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The madness starts...

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BigDPS View Drop Down
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  Quote BigDPS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The madness starts...
    Posted: 07 Aug 2009 at 11:53am
To do the setup, since I have a very bad back, I have what I call, a Rent-a-Kid. I have this 14 year old kid that's always willing to help me so I "rent" him from his parents on a friday night then return him home on sunday. He thinks this is the best thing that he can do. It keeps him away from his little brother and calls our house, the land of gadgetry. We have pinball machine (homemade), arcade cabinet(homemade) real looking theatre (where we show last years display with 7.1 surround sound ) while eating popcorn from a real popping machine. Lots of fun. He's already looking forward to help setup in november.Clap 

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  Quote deweycooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2009 at 10:04pm
We had our first informal neighborhood meeting for this year's display.  We had 6 houses linked together last year and will probably add 3-5 this year.  It's probably the best thing I could have done since I gave everyone handouts on how things work, what the new people should expect to spend, and a rough outline of when things would happen.  I have a feeling that the workload on my end may have eased.  I think I'll get some help on the sequencing side and a lot of help on the setup.
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  Quote BigDPS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2009 at 7:13pm
Well it was over 90 degrees in the sun out and we were in the yard, my wife and I, spotting where the display was going to go.  We measured and moved stuff wondering how it will work out. The neighbors were looking at us in a funny way some even peaking out their window while slightly moving a curtain aside....

We had 1 arch done and we had to take it apart. It was just going to be WAY too heavy. I was very discouraged. My wife said there was something positive about it: we were going to spend more time together redoing the arches. The look she was giving me while smiling, just melted my heart.Hug
  You know what they say "Families that build sequenced Christmas displays, stay together". OK. I made this one up but I truly believe it. When I get carried away, she's my conscience bringing me back to reality. If I didn't have her, I'd probably have the Eiffel tower in my yard as the center pole for my mega tree. Thumbs%20Up

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  Quote Jonathan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 10:46pm
I already figured out how to use fireworks with a DCx16.  Unfortunately, shooting fireworks in my city get you an extremely large $5K fine so I decided that as cool as that would be when the "bombs were bursting in air" that it wasn't worth it.  (Besides, my contact with all the stuff I needed didn't follow through.)

Glad you liked it.  The youtube crowd is quickly turning my Michael Jackson tribute into cult status.  The geysers are simply plastic sprinkler heads with the directional top taken off and normal 3/4" rainbird sprinkler actuators turn it on and off.  Just about any sprinkler head will do so long as the top is removed.  Somewhere on my youtube page is the how to video from last year where I do a slightly better job explaining how I made it work. 
~Jonathan
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  Quote BigDPS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 11:30am
I really like these water fountains and the lights. What do you use to shoot the water up?

I guess I have the bug as well. 2 weeks ago, I was at a fireworks competition where they use music and sequence the fireworks to the beats of the songs. Here I am watching with amazement while thinking :This could be something to do with my controllers. Have fireworks go off with the music. I'd have to delay  the songs and the sequences to allow the fireworks to pop at the right time with the song.....

Yup, once you start sequencing, you want to sequence everything. You hear a song on radio and you think, yup, that is a good tune to sequence too...Sheeesh!


Edited by BigDPS - 04 Aug 2009 at 11:31am

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  Quote Jonathan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 9:55am
My family recently went to Las Vegas where they saw the Bellagio water / light show.  After one of the songs was over, I'm told my 7 year old nephew announced matter of factly that, "Uncle Jon's show is better."  (I do a water / lights show for July 4th; the videos of the show are now up at www.youtube.com/jonathand1027 btw.)  I almost feel sorry for my brother.  I'm giving my nephew the bug early.  Evil%20Smile
~Jonathan
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  Quote autotime Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 8:24am
I got same reaction here at lowes and home depot. but i went to michaels craft store and they are already putting xmas stuff out, must mean its getting close. i went to kenny chesney concert this weekend, had a pretty good light show my son turned to me and said out of the blue dad you should do that for christmas light show, maybe hes getting the bug, hmmmm.

    
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  Quote BigDPS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2009 at 11:36am
Well we have 1/2 of an arch done so far. My wife is helping me so I'm kinds dependent on her timings...Ermm

However, she is pretty good while she does help me. I tried using one of the methods as seen on PC to make an arch by wrapping lights around a PVC pipe using a drill but that proved to be too dangerous. Never trust a 5/8 power-drill with an inexperienced handler ie: the wife.
The drill would go slow and all of a sudden, it would pick up speed while I'm holding on the strand of light. Nearly had my hand caught and wrapped around the pipe!!!

So after one segment done with a drill, I had enough of the close calls, so to speak, and decided that my better half would have to use some elbow grease. I made her a crank to turn the pole instead. It works like a charm. Much better control, lot safer and very energy efficient. We are going green!...oh wait, that's the color of the wire of the lights. My bad.

Anyways, when someone calls for me and that my wife answers telling them I'm (or we) are busy making our Christmas decorations, the conversation doesn't seem to go any further. Imagine that!!!Clap

Oh and one more thing. I added a gadet on my desktop to show me how many days before Christmas. Just adds a bit of pressure on my part!!!


Edited by BigDPS - 02 Aug 2009 at 11:38am

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  Quote Buckeyelights Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 10:32pm
Those stories are all pretty funny.
 
The reaction that I get most often is from my teenage daughter.  It is a simple "DADDDD" with that look of what are you doing now and make sure my friends don't see you.
 
It's priceless.
 
Joe
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  Quote bdkeen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 5:39pm
Sometimes the reaction is well worth the price of the item Big%20smile
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