Light up columns

Jon Majors

Active Member
I'm wanting to build 6 columns: 2 that are 4' tall, 2 that are 6' tall and 2 that are 8' feet tall. I want to put an LED part inside of them and shine up so that they change colors. How would you do it?

I was thinking of making a 2'x2' wooden base and 2x4s in the corners but then the 2x4s would leave a shadow. Any other suggestions for a cylinder shape approximatly 12" in diamter? It needs to be able to withstand someone possibly bumping into it.

Thanks!
Jon
 
Options:
  • no budget - central shaft with plywood circle cutouts. Stretch fabric, tyvek, or similar to form the outer cylinder
  • some budget - coroplast, plexi, lexan, or cast polyurethane sheet formed into a cylinder
 
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Even coverage from the bottom to the top is going to be difficult without a base and top space to put a fixture in. If I had the budget I'd do a plywood of MDF disk top and bottom, make a central core out of 8" Sonotube, put plywood plugs top and bottom of the tube, screw the discs to the plugs, then run lengths of RGB/W LED tape every 2 or 3 inches around the sonotube. Stretch white, 30 denier lycra or tricot tubes over the discs and staple top and bottom. Getting the fabric tubes the proper diameter would be crucial. if you go to small the columns with suck in in the middle due to the fabric tension. the other choice might be to find some super thin white Styrene sheet. it's translucent enough for the effect to work
 
Random advice tidbits:
  • Parchment paper makes a surprisingly good diffuser for odd shapes although it can be a little challenging to attach because nothing sticks to it. One piece close to the LEDs and one on the outer rim of the column would probably make for a really flat field with no viable LED emitters
  • If you want the entire column to light up evenly you're going to have to run LEDs up the entire length. Lighting from the bottom or top only will not create an even intensity although the gradient from light to dark might be a feature not a bug for certain designs.
 
then run lengths of RGB/W LED tape every 2 or 3 inches around the sonotube. Stretch white, 30 denier lycra or tricot tubes over the discs and staple top and bottom.

the other choice might be to find some super thin white Styrene sheet. it's translucent enough for the effect to work

Have you had success with this? Every time we do something like that there's always the headache of dealing with varying intensity on the lit surface. (in this case, vertical bars of stronger light directly in front of the LED tape) We always try to hide the tape behind something so it reflects off some other surface and onto the 'projected' surface...

Could always diffuse the light before it gets to the lycra, tape some gel diffusion over the strips before wrapping the lycra around the ply discs. It would help, dont know if it would solve the issue... of course maybe that's not an issue for OP
 
Have you had success with this? Every time we do something like that there's always the headache of dealing with varying intensity on the lit surface. (in this case, vertical bars of stronger light directly in front of the LED tape) We always try to hide the tape behind something so it reflects off some other surface and onto the 'projected' surface...

Could always diffuse the light before it gets to the lycra, tape some gel diffusion over the strips before wrapping the lycra around the ply discs. It would help, dont know if it would solve the issue... of course maybe that's not an issue for OP

Good catch I should have said something about that. I've found the best way to deal with the striping is to either employ diffusion, as you suggest, or increase the density of the exterior material or increase the distance from the source to the cover material. The Lycra is, more than likely, going to have worse striping. Styrene being more opaque will cut down on striping but also on transmission.
 
I once made columns using this type of plastic patio roofing material that we frosted (maybe using acetone? I forget...). Columns were on a weighted rolling base (they were in different locations throughout the show) with a diffusing reflective surface on the interior bottom of the column base. I lit from above with S4 19deg with an iris and colour scrollers. This was about 15 years ago. If I had to do it today, and the columns DIDN'T need to move, I would put an LED PAR in the base and a reflective cap on top of the column. Won't be as even as LED tape, but won't be as expensive either...
 
How I would do it would depend on how I’m lighting it.

With a par from the bottom (and/or the top): plywood discs top and bottom with a structural 2x4 or pipe spine on the upstage side.

With LED tape: move the 2x4 or pipe to the center, and stick the tape to the upstage side, bouncing a more even wash of light around to the front.

Skin either with your choice of material, I’d probably go with muslin if lower budget, white spandex or plastic sheeting if I had a bit more $$ to work with.

Either one is going to have a “show” side, either because of a shadow or lighting hot spots showing. If you have the budget, there are arcrylic tubes available from a plastics shop that could replace the vertical support.

At Burning Man I’ve seen custom inflatable columns, but they’ll have a lot of fan noise, of course.

Good luck, let us know what you do and how it turns out!
 

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