Looking at alternatives to "Really Big Lights"

[JonB256]

I like the idea of the Really Big Lights (huge C9 style hanging plastic lights) but I hate the idea of paying $10 each for them just to gut the internals to replace with pixels.

I've ordered one each of some 6" plastic globes ($3.60 each) with threaded lips. I'll need a lid to screw on the top, then put in my pixels.

http://www.superiorlighting.com
6 Inch Plastic Cylinder Threaded Lip Opening White Acrylic, $3.60   
6 Inch Plastic Globe Threaded Lip Opening White Acrylic, $3.60   

Anyone found something similar or better?

[babybear]

yesterday I saw them at home dumpster on clearance in the x-mas stuff for 2 bucks a piece.

[markrvp]

Do you know what you're using for the screw on lid?

[bwinter]

yesterday I saw them at home dumpster on clearance in the x-mas stuff for 2 bucks a piece.

The white ones, or colored?

Since we (generally) are planning to stuff these with RGB, wouldn't we only want the white ones?

[Gilrock]

A good alternative is do what I did....decide you don't like them because everyone else is doing it.

[JonB256]

A good alternative is do what I did....decide you don't like them because everyone else is doing it.

Gil, I understand completely - but this is a Wife Wish. She has complained for 4 years since the retirement of my incandescent Bellagio Poles. 16 poles, 8 channels per pole. (drew 40 amps full power).  So, I'm thinking of an array similar to James Hohensee's were I can hang 32 or more of these in a big matrix. I've got the pixels from prior projects so just want to get the cost down a little.

No, I don't know what lid yet. When my samples arrive, I'll go try some mayonnaise jars from Kroger.

[bwinter]

A good alternative is do what I did....decide you don't like them because everyone else is doing it.

This could apply to a lot of what we do--as you'll see, many people use a lot of the same elements.

What's great is that everyone is free to pick-and-choose from a large selection of elements, based on their own preferences.

[bwinter]

I like the idea of the Really Big Lights (huge C9 style hanging plastic lights) but I hate the idea of paying $10 each for them just to gut the internals to replace with pixels.

I've ordered one each of some 6" plastic globes ($3.60 each) with threaded lips. I'll need a lid to screw on the top, then put in my pixels.

http://www.superiorlighting.com
6 Inch Plastic Cylinder Threaded Lip Opening White Acrylic, $3.60   
6 Inch Plastic Globe Threaded Lip Opening White Acrylic, $3.60   

Anyone found something similar or better?

Does anyone know enough about vacu-form plastic molding?  I've seen some DIY, but don't think this would be an easy shape to create "en-masse"...

[Ebuechner]

I do vacuum form molding and this isn't a shape that you can do in one piece, especially at home doing DIY.

[JonB256]

I got my two samples from Superior Lighting, the threaded cylindrical and spherical shapes.

So far, I haven't found a lid that will screw onto it (a mayonnaise jar lid was too small but not by a lot).
There is a 6" PVC piece online but it costs 3x what the acrylic globe costs. Not good.

I'll experiment with various things and perhaps show pictures of anything promising. At least the 2017 season is a few months away.

[arw01]

Could you not have a 3d printed part done up with the proper threads?

Not made the choice of which one to buy yet, but on the list for the year to get a good one I would not have to fiddle with a lot, keep coming up with stuff would like to print out, need to make a list sometime.

[JonB256]

Could you not have a 3d printed part done up with the proper threads?

I don't have a 3d printer (yet) but thought of that. I'd need a lot of them. Might not be time and cost effective.

At the moment, if I don't find a cheap and easy to find threaded lid, I may go with an aluminum disc with tabs bent down and then zip tied. For that, my better choice would be the globes with a "lip" rather than threads. Same company, same price. I have a big roll of aluminum flashing left over from a siding project.

http://www.superiorlighting.com/6_Inch_Plastic_Globe_Plain_Lip_Opening_White_Opal_p/02017-06waspl.htm

or this 6" version, again same $3.60 cost:

[mararunr]

A good alternative is do what I did....decide you don't like them because everyone else is doing it.

...so why are you still using xLights because everyone is doing xLights now... :-) (just kidding - please don't ever stop doing xLights or the rest of us will be without a show)

[Gilrock]

A good alternative is do what I did....decide you don't like them because everyone else is doing it.

...so why are you still using xLights because everyone is doing xLights now... :-) (just kidding - please don't ever stop doing xLights or the rest of us will be without a show)

Yeah probably not a fair statement since 75% of the stuff in my yard was copied.

I thought about the Big Lights but mainly cause of the fun of hacking them but I just haven't figured out anywhere practical for them.  My only decent thought was to hang some from my neighbors tree.

[Orion]

I ordered 6 from Home Depot and inc. shipping got it down to 8.77 each. I know its not much but every little bit helps.

I do have some globes on my work bench with the lip and have thought of using pvc pipe caps.

John