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leaping arches


JF1993

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What do you do to be able to afford ccrs for arches?? sell crack?? :lol: $250/per, x 4 .. $1000 just for a set of arches??? you people are nuts.. then there's 12-16 of them for a megatree.. I'm def. in the wrong line of work!! :P

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I've never paid over $200 for a CCR. And controllers I typically pick up PC version for $180/each (during sales). 4 CCRs for (8) arches ($800) or 4 PC units for (8) arches ($720 + lights). The cost washes either way you do it. And if you want RGB on your arches that 8 more PC units. Now people who use 12-16 CCRs for a CCR tree... I feel the same way...that's a lot of $$ (and I don't know how they do it).

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I'm not too sure about the whole CCR method. I'd have to look into it, but I'm still leaning towards buying two more boxes for next year which would bring my show up to 48 channels.

1 Mega Tree = 5 channels of Blue LEDs & 5 channels of Red LEDs

4 Mini Trees = 1 Channel Each Warm White LEDs

1 Flood Light = 1 Channel

1 Star/Tree Topper = 1 Channel

4 Leaping Arches = Possibly 5 Channels Each Warm White LEDs

And to top it all off I was thinking about making a giant leaping deer prop 6 channels in one direction 6 channels in the opposite direction. I really want to make this prop tall enough to go from one side of the display, over the top of the entire display, and back down to the other side. Kinda like a giant leaping arch except with deer instead of sleeves.

Something Like This

8.jpg

That just about does it for next year.

Edited by JF1993
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Mine are eight 11" long sleeves, 100ct mini incands per sleeve, 11" long due to the bulb spacing, wrapped on 1 1/2" pvc, slid over 1/2" support pvc support pipe, 2' rebar in the ground hold the 7'-something pipe in the ground, abt 6' long, 2'-something high.

Takes abt 20 mins to wrap one sleeve. http://forums.lighto...2-57-46.972.jpg

I added arches this year.I done mine like T.J. he recommened to do mine this way. this is the way to go I had a string go out and I fixed it in about 2 mins....They look great thanks again for the help T.J.
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What would you recommend for building these leaping deer sculptures? I was thinking rope lights but I know those can be unreliable after a while.

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Mine are eight 11" long sleeves, 100ct mini incands per sleeve, 11" long due to the bulb spacing, wrapped on 1 1/2" pvc, slid over 1/2" support pvc support pipe, 2' rebar in the ground hold the 7'-something pipe in the ground, abt 6' long, 2'-something high.

Takes abt 20 mins to wrap one sleeve. http://forums.lighto...2-57-46.972.jpg

TJ this sounds intriguing as i was watching a video earlier where the gentleman was wrapping a 20' pipe... my first thought was what if one section fails. Can you elaborate a little more on your set up? do you just slid the section over the pipe and bend it on to the rebar? Edited by PeKu
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TJ this sounds intriguing as i was watching a video earlier where the gentleman was wrapping a 20' pipe... my first thought was what if one section fails. Can you elaborate a little more on your set up? do you just slid the section over the pipe and bend it on to the rebar?

Read away:

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yep, I cut a bunch of 12" sleeves on the bandsaw, wrap each and trim the (if any) extra pipe off. Dril a hole at each end to zip-tie the string to the sleeve. Slide it over the 1/2" support arch, then slip the ends over 12" rebar (6" above ground) and you've got an assembled arch. You can also wrap additional colors over each sleeve so you can color-change.

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7 channel arches using one 100ct mini string per channel wrapped around 10ft PVC 1/2" conduit. #4 rebar fits inside perfectly for installing.

Edited by roknjohn
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I will contest that the sleeve method is best. I foolishly did my 20 foot arch all directly onto 2 inch pipe. This is second year using them. I do not take them apart, i hang them in my garage on some brackets. If i had used sleeves it would make for easier storage and now every time a section goes out i am out there with the tester trying to figure out which bulb it is or re-wrapping that section. Kind of a pain in the butt to remove a section in middle and re- wrap it so it looks uniformed. So yes def go with the sleeves. I at least might get to re do mine next year if i can get enough LED's for 75% off after season.

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Local stores by us. I am exactly 20-30 minute drive in either direction to bigger cities. A few of the stores i can check their inventory online and call them and have them held for me til i get there as long as i get there that same day. I can just say its good to know people. And I also have a pretty good grasp on each stores schedule of markdowns. Knowing that Fleet Farm waits almost a month after christmas to mark down their lights to 50 % while other stores are almost out of lights is very helpful. I have noticed alot of online stores dont mark down that much. You might get lucky to get 25% off online... if your lucky. Nothing against anyone that shops online but if i can get something cheaper local I will. If I find it cheaper online i will order it.

But I enjoy supporting local stores over online anyway Knowing the money I spent goes back into our local economy via employee wages. Just my opinion though.

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wow that's pretty neat. We really don't have a lot of local stores that sell Christmas lights esp. LED ones. That's why I always drive to Menards at the end of the season.

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Has anyone ever tried making leaping arches with some sort of plastic tube or sleeve over the entire arch? I always thought that it would be a cool idea, and it might just keep the lights a little more protected from the elements. What I had in mind was maybe some PVC clear ventilation tubing to cover the entire arch.

777_azk.jpg

Has anyone tried this yet? If so did it work?

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Menards is one of my hot spots, I have 5 within 45 minutes from me. So between the 5 i usually get enough of leftovers that I need.

I remember someone posting on here awhile back about dryer vent tube over arches and infact had pics or video. Will post if I find it.

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http://forums.planet...l__+dryer +vent

This is a thread with some video of what it will look like.

Thanks that actually looks pretty cool. I might have to try this for next year :)

I seem to recall reading somewhere that though it looked cool, somebody mentioned that they had problems with the vent cracking in freezing temperatures. Then it didn't look as good. YMMV.

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hmmm... That's interesting. I didn't think about that before, but I guess that could become a problem. I live in the mid west and we tend to get really cold temps.

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