Pinwheel test

[David Rise 12]

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.

[fxdwg 2]

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!

[David Rise 12]

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.

[fxdwg 2]

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!

[WhitePlainsNY 35]

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.

[Mike G 4]

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.

[David Rise 12]

Well Walmart and Walgreens were out of them.

Just when I thought all hope was lost. My in-laws gave me 15 of them.

[Surfing4Dough 191]

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.

[Brian Mitchell 118]

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.

[Surfing4Dough 191]

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.

[fxdwg 2]

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)

[Surfing4Dough 191]

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).

[Brian Mitchell 118]

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.

[fxdwg 2]

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).

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!

[bajantechie 1]

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.

[huskernut 0]

My home town had none and I thought I was out of luck but traveled to Portales, NM to visit my daughter and scored 12 at Walmart for 1.47 each.

[jeffl 21]

Not bad for a 725 mile drive.

[Aaron Maue 31]

George Simmons wrote:

Here ya go - hope it helps...

George,

How's that attached to the house? Looks like you might have a ceiling bike hook tucked underneath the siding. I'm working on a couple of these pinwheels this weekend and trying to decide if I need to attach anything else to the wire fencing to help with installation later.

[George Simmons 1,210]

Yes, that is a bike hook screwed in there, but I use it for other stuff, not the pinwheel.

Usually, what I do for the pinwheels (and spinners) is drive in two nails, level, two or three feet apart and hang from them. Both the house and garage there's wood underneath the siding which makes it real convenient. YMMV

[Aaron Maue 31]

George Simmons wrote:

Yes, that is a bike hook screwed in there, but I use it for other stuff, not the pinwheel.

Usually, what I do for the pinwheels (and spinners) is drive in two nails, level, two or three feet apart and hang from them. Both the house and garage there's wood underneath the siding which makes it real convenient. YMMV

Great. Saved me some extra work (was gonna over-engineer something). Thanks for the tip.

[Aaron Maue 31]

Got mine finished (one red, one green). Another prop checked off the list...

[NWSanta 15]

Nice! Now if I could Just convince my buddy to do that at his house! I've been trying for the last few years to convert his Candycanes to that but, he hasn't bit yet!!!!

Maybe this year!

[JF1993 9]

This makes me wish I would have purchased a box full of candy cane lights at the end of the last holiday season. Great job on the pinwheel.

[Dan Ancona 5]

I just finished making one of these. I used a center 'hub' made from a 2x8, some 1/2" PVC elect conduit.

Attached files

[Tim Fischer 196]

Since we're sharing, here's mine

Construction photos:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.267156336714257.58327.161583510604874&type=1

Simple video test:

Note the fencepost/controller setup in these pics was rigged just for the test - it will be neater and more substantial for the real deal.