Already planning for next year?

[Jaynee]

Well, for us, not next year since we'll be dark next year, but we're already planning for 2018 now that we're a week into our display show.  I have two years to spread out my spending on new stuff for 2018.

My husband, who indulges my Christmas light obsession, has announced that he is no longer willing to climb the ladder to install anything higher than the second story windows.  As such, I'm contemplating hiring one of those lighting companies to come install lights along the eaves of the roofline in 2018.  It's a group that stores the lights for you, makes repairs, installs and takes down the lights for you.  It's about $300 per year for that service.  The lights would be incans or leds, since the company our friend uses doesn't do anything with RGB at all.

Since my husband announced his ladder edict I've begun thinking about stuff I can do on the ground level.  I currently have an 8-channel 7-foot tall spiral tree.  It's lovely (and much more "full" than I expected for only 8 channels), but I'm definitely going to but another controller and make that a 24-channel tree and add red and green spirals to it.

I never did use the tomato cages I bought a couple years ago, so I'm definitely going to make some mini light trees with those.  I think I have 10 cages in my shed, just waiting to be used.  I'll line my driveway with those, five on each side.

The new snowflakes that I put on the house this year worked out GREAT.  I'm going to invest in six smaller ones and hang them on the bricks over the garage (that ladder height is reasonable for my husband).

Between the snowflakes and the mini trees, that's at least ONE more controller if I only do the trees in white.  But if I get two controllers, I can do half the trees in red/white and half in blue/white.  

And that would still leave me with 6 open channels.  Oh, the possibilities!  

I definitely want to do a Santa projector in my bay window (indoor projection).

So based on what I've written, it looks like I need to invest in THREE more controllers, LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of light strings, six snowflakes, and the Santa projector. kit.  Spread out over the course of four LOR and two post-Xmas sales, that's not too bad!

 

Is anyone else already planning for next year? 

[robigd]

I am always thinking about the next year even during the current year. I think my shows suffer because of that, but it's hard not to.

I am mainly curious what kind of software changes LOR introduces this year. Hoping with S5, the sequence editor, super star, and pixel editor are all combined into a more streamlined product.

How come you are dark next year?

[basis21b]

A friend of mine has created a way to hang window frame lights without climbing a ladder.

http://www.diychristmas.org/vb1/showthread.php?3674-DIY-hang-remove-lights-without-a-ladder&p=41451&viewfull=1#post41451

[dan24438]

I just purchased 2,000 new C9 bulbs from CDI for next years show. They were running a 50% off and could not pass up the deal.

[Oliver Blatt]

When I redesigned my show last year, because I knew I could only be so much built each year, I designed to expand. Because of this, the  mega tree I added this year works with the same design that added leaping arches last year. While I'm spending time building each new prop and wiring harness, the elements that are repeats from the previous year are setting up in  very little time.

[Jaynee]

21 hours ago, robigd said:

How come you are dark next year?

This year was the hardest year yet to set up.  After three days, 12 hours each day, we were both exhausted.  And this time we even had some help from the kids!

Last year we were away from the house for 3-4 days to visit family for the holiday, and during that time our display took a hit - REALLY bad weather caused lights to fail, things to fall over, and for it to be one hot mess.  And we were 275 miles away, powerless to do anything but read the texts we were getting from our neighbors about the damage due to heavy rains and high wind.

We'll most likely be traveling next year for the holiday, and have opted NOT to have to worry about the display while we're gone.  Some neighbors have expressed interest in borrowing some of our stuff (not the light show, but the lighted animals) to use since we'll be dark. =)

[Jaynee]

18 hours ago, dan24438 said:

I just purchased 2,000 new C9 bulbs from CDI for next years show. They were running a 50% off and could not pass up the deal.

Oh trust me, I'll still be BUYING stuff over the next 12 months!  But I'll be testing them and then putting them with the rest of our display stuff for 2018.

[robigd]

51 minutes ago, Jaynee said:

This year was the hardest year yet to set up.  After three days, 12 hours each day, we were both exhausted.  And this time we even had some help from the kids!

