Cascading Snowflakes

[UncleBuck]

No idea, I live in the Seattle area and are more concerned about the rain.

[Mike Hill]

I'm in the desert.  I'll let everyone knowing I get to around to building them in the week it so.  As I build them I will put them up.  My front house faces north so they may not be in direct sunlight.

[urthegman]

I'd like to build something like this but I'd like to know how they stand up to the sun.  I'm tired of buying stuff that fades, yellows to gets brittle from UV rays.

Jeff, Have you tried 303 Aerospace Protectant? It was recommend to me by someone on this site to use on my rope light snowflakes that I built. Here is a link to their website:  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[sjb]

To make holes in Coroplast I have also used an old soldering gun with the pointed tip. It goes through very easy and I found it a little easier on the hands.

Steve

[sebjsan]

In making this many , what about making a jig from plywood. It would be cut in the shape of the snowflake to outline and cut the coro. While also having nails spaced properly for punching all the holes at once.

[duane.mosley]

In making this many , what about making a jig from plywood. It would be cut in the shape of the snowflake to outline and cut the coro. While also having nails spaced properly for punching all the holes at once.

that's what i did. this picture doesn't show the holes but they are there now. and by using the pattern, they are all the same, and you can clamp them down to help cutting them out, makes it a lot easier to cut out like this that is for sure.

duane

[sebjsan]

What i was thinking of is using plywood. Mark the holes you want with a marker, through each marked area pound a nail thru it. Youll end up with a "spiked" plywood star. This would allow all the holes to be made at once by pushing down on the coro. Does that makes sence?

[sjb]

What i was thinking of is using plywood. Mark the holes you want with a marker, through each marked area pound a nail thru it. Youll end up with a "spiked" plywood star. This would allow all the holes to be made at once by pushing down on the coro. Does that makes sence?

I believe I understand, but how would you push the coroplast all the way through without impailing your hands or other appendages?

[duane.mosley]

What i was thinking of is using plywood. Mark the holes you want with a marker, through each marked area pound a nail thru it. Youll end up with a "spiked" plywood star. This would allow all the holes to be made at once by pushing down on the coro. Does that makes sence?

gotcha! the only thing is that a nail hole is not large enough for the lights to fit threw. it would work to mark all of the holes but you would still have to make the hole large enough for the light. after experimenting in the garage all night. i took my wood pattern, stacked  4 coro flakes under the wood pattern, clamped it to the table tight enough to hold them all but not crush the plastic. i was able to drill  4 at a time with a drill and a bit the size i needed for my lights. it worked great. the wood pattern keeps your drill bit from walking and ripping the plastic.

duane

[duane.mosley]

something else i thought i would share. i am putting my snowflakes on my roof and i have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to mount them, secure them, and not have them flat on the roof. i had ideas like pvc frames, steel frames, and then i'm sitting there in the garage taking a break and it hits me. i used tomato cages to create my mini trees and i had to cut about 10 inches off the top because they were too tall. so i took the top ring that i cut off and i am going to use it to support my snow flakes.  i'm going to tie them all together once on the roof to create a grid between them to hold them all in place. will post pics once done but here are the supports i came up with.


duane

[sjb]

something else i thought i would share. i am putting my snowflakes on my roof and i have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to mount them, secure them, and not have them flat on the roof. i had ideas like pvc frames, steel frames, and then i'm sitting there in the garage taking a break and it hits me. i used tomato cages to create my mini trees and i had to cut about 10 inches off the top because they were too tall. so i took the top ring that i cut off and i am going to use it to support my snow flakes.  i'm going to tie them all together once on the roof to create a grid between them to hold them all in place. will post pics once done but here are the supports i came up with.


duane

The innovation I have seen on this website amazes me. This is a great idea and I love the fact that the members share their ideas and come up with cost effective solutions.
Great job Duane, if I get time to make these snowflakes I will definitely keep this in mind.

Steve

[tbone321]

What you have to watch out for is that if the wind can get under them, it can blow them off of the roof and the bigger they are, the more leverage the wind has.

[UncleBuck]

I built a stand out or PVC, zip tied the flakes to the stand and secured them with sand bags. I'll post a picture later today when I get back on the roof to wire them up.

[UncleBuck]

This is how I mounted mine on the roof.

[chrisatpsu]

looks nice