EnlightenedGrinch
12-16-2008, 01:48 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LightBall017.jpg
MEGA LIGHT BALL
MATERIALS:
84 Clear 9 oz Plastic. Drinking Cups
One tube of Household Project Clear Glue (Lowe’s)
One string of 140ct. Multi-Motion Lights (Lowe’s)
Several feet of thin wire
Cost Hanger wire
Approx. 1ft. of ½” clear vinyl tubing
PRELIMINARY STEP
Use a Dremel tool with a small cutting bit to cut a hole in the bottom of each cup (approximately the size of a dime).
STEP 1
Find a flat surface too work on. Start by applying a thin line of the clear glue along one side of the first cup. Immediately press another cup to the glue side of the first cup. Each cup has a small lip around it’s top. To form a nice circle of cups it is best to alternate the cups just above and below the adjacent cup’s lip as you go around making the circle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LightBall002.jpg
(Example: Cup #1 has it’s lip above cup #2. Cup #3 will have it’s lip also above cup #2. Cup #4 will have it’s lip positioned below cup #3, etc, etc…..)
A great trick I have found is to use wooden clothespins to hold each cup together after gluing. This way I can do a full circle of cups before stopping to let the glue harden.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LBDiagram.jpg
Row #1 will have 16 cups total in the circle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LightBall003.jpg
STEP 2
The second row of cups will be glued on top of the cups in Row #1. Mount the first cup in this row will be mounted right over the gap between two cups in the first row. Run two lines of glue on this first cup. (one line for each of the two cups it straddles).
Try to position the lips of the cups in this row behind (under) the lips of all of the cups in Row #1. This will help to create a nice rounded shape for the remainder of the ball.
After the first cup is glued in place, the following cups will not perfectly straddle the two cup below it (in Row #1). Continue to run two lines of glue on each cup—one to mate with the cup beside it and one to mate with the cup below it. If using clothespins use one on the side and one on the bottom of each cup.
When you finish Row # 2 you may possibly end up with a gap between the first and last cup. This is OK and will NOT affect the appearance of the ball.
Row #2 will have 13 cups.
MEGA LIGHT BALL
MATERIALS:
84 Clear 9 oz Plastic. Drinking Cups
One tube of Household Project Clear Glue (Lowe’s)
One string of 140ct. Multi-Motion Lights (Lowe’s)
Several feet of thin wire
Cost Hanger wire
Approx. 1ft. of ½” clear vinyl tubing
PRELIMINARY STEP
Use a Dremel tool with a small cutting bit to cut a hole in the bottom of each cup (approximately the size of a dime).
STEP 1
Find a flat surface too work on. Start by applying a thin line of the clear glue along one side of the first cup. Immediately press another cup to the glue side of the first cup. Each cup has a small lip around it’s top. To form a nice circle of cups it is best to alternate the cups just above and below the adjacent cup’s lip as you go around making the circle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LightBall002.jpg
(Example: Cup #1 has it’s lip above cup #2. Cup #3 will have it’s lip also above cup #2. Cup #4 will have it’s lip positioned below cup #3, etc, etc…..)
A great trick I have found is to use wooden clothespins to hold each cup together after gluing. This way I can do a full circle of cups before stopping to let the glue harden.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LBDiagram.jpg
Row #1 will have 16 cups total in the circle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas%20Props/LightBall003.jpg
STEP 2
The second row of cups will be glued on top of the cups in Row #1. Mount the first cup in this row will be mounted right over the gap between two cups in the first row. Run two lines of glue on this first cup. (one line for each of the two cups it straddles).
Try to position the lips of the cups in this row behind (under) the lips of all of the cups in Row #1. This will help to create a nice rounded shape for the remainder of the ball.
After the first cup is glued in place, the following cups will not perfectly straddle the two cup below it (in Row #1). Continue to run two lines of glue on each cup—one to mate with the cup beside it and one to mate with the cup below it. If using clothespins use one on the side and one on the bottom of each cup.
When you finish Row # 2 you may possibly end up with a gap between the first and last cup. This is OK and will NOT affect the appearance of the ball.
Row #2 will have 13 cups.