Mega Tree strings

[Wayne J]

How is eveveyone hooking their mega strings to your hooks on your Mega Tree? With my tree being over 20' this year, I cannot do it the way I have in the past (just looping them over in a V configuration). I now have to attach the ends to a hook. So I am needing a new way to do it.
Show me how you do yours. Pictures would be great. ;)

[dirknerkle]

Sorry, no picture, but I just loop back the end plug a couple inches and fasten it with a zip tie. The wire loop then takes the strain off the plug and is easy to loop over a hook.

[Skunberg]

Hi Wayne, I use Super Strings, 1/16th inch cable with a thimble on each end. I wrap the lights around the thimble and zip tie. Each color separately so I can change one if needed (faded blue) without taking them all off. Sorry no pic's still packed away.

[rjchu]

EDIT: Attached are some pics of my patio lights and how I hung/strung them up to keep tension off the power line.

---

I'm not at home to take/post pictures but I put bare bulbs strung on wire up on the patio in the back and threaded 1/16" steel rope through them and used clamps and thimbles at the ends for the rope and attached to quick connect hooks so there wasn't much/any tension on the actual wire that powers the lights. It's pretty straightforward and very cheap. You wouldn't have the thread holes with mini strings but zipties periodically should do nicely. I'll take some pics as I'm sure I'm not doing a good job of explaining it here...

The basic parts are below though (size to your needs though):

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

Thanks,

-joni-

How is eveveyone hooking their mega strings to your hooks on your Mega Tree? With my tree being over 20' this year, I cannot do it the way I have in the past (just looping them over in a V configuration). I now have to attach the ends to a hook. So I am needing a new way to do it.
Show me how you do yours. Pictures would be great. ;)

[Matt_Edwards]

I should have some photos soon of what I am intending to do.
Basically I will be using long loop of 3/16 poly string ( about 100cm folded in two) fixed to the LED string in several places. I haven't decided if I will use cable ties yet.

The aim is not to have all the stress holding the string up at a single point.

Here is how I do this: tie off the top point and hoist the string up. leave it for a day. I then drop the string and tie the poly string to the LED String again about 150mm lower.
I repeat this process until I have tied off the whole 500mm of Poly String.

[DennyMo]

I put bare bulbs strung on wire up on the patio in the back and threaded 1/16" steel rope through them

I see you're using uncoated wire rope. Any issues with chafing? I'd like to do the same thing this year, but thought coated wire rope would be necessary.

[Skunberg]

I use uncoated galvanized steel 1/16 inch. Zip ties about every 18 inches and haven't noticed any chafing. I changed my faded blue this year and had a good look at it.

[ChiefWarrant]

How is eveveyone hooking their mega strings to your hooks on your Mega Tree? With my tree being over 20' this year, I cannot do it the way I have in the past (just looping them over in a V configuration). I now have to attach the ends to a hook. So I am needing a new way to do it.
Show me how you do yours. Pictures would be great. ;)

Wayne, thanks for the help in the past....now a chance to return the favor (I hope).

Using a messenger line is the way to go. But instead of 1/16" wire rope, I suggest paracord/550 cord (http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MHR320-1.html). It is much cheaper to purchase at about $0.04/foot, where as wire rope is 10x more costly at about $0.40/foot.

For guys in the military, 550 cord is more ubiquitous than duck-tape (or as we call it-100mph tape). I have used this stuff to tie something up and have it last forever (even outside in the elements).

Once the messenger line is attached, secure your light string to it. The messenger line will take all the strain off the light string. If you want to see an example of a messenger line in use, there should be one running from the big gray transformer (from power company) to the fascia of your house, w/ cables wrapped around it. All the strain is on the messenger line.

in the military, when we run over head cable on poles (not planted in the ground), we typically use four (4) guy ropes and this works just fine in about 90% of the situations I have encountered. With a Mega-tree, you will probably have at least eight light strings, so just use the messenger line as additional guy ropes. But at $0.04/ft, it is not that expensive to run dedicated guy ropes.

Depending on the thickness of the pole you choose, you may need to worry about bowing in the center. This is corrected by using a set of guy ropes about mid way down (see image, please ignore the comments on image. This image is to demonstrate using multiple guy ropes.). Using this type of configuration, I have made sturdy poles out of stuff similar to schedule 40 PVC.

I hope this helps

Tony

[DennyMo]

Tony, sounds like a great idea. What kind of lock or tensioner would you use for that kind of cord?

[ChiefWarrant]

Tony, sounds like a great idea. What kind of lock or tensioner would you use for that kind of cord?

Since the cord is non elastic, you can use the same type of locking device used on tent lines. Also, above I stated schedule 80, but I meant to say schedule 40.