Spikes
The spikes are another easy project. I used 10 (five per spike), 10 foot, 3/4" Schedule 40 PVC (I don't like using the cheap PVC because it is just too flimsy). I clean the PVC with 409 (or whatever) so electrical tape will stick and then I got Mrs. Elf Tamra to turn one end of the PVC while I held a roll of red electrical tape about 45 degrees out to the side and put a nice North Pole looking wrap on the PVC. Makes it look real Christmassy! Don't worry about the writing or the blemishes on the PVC because you won't notice them during the day and you can't see them at night. Some people like to paint their PVC beautiful white but I guess I'm not one of them!!! I mean, I want it to look good during the day, and I think it does, but night time is where it's at!!! I don't even care if it's ugly during the day as long as it's rockin' at night!!! OK, back on track! Then, normally, I would put two strings of lights on each spike but this year I was out of power. All "ON" I was sitting around 360 amps. Sooo, until I can afford LED's I had to cut back on light strings - one on each spike was all I could do! Since the 100 count strings of lights I use are about 24 feet long I did not stretch the strings and I just doubled the string of lights (folded in half) and tie-rapped it on to the PVC. Viola!!! You're done!!! Now just hammer 4 foot sections of 3/8" rebar into the ground (one straight up - 90 degrees, two on each side of that about 60 degrees and two under that about 30 degrees). It took me a couple of tries to make it look right but it was worth the effort. The cool thing is when the wind blows the spikes move around. As Paris would say, "That's Hot!".
PS - The spikes nearest the ground may need a little added support. After about a week I noticed they were sagging down close to the border hoops so I used a 2 foot section of rebar, hammered it in the ground about 30" from center and tie-rapped the PVC to it. It gave the PVC support (lifted it) but did not take away the movement.
Here's some pics.........
In the pic below you can see the rebar supports for the lower spikes.
