Project Swirl Sculpture

From crispyneurons

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Note: This project has been abandoned.

For this project, I will create a sculpture to present the final results and to honor the project participants. This sculpture will be essentially a giant red CFL bulb. The sculpture will be 12x scale of this bulb:

The ballast is therefore 2ft. in diameter. The bulb tubing is clear and will be 4" in diameter (ideally 4 1/2", but that wasn't available.) The two 10' lengths are attached with clear packing tape.

Why red? We're camping with Red Light District this year, so it's gotta be a red light.

[edit] Materials

• 2 20' long copper wires, 3/8"
• 2 20' long rebar, 3/8"
• 2 10' long clear flexible dust hoses, 4"
• Small spool (probably for spooling Ethernet cable originally)
• Plywood for ballast base
• Red duct tape
• Red (or clear) zip ties
• 3 18' long red rope lights
• Extension cord
• Plastic tubing

[edit] Construction

The tubing will be a double helix of 2 loops. It is not load-bearing; it is supported by the internal 5/8" of taped copper wire. Red rope lights are wound around this wire, secured at regular intervals by red zip ties. The ballast will be painted red.

The coiled cooper wire.

Materials.

The plywood (originally part of the stripper pole stage for the Purple Turtle) to be cut into the top and bottom of the ballast.

Testing the first of the two red rope lights.

I used the sawzall to cut the plywood. The blade was reversed so I could cut in jigsaw fashion.

Taping the copper tubes together.

Taping complete.

Both red rope lights attached to the wire structure.

My work area.