Wrapping lights on a spiral tree?

[zvacman]

I built two 9' tall pvc spiral trees for my display. They are 50" across the base with 8 vertical supports. I have 16 channels dedicated to run them, (they will do the same thing at the same time). I installed screws every two inches on the vertical supports. I have wrapped one of them a dozen times in every spacing configuration I can think of and just can't get it right. Any help would be appreciated and pictures would be great.

 

Thanks in advance, Z

 

PS. If your pictures are too large to upload here feel free to email me zvacman@yahoo.com

[Mega Arch]

This will help. It's what I used.

http://www.brownchristmaslightshow.com/uploads/3/0/7/1/3071605/spiraltreespreadsheet-97.xls

[Mega Arch]

When I wrapped mine, just wrapped one strand. Turned it on. Stepped back. When it looked correct, then mark every pipe it touched. Then transferred marks to all eight uprights. The wrap I wanted wasn't spaced the same top to bottom.

[ericm]

Mine are spaced at 2.5 inches but is only about 7.5 feet tall

[zvacman]

Thanks for the replies. @Mega, I can't open the link you posted. I'm having the hardest time getting the top not loaded and the bottom sparse with lights. My spacing is off.

 

Z

[Mega Arch]

Thanks for the replies. @Mega, I can't open the link you posted. I'm having the hardest time getting the top not loaded and the bottom sparse with lights. My spacing is off.

 Z

Here's a better link you can try. You'll need to scroll down. The link to the spreadsheet is in the middle:

http://www.brownchristmaslightshow.com/mega-tree.html

Also, here's another thread you might read about it:

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/36016-how-to-build-a-spiral-tree-with-hook-head-star-topper/page-1#entry331609

[George Simmons]

I second Dan's method. I wrap one strand first and putz around with it until I get the shape I want. Then, it's a simple matter to keep that same shape with the next one, etc.

The tree is definitely going to look like it's more full at the top. You can't escape the physics of the thing. Whatever you're using as your lower anchor points - a ring, tent stakes, dog stakes, whatever - you need to have your 16 anchor points evenly spaced around the base of the tree before you begin mounting any lights. Get the shape you want with the first strand and secure it to the base, then the rest pretty much takes care of itself.

[gmac]

When I wrapped mine, just wrapped one strand. Turned it on. Stepped back. When it looked correct, then mark every pipe it touched. Then transferred marks to all eight uprights. The wrap I wanted wasn't spaced the same top to bottom.

That's the way I do it also, get the first one the way you like then the rest will follow quite uniformly...........Try to get of the spiral Tree calculator offered by the OP, I followed it and it's really close on the specs needed to do a nice spiral tree.......IMO the length of the spiral strings is very important and the calculator will tell you if your spiral strings are close to the length you need to do a nice wrap

[zvacman]

I used the LOR object creator for my visualizer. When I break it down channel by channel it appears that the strings are wrapped in opposite directions. Is this true or an illusion?  These trees are driving me crazy, they may have to get cut from the show this year.

 

Z

[Randy]

Here is how the spiral tree looks that I'm putting together for this year....

 

It is almost 6 feet tall and almost 3 feet in diameter at the base.  It uses 64 35ct LED strings (16 of each color), for a total of 2,240 lights.  There are 4 colors of lights.  There are 8 superstrings of red/green and 8 superstrings of blue./white.  Each superstring contains two 35ct strings of each color.  The red/green superstrings are wound in one direction just about 2 revolutions, and the blue/white superstrings are wound in the opposite direction for about 2 revolutions.

 

There are 8 LOR channels for each of the 4 colors, for a total of 32 channels....I added a bottom section where the strings terminate and where the extension cord wires will plug in that go to the adjacent controllers.

 

Randy

 

 

Photo 1:

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/rschimka/spiral01_zpsrh1vvyy7.jpg

 

Photo 2:
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/rschimka/spiral02_zpsuxyz9pa5.jpg

 

Photo 3:  Spiral Spreadsheet

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/rschimka/spiral03_zpstfmsr2bn.jpg

Edited October 30, 2015 by Randy

[Mega Arch]

I used the LOR object creator for my visualizer. When I break it down channel by channel it appears that the strings are wrapped in opposite directions. Is this true or an illusion? These trees are driving me crazy, they may have to get cut from the show this year.

Z

This will help get all 16 going the same direction.

Don't give up. You can do it.

http://www.landolights.com/main/component/option,com_remository/Itemid,54/func,fileinfo/id,759/

[zvacman]

@ Randy and Mega, I cannot get a working version of the spiral tree calculator to load onto my laptop.  Like I said in a previous post, my visualizer shows the strings going in opposite directions and that's how I sequenced them. The first tree is bare AGAIN for the 22nd time. To add to the problem my light strings aren't the same length. I've got maybe a week left before I have to cut them from the show which sucks because they are a pretty important part of the show.  I thank you Mega, you have really tried to help with the links and I don't know why I can't get the calculator to load.  I am computer challenged and new to Windows 8.  The guy in the corner of the ring has the towel in his hand.  Help!

