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  • Author Author: dubbie
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Makevember : Wire Frame Christmas Trees

dubbie

For a contribution to the Makevember topic I decided to make some wire frame Christmas tree decorations. I wanted to make them to look good and to have some LEDs on them. I didn't quite (yet) manage this although I have made something, see below.

 

 

I aim to try and improve more on the wire frame trees and then I will have to work out some way of attaching LEDs and getting them to light up nicely.

 

Dubbie

  • in reply to jw0752

    John,

     

    My original idea was to use two identical wire trees and solder the LEDs between them. The Aluminium seems to have a low resistance, under 1 Ohm. I was expecting to find a skin of Aluminium Oxide on the wire which I think is an insulator, but it didn't seem to be there. Perhaps the wire had not been exposed to enough air, or maybe it is some sort of Aluminium alloy anyway.

     

    When I couldn't make two identical trees I just used a pre-existing LED string of bead LEDs that I think are all wired in parallel to a 3V battery pack. The connecting wires on the LED string seem to have a plastic coating so are insulated from the Aluminium wire so I just wrapped the LED string around the wire tree shape. It is not particularly good but it gave some idea of what it would look like.

     

    Dubbie

  • in reply to jw0752

    John,

     

    Frank also mentioned this approach. I will have to give it ago. I have only ever used the stretching method before but stretching 2 mm Aluminium wire takes some doing..

     

    Dubbie

  • in reply to fmilburn

    Frank,

     

    I hadn't thought of putting the wire into a drill like this. I might give it a go, although I'm not sure that 2 mm Aluminium wire will twist nicely. It might also produce a nice surface twist finish.

     

    Dubbie

  • Hi Dubbie,

     

    This looks like a fun project and while it may seem simple there are always side effects and challenges to make it more fun. How did you handle the electrical with the different voltage drops in the different color LEDs? I was guessing a series with constant current but perhaps you had a better idea.

     

    John

  • in reply to fmilburn

    I do a lot on things with wire as a structural material. I usually put one end of the wire in a secured vise and the other end in a drill chuck. I pull the wire as tight as I can and give it about one turn per meter. It amazingly makes the wire as straight as can be.

     

    John