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Chris Cuff, a friend, fellow collector and frequent contributor to this website, is quite a creative individual. He has kindly agreed to share with you some of his antique Christmas light related projects. We hope you enjoy them!

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The $5.00 Bubble Light Tree

Everyone loves the vintage visca-type bubble light trees. The problems with the wonderful old trees are both the cost (typically anywhere from $100.00 to $300.00) and the shedding. Sadly, nothing can be done about either, so Chris has come up with an ingenious project that will allow almost anyone to make one of these popular trees. Chris writes:

Here we are going to build our own bubble light tree, using the very simple step by step instructions below. Now obviously, $5.00 is NOT going to buy a set of bubble lights... but it will make the tree. Everyone has a few old strings of lights around to use for this project, perhaps an older vinyl cord with no box.. But even if you don't I will show how to make a string of lights from scratch, using sockets available at Radio Shack so let's get started! (Do not use C7 type lamps- they are a bit too big and heavy for this project- as well as too hot.)

 

Here we have our needed supplies: 

2- 12" Canadian fir trees from AC Moore- $1.00 each. (I chose these as they have very short fir, and look VERY real!)

1- empty margarine tub (for the base)

1- Styrofoam cone- $1.59 at Wal-Mart

1- 9 lamp C6 light set and bubble lamps (Now, most C-6 light sets are 8 sockets. Here, we will simply splice in an extra socket, clipped from an old second set of lights, or add on one of the Radio Shack sockets shown below. Use this added-on socket for the top light.) You will still need to get your own bubble lamps- Sources listed later. 

1- spool of florists wire $1.00 at AC Moore or Wal-Mart.

Standard hand tools- Pliers, wire cutters, etc.

 

 

 

Begin by preparing your greens for garlands and socket arms.

You simply take the base off the mini tree, and untwist the trunk with a pair of pliers. The trunk is just 2 pieces of stiff wire twisted together holding the branches in.

You will be using florist's wire to put the branches together as shown. Overlap each branch about 3/4" then tie together tightly by wrapping the florist's wire around the 2 branches.

Take the Styrofoam cone and "roll" the wide end on the counter, just enough to flatten the edge so it will slip inside the empty margarine tub (The tub will be your base when you are all done)

As you can see, the florist's wire makes garlands easy! You can't see the joints where you put them together, and can make them as long as you need. For the socket arms, 2 is plenty. For the main garland, make a couple of garlands about 6 feet long each.

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If you plan to make your own string of sockets, solder 9 Radio Shack Part # 272-356 sockets  together as shown here on the right. Use about 9 inches of wire between the sockets- extra wire will be hidden when the tree is wrapped later. After making your connections, and testing your string, fill the exposed wiring area with "RTV" type silicone sealer for safety.

This picture also shows how to add on your ninth socket, if using a normal 8 socket string. Just cut the existing string at it's mid-point, and add in the top socket.

On the right, I have shown the top socket. The left hand side shows the Radio Shack style socket ready to put on the tree- on the right side, it is mounted to the cone. bend the bottom ends of the branches in at a right angle, and plug them into the tree. The garland wrap will also serve to keep the socket more firmly in place. The construction of the other 8 socket assemblies is shown below.



OK, now we will prepare our light set. If using a pre-made set, simply wrap a long branch around one socket, and twist tightly like so.

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If you are making your own light set, first wire 9 Radio Shack C6  sockets in series with a 9 or 10" piece of insulated wire between each socket in a loop, soldering to the terminals on the bottom of the socket. The wire is NOT shown here, but must be done first.

To make the arms, push one long branch through a hole in the socket, and pull the branch down so it looks like so. Feed the branch back up the other hole and pull it tight, and wrap it around the socket as shown in the pictures below.

 

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Now, make your other branches, wrapping around the socket, and ending up with an "assembly" as shown on the right. Note the right angle bends- These are going to "plug in" to the Styrofoam cone body of your tree, while giving a short vertical area of garland which will be held captive when you wrap the finished tree later on. You need to make 8 of these- 4 for the bottom tier, and 4 for the middle tier.

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If you are using a pre-made string of lights, refer to the picture on the right to mount the top socket. Note the cut out to allow the wire to come out the side at the bottom of the socket. Just push the socket down into the Styrofoam. The Styrofoam will "crunch down" to accommodate the socket.

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Now, "Plug in" your socket/arm assemblies into the tree as shown. Refer to the "bird's eye view" on the right - You want the tree to look like this when looking down on it from the top for nice symmetry.

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This is a view of your tree with all the sockets in place. Now is a good time to test the tree before you wrap it with garland. Use standard C6 bulbs for now, in case of "accidents"...

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OK, Let's Wrap! Begin at the top, using a 6 foot (or so) length of garland that you have made up wiring several branches together as shown before. Stick one end in to the top area of the tree, and wrap the tree in a spiral fashion downwards. when you get to the end of one garland, wrap it around the nearest arm, and build another garland and keep going, starting where you left off.

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Now, we have our wrapped tree! Easy, wasn't it! Notice how the garland is holding the arms captive, yet allowing flexibility to re-position the arms as needed. You can also bend the arms down, so the sockets point outwards and use your tree for the ever popular Matchless star lamps!

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All that's left to do at this point is place as many small branches you want all over the tree, sticking them right into the tree to fill it out. 

 

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Lastly, fill the margarine tub with some stones and using craft glue, cement it on to the bottom of the tree- Push it up about a 1/2 inch, and your project is complete!

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A note about sources for materials: If you have no C6 bubble lights, Here is where you can get the parts to make your own lamps. Quite easy, and the sites listed give their own very good instructions on how to make them.

Lion's Den Antiques: Paul Schofield is a good friend and supplier for bubble tube vials, as well as new replacement lamps. Please visit his website HERE

Magical Holiday is another wonderful supplier of reproduction Noma C6 bubble light bases. I have used them, and highly recommend them Click HERE to go to their website.

I do hope you enjoy the Project Page! Please email me HERE with any questions, or for assistance in obtaining materials- I have most everything, including the AC Moore mini trees available year-round!

Chris Cuff

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