sjmiller Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 I'm currently building mini-trees for my 2009 display. I started with Orchard Supply Hardware 54" tomato cages. I use a cable tie to pull the top tines together. These cages have 4 rings going up, and 4 vertical rods (tines). If you wrap the lights - it's a square tree, ugly. I bought a roll of 20 guage bailing wire, and added a vertical run in between each of the tines - now the mini-tree lights are on a round shape not a square shape.I'm using 2 channels and 400 mini-lights/mini-tree - looks very cool. If anyone wants how-to pix let me know and I'll post.Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iresq Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Another option to make them round is to stack 2 cages on each other. It works best if you cut the rings to allow the outer cage to expand a bit and the inner cage to contract a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightzilla Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Another way is to cut the tomato cages (takes two or 3 ) and put the sections together so you have 6 vertical ribs going up, or you wrap chicken wire around the tomato age.I ran lights between each section that had no vertical rib running up the side and used the light string as a rib plus it added lights.I even saw tomato cages here that had 5 ribs running up the sides.There is also the orange cone/chicken wire idea. You get yourself a 2 foot orange cone or 3 foot and you wrap chicken wire around the cone and zip tie the chicken wire closed, you then wrap lights around the cone /chicken wire and zip tie the lights to the chicken wire.Now once all the lights on on you pull the cone out and there you have a mini tree.....but I am not sure how strong that mini tree would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjmiller Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 I was looking for ways to get new parts of my 2009 display worked out in advance, and this seemed like an expedient way for getting mini-trees this year.I can't use my metal working tools or welders right now, I have a major bathroom remodel underway and the garage is filled with stuff and it would be a fire hazard.I'm going to redo my entire display for 2010 and will be fabricating new wireframe items using metal rod/tubing and my mig/tig/spot welders.Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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