

[caniac]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

Oh, a ball of 50 mins is inside the globe.. the cord runs down the tube.. but I only have one in the yard.. globe was hard to find cheap.. I like the idea of a line of them.. instead of the candy canes I use..

Great idea but how do you keep it upright in the yard. will most likely do the stripes in duct tape. would be really cool if i can find reflective white and reflective red (unless there are DOT laws against it).

[Dan C]

You can see mine in my avatar.
Sorry, Don't have a better picture.

[jimswinder]

I used the following from Home Depot:

4" White PVC
4" Caps
Plastic Globes (with red light inside)
Base for Globe attached to one end of PVC

Don't have Pic here at work...

but you can see them by clicking on my name and viewing the pic in my profile

jimswinder

[caniac]

jimswinder wrote:

I used the following from Home Depot:

4" White PVC
Plastic Globes (with red light inside)
Base for Globe attached to one end of PVC

Don't have Pic here at work...

but you can see them by clicking on my name and viewing the pic in my profile

jimswinder

what are the globe and base? bathroom/hall lights? how did you anchor them?

[jimswinder]

caniac wrote:

what are the globe and base? bathroom/hall lights? how did you anchor them?

go to Home Depot..they have a section of different globes (glass and plastic) then usually at the end of one of the "lighting" aisles are the light/lamp accessories where you can find the bases hanging on display.

Mine are strapped (plumbers tape) to some 4x4 posts that are part of a structure over the sidewalk.

The one on the left (I know you can't see it) says "Donations" and has a slot for my donations

Forgot, I also had a "Cap" on top of the PVC for the bases to be attached to

[TJ Hvasta]

I just hammered a 1x2" into the ground, abt 12" above, and slid the tube over it..

The weight of the globe kept it in place.. didnt have to glue/secure it.. You might look at Goodwill, or Habitat For Humanity for single globes cheap unless you want them to match..

Diane just taped off the white areas.. had to sand off the red print (UPC stuff), tape and spray.. would be cheaper than reflective tape.

[jimswinder]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

You might look at Goodwill, or Habitat For Humanity for single globes cheap unless you want them to match..

I think the plastic 6" Globes at Home Depot were under $6...bases were like $2...

I also just taped off the PVC and spray painted a red stripe...start the tape at the angle you like and then roll the PVC over the floor

[rstately]

Someone posted this link, and I saved it...

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/8056/3201-50650.html

[caniac]

rstately wrote:

Someone posted this link, and I saved it...

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/8056/3201-50650.html

cool but with these folks it is 50-50 you get what you ordered. for every success with these folks i have had a WTF moment.

[Cray Augsburg]

caniac wrote:

and how do i keep it upright in the yard (weights?rebar?)?

First, you take this little blue pill and . . .

no . . . that's something else.

I use a bunch of artificial trees in my display. I have used rebar (pounded into the ground, then slide the tree over it) to keep them upright. Two problems:

1) they like to spin on the rebar, and

2) in high winds, the rebar bends and the trees lean over.

I switched to t-bar fence posts this past year, and everything stands upright just perfectly. I'm talking about the green posts in the fencing section of Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, etc, that appear extruded. They have "wings" near the bottom that, when driven in, keep the post from spinning. The shape keeps them straight. They come in several lengths (3,4,5, and 6 feet). and are relatively cheap (depending on how many you need). Get the driver too. It looks like a foot and a half piece of 2-1/2" pipe with tubular earlike handles welded on. Just slip this over the post and pound away. They drive easily, and with a little wiggling at the end of the season, they come back out.

Once the post is driven, say, a foot and a half in the ground, you can bolt controllers to them, or zip tie trees or North Poles to them.

Hope this helps. It helped my display a lot.

[caniac]

Cray Augsburg wrote:

caniac wrote:

and how do i keep it upright in the yard (weights?rebar?)?

First, you take this little blue pill and . . .

no . . . that's something else.

I use a bunch of artificial trees in my display. I have used rebar (pounded into the ground, then slide the tree over it) to keep them upright. Two problems:

1) they like to spin on the rebar, and

2) in high winds, the rebar bends and the trees lean over.

I switched to t-bar fence posts this past year, and everything stands upright just perfectly. I'm talking about the green posts in the fencing section of Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, etc, that appear extruded. They have "wings" near the bottom that, when driven in, keep the post from spinning. The shape keeps them straight. They come in several lengths (3,4,5, and 6 feet). and are relatively cheap (depending on how many you need). Get the driver too. It looks like a foot and a half piece of 2-1/2" pipe with tubular earlike handles welded on. Just slip this over the post and pound away. They drive easily, and with a little wiggling at the end of the season, they come back out.

Once the post is driven, say, a foot and a half in the ground, you can bolt controllers to them, or zip tie trees or North Poles to them.

Hope this helps. It helped my display a lot.

actually have a post pounder, my better half's ex was putting up a horse fence for her years ago that just didn't work right. instead of putting the post every 16ft he took the lazy beer enhanced way out and they were every 28-32ft apart. we needed to put up 20 t-post and fast. one hour later all were in the ground and the proper depth. wonderful device tho we both looked like spider monkey's using it.

[Cray Augsburg]

. . . he took the lazy beer enhanced way out and they were every 28-32ft apart. we needed to put up 20 t-post and fast. one hour later all were in the ground and the proper depth. wonderful device tho we both looked like spider monkey's using it.

ROFLMAO!

I'll have to remember that phrase (lazy beer-enhanced way out). As sad as it is, it is SO appropriate for SO many situations.

I am very happy with the way the fence posts maintain their position, even in high winds. So they keep finding uses.

[rmturner54]

Here is the howto that I posted over at PC. Each one will have 2 channels, 1 channel = globe light and 1 channel = candy strip rope light. That is because I had 8 spare channels left on a controller. I used a 15W appliance light bulb. I used a C7 lampholder recessed in a piece of 1 x 2. The 1 x 2 is cut to a snug fit. The globes are from 1000bulbs.com. The strips are done with red stucco tape. Unfortunately my camera does not do the night picture justice with both the globe and rope light on.
Parts list:
1-3" toilet flange
1-3" collar
1-3" pvc, 24" long
1-6" white acrylic globe, from 1000bulbs.com
Red stucco tape
1 x 2 piece of wood
1-C7 lampholder and 15W appliance bulb
3- 8 x 32 Stainless machine screws to secure the globe.
1-10ft piece of rope light

Attached files

[rmturner54]

Here is the picture of the inside of the NP light....nothing fancy, but it works quite well.

Attached files

[TJ Hvasta]

Is that rainbow rope light going around the pvc?

[shfr26]

Was kinda wondering, yea I know, don't do that, but anyway. What if you used white dryer vent pipe? Put a few white lights inside, then wrap red rope light around it, I would think it would conform to the vent pipe and just go up the coils of it. I do not do these poles, but just thought it might be something someone could try. Just a thought from my little pea brain. My attempt at opaque mini's trees was a bust, maybe this will work.