North Poles


 
 

This is another easy project.  I bought ten foot lengths of 4" Schedule 40 PVC.  I used ten foot sections at the entrance to my driveway and I cut the others in half and used them to accent the borders of my yard.  I studied other enthusiasts North Poles and a lot of people put a 4" to 4" coupler on top of their North Pole.  Then they put a globe bracket (screw down globe holder - I don't know what they're called) on top of that and of course the glass or acrylic globe fits over that and screws down.  I'm kinda weird and decided I didn't like that so I experimented and found that the bottom lip of a globe from Lowes or Home Depot both fit snuggly when slipped into the end of 4" Schedule 40 PVC.  I bought acrylic globes ($10 each) for my North Poles out by the street where people and kids are in close proximity and I bought glass globes ($5 each) for the rear North Poles where no one should be around.  As you can see in the picture I cut a little chunk of 2x4 and screwed it into the end of the PVC.  I recessed it enough so that when I mounted the globe it could slip in enough to be secure.  I also took a 24" length of 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC and Gorilla glued it into the bottom of the PVC (opposite the globe).  I saw someone else's website where they did this and it seems to work great.  What this gives you is a way to mount this in your yard.  First you hammer in a 4' section of 3/8" rebar (as straight as possible) and then all you have to do is slip the North Pole over the rebar with the rebar going into the 1/2" PVC.   Brilliant!!!  I then notched the bottom of the PVC so my two power cords could come out without being squished.  Did I say TWO???????   Yep, I also installed strobe into each globe.  This was very high tech.  NOT!!!  All I did was hold the strobe inside the globe, slip the globe over the light bulb, slip the globe securely into the PVC and VIOLA!!!!   I've got lights and strobes!!!!

Now to make it pretty.  A lot of people sand off the PVC markings and paint the PVC, and I did that to the North Poles that were in front of my yard, but the North Poles in back got no special treatment.  Quick down and dirty for them.  Next I wrapped the North Poles with red duct tape and red electrical vinyl tape.  I didn't even know they made red duct tape but they sell it at Lowes and Home Depot so I guess somebody needs it for something!  Anyhow, I found it in the paint section.  Obviously, the duct tape made a wide stripe and the vinyl tape made a narrow stripe.  All I have to say is..........  I LIKE IT!!!!!!!!  For wrapping it will be easier if you use the buddy system.  I start with the duct tape because the smaller electrical tape is easier to work with (more forgiving).   I got my wife to hold one end of the PVC and turn it slowly while I held the duct tape at about a 45 degree angle off the PVC.  You may have to play with this a little to get it to look right but it really wasn't that hard.  My poor wifey had to twirl about 850' of PVC last year and I didn't even have to buy her a diamond!!!  Wait a minute........she did get a new car.   DANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Could've had LED's!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, check out the pics!
 


 
 

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