Attaching Lights with Tape - Plywood/Coro Cutouts. Read Only. No more posting. - PlanetChristmas! Forums. Read Only. We've moved to http://talk.planetchristmas.com - The Forums of PlanetChristmas have moved to http://talk.PlanetChristmas.com
I was wondering what experiences you have had using tape to attach lights to wireframes. I live in a moderate climate, Arizona. We do get a few nights below freezing and a bit of rain in the winter, but was thinking that tape might be a good alternative to 1000s of wire ties. If you do use tape on your wireframes, what type of tape do you use? Plastic electrical tape?
circus4u wrote: I was wondering what experiences you have had using tape to attach lights to wireframes. I live in a moderate climate, Arizona. We do get a few nights below freezing and a bit of rain in the winter, but was thinking that tape might be a good alternative to 1000s of wire ties. If you do use tape on your wireframes, what type of tape do you use? Plastic electrical tape?
I have used zipped ties. Love the price and they work OK.
I have used Black electrical type for the harder to stay on areas. The tape works good. I had no problems with it. I would use white tape if that was all I was using to attach the lights.
I also used the black electrical tape to black any extra lights.
I've used black electrical tape on all kinds of outdoor stuff, Christmas lights on wireframes, wireharness on dune buggy, 7' diameter spider legs(knees). I also plan on using it on my leaping arches. Make sure you use 3M electrical tape it dosn't get crispy in cold or in sunlight I think it's called super 33 or 88.
Action Lighitng used to sell White PVC Electical Tape. If you use tape, I would suggest that. I have some frames that are five years old with that tape and it is still holding well. What I would not recommend is strapping tape like one wireframe maker uses. It tends to dry out and get brittle very easily. However, like Micheal, I use clips form Lori's Lighted D'Lites.
Jeff,
have you ever tried electrical tape ove strapping tape? I think the electrical tape is UV stable (even the white) whereas strapping tape is not, so the electrical tape should protect the strapping tape.
I am trying something new this year. I built a frame and have stretched "chicken wire" over the frame. The initial "test frame" is 6x8. I am going to mount lights to the chicken wire to create characters similar to regular wire frames. I would like to be able to have two or three characters overlapping in the same area. Depending on the music, one character would light up for one song, such as a snowman, and on the next song, a different character would light up in the same place. Light clips wouldn't work on chicken wire and I don't think that wire ties would work too well either. That is why I was thinking about tape. I figure the chicken wire would be pretty "transparent" at night and you could see lights/decorations on the exterior of the house through the chicken wire. If the experiment works, I could make several connecting frames for a large display. Maybe there could be an operating toy factory showing one time and the next song might have toy soldiers marching across the yard via the frame. (Next year, if a more simple design works out this year.) I guess the closest thing that I could compare it to would be those moving LED signs. However, the characters would basically be a series of wireframe outlines across the screen. Have I totally confused everyone now?
circus4u wrote: I am trying something new this year. I built a frame and have stretched "chicken wire" over the frame. The initial "test frame" is 6x8. I am going to mount lights to the chicken wire to create characters similar to regular wire frames. I would like to be able to have two or three characters overlapping in the same area. Depending on the music, one character would light up for one song, such as a snowman, and on the next song, a different character would light up in the same place. Light clips wouldn't work on chicken wire and I don't think that wire ties would work too well either. That is why I was thinking about tape. I figure the chicken wire would be pretty "transparent" at night and you could see lights/decorations on the exterior of the house through the chicken wire. If the experiment works, I could make several connecting frames for a large display. Maybe there could be an operating toy factory showing one time and the next song might have toy soldiers marching across the yard via the frame. (Next year, if a more simple design works out this year.) I guess the closest thing that I could compare it to would be those moving LED signs. However, the characters would basically be a series of wireframe outlines across the screen. Have I totally confused everyone now?
I think it is a wonderful idea and I love your thinking. You are out of my league on this, however I will watch this thread with interest. Good luck!
It has been a while since this one was hit, but wanted to add my 2 cents. Electrical tape deos work well, especially since you live in a warmer climate. I made my Merry Christmas sign using chicken wire and rope light. I actually fastened it with very thin wire and it worked great and has for 2 years now. I think the zip ties would serve your purpose instead of tape. But either way you should be good to go. Cannot wait to see it.
Something else you might want to consider are those green twist ties that are used in landscaping, I'm not sure what there called, but they sell them at Home depot in the garden center, I used them under the eves of my house last year to hold electrical cords up, just staple them and then twist them around the cords, works good, there long enough so you can cut them in half and have twice as much
