Need a new hook head

[aixelsyd]

I need a new hook head for my tree and wanted some advice on what is the best way to go about this.

Background: I use the JUMP pole method. Previously I had a bun foot with 16 hooks for the topper. Flanges on top and bottom to connect it to my pole and to the 3d star from Christmaslightshow.com. This year I had 32 strands (16 Green / 16 Red). When I lowered my pole the other day I had a lot of trouble taking it off the pole being it was finally so cold. Working on that I noticed that the bun foot was starting to come apart,very tiny seperation but long in three places. Probably the bun foot glue breaking down and it splitting there (it looked like it). The bun foot had at least three coats of paint and as many coats of sealer on it. Next year I plan on adding my 3rd color to the tree (white) which will get me to 48 strands. So more weight. Not counting the 30 strobes I want to add in there too. So with it splitting I don't want to risk using it again.

I thought about this for a new head (http://www.christmaslightshow.com/mega-tree-hook-head-outdoor-Christmas-decorations.html) but I don't know if I could modify it to screw into the top of my pole easily enough. Plus mount the star.

Are there better options? I'd like to have something that will last. That and not risk it splitting on me either.

When I built the topper before one guy in the hardware store suggested using a drain grate. Since they are round. I could probably put hooks in one of those and sandwich it between two flanges to keep it together and put it in the pole. Anyway that's what I'm thinking about now but wanted to ask what others have done.

Thanks for any advice.

Jason

[g2ktcf]

I need a new hook head for my tree and wanted some advice on what is the best way to go about this.

Background: I use the JUMP pole method. Previously I had a bun foot with 16 hooks for the topper. Flanges on top and bottom to connect it to my pole and to the 3d star from Christmaslightshow.com. This year I had 32 strands (16 Green / 16 Red). When I lowered my pole the other day I had a lot of trouble taking it off the pole being it was finally so cold. Working on that I noticed that the bun foot was starting to come apart,very tiny seperation but long in three places. Probably the bun foot glue breaking down and it splitting there (it looked like it). The bun foot had at least three coats of paint and as many coats of sealer on it. Next year I plan on adding my 3rd color to the tree (white) which will get me to 48 strands. So more weight. Not counting the 30 strobes I want to add in there too. So with it splitting I don't want to risk using it again.

I thought about this for a new head (http://www.christmaslightshow.com/mega-tree-hook-head-outdoor-Christmas-decorations.html) but I don't know if I could modify it to screw into the top of my pole easily enough. Plus mount the star.

Are there better options? I'd like to have something that will last. That and not risk it splitting on me either.

When I built the topper before one guy in the hardware store suggested using a drain grate. Since they are round. I could probably put hooks in one of those and sandwich it between two flanges to keep it together and put it in the pole. Anyway that's what I'm thinking about now but wanted to ask what others have done.

Thanks for any advice.

Jason


Jason,

I too need a new head and I like many of the aspects of the one you posted. HOWEVER, my Tree is 34' and the pole changes size so their will not work for me. I also like smaller and more numerous hooks. The offset design of this head along with the additional pully/guy wire head is the only way to go. So I guess I am going to be the engineer I am and design and make my own. Oh, and the price of that head is a good deal given all the welding and metal work required.

Just my $0.02 which with inflation with get you nothing these days.

[aixelsyd]

I never thought of more hooks. I was just going with 16 and leaving it at that. I'll have to think about that in my design. I bet that makes the top look a lot nicer than having them all converge on each other at the top. I do like the open design of the hook head I posted. Less surface for the wind to catch on. I started to worry about that this year.

Would a cast iron drain cover be too much weight up there?

My pole is about 16-17' - I loose some for it being held in the ground by a sleeve and it being telescopic.

[jklingert]

Jason,
I used the one you linked to and loved it. It was very easy to use a hoist to pull up 48 strings of lights using their pulley head.

If you want one to screw onto a pole look at this one (http://store.3glightingcreations.com/mega-tree-hook-head-topper/).

Jack

[mikentn]

Jason,

Here's another hook head (http://www.christmaslightshow.com/standard-hook-head.html) from the same site that you originally linked to. It's his standard hook head, and not the one that slides up and down the pole.

[mschell]

I need a new hook head for my tree and wanted some advice on what is the best way to go about this.

Background: I use the JUMP pole method. Previously I had a bun foot with 16 hooks for the topper. Flanges on top and bottom to connect it to my pole and to the 3d star from Christmaslightshow.com. This year I had 32 strands (16 Green / 16 Red). When I lowered my pole the other day I had a lot of trouble taking it off the pole being it was finally so cold. Working on that I noticed that the bun foot was starting to come apart,very tiny seperation but long in three places. Probably the bun foot glue breaking down and it splitting there (it looked like it). The bun foot had at least three coats of paint and as many coats of sealer on it. Next year I plan on adding my 3rd color to the tree (white) which will get me to 48 strands. So more weight. Not counting the 30 strobes I want to add in there too. So with it splitting I don't want to risk using it again.

I thought about this for a new head (http://www.christmaslightshow.com/mega-tree-hook-head-outdoor-Christmas-decorations.html) but I don't know if I could modify it to screw into the top of my pole easily enough. Plus mount the star.

Are there better options? I'd like to have something that will last. That and not risk it splitting on me either.

When I built the topper before one guy in the hardware store suggested using a drain grate. Since they are round. I could probably put hooks in one of those and sandwich it between two flanges to keep it together and put it in the pole. Anyway that's what I'm thinking about now but wanted to ask what others have done.

Thanks for any advice.

