Looking to build my singing face

[Drac]

Hello all,

 

For Halloween I'm setting up a singing face with a few backup singers.  I was looking into using rope for the face - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008L2V34G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2SBOPFAGI2T2V&coliid=I39RYI3WO23SSV

 

Is this a good idea or would LED strings be better?  The rope is cutable (per the ad) every 3' vs most of the lights are an all or nothing kind of deal.

 

Thanks,

Jim

[Vince4xmas]

I make my own using pegboard, hot glue and LED button type lights. Takes some planning and time, but looks great!

 

Good luck.

I use pegboard (painted black), hot glue and LED button lights. Takes some planning and time. But display looks awesome.

 

Good luck.

[sax]

You can get led rope cuttable every 20 inches from http://www.christmas-leds.com/default_v3.aspx

I use this on my faces. I like rope better but I think it is a matter of personal taste.

I use 3/8 inch rope as it is easier to make the tight circles and curves of faces.

Edited June 5, 2014 by sax

[jerrymac]

I started with the build you own (bulb type) and you are using one of the common faces, BETTER solution is Holiday Coro. If you are going the rope light route (use 3/8).  I stretch the black plastic grid fencing over a black PVC frame (use plastic paint for the PVC).  Provides a good invisible background to zip tie the rope light to.  Use black plastic tape to block out parts of the rope light you do not want lit.

[Drac]

Thx.

 

This is the style face I am going for -

 

 

Just thinking white on a black background.

 

Jim

[Box on Rails]

Rope lights look better for a sing face. LED is the preferred type. I have rope lights for the Halloween singing pumpkins and incandescent mini lights for the singing Christmas trees. the rope lights are smoother.  I have used incandescent rope lights and what I found is some cheaper rope lights power off slow so some times the faster movements of the mouth bleed together and it looks like 2 section are on at the same time for a brief second. LEDs seem to power off faster and help make the faster mouth movements smoother. Powering off is just as important as powering on when it come to any kind of animation with lights.

Good luck 

Kenny Jure'

[Box on Rails]

Here is a video of 2 faces I was testing. one is a rope light Pumpkin, the other is a evil Christmas tree with mini lights. both are incandescent. notice how much smoother the rope lighted Pumpkin is with the mouth movements. LED rope lights would work best I believe.

 

for info

the pumpkin is the singing Jack o lantern at http://www.wireframedlites.com/halloween.shtml

the tree is  from Holiday Coro at http://www.holidaycoro.com/Singing-Christmas-Trees-p/100.htm

Edited June 9, 2014 by Box on Rails

[Drac]

I do like a lot of the predone ones and am leaning more and more toward them.  They just get difficult and/or wasteful on the lights.  The one place that I've found that has orange rope cuts at 3', huge waste on the eyes.  I can get rope that cuts at 20" so less waste but no orange so no pumpkin.

 

The other side is by the time I get the boards and rope I am paying quite a bit more for the singing face.  The Holidaycoro pumpkin and ordering lights would run me about $125.  That wouldn't even cover a spool of rope.

 

Tough choices...  Leaning toward Holidaycoro and ordering lights. 

 

Jim

[Drac]

Ordered the Holidaycoro singing pumpkin and the lights from Amazon.  Hope to be putting it together this weekend.

 

Jim

[bphynes]

I made our singing pumpkin from EL (glow) wire. It worked reasonably well. It's not as bright as some other solutions, but it's a solid "line", not bulbs. I am concerned that it will dim over time.There's an LED fake-neon that I'm considering buying a sample of.

 

I was going to use rope light, but couldn't find a source with the colours and cut-ability that I wanted.

 

Now, I'm looking for sketches of a witch, ghost, and monster face. Any suggestions or volunteers.

[Danny]

I have just made 4 talking pumpkins using cuttable rope light. I've used 2 different types. I prefer the cuttable 3/8 inch every 22" rope light. I have found a supplier on ebay who is cleaning out her inventory. I have just picked up 3 150" spools for $150 dollars not including the 120v power cords. My suggestion 3/8" cuttable rope light for better flexibility especially on corners.