Sign lights?

pcaginalp

Member
For our show of Cabaret we are making a Kit Kat club sign and we would like to use some kind of round bulbs to light it. What bulbs/bases do you use and where do you get them?

We were currently thinking cue lights but we haven't found where to get bases for them.

Thanks for the info,
Paul
 
Cooper Wiring devices stock # 734. We did Assassins last year and used these to ring the portal with chase lights. The bulbs you want are probably either a A19 or G16.5 20 watt or lower. Iwas going to post Cooper Wiring devices catalog for reference but it's too big. Just google them. They also sell traditional "brew cord" sockets and ceramic bases and everyting you could want.. Good luck, Great show.
 
Oh this is great, I just did this for High School Musical. I built a round sign and outlined it in bulbs/sockets. Ok, so you aregoing to want to go to Action Lighting.
http://www.actionlighting.com/
They have the best selection I have even seen. For my High School Musical sign, I used these pin socket bases.
http://www.actionlighting.com/item-... Wire Pin Sockets&Sub=Medium Base Pin Sockets
Along with Transparent Yellow S11 7.5 Watt Bulbs
http://www.actionlighting.com/item-detail.asp?ID=97&MainCategory=Bulbs&Sub=E27 Base S11

For your project, you could probably use the medium screw base pin sockets without side clips, but mine was mounted in foam and they helped the sockets stay in.

You have alot of bulb choices. You could use the 7.5 Watt S11's like I did, or 11 Watt S14's, the 7.5 watt G12.5's, or the 25 Watt A19's. All common sign bulbs.

If you wanted to go to a smaller screw base, say candelabra or intermediate, you could use the intermediate base S11's (same base as a C9 Christmas bulb), or the 6 Watt candelabra base S6, 7 watt G8 or 10 watt G12. (All same size base as a regualr C7 christmas bulb)

When we did Guys and Dolls last year, I lamped the yellow cage work lights in the sewer scene with 11 watt frosted white S14 bulbs.
http://www.actionlighting.com/item-detail.asp?ID=19&MainCategory=Bulbs&Sub=11S14 Satin Finish
They were perfect on a stage lit in blues and lighting around 60%. Not glaring in the audience's eyes but still achieving the effect. It's usually a good idea to stay way from high wattage lamps open on the stage, especially if your not dimming it. Anything larger than a 25 watt A19 is probably pushing it, unless thats the effect your going for, which could easily be a wanted effect in a different show.

How big is this sign going to be, and do you want to light up the letters and the boarder, or just the boarder? I decided to light just my boarded because doing every letter in "High School Musical" got more expensive than we wanted to spend, however, Kit Kat Club should be more do-able. The pin sockets are the cheapest thing you will find, ceramic bases will definatly run you about $2.50 a piece. Take some time and explore Action Lighting, they sure gave me alot of possible ideas when I was building my sign. I personally love the classic effect of sign bulbs outlining letters. Reminds me of old movie palace marquees. Good luck with your project.
 
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Thanks for the information, I am sifting through those websites now.

We are planning to do the letters in bulbs and not outline it. We are figuring about ten lights or so per letter, so 100 bulbs total.


Thanks again for the help,
Paul
 

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