[gmac]

I looked up your tree specs on my calculator and it came up with this

9' tall 4' wide

1 full turn

spiral strings should be 11' long

base spacing  should be 11"

spacing going around the tree should be 6"

Please remember this measurements are in a perfect math world

from the calculator

as long s your are close the these specs you should have a nice looking tree

Hope this helps

[Mega Arch]

you have 2 issues going on inside this thread - calculator and visualizer - lets break 'em down...
1) the calculator for spiral trees - well, you've already built the tree and bought the lights - don't need the calculator at this point. figure out if you want the look of 1 wrap, 1.5 wraps or 2 wraps per strand. Then when you can stand back the viewing distance back and say "yes, that's the curve I want", tie wrap that strand to your 8 PVC uprights. The top wraps are easy. 1 string starts at an upwright and the next 1 starts in-between uprights and so on. Then get a silver sharpie and a tape measure. Every place the first strand touches an upright, get measurement from the top to that spot and put a mark on the  other 7 uprights at that point. Repeat all the way to the bottom. Then get 7 strands and 1 at a time wrap them across the next mark - all the way down repeating with all 7 strands. Then get the other 8 strands and fill in-between the previously wrapped strands. WhaLaa - tree is done.
2) your visualizer running in opposite directions. Did you download this shared prop file?
http://www.landolights.com/main/component/option,com_remository/Itemid,54/func,fileinfo/id,759/

It has all 16 running in same direction. Now re-reading your posts, with "opposite directions" are you meaning all 16 are counterclockwise vs. clockwise?

[zvacman]

Mega:

Thank you for all of your help, it seems like you have as much time invested in these trees as I do. I used LOR object creator for my trees in the visualizer. Technically they are weber trees. In the visualizer, when I break the trees down, each of the 16 channels has two strings on it, one red one white. They start at the top opposite of each other (verticle 1 and 5), the red goes around 1.5 times clockwise and the white goes around 1.5 times counter clockwise. Does this clear things up or confuse the issue even further?

Z

[Mega Arch]

LOL - do have some time invested - but from this last spring/summer when researching to build my first one for this year. All my strands run clockwise, so I haven't came across any shared props going in both directions. Also, haven't updated to 4.*.* yet so I don't have experience with the object creator you are using. I feel like I'm 99% locked in on my 2015 show, so not chancing anything - will not update/upgrade to 4.*.* until after 1/1/16..

Sorry I can't help out on this one.

Good luck...

[zvacman]

Again, thank you for your efforts, it is much appreciated. Right now the tree is empty. I may just wrap it with all 16 channels going the same direction and re-sequence that controller for my show. I just need to figure out the alternating colors to get the spiral effect I'm looking for.

Thanks again, Z

[Mega Arch]

hey wow... been playing around. In visualizer, select props. Copy the 16 channel spiral tree and paste another one identical. Then select that new prop. Grab the bottom left sizing square and drag it all the way across the prop and continue to the same distance to the right that you started out with on the left. You now have a counter-clockwise spiral tree with the same channels as the clockwise one. Reassign the channels and then drag it over on top of the other spiral tree. Now both directions of the spirals are playing.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Mega Arch

[NWSanta]

YAY!

 

Sorry for drudging up an old thread but, I want to make a couple of spiral trees this year, and this calculator at the top of the page just helped me with a lot of things!!!!!

Thank you Mega Arch for uploading it!!

Evan

[Old Sarge]

I did mine the same way... Its 12 t tall with a two challel Star on top... blue and multi color. 

 

The tree itself is just over 10 ft tall. I used mini lights, two strands wrapped into one.. Connected at top and spiral down about 2 1/2 turns from top to bottom.. 

I did first one string top to bottom... stood back and looked at it and at first didnt really like it so moved it a little in places..

 

Zip Tied it lightly in a few places... 

 

then I did the next string... using the first as a guide.

 

I had to keep in mind... the tree gets wider.. bigger the lower you go from the top so I compensated some for that... 

 

After I got all my strings (16) on it and I alternated Multi color and blue. I rearranged and moved them a little at a time to get them evened out more.. 

 

I dont know how to post a pic here so when I take it down I will post the pics and measurements i did for mine.. Its a simple PVC tree That another forum member had his plans available for. Sorry but I dont remember who it was so I can give him the credit for it. I followed his Youtube Instructions. 

 

It is raining a lot here in S. Cali right now and suppose to for the rest of the week so when it is clear and not raining and has a little time to dry out I will take the pics as I take it down.