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RBnDFW RBnDFW is offline
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Default Attaching light fixtures to trees....

On 10/24/2010 4:15 PM, Steve W. wrote:
Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:22:41 -0400, "Steve
wrote:

Beryl wrote:
Existential Angst wrote:
Awl --
A sodium lamp fixture, 10# or so.

I see two options: screw right into the tree (SS deck screws?), or
big hose clamps (or threaded-rod/plate equiv) around the tree.
Both can impact the tree, it seems. Mebbe a hoseclamp with springs,
for tree growth? That's a pita, tho.

Would be about 20 ft up, on the trunk, not a branch.
I would would proly put the weatherproof box to a long-ish board or
alum strip/bar, and attach that to the tree, for torque issues.

The trunk would be about 10"-12" in diameter at that height. How
deep can one screw into a tree without doing harm?
The ones I put up are lagged in place with 4 stainless lags each. They
are headless lags with machine threads on one end and lag screw on the
other. Drilled a pilot hole and screwed them in about 4" and left about
4" sticking out. To them I mounted a nice piece of stainless plate and
the light was mounted to that. Nice and solid and there is space for the
tree to grow. Now I am just waiting for a new tree to grow out in the
middle of the yard so I can mount a light there... May be a while!


Ah reckon so. Um, why do yo uwant a light in the middle of your yard?
Won't house-mounted spots work?


Well it's not a small yard. 5+ acres and the trees are spaced out so
they look almost "natural". The people I got it from cleared EVERYTHING
off it. There were some nice oaks and red maples that would have been
great but the "professional landscaper" they hired claimed they were
trash trees!!!

So I have been scrounging up some larger transplants and having them
brought in. The one I want to put a light on is well established but
it's only 20" or so currently.


Next question - how to get power to those trees?
I have a box of new X10 motion sensor lights, and an acre lot crawling
with big post oaks.

--
I can see November from my front porch