AllAmericanJock Posted October 22, 2020 Posted October 22, 2020 I found at WoWlights a controller stand. Are the stands well made? I don't mind paying for a quality product, but at $50 I expect it to be a well made stand. Are there any other places to purchase a stand for the light controller. I really want to keep it off the ground. Thanks for all the help and advice.
Eric walls Posted October 22, 2020 Posted October 22, 2020 I was looking at that too but seemed really expensive. Many years ago I bought a stand through a company I think was called 3D or 3G lighting creations, or something like that. I have not been able to find them again even after doing many searches. They were powder coated and had a mounting plate with mounting holes for any kind of controller you could think of. Very well made but this was about 8-10 years ago and I haven't seen them since.
LaughsBrightly Posted October 22, 2020 Posted October 22, 2020 3G Lighting Creations still makes the Multi Enclosure stake which is what Eric Walls is describing. I don't have one, but recently read a FaceBook post where someone recommended them and buys new ones as they add controllers. http://store.3glightingcreations.com/multi-enclosure-stake/ I've bought my megatree star from 3G and I really liked the customer service and made in the USA and they've had great reviews here. That being said, most of my residential controllers appear designed to use PVC pipe and U-bolts to stick them in the ground. So that works for the older residential units. For my 2020 controller purchases and my commercial controllers I bought 4' green, metal fence stakes at Home Depot for $4 and am zip tying them to my controllers - 2 for each. Hope this helps. -Matt 1
radioguy1007 Posted October 22, 2020 Posted October 22, 2020 I have been building my own. If you know how to use a drill and hack saw, you can make stands using 1 1/2 inch aluminum angle and 1/2 inch electrical conduit for less than $10 each. I cut conduit to 4 feet which allows controller and connectors to remain off the ground. These work very well and hold up to Wisconsin winters. 2
AllAmericanJock Posted October 22, 2020 Author Posted October 22, 2020 I sent a email to 3G Lighting Creations to see if the controller stand can still be purchased, because it shows "out of stock" on the site. Kinda wish there were more options on controller stands.
LaughsBrightly Posted October 22, 2020 Posted October 22, 2020 Just now, AllAmericanJock said: I sent a email to 3G Lighting Creations to see if the controller stand can still be purchased, because it shows "out of stock" on the site. Kinda wish there were more options on controller stands. A few weeks ago when I looked them up I had 2 in my cart...couple days later I went back to look and a notice popped up they were down to 1.... guess they didn't make more... hopefully they make some for you...they seem like good people. It was surprising to me as well that there aren't many options out there for stands. In the spring I bought a steel controller stand for $12 shipped on Ebay but I can't find another one like it anywhere. As someone very late to decorating (2nd year of LOR and 5th year with synced lights) it seems to me from looking at back posts and vendors in general that the hobby is fading with many in their 70s and retiring and most vendors have switched everything to pixels which most decorators build stands for. WowLights and to some extent 3G lighting and Holidaycoro seems to be some of the few offering props anymore. (and Wowlights is so expensive). If you look at the Wowlights catalog of buyable sequences there isn't anything newer than 2014 (Frozen) and LOR site isn't much better. So I think basically most of you build your own stuff anyway and are buying lights from China so there isn't much out there for the rest. Covid probably hasn't helped anyone - in my case the massive reduction in available cash has strongly motivated me to develop DIY skills so just not buying $40 stands and I doubt I am the only one. That being said, I'm off to go wire up my new frequency sign from holidaycoro.
tomsusie Posted October 23, 2020 Posted October 23, 2020 I have several WoW Lights stands and they have held up well over several years -- outside 12 months/year. I lost one this summer when a tree fell on it. tree drove it all the way into the ground and bent the top portion 90 degrees but it did not break. Can't use it but to go through that and not break says something for the quality. 2
dgrant Posted November 7, 2020 Posted November 7, 2020 I too have several of the WOW stands and they work very well. No issues with them aging.