Jason

You could use the CLS hook head by just purchasing the pulley top as well. Instead of pulling it up via pulley, just lock the hook head to the pulley head permanently. The pulley head has pipe thread to attach to your pole, and a place to attach your star. That way you can still do the JUMP thing.

I have an old CLS 10 ft. PVC megatree that is starting to show it's age. So I plan to replace it with some type of pipe pole, and purchased a CLS hook head from another DIYC member.

[belias21]

Jason,

Here's another hook head (http://www.christmaslightshow.com/standard-hook-head.html) from the same site that you originally linked to. It's his standard hook head, and not the one that slides up and down the pole.

I have this very one on my JUMP pole. Just finished year 2 and it has been working just fine for me.

[CaptKirk]

My topper took a different path. I have a single 22' 1" galvinized water pipe scavanged from a well pump dealer I know as my center pole. It gets put into a 2' 1 1/4" PVC pipe sunk into the ground (in concrete). The two mate perfectly. I then took a "foot" from the frame of one of those canvas garage/shelter structures (a relative lost one in a storm) that I had laying about in my garage, drilled 32 holes in it and took 16 10" sections of coat hangers, bent in half and put down through pairs of holes then bent into hooks. With a bit of 1 1/4" PVC glued into the foot section, it slides up and down my pole from a pulley very nicely.

12823

Just a cheapo alternative to spending $25 bucks plus...

[mikentn]

Jason,

Here's another hook head (http://www.christmaslightshow.com/standard-hook-head.html) from the same site that you originally linked to. It's his standard hook head, and not the one that slides up and down the pole.


I have this very one on my JUMP pole. Just finished year 2 and it has been working just fine for me.

I have one as well for when I plan to migrate to a JUMP pole. Just haven't got there yet!

[aixelsyd]

I thought I saw a topper on that site before but I couldn't find it this morning. Plus it's good to know about the other site so thanks!

The JUMP pole is great. My hardest part was getting the right pipe - just go to an eletrical supply company - skip the home depots. I use a modified version where instead of the standard base I use one I put in the ground for my extendable flag pole. That worked out well and has held for 2 years now. I've thought about guy wires just for extra safety and even purchased them but I haven't used them yet.

I will say this. First year taking it down I said to myself I need to do the drill attachment on the jack to raise/lower it. Second year I said the same thing putting it up and down. This year I hope I won't forget. It's not hard but it would save even more time.

Jason

[bcstuff]

I got the 24 hook head from 3g Lighting creations. Very nicely made and it comes powder coated. It is a lot better quality then the other one mentioned. The welds are all clean.

http://store.3glightingcreations.com/mega-tree-hook-head-topper/

[Skunberg]

Thank's to the James family I made a megatree topper like is these pictures.

http://www.jamesfamilychristmas.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=36

Brian

[dirknerkle]

My megatree pole is PVC, and I approached it a different way. I made a collar that slipped over the pole and would sit in three large hooks that were mounted through the pole. I drilled 24 holes around the collar and used zip ties to attach each string to the collar.

12832

[mschell]

Count on dirk for having to do it "his way"! :)

[plasmata]

Not a bad idea actually. I might use that for the mega pole I want to build. I want to use a pulley setup but the zip ties in drilled holes would ensure that the lights stay in place when stringing them up and during hoisting.

[CaptKirk]

Here is a picture of the PVC "foot" based one I built
12891

[buymyemu]

Green string is the guy wire?
How tall did you go?
You used coat hangers? no bending with the weight of the strings?

[WireWrap]

Green string is the guy wire?
How tall did you go?
You used coat hangers? no bending with the weight of the strings?

Looks like nylon "jet line" used for pulling cable through conduit. Pretty sturdy stuff (avg. breaking strength 300 pounds). I have a mile of it in a bucket in my office.



:)

[kychristmas]

Looks like nylon "jet line" used for pulling cable through conduit. Pretty sturdy stuff (avg. breaking strength 300 pounds). I have a mile of it in a bucket in my office. :)

Even if that is not it, that's a good idea. Only problem is. My "jet line" is hot pink or flouro blue. The great is great. Even if my Megatree stays the same, I definitely need to add String support. Either Paracord or this. Lots of strained wires after adding Spirals this year.

[CaptKirk]

Green string is the guy wire?
How tall did you go?
You used coat hangers? no bending with the weight of the strings?

I took the picture with the string holder/topper down at eye level (it slides up and down the center pole on a rope and pulley).

The green (and blue and yellow) string is the poly twine I used to reinforce the light strings themselves- I just felt the strings might hold up better to snow or branches falling if they were beefed up a bit and took the stress of hanging better with a little help. The pole guy wires are three 3/8 cables attached at the TOP of the 22' pole (stuck 2' in the ground slid in another pipe in concrete) going to three trees around the mega area (I can CLIMB the pole or set a ladder against it to climb - it does NOT move!). Oh, there are also four runs of twine that go down to the 40' 3/4" PVC pipe that I hang from the topper (not the hooks) to form the base circle that is about 3' up off the ground. The light strings I use are 100 LED 10M (33') that I run up and back down next to itself so each string sort of acts like two but end up being about 16.5' long sides of the mega tree.

Short lengths of coat hangers are amazingly ridgid and I have not had any bending. I could leave them hang straight down but it is easier to hook the strings when the are bent out a bit. I do not think these would bend much with heavier strings, but it is perfect for my lighter weight strings.

Here is a picture I took last night- the strings get a little untidy running the light hanger up and down to take pictures and I did not take time to tune them up like I do for the show:
12896

The best thing I like about this topper is that it was basically free thanks to the bad luck of my relative. :-D