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Pinwheel test


DMONK

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Well and here I thought the pinwheel idea was somewhat original, lol. I'm adding an aspect to it though that will be in my display next year. I'd tell everyone but then everyone would have one!


Ok, Ok... What I'm doing is adding 12 green canes to go with the 12 red. The green will face the opposite direction. Only thing it seems to alter is it does make the center "hole" larger because of the spacing but this will be filled with something, just not sure what yet... Strobes? Snowflake? Star? Meh, whatever I can figure out to fit. I've not fully assembled the pinwheel yet, just a test fit and the cords were still wrapped up so that effects the spacing some at the bottoms.

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Why does everyone do 12 candy canes? I did 16. One thing I have to admit. Walmart sells three different candy canes.

Red with small white stripes
Green with small white stripes
White with small red strips

Mine are the White with small red strips, but they don't look the greatest to me. I wish I had the red with the small white stripes. That will be my fix for 2012, and I'm adding a green one for 2012 too.


Attached files 293404=16195-311494_190112827740580_100002255929941_400198_1846501701_n.jpg

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I did mine with 12 spokes so that in addition to doing their own thing, I could have them match up with my pre-existing 6-channel spinners, or my 7-channel arches or my 7-channel fans whenever I wanted a uniform motion pattern throughout the two yards or in a particular part of a song.

(If you pull the end cap off and turn around the last bulb you won't have that dark spot in the curl of each cane.)

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George Simmons wrote

If you pull the end cap off and turn around the last bulb you won't have that dark spot in the curl of each cane.


Really! lol, I cannot believe something as simple as that, makes that much of a difference. Thanks so much for that tip...
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Well, I hope Walmart still has these when I go there tomorrow morning. I'm going to buy a bunch of them and put them up over the garage next year.

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you guys need to STOP!! the last two years there have been NONE LEFT after Christmas... i always buy all that my walmarts have remaining at the 1/2 off sale... and now since you guys have let the cat out of the bag... :D

just kidding of course. my cane spinners were one of the first display items i built three years ago, however mine are only 8 channels, so looks like its time to redo them for 2012...

george, thanks for the light tip, i will do that to the new ones, and i too found out that holes had to be drilled in the lower ones due to "catching" water... although i might try the silicone idea as well.

man i love this place!

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fxdwg wrote:

you guys need to STOP!! the last two years there have been NONE LEFT after Christmas... i always buy all that my walmarts have remaining at the 1/2 off sale... and now since you guys have let the cat out of the bag... :)

just kidding of course. my cane spinners were one of the first display items i built three years ago, however mine are only 8 channels, so looks like its time to redo them for 2012...

george, thanks for the light tip, i will do that to the new ones, and i too found out that holes had to be drilled in the lower ones due to "catching" water... although i might try the silicone idea as well.

man i love this place!


ROFL!.......

As my son says....Na, Na, boo, boo. :D
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so are you saying i need to drive to IL? you know chicago is only like 8 hours from me. LOL

might be a bit of drive day after Christmas!

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I chose 12 for each because I liked the spacing/effect. It also helped that the Walmart had exactly 24 remaining when I went to buy them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My wife and I really like the way that pinwheels look. The candy canes I have seen were wired three to a set. Is there a way to separate them to a single candy cane? I have searched for single candy canes but the ones that come up are either too long or way too small.

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So how does everybody hook these up channel-wise? Do most link 2 canes together per channel (180 degrees apart) or each cane on a channel? It seems that spinning is the main effect to do with these and though controlling each cane is cool, have people found it impractical to use much in actually sequencing to music. Don't won't to double the channels if it is rarely useable.

Some great tips in this thread--mounting, weep holes, flip the bulb to close the gap, etc.

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Surfing4Dough wrote:

So how does everybody hook these up channel-wise? Do most link 2 canes together per channel (180 degrees apart) or each cane on a channel? It seems that spinning is the main effect to do with these and though controlling each cane is cool, have people found it impractical to use much in actually sequencing to music. Don't won't to double the channels if it is rarely useable.

Some great tips in this thread--mounting, weep holes, flip the bulb to close the gap, etc.


I have quite a few different effects other than just spinning. I use a channel for each cane.
You can see many of the effects on my 2010 and 2011 videos on my website.
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Brian Mitchell wrote:

Surfing4Dough wrote:
So how does everybody hook these up channel-wise? Do most link 2 canes together per channel (180 degrees apart) or each cane on a channel? It seems that spinning is the main effect to do with these and though controlling each cane is cool, have people found it impractical to use much in actually sequencing to music. Don't won't to double the channels if it is rarely useable.

Some great tips in this thread--mounting, weep holes, flip the bulb to close the gap, etc.


I have quite a few different effects other than just spinning. I use a channel for each cane.
You can see many of the effects on my 2010 and 2011 videos on my website.

Brian,
Thanks. Very nice. How do you mount yours? They appear that they are free standing, maybe on poles or something. However, most of the footage is from far away so hard to tell (0:50 into Boogie Woogie provides the best view though). Also, from looking at the videos, it still appears that the most bang for the buck comes from spinning. I watched 4 videos, and it seemed that 75-90% of the effects were spinning (though I admit I liked the 3-cane spine, which would require individual cane control). I am struggling with doubling the channels for individual control if majority of the time going to use spinning. I think I would rather add a 2nd color of canes instead. However, I am only 24hrs into this thought process, so many more weeks/months yet to be involved in thinking it all out.
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hey dough:

i have 2x2 frames built for mine, with chicken wire mesh across it, then the canes are zip tied into position. i have 4 panels of 8, that i use 1 controller for.

although this year, i was able to snag 60 of them from walmart for 50% off, so i plan to redo them for 2012, to 12 channels each.

the panels are a bit large to handle and store, (they do hang on my fence nicely though.) so i plan to come up with a plan B for next year!

also, still need to make it up your way to check out the display in person. havent been that far north at nighttime. (although i was at the stow courthouse today, no wonder court costs are so high up there. LOL)

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fxdwg wrote:


also, still need to make it up your way to check out the display in person. havent been that far north at nighttime. (although i was at the stow courthouse today, no wonder court costs are so high up there. LOL)

Will be still running through the 12 days of Christmas. Not sure that we will make it your way before take down though. I watched your videos though -- very nice! Seems like lots of upgrades this year.

Yes, the courthouse is a joke. I think it is still losing money each year, so expect court costs to rise further--the taxpayers are making sure that we don't get stuck with the bill. I haven't been inside, but apparently you have. Let me know if you decide to visit our display (so I can lock my doors and windows). :):P
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Surfing4Dough wrote:

Brian,
Thanks. Very nice.   How do you mount yours?  They appear that they are free standing, maybe on poles or something. 


They are zip tied to some garden fencing and then that is zipped to a tall fence post.
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Surfing4Dough wrote:

I haven't been inside, but apparently you have. Let me know if you decide to visit our display (so I can lock my doors and windows). :):P




that right there is pretty funny... but it was for a housing code violation, i have a rental in the falls, and a neighbor over there is always upset about something... so i have been dealing with the city of cuy falls on a few things, and they just push all the court business north to stow... its very nice inside, flat screens, video projectors, and prox card reader access everywhere! LOL



we might be coming by this evening after we visit another display further north... so you better lock everything up buddy, including those controllers, i need some more anyway!
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Hey folks,

I am outside the USA. Are there any recommended online stores that sell these can? I would like to use these for my 2012 display. Thanks

Ron.

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