An idea on how to keep vandals at bay. Has anyone tried this?

[smjosephrn]

I get a lot of foot traffic during Christmas, and I have been having difficulty with vandals stealing or breaking bulbs at the perimeter of my yard. Usually this hasn't been much of a problem because I kept a supply of bulbs on hand and could find the missing/broken pretty easily. This year I plan on bordering my yard with arches and with 800 to 1600 lights, the vandals could possibly cause me a lot of greif.

Here's my idea. I thought that I would encompass my arches in a clear plastic tube making the bulbs inaccessible. I found a place on the internet that sells the tubes and I can get 72 feet for less than $60. That will be enough to do all of the arches that I plan. The tubes come in 4ft lengths and I can pretty much get any diameter that I want. I thought that I could fill the gap where the tubes come together with some clear silicone to keep out the rain. Near as I figure I should require about a 3" inner diameter.

Any Thoughts?

[Max-Paul]

you might have a fool proof plan on how you are going to mate up the two sections of this clear plasic tube. Not saying that this will give you the look you are looking for. But seems to be a lot of guys that like the dryer hose. This will at least give you a continues run. but then too, it is white and not clear. But the guys using this dryer hose like the difussed look of the dryer hose. Might be cheaper too.

Max

[JTowbin]

thats a great idea, but how would you be able to remove the plastic easily if you needed to change a bulb without allowing the vandals to do the same?

[smjosephrn]

I'll have to look into dryer hose. That may be an Idea. I'll have to run to HD's and try to look at what you are referring to. You're right about the Joints. The look won't be that clean. If Dryer hose works then the diffused look will be fine with me!

I actually wasn't too worried about replacing bulbs during the run. As long as the string is functioning, I leave the burned ones until the end of the season. Besides they'd be a new sets so I doubt I'll have too much failure.

[smjosephrn]

Whoa, I just saw a video on YouTube of an arch with the flexible Dryer Hose. Very Nice! And at $4 per 8 feet, I'll be saving a bit of money!

I'm sold.

[Max-Paul]

If the 8' dryer hose works for you and helps keep the vandels away. Then I am glad I gave you a possible suggestion that helped. Dang, only 8' long, thats a little short aint it?

And I suppose anything that might slow down access to the lights will help deter a vandel. Nothing like being caught red handed and 1 or 2 more seconds might make the act not worth it to a vandel. A couple of tie wraps might be all it takes to anchor the ends to create this delay I speak of. But I suppose that a hammer will crush the mini bulbs to a greater amount of damage. But then too, a clear PVC tube if not properly anchored so that the inter PVC pipe and lights are not held in the middle. Well a hammer would still cause major damage to major amount of mini bulbs.

Where LEDs are more robust and can take some knocking around without damage.
And one piece LEDs cant be plucked out of the socket. And a few cut wires can be repaired.

Max

[smjosephrn]

8 ft is a bit short (I think that I need 9 feet. But I may be able to either stretch or modify it. I'm going to Lowe's tomorrow to check them out.

I've never had someone actively try to destroy my display just the occasional nutjob that steals a bulb on every display they can reach. So, I think that the covering would certainly curtail that. Thanks again

[Guest wbottomley]

Pun intended!

Here's one way:

[Max-Paul]

Thanks MountainWXman,

Seen this one before, but love it each time. I love it and if I had more money to throw into neat toys like that. I would have one mounted on my roof in a heart attack. Just need to make a weather proof turret for it. Might take the laptop and see if I could get an enbedded processor to do the job. Replace the little hopper with a larger unit and a scuba tank for the air supply. And some kind of program to reconize wife's and my car. Also a flob to disarm and arm the unit.

thanks again for the link. kind of gives a guy wood thinking what this would do to vandals.

Max

[smjosephrn]

hilarious!

[webbie]

We drilled holes in the bottom of our leaping arches and ran a thick cable all the way around our yard. This whay atleast it would take them a while to try and steal our arches.

You can get the cable pretty cheap at home depot or lowes.

[smjosephrn]

Suprisingly, I haven't experienced much theft. Probably because of the high amount of foot traffic. That works in my favor. But the ones that give me greif are those who as they walk by in a group of their friends, pull at the bulbs. I just found a supplier of 4" diameter plastic dryer hose (ANTOnline) that sells 50 feet shipped for less than $15.00. At that price, even if I don't like it I'm not out too much money.

[ShowProKevin]

Two words:

Electric Fence.

[smjosephrn]

Believe me, when I'm out there in the cold I'm really thinking about it.

Actually, I just recieved the plastic ducting two days ago. It will work perfectly. I'm very excited to see how it looks.

[drrellik]

ShowProKevin wrote:

Two words:

Electric Fence.

yes, but what if you are already maxed for power? LOL



then what?

[ShowProKevin]

Laser tripbombs?

[Cajun Cheesehead]

ShowProKevin wrote:

Two words:

Electric Fence.

Just don't power it with a GFI circuit. It would defeat the purpose.

[daniel]

drrellik wrote:

ShowProKevin wrote:

Two words:

Electric Fence.

 

yes, but what if you are already maxed for power? LOL

 

then what?

Here is what you do, create a setup so a very low trigger voltage is going through the fence, and if someone touches it, a series of relays will shut off the lights and divert full power to anything and everything metal.

MUHAHAHhahhaha!!!!


lol



--Daniel L

[ShowProKevin]

Landmines?