The last post was about the Salix, and hopefully answered any questions you might have about them. This one is all about the festoon light hangers we have in our garden. They featured in a reel I made last summer that had the highest number of views of anything I've ever made so thought it would make a good second post. 12.9M saw an incredibly quick tutorial when I posted it for the first time which I still think is absolutely bonkers.
There was a lot of love, as well as the standard snarky comments. Lots of people commenting that the copper would change colour. This was, in fact, something I was very much hoping for as the patina works really well with our style of garden. I wouldn't even know where to start if you wanted to keep the shiny copper colour they'll be for the first week or so. Copper also seems to be a lot more expensive elsewhere than it is in the UK and also more desirable to thieves. We have been very lucky so far and they are all still very much in situ. And just incase you were wondering, we haven't been struck by lightning (yet).
So, if you aren't put off by any of those potential issues here's a gentler version if you want to have a go and make them yourself.
The Products
3m of 15mm copper pipe (makes about 4/5 depending on the length you want we went 75cm)
90 degree elbow (You need 4 of these per hanger, 3 for the hook at the top and 1 for the bottom to secure to the fence post)
Copper saddle clips (2 per hanger)
Either a pipe bender or 135 degree elbows to create the bend (1 for each hanger)
Glue (that will stick metal)
Pipe cutter or hacksaw with blade that will cut copper
Drill and screws to screw in saddle clips.
Flat wood 16mm drill bit (to make a small groove in the fence post)
The 'how to'
Decide whether you are going to make each hanger out of two pieces of pipe joined with the 135 degree elbow or bend the pipe to get the angle. If decided to bend it you will need a pipe bender, we borrowed Mark's Dads for the first lot we made and used the elbows for the other as he'd taken it home. Honestly, I preferred using the bender but I wouldn't buy one just for this project.
The next thing you want to do is work out how long each hanger will be, you get the pipe in 3m lengths and don't want to waste any so, I think, it's best to split either into 75cm each or 50cm and then make 4 or 5 from that.
If you are using the 135 elbow you'll need to cut each piece again so each hanger is split into two pieces, a shorter piece (roughly 20cm) that will be attached to the fence and the longer piece that sticks out into the air (roughly 55cm). If you are bending it, do it around the 20cm mark.
Using three of the 90 degree elbows make a hook like the pic below and glue them together. We used 'Sticks Like Shit' and it's held well for the last few years.
Glue the hook you've made to one end of the longer piece of pipe.
Next, glue the remaining 90 degree elbow to the end of the shorter piece of pipe. This piece will stick into the fence post to stop it from moving from side to side.
Use the 135 elbow to join the other ends of the two pieces of pipe together making sure the hook and bottom elbow are in the right positions.
You will need two saddle clips to attach the hanger to the fence post. One at the bend and the other just above the bottom elbow. Drill the one at the bend to the post first but leave the bottom one until you've made the groove (in the next step).
Mark on the post where the elbow at the bottom of the hanger touches it and then move it to the side so you can get to the post to drill a groove. Using the flat wood drill bit make the groove (a couple of mm deep) for the bottom of the hanger to sit in. Reposition so the elbow sits in the groove.
Reposition the hanger and use the final saddle clip to position it in the right place, and your done. The photo of the hanger on the left was taken straight after it was made, the one on the right is after a few weeks when the copper has started to weather, keep them there long enough and they may even turn green just like Lady Liberty herself.
