In what order do you all put up your display?

ShellNZ

Senior elf
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
892
Location
Karaka, Auckland, NZ
Just thinking about step-by-step thoughts on putting up elements of my display and wondered what everyone else did.

Options are:

1. Throw everything up in random order
2. Put elements out first then the controllers (if different days then how to keep connectors dry?)
3. House first then grounds
4. Left side of proper to right
5. Put up by degree of difficulty? e.g My singing faces are probably going to the most difficult, do them first or last?
6. By hired equipment. e.g hiring cherry picker for the day so everything that needs that is first.

Cant think of anymore :)
 

burner

Full time elf
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Messages
315
I use the top down approach. Because its a double story, I prefer putting up the higher stuff first. I'm now attaching my conduit around the gutters and window frames and then will put the rgb strings after that, so that I can at least test that out, seeing as the visualiser is useless in the current lsp version.
 

SmartAlecLights

Im a SmartAlec what can i say!
Community project designer
Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
1,533
Location
Murray Bridge, S.A.
i put bit's out every week or so
arch's are normaly the first, then coro stars, then strips, then main control/power box.
the reason i take so long is im allways testing an making the new stuff an making cables
 

fasteddy

I have C.L.A.P
Global moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
6,648
Location
Albion Park NSW
I first off start with the lights on the house, I first do all the lights on the house that will be least effected by UV and then finish of with the roof line and tiles which are the most exposed. Then i put out the controllers and connect all up and test.

Then if everything went well with the house I then do the front yard last, ill do a test run first before pulling it up until a few days before show time where ill reset the front yard up as in summer here the lawn needs cutting nearly every 2 weeks, so the plan is that i will only have to cut it once during the display period.
 

logandc99

Dedicated elf
Joined
Jul 13, 2012
Messages
1,153
I will probably follow my usual routine I have used for static display in the past ( with my LOR bit added in this time). Randomly throw up lights with no plan whatsoever, look at it all lit up, feel disappointed in the way it looks, buy more lights and put more up, rearrange things and then.... happy. Works for me :)
 

joeengler

Apprentice elf
Joined
May 20, 2010
Messages
90
Location
Garden City, MI 48135
I do the roof then the Mega-Tree, since these are the 2 most time consuming and require help from other people. then I pop in the windows frames and hange the gutter lights. The last things up are the arches and other lawn objects to keep them out of the way while working around the yard.
 

lithgowlights

Dedicated elf
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
1,023
Similar to Eddy, I put the house items up first, then a big mow really low before the yard items go out, and finally controllers to allow testing. I dont re-mow the yard nor do items come back up, so once things are connected they stay there. Last things are the internal windows as that means blackout curtains on the lounce and laundry, making it really dark inside.

Controllers usually go out just before the testing starts, and remain there. Oh blowups, when used, dont go out till a day or so before the show, but get tested in the shed instead.
 

logandc99

Dedicated elf
Joined
Jul 13, 2012
Messages
1,153
lithgowlights said:
.... then a big mow really low before the yard items go out, and finally controllers to allow testing. I dont re-mow the yard nor do items come back up...

Yes, it's the mowing thing that can get a bit of a problem. Oct through Dec is very much spring weather (although more like winter at the moment :-( ) and the grass is doing maximum growing which means that my lawns often need at least 2 mows from the time I put the lights out till end of Xmas. So it certainly makes sense to do the stuff "off the ground" first as you do. I'm still probably not going to get away without at least one mow though unless I'm going for a " jungle Xmas" look :)
 

Skunberg

Full time elf
Joined
Jul 10, 2010
Messages
194
Location
Eagan
My mega tree I need help with, so it goes up when ever I can get some help. Everything else is random, kinda what ever order it happens to come out of storage.
 
Top