Lawrence Drive Lights - House Outline using Conduit & Bullet Pixels

LawrenceDriveLights

Senior elf
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
581
Hi all,
not sure if this is the correct place to post this (if not please move to correct place).

Following on from my Build Thread here is how I did my house outline.

I copied other peoples ideas of using 25mm conduit and drilling holes to suit the 12mm bullet type pixels.

I started making a jig to help hold the conduit to use with my drill press and a 12mm spade drill bit.

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/w6fgptnltcu5rec/Photo%2018-8-18%2C%207%2050%2008%20pm.jpg?dl=0


Not the best picture but hopefully you can see whats going on

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g5fe3xeqp8p5cgb/Photo%208-1-18%2C%208%2043%2059%20am.jpg?dl=0



One thing I did find after using a 12mm spade bit for the holes I had to drill a slightly larger hole in the back of the conduit as a relief for the back larger part of the bullet pixel (sorry no picture).


I have also seen pictures of other people using a step drill to do the holes, but I had the 12mm spade bit in the drill box so thats what I went with.


I then decided to paint the conduit so it would blend it a little with the reddish bricks of my house (I just used some cheap generic spray paint, its not the best but should be ok)

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jepjfytn7fqwxgp/Photo%206-1-18%2C%2011%2028%2056%20am.jpg?dl=0



My house outline consists of ;

Upper roof pitch

Doorway

Across the top of the Planter boxes.

Like this

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l5a4nmus4ifj8dp/My%20Layout%20V1.jpg?dl=0



Each side of the roof pitch is approx. 5400mm I went with 75mm pixel spacing so it is about 72 pixels each side.

So for ease of handling and installation etc I went with two pieces of conduit for each side of the roof pitch and using a conduit joiner to well join them together.

I did also fit a hook to each end of the conduit that met at the peak of the roof pitch and I plan to use some cable ties and screw in some small cable tie mounts to lower edge of the timber roof pitch) Sorry no picture of this yet.

I have done a trial fit and it seems to work ok


The outer sides of the house are about 1800mm from the tops of the planter boxes to the roof,again I went with 75mm pixel spacing so about 23 pixels for each wall.

Then I did the planter boxes, similar to roof pitch, two pieces of conduit for each planter box for ease of handling, there are approx 4050mm wide, so again with 75mm spacing 54 pixels.


Next was the doorway, so either side of the doorway and across the top
Each side approx 2025mm from top of the planter box to the top of doorway (27 pixels) and approx 1500mm across the top (20 pixels).


So after much drilling, make the pixels strings to length, soldering pigtails on etc my outline was done.

I then looked around for a way to attache the walls and doorway conduit without having to drill holes into my uses brickwork.

I noticed when reading @David_AVD da_share website he mentioned about using "Brick Clips"

https://www.da-share.com/christmas/tips-tricks/brick-grips/

So I ordered some and they arrived and I did a test fit, looks like they will work ok as well

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ycgwphhczzwm3dn/Photo%2015-3-18%2C%2011%2053%2043%20am.jpg?dl=0


Here is a picture of the doorway
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b2eztsudv34d14m/Photo%2015-3-18%2C%2011%2053%2025%20am.jpg?dl=0


The upper section of conduit is for something else (update on this to come later)

So that 's my basic house outline done for Phase 1 so to speak.


--------------------------------------
Outline Phase 2

Then as my display ideas started to grow I wanted to do the outline of the small garden bed in the centre of my front lawn.
Now this is a funny kidney shaped garden bed put in by previous owners (I would have done a square garden bed, but you make do with what you have).

I was after something to allow me again to use bullet pixels to go around the perimeter of the garden bed, now conduit wasn't go to work.

So I thought I would try something maybe a little different for this and tied some 25mm thin walled Black Poly Irrigation Tube (I had some left over from installing a self watering system for the backyard).

Similar to this
https://www.bunnings.com.au/holman-25mm-x-25m-black-poly-irrigation-tube_p3120669

Again I drilled 12mm holes with a 12mm spade bit and as this was thin walled tube the 12mm bullet pixels pushed in easily with no relief on the back required.