Last year we were away from the house for 3-4 days to visit family for the holiday, and during that time our display took a hit - REALLY bad weather caused lights to fail, things to fall over, and for it to be one hot mess.  And we were 275 miles away, powerless to do anything but read the texts we were getting from our neighbors about the damage due to heavy rains and high wind.

We'll most likely be traveling next year for the holiday, and have opted NOT to have to worry about the display while we're gone.  Some neighbors have expressed interest in borrowing some of our stuff (not the light show, but the lighted animals) to use since we'll be dark. =)

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, displays are really hard to do if you are away. Heck, I had to go out of town 1 day last year and felt helpless, lol.

[k6ccc]

Oh heck yes!  I stand out there in the front yard many times and think about what I might want to move or add for next year.  Much easier to do that when everything is set up and running.  I want to have the concept for next year completed by the time this year's show ends for the season.  That gives me time to change channel configurations and start sequencing early.

 

[dougd]

Already thinking about ideas now. Will sit out in the car after Christmas, and picture the ideas that I have thought up. Like Jim said it is easier to picture while the display is up. Hopefully have visualizer completed by a week or so into January and sequencing by mid month. I like to sequence at the beginning of the year. It is cold outside, you have no money because you just spent it all on Christmas. What better time to sequence.

[lightingnewb]

One of the best things your can do for yourself would be to create systems for hanging lights that makes set up so much easier for following years.

Our biggest issue was hanging RGBs from the gutters every year. We have seven segments that follow the gutter lines of the house. We used double pointed staples (this) and hammered them into the wood below the gutter. We then used 1/2 inch PVC and these J-Bolts to hold the PVC in place and level across the gutter line. We then zip tied the RGBs to the PVC (on the ground) then carried them to the location we're hanging and all we have to do is squeeze the bolts into the proper staples. 1-time installation process, 45 minutes to an hour to re-install all 7 yearly. Creating this system last year made it easier for us to troubleshoot for other issues that could arise. Worth it. For the three windows we have as RGBs, we used 90-degree corner pieces, which we soldered, then zip tied to PVC squares. Zip ties and double point staples made installation a snap as well... take down will be very easy. 

To access the roof, we use the big window, which does have a PVC frame. I hate having to be on the roof and try to avoid it when possible. Unfortunately, it is mandatory that I have to be on the roof for some installation, but it sure beats climbing a ladder all the way to the second floor.

I'm excited to see what 2018 will have for you, OP.

As for planning ahead, I already have a GREAT project that's gonna revolutionize my display. We bought a few things from another LOR user that could create some fantastic new animations. One of the great things I'm excited to have learned how to master is the import/export of my LCC file. I have old sequences, wanting to update them for this year but under a time crunch. Using the import feature, editing the animations to fit my new layout was easy peasy lemon squeezy.

-LN

[1983ss454]

I realize this is a computer animated site, but most of my additions this coming year are going to be motorized things. The #1 thing that is going to be added, we've wanted to make one for a couple years and just never had the storage space till now, is a miniature motorized roller coaster. And also a Ferris wheel. That way we can have amusement Park Christmas scene to go along with my motorized carousel that we already have. I generally have my next years plans finalized in my head by mid December

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[B.Y.R.G.]

Motorized props are ALWAYS cool, even for us animated hobbyists!  Looking forward to your creations.

[OzAz]

Jaynee, have you considered doing the mini trees using smart pixels? any color you want then 

have you considered "leaping arches"? again, using smart pixels. 

the Virtual Santa is a crowd pleaser, simple to set up and not that costly - added bonus if you opt for a reasonable projector, you then have a projector for home movies the rest of the year

 

I've started to write up my 2017 shopping list - for one "megatree", two matrix columns and one 24*48 matrix 

plans don't necessarily match time, money or ability

[dibblejr]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2016 at 5:19 AM, Jaynee said:

Well, for us, not next year since we'll be dark next year, but we're already planning for 2018 now that we're a week into our display show.  I have two years to spread out my spending on new stuff for 2018.

My husband, who indulges my Christmas light obsession, has announced that he is no longer willing to climb the ladder to install anything higher than the second story windows.  As such, I'm contemplating hiring one of those lighting companies to come install lights along the eaves of the roofline in 2018.  It's a group that stores the lights for you, makes repairs, installs and takes down the lights for you.  It's about $300 per year for that service.  The lights would be incans or leds, since the company our friend uses doesn't do anything with RGB at all.

