arches

[kingfish]

want to make a couple arches would you rather use cosmic bulbs or pixels???

thanx for any input

[NEWTOUR]

All design is subject to personal prefference, but I would go with the Pixels myself. I made some lst year out of LEDS and I will be changing to Pixles this year. NOT to say the LEDs don't look great from the street. The pixles will also look clean up close. IN MY OPINION

[Ron Boyd]

Depends on whether or not you want to cut the strings or strips and void the warranty.

[kingfish]

no cutting my plan with two sets I could make four arches

[kingfish]

majority of viewing would be between 20 to fifty feet although some drive byes would be at 150 feet . I have a parking lot next to my house

[Ron Boyd]

Take a peek at my videos in my signature. Those 4 arches are 1 set of CCPs. They are imbedded in, drilled, 1" PEX tubing.

[k6ccc]

Like Ron, I used CCPs drilled into PEX, however I used 50 CCPs per arch. Really looked great! You can get to photos and details on my webpage below.

[George Simmons]

Save me a seat on PEX train... 

 

I also used pixels drilled into 1" tubes.  I used 50 pixels per 10 ft section to outline 3 sides of my yard and the shed. 

 

With naked pixels being so bright the muted look of the PEX makes an excellent contrast.

 

We really like the look and will be adding more this year.

[wmilkie]

tie wrapped my  50 pixel strings to PEX(also); made 8 of them, 5 ft arches

[lightzilla]

I didn't go the route that most decorators go now that use pixels ( drilling holes into 1" white PEX  tubing).  However when you insert the pixels into the holes that were drilled then the tubing does disperse the light pretty evenly. If I went that route then I would need to find another way to get the bend in the tubing without using rebar. I slipped off my deck a couple Christmas seasons back & the rebar just grazed my skin parallel with the heart.  That was close enough for me to exclude rebar from my display. However if you want a good looking arch then that is the way to go. 

 

​Like Ron I use one ccp controller/2 strings & make 4 arches.  However it is your choice. 

Edited April 2, 2015 by lightzilla

[EmmienLightFan]

I made mine with pipe insulation. Easy to bend and looks really good. 50pixels\arch is best, but 25 is OK. I will be making Halloween tombstones with 25pixels/arch.

[aegault]

I'm adding arches as well this year- my 'big' add. I think I'm going old school and using arches with regular LED strings- the pixels just seem to 'modern' to me.
 

I need to read up on the CCP though- as that's a whole new ballgame.

[mcha]

I will also be adding the 'old school' LED arches to my display. The nostalgic effect of white chasing lights gives me warm fuzzies.   

[k6ccc]

I didn't go the route that most decorators go now that use pixels ( drilling holes into 1" white PEX  tubing).  However when you insert the pixels into the holes that were drilled then the tubing does disperse the light pretty evenly. If I went that route then I would need to find another way to get the bend in the tubing without using rebar. I slipped off my deck a couple Christmas seasons back & the rebar just grazed my skin parallel with the heart.  That was close enough for me to exclude rebar from my display. However if you want a good looking arch then that is the way to go. 

 

​Like Ron I use one ccp controller/2 strings & make 4 arches.  However it is your choice. 

 

I'm going to echo what lightzilla said about the danger of rebar pointed up.  I'm alive right now thanks to the safety covers listed below.  Several years ago I fell while getting up and landed straight down onto a piece of rebar I had just tie wired in place.  <WARNING, GORY CONTENT>  Had it not been covered, the rebar would have penetrated my chest and torn up either the right ventricle of my heart or my decending aorta.  In either case, I would have bled out before the paramedics could have gotten out the fire station door. </gory content>

 

Your life is worth more than a few $3 covers.  If the PEX does not go on immediately, any exposed rebar gets covered immediately.  Same thing when the PEX is removed - the rebar is immediately pulled out of the ground.  BTW, when I say immediately, I really mean it.  For example, when I'm removing the arch, a helper (one of my sons) holds the middle of the arch while I am sitting (not standing or kneeling) next to one end.  I lift the PEX off the rebar and a second or two later, the rebar gets pulled out.  Then I move to the other end and repeat.  I do point out that the ground under the arches is soft enough that the rebar pulls out by hand.  Putting the arch up is the same thing.  Rebar gets hammered in and the PEX goes over it - all while sitting on the ground next to it.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/PrimeSource-Osha-Steel-Reinforced-Rebar-Cap-CAPOSHAEAR/100323493

[k6ccc]

BTW, a good way to hold the pile in place without the "usual" rebar in the ground is to put a couple 2x4s together to form an X laying flat on the ground.  Drill a hole into it that the PEX slides into.  You may need to tie a rope between the two ends so the bent PEX does not try to straighten out and mis-shape your arch.  This also woks when you can't pound rebar into the ground - such as an arch on a concrete slab.

 

The second photo shows string doing similar on my arches.  Although the string was there during arch construction, I left it there as it is handy for off-season storage.

http://www.newburghlights.org/CCP_Arches.html

[lightzilla]

  Same thing when the PEX is removed - the rebar is immediately pulled out of the ground.  BTW, when I say immediately, I really mean it.  For example, when I'm removing the arch, a helper (one of my sons) holds the middle of the arch while I am sitting (not standing or kneeling) next to one end.  I lift the PEX off the rebar and a second or two later, the rebar gets pulled out.  Then I move to the other end and repeat.  I do point out that the ground under the arches is soft enough that the rebar pulls out by hand. 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/PrimeSource-Osha-Steel-Reinforced-Rebar-Cap-CAPOSHAEAR/100323493

That is a good advise.

 

The soft ground now that is another issue altogether up here. It snows before Halloween & most years it stays for almost 6 months & therefore the rebar is stuck fast. Plus gets covered in snow. I forgot to mention that that is another reason I stopped using rebar. 

Edited April 4, 2015 by lightzilla

[Ron Boyd]

I didn't go the route that most decorators go now that use pixels ( drilling holes into 1" white PEX  tubing).  However when you insert the pixels into the holes that were drilled then the tubing does disperse the light pretty evenly. If I went that route then I would need to find another way to get the bend in the tubing without using rebar. I slipped off my deck a couple Christmas seasons back & the rebar just grazed my skin parallel with the heart.  That was close enough for me to exclude rebar from my display. However if you want a good looking arch then that is the way to go. 

 

​Like Ron I use one ccp controller/2 strings & make 4 arches.  However it is your choice. 

 

WOW!!! Man I'm glad that one turned out the way it did. That could have been bad. 

 

On that front though, If I do use re-bar, or anything else for that matter, sticking up out of the ground, I take a 4 or 5" piece of 2 x 4, drill a hole in the center 1 size smaller that the re-bar, and hammer it to the end. We have lots of kids in our neighborhood.

 

Now, I found these:

">http://

 

And here's a pic of the way the pixels are inserted:

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$120 for 4 arches but once they're set up and ready, the ease of show set-up and storage is awesome.

 

Just another option.

[lightzilla]

This coming season if I keep my ccp arches then I may be using white 1" swimming pool hose.  I will attach it to my "No-Dig Lawn Edging" arches  & zip tie the hose with white zip ties & then drill the holes.  Those arches can hang on the back or the side of the garage.