DiyLightAnimation

Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,

Title: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
wow are those things bright!  plus i never expected the plastic thing that they sit in to look like that!

guys should have told me about how awesome these are!  i would have bought them last year!
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: sebjsan on January 23, 2012,
Show us a picture and where you got them from.
Are they "dumb" strips
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
smart string flex strips from the wiki (ray)
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: sebjsan on January 23, 2012,
Im thinking of getting 3 of those. Just waiting for a ssc  and 16 hub coop. Did you get a break on the shipping if you ordered more than one?
Do you have a picture of them lit up?
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: tbone321 on January 23, 2012,
Well...  Hurry up and mock up the arches so I can see what they look like so I can get my order in.  Need to get this figured out before Halloween.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
when you order the same item, you don't get a break on shipping, it's when you order a bunch of different items
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: zwiller on January 23, 2012,
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
wow are those things bright!  plus i never expected the plastic thing that they sit in to look like that!

guys should have told me about how awesome these are!  i would have bought them last year!

<np..  OR VIDEO!!!

I was trying to keep the CLAP symptoms under wraps with a rgb sampler pack from holiday coro on route and you post this...   <;d
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
waiting on vimeo

http://vimeo.com/35543960

when you can see it...  there's a section where it's looks like it's all white. they are actually showing all different colors, but it's too bright for my cell phone camera.
for the video, i actually stuck the strip inside of the 1inch thinwall pvc that you use for the ssc.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: zwiller on January 23, 2012,
Wow the thin wall diffuses nicely.  Thanks.  Great idea!   
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
i'm not entirelly sure if it's bright enough to use as a leaping arch, which i was playing around with to see. but it might have possibilities.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: NavyGator on January 23, 2012,
Looks good Chris. Can't wait to see what you use this with, mid tree maybe???
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: rdebolt on January 23, 2012,
I am amazed at how much they show through the pvc! That looks awesome!
Title: flexible strips...
Post by: sebjsan on January 23, 2012,
Thank you Chris. Just amazing.
Title: flexible strips...
Post by: JDM1oc on January 23, 2012,
I've put a flex strip inside of a piece of 3/4 inch pex pipe and it looks pretty awesome.  I may mock up an arch when I get a chance.  I never thought of using PVC, it did not seem as translucent.  Pretty cool, I'll need to try them side by side and see.

Josh
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
white PEX, i assume?   i wanted to try that, but had the pvc handy tonight
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 23, 2012,
you have a pic of it?
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: sebjsan on January 23, 2012,
lol :)
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: bassmants on January 23, 2012,
I too am amazed at the brilliance through PVC.  Wow.  I love this site, I learn something new every day.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: therealbigjim on January 24, 2012,
It looks like a neon tube. That is a good solution for weather proofing or for building a 2d tree
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: jramirex on January 24, 2012,
Wow they look amazing inside the pipe, I always thought that thin pvc was garbage! I attached the flex strips to grey cpvc with zip ties and then attached the pipe to the wood fascia using broom clips, makes installation and take-down of the lights literally a snap. I will check that thin pvc set up since eliminates the zip ties and adds water protection. Thank you for your discovery.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: RJ on January 24, 2012,
Wow!!

I am impressed, They look awesome! like giant colored lasers  <;d

RJ
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Rod R on January 25, 2012,
That looks totally cool <la..  I want, I want. <md..   Looks like it would be a great looking arch.  In the video it looks like a straight on shot of the LED's facing the camera.  Just curious what it looks like from the side.  Happen to take a video of that? hint, hint.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 25, 2012,
it looks like that from all around. it seems to light the whole section evenly.

if you're wanting to do this, i'd suggest getting one piece of the pvc, and experimenting with it yourself. i don't think it's use this as arches myself.
i'm still playing around with stuff.  i found clear flexible pvc for about 50cents/foot that i'm going to order in and try.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Rod R on January 25, 2012,
Cool thanks for the heads up.  I'm going to order some strips and play around with them.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 26, 2012,
spoiler alert!   in my quest for the perfect smart string arch...    i'll have a new video up soon comparing three setups...

after i get the video starting to upload, i'll post pics of the side by side...
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 26, 2012,
ok, 30min to "process"
http://vimeo.com/35726660

in the meantime...
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: NavyGator on January 26, 2012,
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
it looks like that from all around. it seems to light the whole section evenly.

if you're wanting to do this, i'd suggest getting one piece of the pvc, and experimenting with it yourself. i don't think it's use this as arches myself.
i'm still playing around with stuff.  i found clear flexible pvc for about 50cents/foot that i'm going to order in and try.

I guess that you are going to try etching or painting the clear pvc. Can you give us a video of what the flex strips look like in the pvc before trying to diffuse it also?

Rich
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 26, 2012,
yeah, i haven't order the clear stuff yet.  but the more that i look at it in the thin wall, the more impressed i am with it...  i let the sequence run twice in the video, and i started playing with looking down the inside of the tube while it was running, and picking up the tube to look all around it while it was running...
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Ozmin on January 26, 2012,
Chris - Excellent job with the PVC!!!  The colors have a kind of pastel color quality which looks really cool.

Bill A.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: NavyGator on January 26, 2012,
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
yeah, i haven't order the clear stuff yet.  but the more that i look at it in the thin wall, the more impressed i am with it...  i let the sequence run twice in the video, and i started playing with looking down the inside of the tube while it was running, and picking up the tube to look all around it while it was running...

