Fishing Line for Stringing Lights

This is a tutorial about how to make a string of lights hang straight across a wall or ceiling. In my case, it's across the ceiling.

I plotted out where I wanted the hooks, (which are spaced about three (3) feet apart.) I used the metal plant hook at either end, and one in the center. The others are plastic, smaller/thinner than the plant hooks.

I loop/knoted the end of the fishing line, (clear, and kinda streachy) and looped around one hook, went to the other end of the "run" and simply looped the fishing line around it, (no knots)and brought the line BACK to the first plant hook. I then made another knotted loop at the end, (clipping the fishing line about a foot short.)

I then pulled the line taught so that it would take a lot of weight to cause it to "droop" between hooks. This double's up the fishing line, making it stronger for holding more weight. The loop around the second hook allowed the fishing line to streach/move around the hook, keeping the tension even between the two runs of fishing line.

In the image below, I had a string of LEDs which cast little colored dots, (like miniature spot lights) all over the walls & ceiling. The colors wasn't exactly what I wanted for the Halloween party, so I decided to spend the evening, removing these light strings, and replacing them with four (4) sets of Halloween Grain/Rice type bulbs.

You can see that the strings of lights are in a straight line, and not drooping between the hooks. Holding the lights away from the ceiling. The Halloween lights have a bulb at the end of a short "stalk", holding the bulbs away from the main run of wire. It's kinda weird, but it keeps the bulbs from forming a straight line. A sort of "garland-effect.

I believe that this size bulb is called either "Grain" or it may be called "Rice" bulbs. Easy to see why... Their miniscule in size, and their light output is pretty minimum as well. Which will be perfect, as they WON'T overpower the blacklights, (which I plan to move to & hang from the ceiling.)

It's quite a task to mix UV & incandecent lighting. But it seems I've developed something of a knack for it.

The Rice bulb strings come with an 8 position controller. (It has 8 settings for a chase effect.)

I experemented with the different settings, but I didn't like them so much.

Too "twinkeling and shimmering" for my taste.

The strings do not have an outlet at the end of the string,

so as to plug the next string of lights into. I had to run an

additinal extention cords along with the strings of lights,

so I could create one long run of lights.

Now you know why I had run a second fishing line along the run.

Running the extention cords added to the weight a bit more.

Here you can see a reflection of the fishing line.

It doesn't appear very well against the white textured ceiling.

The blue zip ties don't react very well with the UV (blacklight) as much

as the clear/white zip ties do. So I used them throughout the project.

I didn't have black ones.

I wrapped the zip tie around everything. Fishing line, light strings and extention cords.

I also had to fold the wires back along the line, to take up slack and keep a constant string of lights across the ceiling.

This is the "Lighter-end" of the room, where the kitchen is.

It may have been a bit more difficult, but I

saved a lot of zip ties, from using additional ties

by doing the wire "bundles" along the way.

Here I am, part-way through the project.

This is the "dark-end" of the room. and the

lights take a turn and run across/over the window.

The project is done, and here's the final pics.

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A great Halloween Forum I just joined. Lots of new people to get to know, who love Halloween just as much or MORE than I do! Register, and join the fun!

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Please be sure to visit "How to Halloween" A new up and coming site on building your own Halloween decorations for next to nil!

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The Halloween-L is a great website & forum. You should go there NOW! Ok, after you view my website. But right after that, go there! (If you know what's "Boo" for you!)