It ended up like this
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uqbrr82vkn2n84j/Photo 25-6-18, 10 01 49 am.jpg?dl=0

Also it allowed me to roll it up for storage.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y6gox1pz13mmyzb/Photo 25-6-18, 10 01 35 am.jpg?dl=0

Specs are
Approx length 10m
With 75mm pixel spacing 143 pixels for the garden bed outline
12 Volt pixels.
To secure this in place around the garden bed I will use some plastic garden stakes and cable tie the polly tube to
Similar to these
https://www.bunnings.com.au/garden-rain-280-x-25mm-black-multi-peg_p3321720

Here is a pic of the garden bed outline all rolled up for storage.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y6gox1pz13mmyzb/Photo 25-6-18, 10 01 35 am.jpg?dl=0


Note: I am power injecting at the end of this garden bed outline.


Next was the fence outline
Update to come.
 

TassyDevil

New elf
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
14
How long did it take to drill the holes in the conduit? I am thinking of doing the same.
 

LawrenceDriveLights

Senior elf
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
581
Quick update;
Did a "trial fit" of the other house outline elements (eaves and the planter boxes)

Using a hook I screwed into the underside of the park of the eaves and a hook in the ends of the conduit to make fitting easier, then going to cable tie the conduit in place with cable tie months screwed into the underside of the eaves.

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jm5i9my68jbcsmj/Photo%2010-10-18%2C%202%2006%2040%20pm.jpg?dl=0


Here is a pic with half of one side fitted to the eaves (the conduit is paint ed red so helps it blend into the bricks)

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/658dys6a7rad2p7/Photo%2010-10-18%2C%203%2009%2038%20pm.jpg?dl=0



Also quickly made some mounting bracket's for the conduit to fit along the edge of the planter boxes

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q60sx8vcckaklej/Photo%2010-10-18%2C%2011%2040%2022%20am.jpg?dl=0


View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6vcuy7drb48nq9s/Photo%2010-10-18%2C%2011%2042%2054%20am.jpg?dl=0


This is how the planter boxes will look

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l9nrskmbir1ps7d/Photo%2010-10-18%2C%2011%2059%2023%20am.jpg?dl=0
 

Pavle

Rank updated… 2 season veteran
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Messages
190
Location
Sydney
Old post, but didn’t want to start a new thread on the same topic.

what is the consensus for PVC type frames for windows etc to drill and mount bullet pixels?

is it 25mm electrical conduit, 20mm PVC-U (class 12 in Aus or schedule 40 in USA) or something else?

The detail in this post is great and illustrates exactly what I need to do, however I’m concerned about the flex in electrical conduit over the longer sections.

After the mini on the weekend, I didn’t need any more motivation to get to work and then today I received my tracking details for my pixels so time to get moving
 

Dez

Fueled by Christmas - Inspired by You!
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
277
Location
Toowoomba QLD
I did exactly the same thing except I used a step drill as I found the spade bit chipped the plastic out a bit. I made 15 2.5metre lengths of these. Yes drilling the holes is painfully boring!
 

Pavle

Rank updated… 2 season veteran
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Messages
190
Location
Sydney
Stupid question time:

people suggest using a step drill to complete this task, so due to the nature of a step drill increasing in size you can only drill one side at a time otherwise you would end up with one side way too large. So what’s the best method? Use a pilot drill and go through the whole way as a first pass, then come back and do each side to the desired diameter? I’m sure it’s a simple answer, but just want to be sure.

I’ve completed all of my frames for windows etc and did drill out a test on a small sample successfully, but before I tackle 500+ I want to ensure I’ve got the most efficient method :D
 

Adsy

Full time elf
Joined
Aug 10, 2018
Messages
203
Location
Sheidow Park SA
Yes you would do each side individually as you need a larger hole at the rear to feed them through. 16mm on the back from memory
 

stevelee

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
77
Location
Bathurst
Stupid question time:

people suggest using a step drill to complete this task, so due to the nature of a step drill increasing in size you can only drill one side at a time otherwise you would end up with one side way too large. So what’s the best method? Use a pilot drill and go through the whole way as a first pass, then come back and do each side to the desired diameter? I’m sure it’s a simple answer, but just want to be sure.

I’ve completed all of my frames for windows etc and did drill out a test on a small sample successfully, but before I tackle 500+ I want to ensure I’ve got the most efficient method :D

I’m going to creat a jig and drill through both sides of the conduit at the same time and then put a larger bit in and drill out one side.
 

Croydon Lights

Apprentice elf
Generous elf
Joined
Jan 6, 2018
Messages
98
I use a step drill bit from the back and adjusted my drill stop so as to get a 12mm hole at the bottom and a clearance hole at the top and just used a deburring tool to open a few holes that were not quite 12mm open due to not pushing down hard on the stop
 
Top