You know the only way to find out if you will truly like it is to make something that you can stick in your yard and watch at night and compare to other items in your display such as a traditional (legacy) arch.....hehehe.

Rich
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 26, 2012,
now it's up
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: pk on January 26, 2012,
Good video.  Thanks for taking the time to make it.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: rdebolt on January 26, 2012,
Thanks Chris. I really want to see what you come up with on the clear tube. The PVC sure looks good though.
Title: flexible strips...
Post by: sebjsan on January 26, 2012,
Thanks Chris for showing the side by side comparisons. I do agree that making these test samples in the yard into arches will tell us more.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: JDM1oc on January 27, 2012,
Finally had time to try a flexstrip inside of PEX and PVC side by side.  I used ¾” white PEX and 1” schedule 20 PVC because that is what I had on hand.  The PEX is at the top and the PVC is on the bottom.  The bright spots are not really visible to the naked eye.  The PVC did diffuse the light better, but it was also not as bright overall.  I may try ¾” PVC and/or 1” PEX, but both of those are harder to find around here.

http://vimeo.com/35776724
 (http://vimeo.com/35776724)

Josh
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: thestig on January 27, 2012,
This is seriously awesome, I will most likely be going this route with my flex strips. Thanks for the videos, you guys rock.



Grant
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 27, 2012,
so when you guys make these to go along with your "holdman" stars, and your "marty" fans.... 

make sure you call these "chris and Josh" arches   or "Josh and chris" arches   
 ;D
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: sebjsan on January 27, 2012,
Josh, they both look good to me
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: bcstuff on January 27, 2012,
I think I see RGB Chris and Josh Belagio Poles in my future. I wonder how this would look with the SS nodes...

The PVC would also make a good diffuser for a Pixel matrix
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: zwiller on January 27, 2012,
Great stuff! Man I need to to try some of those.

What's the verdict on cutting and splicing?   Read up and it seems easy enough. What do you guys think?

Hope Ray is not hungover from New Years...   ;D

Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 27, 2012,
cutting and splicing flex strips have a couple catches...

i would not cut a flex strip more than once. for simplicity

easy to get signal into a cut, i think it might be hard to get signal out of a cut.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Rod R on January 28, 2012,
Nice job on this stuff guys this is really cool thanks for posting side by side options.  I think the flex strips in the PVC is the sweet spot  ;D.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 28, 2012,
i was afraid about bending it in the shape of an arch, b/c it's thin wall, and 1 inch.     i bent it tonight, it bends fine.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Rod R on January 28, 2012,
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
i was afraid about bending it in the shape of an arch, b/c it's thin wall, and 1 inch.     i bent it tonight, it bends fine.

Ya bending the thin wall stuff is no problem as I have a bunch of mini archs that use the think wall stuff.  Now I need to get my hands on some flex strips.  Its Chinese New year right now so getting stuff in and out of China is very slow this time of year.  The whole country goes on vacation. 
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 28, 2012,
i know i use a chat program to talk to different suppliers over there, and they've all been offline all week
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Heinekenator on January 29, 2012,
These look awesome! Any idea how the individual nodes would look inside either the pex or thin wall pvc?
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: chrisatpsu on January 29, 2012,
i picked up pex last night, will try it out today. after i complete my home theatre screen
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: rdebolt on January 29, 2012,
 <pop..
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: Gary on January 29, 2012,
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Finally had time to try a flexstrip inside of PEX and PVC side by side.  I used ¾” white PEX and 1” schedule 20 PVC because that is what I had on hand.  The PEX is at the top and the PVC is on the bottom.  The bright spots are not really visible to the naked eye.  The PVC did diffuse the light better, but it was also not as bright overall.  I may try ¾” PVC and/or 1” PEX, but both of those are harder to find around here.

http://vimeo.com/35776724
 (http://vimeo.com/35776724)

Josh

It looks good; are you planning to turn them into arches? If so, how would you do it because the standard method is to pound 2 pieces of rebar into the ground, and slide the pipes over.
Title: flexible strips...
Post by: JDM1oc on January 29, 2012,
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Finally had time to try a flexstrip inside of PEX and PVC side by side.  I used ¾” white PEX and 1” schedule 20 PVC because that is what I had on hand.  The PEX is at the top and the PVC is on the bottom.  The bright spots are not really visible to the naked eye.  The PVC did diffuse the light better, but it was also not as bright overall.  I may try ¾” PVC and/or 1” PEX, but both of those are harder to find around here.

http://vimeo.com/35776724
 (http://vimeo.com/35776724)

Josh

It looks good; are you planning to turn them into arches? If so, how would you do it because the standard method is to pound 2 pieces of rebar into the ground, and slide the pipes over.

For my mini arches last year (made with pex and minilights) I made stands out of 2" PVC that I drilled holes in. There were 9 mini arches side by side over about 20'. I would do something similar with a larger arch probably have a pipe anchored into the ground horizontally and slide the pex into a hole drilled in the pipe.
Title: Re: flexible strips...
Post by: fmcaninch on May 04, 2012,
These look awsome but I see one potential issue right off. Where you decide to add a coupler or elbow will show up as a dim spot in the PVC line due to the extra added thickness.

Also over on HolidayCoro, they do sell brackets for the arches to attach to the ground. Basically a flat plate with a short rod welded on that allows you to place the end of the PVC over to hold.