My own Las Vegas ceiling, my megatree suspended in the basement.

[txag2008]

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!

Does anyone know if there is a Home Depot or Lowes or the like in Conroe?  We could buy a lot of the stuff there (PCB pipe and wood) and would only need a few tools to work it.

Kurt

There is a Lowes & HD both very close to the convention center
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[smeighan]

We got to have that at the Academy this year! you got to find a way to support it and get it there...  no matter what!!!!!!   PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats Awesome!

RJ

Does anyone know if there is a Home Depot or Lowes or the like in Conroe?  We could buy a lot of the stuff there (PCB pipe and wood) and would only need a few tools to work it.

Kurt

There is
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I have started a spreadsheet getting the local prices and the quantity i would need to build the a-frames for peoples rgb stuff.

So a couple of questions. Can some local bring a saw and drill?

What to do with the lumber after the show is over?

I will be flying in so can only bring stuff that fits in a suitcase.

I had asked in the other thread what will people bring. This way i can plan on what frames need to be built to hang everyones lights.

I think RJ's request is for my 20x120 flex strips to hang them like i have in my basement, it is the same amount of work, just need to know that is what i will be doing.

I need to know how many lights you plan on bringing and how you want them hung?

i was going to do
20x120 , vertical matrix. each string is 4m long. Now i may mount them as a grid creating a roof over some area.

With the count of all rgb stuff i can plan on how many frames we would need to build.

1x2x8' from Conroe Home depot is $1.08 or $0.135 per foot
2x4x8' is $2.76 or $0.345 per foot
3/4"x10' gray pvx emt is $3.87
1/2"x10' metal emt is $1.95

After building all the frames who locally will take the lumber home? It wont fit in my suitcase....

thanks
sean

[txburr]

We the more local people normally have some cordless drills and such.  I'm sure I can help round up some of the tools you need if you can put a list  together 

[smeighan]

We the more local people normally have some cordless drills and such.  I'm sure I can help round up some of the tools you need if you can put a list  together

To build everything i would only need a 3/8" drill and a sabre saw to cut the wood. I plan on using bolts for the main joints and dry wall screws every place else.

I am building a 16' high by 10' wide a-frame for hanging my lights for the boy scouts. i will use a similar design fro all the frames. mostly just 2x4's and 1x2 lumber.

thanks

[sjb]

Instead of having to cut all the notches out. Do you think that these would work?

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Steve

[smeighan]

Instead of having to cut all the notches out. Do you think that these would work?

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Steve

Well, i had (4) 1x4x5' boards that i notched. these plastic pieces would work just fine but they are meant for 2" material. since my lights weigh in around 100lbs, i was trying to keep the frame lighter.

but yes, they would work. i put felt to cushion the lights being face down. if you use these you might think of something to cushion the leds being against a hard surface. It would save the cutting and sanding that i did.

I would suggest the angle brackets  at all the joints. i had 10 of them.

[FireMedic4Christ]

In the second picture, what are your lights mounted to and what is the piece on the end with the round hook?
Brian

I finished building a mounting rack for my 20x120 flex strips used in my megatree. the flex lights are mounted on 1/2" emt that is 14' long. The rack is 12'x5' in size and made of 1x4" pine. I mounted the rack to the ceiling of my basement. Think of it like a giant gun rack. After putting 20 of my lights in the rack, it was heavy! Probably over 100 lbs. I built the rack strong with angle brackets because i knew it needed strength.


I now have my own Vegas strip, like Fremont Street.


I put some felt down to protect the flex strip. It all seems to be working fine.


My desk is right below these lights. I create a new Nutcracker effect, I just have to look up to see what it really looks like.


Thanks
sean

[CaptainMurdoch]

If you're not building the rack to drop down for loading, then you could use these foam strips made for the corrugated plastic panels:

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Those are only 1" wide and could be secured to a 1x4 strip.  That would take care of protecting the strips from the wood as well.  If you did want to use allow the rack to drop down, you could always put a screw or nail on the down side of the valleys to keep the strips in position when the frame was dropped down to one side for loading.

For those with a high garage ceiling like mine at 10.5', the whole rack could be suspended by 4-6 ropes going through pulleys so the whole frame could be lowered down for easy loading.  I've been contemplating some kind of storage rack like this to take advantage of the 2-foot tall wasted space above my garage doors when they're in the open position.  I already mounted shelves above the inside of the garage door openings themselves to boxes of lights and other related stuff.

[smeighan]

In the second picture, what are your lights mounted to and what is the piece on the end with the round hook?
Brian

I finished building a mounting rack for my 20x120 flex strips used in my megatree. the flex lights are mounted on 1/2" emt that is 14' long. The rack is 12'x5' in size and made of 1x4" pine. I mounted the rack to the ceiling of my basement. Think of it like a giant gun rack. After putting 20 of my lights in the rack, it was heavy! Probably over 100 lbs. I built the rack strong with angle brackets because i knew it needed strength.


I now have my own Vegas strip, like Fremont Street.


I put some felt down to protect the flex strip. It all seems to be working fine.


My desk is right below these lights. I create a new Nutcracker effect, I just have to look up to see what it really looks like.


Thanks
sean

My 1x4 frame (12' long, 5' wide) is mounted on one side with 5 hinges to the ceiling joists. On the other side I am using wire to hold it up (The green). I had complicated plans for bolts and brackets, but my temporary way of holding it is working fine.

You see a chain, this is used to lower the rack down so i can load the lights up. I then lifted the frame up and tied it with wire. Lifting the frame up was nice since it weighed near 100lbs.

The hooks in the end of the emt are round eyebolts that go into a 3" piece of oak dowel that was driven into each end of the 1/2" emt. I use the round eyebolts at the bottom to attach bungee cords , the other end has a hook to attach to the topper on my tree.

you can see how these 20 lengths were attached in the other thread about my megatree
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thanks

[n1ist]

A quick way to make the rack is to use a hole saw to make a row of holes and then cut the board in half.
/mike

[smeighan]

A quick way to make the rack is to use a hole saw to make a row of holes and then cut the board in half.
/mike

Yep, that would have been easier.

i used a drum sander on my drill to get the wood smooth so i could attach the felt.

[rdebolt]

A quick way to make the rack is to use a hole saw to make a row of holes and then cut the board in half.
/mike

Brilliant idea! 

[tomwb301]

I live in Humble Texas, which is 30 minutes from Conroe. There are both Lowes a7 Home Depot.