DiyLightAnimation
Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: chrisatpsu on January 08, 2011,
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I havent done a light show this year, So my use has been inside lighting, decorative (+ the tree of course) and with my project that I built for this here using a Parallel 12 on/off controller. Up till now, I didn't have a need to store a lot of lights.
So now after the post-Christmas sales which i stocked up on, I bought 14 "Snaplock Light Wrap Boxes" from Wal-Mart for my storage, I hope it's enough. And I bought a P-Touch labeler so I can mark the boxes for which type is inside. I know some of you guys have a lot of lights 30,000+ lights. So I was wondering...
How do you store your lights?
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Also, those of you that's been in walmart recently, you'll see a lot of those plastic "tins" for cookies that don't seem to be selling... I've figured that they can hold my c7 / C9 lights, and i can store them by color. I take my bulbs off the strings, so i can store the strings seperatly, and they fit in my light boxes better. plus I can see what colors i have quickly, with out pulling out lots of strings.
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I use zip lock bags. I put one string in each bag. I usually just stuff them in. Then I can put the bags into a larger container, box, etc. I can write on the bags what the lights are and when I take them out each strand is separated. I find if a strand doesn't quite fit, I don't need to zip the bag shut, just being in the bag keeps them separated.
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I roll mine in a ball and store them in 55 gallon plastic drums. I have to add wheels to the drums next. For now I just use a dolly to move the drums around. Can easily get a picture if anyone is interested.
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Bankers boxes ... wife moves offices a lot and some spare boxes can migrate home with no problem. They stack well and gotta love the price.
\dmc
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Role em up.
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Did all your lights fit on that one roll? What do you do with them after they get rolled it up? Do they go into a container? If not, don't they get dusty?
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Last year I think there were about 3 or 4 roles. We had 108 strings from the mega tree and 135 wrapped on trees. It's all pvc except for 2 1/2' of 1/4 round steel in the center. When you are done you unload a real and put a new one on.
Just remember to start with the male end of the plug. This way the female plug is the last one on the end of the string and you won't try to plug the real in. Don't ask me why I'm giving this tip. :)
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Store them???? You mean you can use them for more than one season!!!!
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We have about 1000 strings in the display. The only thing that gets new lights each year is the mega tree. Everything else I like to get 2 - 3 years out of.
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My megatree has 64 strings. When I took it down this year, I bought 16 Sterilite 15L boxes at Walmart. Each bundle of 4 strings went in a separate box. Will make setup faster next year.
Matt
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I coil each string up and then use some sort of "twisty" (like a bread tie) to tie up the coil. Then I put them in Rubbermaid totes. I use a medium size tote and you can get a lot of strings in each one. I have been doing this for years. It is cheap and virtually eliminates tangling between different strings.
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I put each stran in a plastic pag from wal-mart/targat or wherever I buy stuff. Recycle!!!
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What about net lights? How do you guys store them?
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I roll my lights up into a ball and store them in totes. I sort the totes by color and type. I write on the outside of the tote what is in it. Most of my lights are 100 ct mini lights that I paid about 60 cents a string for.
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Jeff,
Do you happen to have some drawings or dimensions for that roller? How does it come apart to load in another roll? What size pvc?
Thanks,
Ryan
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A picture is all I have. I might be able to find a larger picture with more detail. I do recall the real was about 22" wide. Too small and you don't get enough lights on the real and too wide and it can sag in the middle when it gets full.
I might also be able to get some basic measurements this weekend as I still have one full real in the garage.
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Thanks that would be great! I still have piles of lights in my garage and need a new way to store them. I thought about taking your design and sizing it to fit into a 5-gallon bucket. That way I could put the lid on and stack them! Do you think this would work? I guess I am just wondering about the design of the roller itself, pvc size, etc.
Ryan
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I buy the plastic extension cord storage flat reels (for some reason they are 1/4 the price if they are antyhing but green in color. For small lights I use a piece of 1/4" luan plywood that I cut a crowsmouth in each end (a deep V) and wrap them around that. I also put a small bit of styrofoam (normally from kids presents) on the bottom of each tote to cushion any lights from shock/breakage.
Then I store each reel in a rubbermaid tote and label each box with a number; then I use Excel to track which lights or decor are in each box. Then from that I have an inventory list so each year I can plan my things out which makes setup easier as well as my targeted post-holiday sale shopping. The list I have made automatically links to other sheets to help me with my next display and shows me what needs I have after the inventory of an item is depleted. I have also added the amperage draw from each item so I can use that when factoring channel loads.
My mega tree is broken into pieces and attached via pulley to my garage ceiling (above the door opener and rails). My mini trees (tomato cages with chicken wire attached and any figures or other decor all get placed in a storage closet in my basement and then I put a hasp on the door to keep small hands (my kids and their friends) from getting into them.
CB