Holiday rope lighting

[RoboticBrad]

Quick question... I'm working on a Halloween display where my pumpkin (8-channel LOR) is singing the Ghostbusters song. I thought I would be able to use mini lights to pull this off, but it looks awful. The mini lights look like a mess from a distance and doesn't resemble the mouth I'm aiming for. I knew that rope lighting would probably be better, but I didn't want to spend that much money. Now I'm thinking it's the best way to go. My question is this... can all rope lights be cut, or are there some that can't? Can anyone recommend a major retailer where I can get various sizes of rope lighting for cheap, or point me in the right direction for cutting the rope light. I found 18 feet of holiday rope lighting at Lowes, but I just can't see using 2 feet for an eye and then trying to cover up the other 16 feet. Ha!

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

-Brad

[xmaskarl]

Try this site, this is just one of many!

 

http://www.holidaylights.com/ropelight1.html

[indi]

Quick question... I'm working on a Halloween display where my pumpkin (8-channel LOR) is singing the Ghostbusters song. I thought I would be able to use mini lights to pull this off, but it looks awful. The mini lights look like a mess from a distance and doesn't resemble the mouth I'm aiming for. I knew that rope lighting would probably be better, but I didn't want to spend that much money. Now I'm thinking it's the best way to go. My question is this... can all rope lights be cut, or are there some that can't? Can anyone recommend a major retailer where I can get various sizes of rope lighting for cheap, or point me in the right direction for cutting the rope light. I found 18 feet of holiday rope lighting at Lowes, but I just can't see using 2 feet for an eye and then trying to cover up the other 16 feet. Ha!

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

-Brad

For any extra rope light that is left over from each fixture, I cover mine with black split wire loom that I get at the local car parts store. My rope light would cut  at 36" intervals. When I bought it, it was advertised as being able to cut it at every 18". Not the case. Anyway, I was in the same predicament as you from Lowes and Menards 18' to 50' rolls. Nothing on their rope lights tell you if or where you can cut them. I ended up having to buy a 150' roll. Now I have about 120' left. I guess I will come up with something to use it on.  

[a31ford]

Just a thought......

 

"Diffusion Gel" you know the lights that rock bands or theatrical productions use (generally called PAR 64 lights) the stores that supply them, also sell "Gel" (those are the colored sheets on the front of the light) generally made by "Rosco" (roscolene gel) they also make transparent clear "Diffusion gel" it looks like the part of a shower door that has been sandblasted, but it's plastic, and can be bent, and cut into strips or shapes.

 

make a template that would look like your "mouth" that you want, and hold (or tape it) to the front of a shower door (that has that sandblasted stuff on it), put some lights behind, and test, you might like the look ?? who knows.........

 

 

A huge sheet of diffusion gel is real cheap less than 20 bucks ? a lot less than rope light.

 

 

Greg

[RoboticBrad]

Thanks for the tips, I guess I should have come by here and checked for responses, I thought I would get an email by default if someone responded to my post, but I guess that's not the case. I think I will just cover up the unwanted ends with black electrical tape and be done with it. I need to learn how to cut the stuff and make custom scenes for my Christmas display. Something to work on next year! Thanks again for the advice

[olduffer]

Not sure if something like this would work, or actual cost, but thought I'd post it so you could take a look.

 

http://autolumination.com/led_neon.html