dibblejr Posted November 7, 2020 Posted November 7, 2020 (edited) On 10/22/2020 at 1:55 PM, AllAmericanJock said: I sent a email to 3G Lighting Creations to see if the controller stand can still be purchased, because it shows "out of stock" on the site. Kinda wish there were more options on controller stands. PVC works well, is affordable, easy to cut and you can build them so the fold up. Use T's, Couplings and a dremel and you can hollow out the fittings so they slip over the conduit allowing it to rotate. I dont worry about theft so I hammer a 4' section of rebar in the ground and slip 1/2" emt over it. Then I slide my 3/4 PVC T frame over that and secure the controller to it. The wow stands are nice, but they are heavy. I used to use 1 and put a controller on each side for my LED mini trees. JR Edited November 7, 2020 by dibblejr
AllAmericanJock Posted November 8, 2020 Author Posted November 8, 2020 I bought a Wow controller stand and am very happy with the quality and workmanship.
Mr. P Posted November 8, 2020 Posted November 8, 2020 Yes the wowlights stands are nice and sturdy but when you need 20-30-40 at $50 each it's just not feasible. I use pvc pipe and can make 10-12 stands for the cost of one wowlights stand and they are just as sturdy.
Dcroc Posted November 8, 2020 Posted November 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Mr. P said: Yes the wowlights stands are nice and sturdy but when you need 20-30-40 at $50 each it's just not feasible. I use pvc pipe and can make 10-12 stands for the cost of one wowlights stand and they are just as sturdy. Any pics? I find the price of stands from anywhere to be high for what they are. Really never much material, or fabrication involved. Someone asked me what the most expensive part of the hobby is. I answered "the accessories". First thing I learned.....PVC is your best friend.
Mr. P Posted November 8, 2020 Posted November 8, 2020 3 hours ago, Dcroc said: Any pics? I find the price of stands from anywhere to be high for what they are. Really never much material, or fabrication involved. Someone asked me what the most expensive part of the hobby is. I answered "the accessories". First thing I learned.....PVC is your best friend. I will snap some pics later this month when I start putting them out in the yard. Some stands are stand up and some are lay down at a 45 deg angle, I don't like the stand up stands when they are in the middle of the yard as they are too tall. The angle stands put the controllers closer to the ground so they aren't so noticeable.
bdwillie Posted November 9, 2020 Posted November 9, 2020 If you are handy with a welder you can do this, Old brake drums or rotors from brake jobs (A.K.A. Free!), a piece of 1 inch square tube, some black paint in a rattle can, and whaaalaaaaa. cheap controller stands 2
Little_b Posted November 9, 2020 Posted November 9, 2020 I use these- https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-Electric-ProConnex-1-in-EMT-Rigid-Conduit-Hanger/1095129 to hang mine on my mega tree pole. Here is a picture of an example of them hanging. I posted this somewhere in an other post somewhere. I also use them to hang some of my RGB flood lights. If you're wanting to have a stand alone that is in the same spot every year, i found if you pound a 1-1/4" pvc pipe in the ground as a sleeve, a 1" pvc pipe fits perfectly inside and goes in and out easily.
dibblejr Posted November 10, 2020 Posted November 10, 2020 15 hours ago, Little_b said: I use these- https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-Electric-ProConnex-1-in-EMT-Rigid-Conduit-Hanger/1095129 to hang mine on my mega tree pole. Here is a picture of an example of them hanging. I posted this somewhere in an other post somewhere. I also use them to hang some of my RGB flood lights. If you're wanting to have a stand alone that is in the same spot every year, i found if you pound a 1-1/4" pvc pipe in the ground as a sleeve, a 1" pvc pipe fits perfectly inside and goes in and out easily. Basically that is what I do but I use rebar instead of driving PVC in the ground. I also mount my CF50Ds, controller and mini 10w RGB or mini floods on the controller mount. I drill holes and use the brackets the come with the lights but the conduit hangers are a great idea for someone looking to build new mounts. JR
TheDucks Posted November 10, 2020 Posted November 10, 2020 For ground level, I just used the aluminum stakes I got at HC. Comes with the bolt which fits thru the LOR 10W floods. Rugged enough to survive being pushed thru the Gravel in the beds.
dgrant Posted November 12, 2020 Posted November 12, 2020 I've also got another stand from several years ago, but truly don't remember where I got it from. Its workmanship is less than desirable as I've had welds break and so on. So research first then buy or build your own.
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