captainron19 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Had a storm come through last night - a 10-15 minute squall but winds packed a punch with the rain! Rumor is we had gusts at 60mph but unconfirmed - ran to the front window in a haste because my mega tree flag pole snapped 3 years ago.I was watching the storm and said to myself - wow the extra guy wires I did (top and middle) are really holding it steady then all of a sudden all of the lights went up like a parachute and I saw them fly in the air and come down!The pole lasted but my wooden bun topper with the hooks actually snapped right in half - unbelievable.I picked up the phone and called work and told that Captain at my fire department I was supposed to relieve this morning "DUDE you gotta hang over for me" Luckily he did.Got it all fixed - did not lose 1 strand of lights (only 1 bulb broke) The bolt that went through my wooden bun that had the hooks on it actually stayed in place so I rigged all of the lights onto that with a ton of wire ties and got it all back up and running.Pics below. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 The broken bun Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 All back in operation! When my pole snapped 3 years ago it took me 5 hours just to untangle the lights - today I got everything untangled and back in operation in just under 3 hours Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 nice job recovering!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstevens Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Glad you got it up and running again with minimal damage. As an alternative to your wooden bun topper, here's what I use on my tree:http://www.christmaslightshow.com/standard-hook-head.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 dstevens wrote: Glad you got it up and running again with minimal damage. As an alternative to your wooden bun topper, here's what I use on my tree:http://www.christmaslightshow.com/standard-hook-head.htmlI don't trust those wooden ones at all. I made my own out of Steel as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 Next year definitely switching to steel - actually going to change my entire mega tree from the aluminum flagpole to steel pipe and I would like to have some sort of hand crank pulley system to have the lights raised. Anyone using something similar? Will just have to find some pipe that is the same diameter as the current hole for the flagpole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I bought a small boat winch, welded a muffler clamp on it and then bolt it to my mast to raise up my lights...have a couple of pulleys attached to the top of the mast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James George Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Ditto! You would not believe how much easier using a wench to raise the lights is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 captainron19 wrote: Next year definitely switching to steel - actually going to change my entire mega tree from the aluminum flagpole to steel pipe and I would like to have some sort of hand crank pulley system to have the lights raised. Anyone using something similar? Will just have to find some pipe that is the same diameter as the current hole for the flagpole.I have built a few for People and used exactly what you are talking about. Send me your email and I will send pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 James George wrote: Ditto! You would not believe how much easier using a wench to raise the lights is.how many wench's do you use to raise your lights? :shock: Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 bdeditch wrote: captainron19 wrote: Next year definitely switching to steel - actually going to change my entire mega tree from the aluminum flagpole to steel pipe and I would like to have some sort of hand crank pulley system to have the lights raised. Anyone using something similar? Will just have to find some pipe that is the same diameter as the current hole for the flagpole.I have built a few for People and used exactly what you are talking about. Send me your email and I will send pictures.Email address sent via PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainron19 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 jimswinder wrote: James George wrote: Ditto! You would not believe how much easier using a wench to raise the lights is.how many wench's do you use to raise your lights? :shock:Me Likey !!!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 jimswinder wrote: I bought a small boat winch, welded a muffler clamp on it and then bolt it to my mast to raise up my lights...have a couple of pulleys attached to the top of the mastWhat I did was mount the winch on a steel plate and then used U-Bolts to go around the pole to the plates. Just a little insurance. Also keep in mind that these boat winches can fail, I would suggest using some type of pin ( drill a hole on the side of the roll) to use as a back up should that little pin fail and let go. I have been using a C-Clamp and just tightening it on the roll and releasing a little pressure from the reel. Have it so it would jam the gear wheel and stop everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I don't think using wenches to raise your lights is what they do best. Now if it's your POLE that needs raising... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dslowik Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I switched from a bun foot to a steel head this year after seeing the cracks in the wood getting bigger each year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 captainron19 sorry about your tree glad you got it fixedbdeditch how about a photojimswinder same as aboveGeorge Simmons good one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 My Tree Head and Winch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Don Gillespie wrote: captainron19 sorry about your tree glad you got it fixedbdeditch how about a photojimswinder same as aboveGeorge Simmons good oneSide shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 bdeditch wrote: My Tree Head and WinchThanks nice photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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