Lighting & Ceiling Fans

[Kevin_HD_ATL]

LIGHTED SNOWFLAKE

How-To

SKILL LEVEL: Beginner

TIME: 2 hours
COST: $25-$50

TOOLS AND MATERIALS:

– 4 – 1/4-inch by 2-inch by 4-foot poplar boards – 1 – 5/16-inch by 3-inch carriage bolt
– 1 – 5/16-inch nut
– 4 – 5/16-inch flat washers

– 100-count string of LED Christmas lights – Drill
– 3/8-inch drill bit
– Flat ruler

– Square
– Wood glue
– White spray-paint

 STEP 1: CUT THE PIECES

Cut the poplar boards in half. Each piece should be two feet long.

STEP 2: CREATE THE CENTER

Find the exact center of one of the pieces by measuring down its length one foot. Drill a hole. Use this as a template and drill through each piece at the same point. This center hole is for the bolt that will secure all the pieces together.

STEP 3: DRILL THE HOLES

On each side of the center hole, drill five holes, evenly spaced apart. Drill through one piece of poplar at a time, using your first piece as a template to help match the spacing. Secure the two pieces together with a clamp, rubber band, or tape so that they don’t shift around. Each light should fit tightly in each drilled hole, so make sure they fit properly before drilling the rest of the holes.

STEP 4: ATTACH THE ARMS

Once you finish drilling, glue two pieces together at a 90- degree angle. Make sure it is a 90-degree angle by using a square. Line up the middle holes. Repeat these steps until all of your pieces have been paired up, leaving you with four paired-up pieces.

STEP 5: CREATE THE SIDES

Once your 90-degree pieces have dried, glue two pairs together in the center to form an asterisk; repeat with the other two pairs. At this point, you should have two snowflakes.

STEP 6: PAINT

Spray-paint each piece, front and back. You may also want to spray-paint the top of the bolt and the nut so that they will blend in.

STEP 7: CREATE THE SNOWFLAKE

Run your carriage bolt through the center of one snowflake; then, put three washers in the middle. Add your second snowflake and loosely add your bolt.

STEP 8: ADD THE LIGHTS

Start in the middle of the snowflake. Use the end that has the outlet. Run the lights up and down each arm of the snowflake. Once you reach the last arm of your snowflake, you will put your lights in differently. Starting at the bottom, insert a light on one side, and then stretch the next light to the other snowflake. Do this all the way up, which will allow you to hang your snowflake by the string of lights.

[wmheid]

I have found other variations of this plan and it is indeed fun and simple to make on  a weekend. 

The problem I am having is finding the right lights for it.  Do you have the Home Depot item number of the lights that you used?

Also, what are you doing to keep the lights from backing out of the hole?

Thanks!

[dclovell]

The instructions show using the GE LED 100 string indoor/outdoor lights.  They are $19.98 a string.  I ended up using the incandescent 100 string GE indoor/outdoor lights.  They are less expensive.

As far as the lights pulling out, I had worries about that too, but the ones I have made, the lights seem to be pretty secure and the key is following the instructions on the last arm.  You alternate inserting from the bottom then to the top, then to the bottom, until you are done.  Watch the video, it shows them doing this.

My question is, what should I hang these with?  I live in Central New York, (Syracuse area) and it gets a little windy.  I'd hate to have them fall and break on me!

Any ideas there?

[Christine_HD_OC]

Hello Dclovell and Wmheld,

I wanted to welcome both of you to the community.

Dclovell thank you for mentioning the video. I think it makes an already easy project even easier. It shows each step very clearly. I’m a true believer that a picture or video in this case is worth a thousand words.

Here is a link to the video.

Dclovell do me a favor and post some pictures of your snowflake here on the community. I would love to see it. You too Wmheld when you finish yours I would love to see pictures of it also.

I can’t wait to see all of the snowflakes that our community makes. Yes that is a holiday challenge going out to all of you reading this. Post pictures of your snowflakes so we all can dream about having a white Christmas. (That’s the only way us on the west coast can have one.)

Keep posting all of the holiday ideas. I’m always looking for new weekend projects.  

[georgespencer]

Suggestions: 

   Snowflakes have six points, not eight.  Set your sticks 60 degrees, not 90.  And you'll need fewer sticks.

  Cut the ends of your sticks at a 45 degree angle to make them pointed.

  The 3/8 hole results in wobbly fits for the LED units.  If you take the time to fill the holes with silicone caulk you'll get a  

  nice rubbery insert for the lights. 

[dclovell]

Here are my pics. I made a total of six of these...three for myself and three to give away. These are mine that are hanging on my porch. I've had a blast with this project.

[Christine_HD_OC]

Great job Dclovell.

They look GREAT!

What a wonderful idea it was to make some extra ones to give them away to a friend. I'm sure they loved them.

Thanks for sharing your snowflakes with the community. I love seeing projects come together and being displayed proudly.

PS: I love the decorative posts and corbels on your porch.  They are beautiful.