Since my husband announced his ladder edict I've begun thinking about stuff I can do on the ground level.  I currently have an 8-channel 7-foot tall spiral tree.  It's lovely (and much more "full" than I expected for only 8 channels), but I'm definitely going to but another controller and make that a 24-channel tree and add red and green spirals to it.

I never did use the tomato cages I bought a couple years ago, so I'm definitely going to make some mini light trees with those.  I think I have 10 cages in my shed, just waiting to be used.  I'll line my driveway with those, five on each side.

The new snowflakes that I put on the house this year worked out GREAT.  I'm going to invest in six smaller ones and hang them on the bricks over the garage (that ladder height is reasonable for my husband).

Between the snowflakes and the mini trees, that's at least ONE more controller if I only do the trees in white.  But if I get two controllers, I can do half the trees in red/white and half in blue/white.  

And that would still leave me with 6 open channels.  Oh, the possibilities!  

I definitely want to do a Santa projector in my bay window (indoor projection).

So based on what I've written, it looks like I need to invest in THREE more controllers, LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of light strings, six snowflakes, and the Santa projector. kit.  Spread out over the course of four LOR and two post-Xmas sales, that's not too bad!

 

Is anyone else already planning for next year? 

Planning never stops, being retired and all.

As for your tomato cage trees, You will want to use two per tree and stagger the vertical ribs. Otherwise they will look like a triangle instead of a tree.

Best of luck

JR

[dibblejr]

On ‎12‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 9:38 AM, k6ccc said:

Oh heck yes!  I stand out there in the front yard many times and think about what I might want to move or add for next year.  Much easier to do that when everything is set up and running.  I want to have the concept for next year completed by the time this year's show ends for the season.  That gives me time to change channel configurations and start sequencing early.

 

Im cutting down an oak tree to make room for my mega tree, wife loves it but its planted right on our main water line, so its gotta go.

[LightsWithSoul]

I am planning to build a "Firestick Forest." Basically the premise is to fill the planters that line our driveway up with various heights of firesticks, placed randomly throughout to create a "forest" of leaping lights. It's going to be a channel hog (I think I'll probably need 4 controllers to do it right), but man will it be worth it. On a powerful orchestral piece launching ~12 firesticks of different colors up in to the air is going to be magical. Man.. Christmas isn't even here and yet here I am thinking about 2017... I've got to get out of here! LOL

[Jaynee]

7 hours ago, dibblejr said:

Im cutting down an oak tree to make room for my mega tree, wife loves it but its planted right on our main water line, so its gotta go.

 

We're cutting down a small tree in our front yard as well.  It's right by the front door and while it's useful to the Christmas light show, the rest of the year it's a pain (yellowjackets live in it every year making it impossible to use the front door in spring/summer without having to risk getting stung multiple times).

So once we take down the decorations, we'll bring out the power saw and cut it down.  I'll put the spiral tree in it's place going forward.

[Mega Arch]

On 12/7/2016 at 4:12 PM, 1983ss454 said:

I realize this is a computer animated site, but most of my additions this coming year are going to be motorized things. The #1 thing that is going to be added, we've wanted to make one for a couple years and just never had the storage space till now, is a miniature motorized roller coaster. And also a Ferris wheel. That way we can have amusement Park Christmas scene to go along with my motorized carousel that we already have. I generally have my next years plans finalized in my head by mid December

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Might get with Lightzilla. 

He has some great wisdom on this. He has a train, ferris wheel & merry go round. 

 

[1983ss454]

Might get with Lightzilla. 

He has some great wisdom on this. He has a train, ferris wheel & merry go round. 

 

Thanks for the tip, I have the merry go round already, I'm hoping to recreate a Ferris wheel we had for many years before, but the train is something I want to do, it's not in the cards right now because I work at night during the week and it's a little much to have her worrying about at night. Some day thou. We're hoping to recreate a display my dad did for years when I was a kid. He had a 5 seat motorized bike that Donald, Dailey and the 3 nephews rode. A boat with lights with Charlie Brown driving that rode waves. Time frame late 80's early 90's

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