Putting Lights on MIni-Trees

[David Barnett]

Hey folks, I'm planning on using mini trees this year for Christmas.

They'll have Red/Green/Warm White colors.

My question; when you folks wrap your trees with more than 1 color, do you do them seperately. Or do you tie wrap all the colors together into 1 strand and wrap the tree.

I have 10 to put together, so jsut looing for a fairly quick and easy method.

Thanks for your help.

Best,

David

[-klb-]

I've done it a few ways. With 20 trees, and volunteer labor, we had bundled the three colors together, and then spiral wrapped them. With 8 trees for my house, I worked the four colors at the same time, but not bundled in advance. I also only wrapped them 2/3 of the way around the tree, as I don't need to light up the house with them. Each of the strands folds around the frame, and goes back across the front. It takes a little time, but I use fewer lights, and get a more even coverage.

[Dennis Cherry]

-klb- wrote:

I've done it a few ways. With 20 trees, and volunteer labor, we had bundled the three colors together, and then spiral wrapped them. With 8 trees for my house, I worked the four colors at the same time, but not bundled in advance. I also only wrapped them 2/3 of the way around the tree, as I don't need to light up the house with them. Each of the strands folds around the frame, and goes back across the front. It takes a little time, but I use fewer lights, and get a more even coverage.

Have seen klb's method and it look great.

More lights in the front and sides, makes sense.

[JimCanfield]

I use 2 colors, 3 100 lights strands. I made 1 big strand and wrapped it around the tree as 1 big strand.

[David Barnett]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the input.

Best,

David

[lightzilla]

I use to wrap them 1st in all blue, then all green, and them all multi colour.

This year I need to make 15 3 colours mini trees and I 14,400 lights and so I am planning to run my lights vertical this year (started 1 tree) and that should cut the amount of lights I use per colour by 1 box per colour.

So far it looks neater, but once it is all done then it may look crowded like they do did (last years minis). Talking like 12,060 lights per tree or a bit less depending on the size of my minis.

Now in my Mountain Ash tree I put all the strings together and worked o k.

Oh and I have no help with my mini trees.....so it take a bit of time.

[jim6918]

I know this may be slightly off-topic, but I “heard” what you said about finding a quick and easy way of wrapping your mini trees. This is a turntable I built. I am sure there are other designs out there. It is made out of 2 pieces of ¾ MDF bolted together. I have a roller bearing and two washers between the pieces for easy movement. I used a nylon lock nut to keep the pieces from tightening together as it turns. If I had to do it all over, I would think of some kind of bushing between the turntable top and the bolt, since a lot of turning tends to widen out the hole. I screw it to a hobby table and am able to wrap lights singlehanded. I can put 600 lights on a tree in about 20 munites.

Attached files

[jim6918]

The tomato cage is held to the turntable with flattened out pipe straps. I hold the string of lights in one hand and turn with the other.


Attached files

[George Simmons]

I also use a turntable. What a great idea - on the very first tree of this year's crop it saved me longer than it took to make it. I use three different types of lights - green ropelight, red C6 LED's and clear minis, so I "wrap" them separately.

[friskybri]

I just used a lazy Susan. I think thats what they call them. Wife never used it anyway.

[johnny christmas]

these are mine...i did all 3 colors at once so it evened out

http://johnnychristmas.com/mini.html