Low Cost Path Lights

Rope light.
 
Does anyone know of a good way to provide path lights backstage that can go along a wall? And I do mean low cost.
@Cineruss Dave's little Christmas lamps can usually be dimmed using a normal house-hold dimmer OR a stage dimmer, often with a dummy load added in either case. Amier's rope lights are often more durable, and can withstand light, occasional foot traffic, but are usually more costly. Christmas lights are available pre Christmas but the time to purchase is post Christmas, when they're often 50% off.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
The place currently has a few rope lights but they currently have them on the floor and to me it just look like lights for lights sake and do not illuminate anything. I am thinking they would be more efficient attached to the wall but not sure since I am in this place for the first time. They have black walls back stage and dark green carpet. Not much reflective surfaces backstage
 
Rope light isn’t meant to illuminate it’s meant to say this is the path you can walk.

if you want actually lights you could buy some generic clip lights and an E String ac cable and daisy chain across the wall as far as you need. Then throw whatever color wattage you want back there.
 
Rope light isn’t meant to illuminate it’s meant to say this is the path you can walk.

If you want actual lights, you could buy some generic clip lights and an E String ac cable and daisy chain across the wall as far as you need. Then throw whatever color wattage you want back there.
@Cineruss and @Amiers Two more thoughts: Assuming you're dealing with a box set with flats OR even if a black velour traveller or drop with a cross-over path U/S; you may consider a sharply focused ellipsoidal in the wings on each side, shooting across your path from a high angle (high enough to be out of the eyes of performers, minions and passing prop's pixies) with sharply focused side shutters and donuts in a color frame to contain side spill from being seen through fabric, or seams in flats, by patrons.
If a box set with solid flats, faced with Maso' or luan rather than cloth, clip lights facing down and mounted well above head height, yet a foot or two below the upper edges of flats, can be very useful and dimmed / lamped in a color of your choosing.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Ron's christmas lights -as in white leds - attached to wall will do better than the rope light to illuminate the floor and any obstructions and trip hazards.
Look like I will take this approach since the aisles in this place are crazy...I didn't design it; just trying to make it safer. They currently are using rope lights in the wrong place and it appears to be more of a distraction than a help. Sometimes I feel like I am some mission from a higher source doing this :-(. Sorry just venting.
 
Ron's Christmas lights -as in white leds - attached to wall will do better than the rope light to illuminate the floor and any obstructions and trip hazards.
Ron's Christmas lights? How far back are we referring to? ( Possibly the strings guiding the three wise guys to the manger?? )
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
I was going to suggest drip edge - a roofing product that is light weight, relatively inexpensive, and basically a sheet metal "angle" (rotate image -90 degrees)
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A (very) poor man's version of this: http://www.tivolilighting.com/fantasma-wall-continuous.html Anchor to wall with drill, plastic anchors, and screws, and bend a little more. Try to figure out "hook" that you might hold on with same screw to attach light to, like a picture hook or an "eye" for wire ties or even the wire ties with screw hole.

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Look like I will take this approach since the aisles in this place are crazy...I didn't design it; just trying to make it safer. They currently are using rope lights in the wrong place and it appears to be more of a distraction than a help. Sometimes I feel like I am some mission from a higher source doing this :-(. Sorry just venting.
@Cineruss Feel free to VENT away; none of us here have ever experienced any feelings akin to introducing light to the dark spaces inherent in many amateur skulls. (As if! KNOW when you're being ragged mercilessly.)
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Ron's christmas lights -as in white leds - attached to wall will do better than the rope light to illuminate the floor and any obstructions and trip hazards.
I suspect the reference is / was to @dbaxter 's Christmas lights.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
I was going to suggest drip edge - a roofing product that is light weight, relatively inexpensive, and basically a sheet metal "angle" (rotate image -90 degrees)
proxy.php


A (very) poor man's version of this: http://www.tivolilighting.com/fantasma-wall-continuous.html Anchor to wall with drill, plastic anchors, and screws, and bend a little more. Try to figure out "hook" that you might hold on with same screw to attach light to, like a picture hook or an "eye" for wire ties or even the wire ties with screw hole.

proxy.php
Thanks looks good. Yes I will have to go cheap because they definitely do not have money and also there is quiet a run that needs to be made with these lights backstage.
 
Looks like the lights are available on Amazon for 25-30 cents/ft; drip edge at 35-45 cents/ft. With hardware, etc, easily under $1/ft it seems - plus labor. Not bad.

Now if you can only figure out how to turn off the chase/twinkle/etc that seems to be a part of all Christmas lights today....
 

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