Greetings All
It's been a year or two since I last created a new item for my display and this one took aspects of previous items along with lessons learned along the way.
Introducing the PixelPoles big brother, PixelNorthPole
209 - ws2811 12vdc square pixels
8 feet of 6" white CPVC drain pipe
1 - 6" white end cap
4 - 5/8" plywood circles
7 feet of 1.25" I.D PVC electrical conduit
9 foot section of 1.25" metal fence railtop
50 -3D printed retainer rings
3D printed holder and cinch ring for the globe
12" diameter white acrylic globe from Ray Wu
assorted screws, bolts, tape,etc
A 9 foot tall North pole is impracticable for me to store and maintain so I divided it into three sections, Two 4 foot poles and the topper.
Each Four foot section contains 4 strings of 25 count pixels
Base section has Five 13mm Ray Wu plugs exiting the bottom with 4 strings of 50 count pixels and a fifth line for the topper all terminating with JST connectors.
Upper section has 4 strings of 25 count pixels starting with JST connectors and a fifth line for the topper
Topper has a 3 section 3D printed adapter to screw-cinch the globe and uses 9 pixels.
The two 4 foot sections allow for easier storage as well as allowing for easy arms length reach at each end to push the pixels in and install the retaining rings.
The 3d printed retaining rings hold the pixels in place and prevents accidental push-ins of the pixels when handling.
Plywood circles/donuts hold the gray pipe in place for each section and the fence railtop joins the two sections together.
Each connected set of base+upper strings equal 50 count so no power injection is needed for 12vdc pixel runs
I'm using 5 ports of my existing e682 controller that runs my 7 PixelPoles for a total of 12 of 16 ports used.
I installed cement pilings/plugs in my yard with the same diameter conduit at ground level. For the PixelPoles and now the PixelNorthPole, you insert the railtop into the yard pilings/plug and slip the individual prop over the railtop using it like a steel spine. No need for guywires/ballast/mounting plates for the PixelPoles however I will use some 1/16" aircraft cable as safety guywires for the PixelNorthPole due to its 9 foot height.
The two 4 foot sections, base section has a 4" tall alignment sleeve bolted and glued in place, U shaped alignment cuts allows for the first ring of upper section pixels to match the twist and spacing. Each string of pixels follow the painted twist.
Topper section prior to being bolted and glued together
9 pixel topper print, the white PetG still has glue on it from the print bed and needs to be washed off!
Plywood/conduit dry-fit, small rings of conduit cut like a C-clip will be glued in place on each side of the plywood to hold the conduit in place with the plywood rings screwed into the main tubes from the out side using countersunk screws
Plywood/conduit dumbbells prior to installing
Down shot of all pixels with retaining rings in place, plywood/conduit dumbbell installed after
Relief cuts at the center joint to allow the two sections to align (deburred the edges after picture was taken)
Retaining ring, note the break under my fingers, this allows the ring to coil a little while installing and when the ends touch and are taped to the tube, you will have a hard time moving or pushing the pixels back into the tube(ignore the black stringing/hairs on the print)
I will update with installation pictures in the yard in the next few days.
It's been a year or two since I last created a new item for my display and this one took aspects of previous items along with lessons learned along the way.
Introducing the PixelPoles big brother, PixelNorthPole
209 - ws2811 12vdc square pixels
8 feet of 6" white CPVC drain pipe
1 - 6" white end cap
4 - 5/8" plywood circles
7 feet of 1.25" I.D PVC electrical conduit
9 foot section of 1.25" metal fence railtop
50 -3D printed retainer rings
3D printed holder and cinch ring for the globe
12" diameter white acrylic globe from Ray Wu
assorted screws, bolts, tape,etc
A 9 foot tall North pole is impracticable for me to store and maintain so I divided it into three sections, Two 4 foot poles and the topper.
Each Four foot section contains 4 strings of 25 count pixels
Base section has Five 13mm Ray Wu plugs exiting the bottom with 4 strings of 50 count pixels and a fifth line for the topper all terminating with JST connectors.
Upper section has 4 strings of 25 count pixels starting with JST connectors and a fifth line for the topper
Topper has a 3 section 3D printed adapter to screw-cinch the globe and uses 9 pixels.
The two 4 foot sections allow for easier storage as well as allowing for easy arms length reach at each end to push the pixels in and install the retaining rings.
The 3d printed retaining rings hold the pixels in place and prevents accidental push-ins of the pixels when handling.
Plywood circles/donuts hold the gray pipe in place for each section and the fence railtop joins the two sections together.
Each connected set of base+upper strings equal 50 count so no power injection is needed for 12vdc pixel runs
I'm using 5 ports of my existing e682 controller that runs my 7 PixelPoles for a total of 12 of 16 ports used.
I installed cement pilings/plugs in my yard with the same diameter conduit at ground level. For the PixelPoles and now the PixelNorthPole, you insert the railtop into the yard pilings/plug and slip the individual prop over the railtop using it like a steel spine. No need for guywires/ballast/mounting plates for the PixelPoles however I will use some 1/16" aircraft cable as safety guywires for the PixelNorthPole due to its 9 foot height.
The two 4 foot sections, base section has a 4" tall alignment sleeve bolted and glued in place, U shaped alignment cuts allows for the first ring of upper section pixels to match the twist and spacing. Each string of pixels follow the painted twist.
Topper section prior to being bolted and glued together
9 pixel topper print, the white PetG still has glue on it from the print bed and needs to be washed off!
Plywood/conduit dry-fit, small rings of conduit cut like a C-clip will be glued in place on each side of the plywood to hold the conduit in place with the plywood rings screwed into the main tubes from the out side using countersunk screws
Plywood/conduit dumbbells prior to installing
Down shot of all pixels with retaining rings in place, plywood/conduit dumbbell installed after
Relief cuts at the center joint to allow the two sections to align (deburred the edges after picture was taken)
Retaining ring, note the break under my fingers, this allows the ring to coil a little while installing and when the ends touch and are taped to the tube, you will have a hard time moving or pushing the pixels back into the tube(ignore the black stringing/hairs on the print)
I will update with installation pictures in the yard in the next few days.
