Best Lighting For Cut Outs?

B

breakaway

New member
I had an idea for my neighbor to do a cut out last year. It turned out great and so I was jealous, and bought a jigsaw and did my own cut out 5 days before Christmas.

I got cheapo lighting from what was left at Home Depot that late in the season, but I didn't like it.

This year, I want to do it right. What do people recommend for lighting to display your cut outs that you work so hard on?

Thanks so much!
 
Sometimes it is not the light, but the angle of the light that makes it either good, or not so.
With 700 or so cutouts, I asked the crew doing the static displays. They said CFLs in flood holders are their primary "goto" lights. They try to angle it so that the flood shines away from the audience, and doesn't cause a washout. This is not always possible, but for the most part it works for us.

FWIW, I like a long light, sort of like a florescent tube, spread out in front of the cutout and hidden from view of the folks looking at the display.
 
My two cents. Often cutouts are illuminated with too high of a wattage lamp. The high wattage causes shadows behind the cutout or reflect off the cutout. I use 15w - 25w incandescent bulbs, occasionally a 40w for a cutout that is large, like 6 ft. I make them myself using a metal can; often it's some large vegetable can. I like the tall narrow cans as they direct the light better than short, fat ones. Spray paint the inside silver to reflect the light. Spray paint the outside dark green to hide it in the grass. Use this for lamp socket:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-660-Watt-Black-Lamp-Socket/3958895 Note the socket is rubber and slightly tapered with a large diameter band that makes the perfect stop. Cut a hole in the bottom of the can, make it tight, slide the rubber socket into the hole, a nice tight fit holds it in place. Wire any length of extension cord to it and you're ready to go.

To place it in the yard, just kick a dent into the yard with heal of shoe. Remember doing that to place a football for a kick-off as a kid? Just like that. The can will fit nicely in the dent. Place a scrap piece of wood, like a 6" long 2x4 on each side and it'll stay put.

Cheap, easy and very effective, and controllable with any software, just another AC channel.
 
wood_guy said:
I had been hunting around the web for small spot lights. I found a stake light at HD for only $7. View attachment 38149.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-7-Watt-Plastic-LED-Spike-Light-SPKP-7W01/301233082

I bought one and tested it out. I sealed the seam on the front lens with silicone and where the cord enters the housing. It has a 2ft 2-prong cord which is OK for me. Plan on buying two more.
:)
Click to expand...

Followup. These were too bright, so I added a 2k ohm resistor to dim them. Now they light up the cutouts without creating such noticeable shadows.

I will probably rewire for next year. Here is what the inside looks like. The supply wires are covered with silicone. The circuit parts are attached to an aluminum plate so soldering could be tricky. For $7 not a bad deal.
 

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I've used low powered LED globe lights -think night light strength. Anything High powered causes to many problems with washing out the rest of the show. (My yard isn't that big.)
 
As light is directional, we put them on stakes a bit taller and to the side of the prop we are trying to light. In this way the shadows fall to the ground, and any hot spots on the props are only seen if you are to the other side of the prop from the normal viewing angle. Note that the stakes are very thin (as in 1/4 or 1/8 inch rebar.)
 
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