Lighting theft?

Mosin · Post by **Mosin** » Sat Oct 02, 2010 10:27 pm

My wife and I are in the concept stage for a 2011 art contrubution, and are thinking of using el wire for a diffused ground effect under the objects, with an outer ring of solar leds for added safety/visibility. My main concern about the el wire is how often I will need to replace it (if at all) due to theft? It will be well mounted...perhaps even epoxied in places, so it won't be just hanging out in the open, but after seeing many an art piece on the playa seemingly pillaged of one or another lighting component I just want to be prepared with sufficient replacements. So to the vets out there... how common is lighting theft? TIA!

fbcota · Post by **fbcota** » Sat Oct 02, 2010 10:34 pm

Not much of a vet. But the past 2 years of projects have been completely theft free. Talking to other artists I have never heard of lighting getting stolen.

Post by **AntiM** » Sun Oct 03, 2010 7:41 am

The LED lily pond from 2002 suffered theft of some of the lilies and dragonflies. Had to be thought out too, as it took a specialized wrench to get them off their stems. I've heard of other desirable solar things lifted, which is why we keep ours high up. There's a thread in lost and found about a lighted star ornament which was taken. I've never heard of fixed el-wire being taken though.

It could happen, but don't let that stop you. Just one of those risks which you acknowledge then proceed to do something cool anyway.

So, what did you see that makes you think it was taken? Just curious...

RichieRiot · Post by **RichieRiot** » Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:56 am

That's just not cool. Stealing from someone's art project. That's the kind of shit that brings real world greed to the playa.

I hope there isn't any theft to worry about. I am working on a small art install for my base camp (not a theme camp) that will be using modified solar lights. It's something I want to display for people just for fun, and to enjoy and I don't want to be at my camp 24/7. I just want to dress up my tent/van a bit, showcasing my art.

I think there should be a new law at Burning Man. Steal someone's shit and face them in Thunderdome. LOL.

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Oct 03, 2010 1:18 pm

RichieRiot wrote:
I think there should be a new law at Burning Man. Steal someone's shit and face them in Thunderdome. LOL.

Problem is, you gotta catch them first.

JK

RichieRiot · Post by **RichieRiot** » Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:52 pm

[quote="jkisha"][quote="RichieRiot"]

I think there should be a new law at Burning Man. Steal someone's shit and face them in Thunderdome. LOL.[/quote]

Problem is, you gotta catch them first.

JK[/quote]

VERY TRUE. But I am sure if people thought there would be a good show for catching a thief... you never know. Just like the movie.

Mosin · Post by **Mosin** » Sun Oct 03, 2010 5:59 pm

Thanks all for the responses. It sounds like lighting theft is a rarity... thus a few spares (which I would bring anyway in case of mechanical failure) should cover us for the week. And that's a particularly good thing since el wire ain't cheap!

AntiM wrote: So, what did you see that makes you think it was taken? Just curious...

The one that stands out in my mind this year was a mid-playa piece mounted on top of a ~6ft tripod (three large legs... bamboo if I remember correctly) that had surgical tubing with el-wire inside wrapped around each leg from top to bottom, held on with zip ties every foot or so. The el wire strand for one of the three legs was missing, and the empty surgical tubing was left dangling in the wind. The unwrapped, empty tubing is what made it seem more thefty than maintenance (to this seasoned armchair BRC-CSI

).

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 4:59 am

Don't use elwire?

And security fasteners might be handy.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 1:04 pm

I can help steal some of yer lighting if you want.

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:14 pm

never had any lighting taken. 3 years we've used the same solar puck lights screwed down with security screws on 3 different projects.

Ein hammer had all kinds of lights an even lcd tvs and blue ray players. didn't see were anyone tried to make off with them. we were concerned about that. of course it was manned at night too, so that may have helped.

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:40 pm

We haven't had lighting theft, but there has been damage nonetheless. Probably just thoughtless, but it's hard to tell. Not sure how to make it more robust without making it super expensive.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 4:05 pm

Seriously I thought this was about Lightning Theft.

Mosin · Post by **Mosin** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 4:42 pm

Fire_Moose wrote:I can help steal some of yer lighting if you want.

As long as you don't self rely on my mom. (for those familiar with FM's Greatest Post of All Time

)

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 4:46 pm

Mosin · Post by **Mosin** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 4:57 pm

dr.placebo wrote:We haven't had lighting theft, but there has been damage nonetheless. Probably just thoughtless, but it's hard to tell. Not sure how to make it more robust without making it super expensive.

I'm also considering what a pain it would be to change out failed components with a high-security mount (such as a combo of surgical tubing, zipties, security fasteners, and epoxy blobs). I guess I'll just put my faith in burnerkind and see how it goes this year with minimal security and a few spares on hand.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:42 am

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:46 am

the original:

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:51 am

Mosin wrote:
dr.placebo wrote:We haven't had lighting theft, but there has been damage nonetheless. Probably just thoughtless, but it's hard to tell. Not sure how to make it more robust without making it super expensive.
I'm also considering what a pain it would be to change out failed components with a high-security mount (such as a combo of surgical tubing, zipties, security fasteners, and epoxy blobs). I guess I'll just put my faith in burnerkind and see how it goes this year with minimal security and a few spares on hand.

Security fasteners should be easy with the bits.

They make nuts too.

JStep · Post by **JStep** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:20 am

So my plan to make an ongoing installation out of bits of other people's art I've stolen throughout the week is a bad idea?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 12:16 pm

JStep wrote:So my plan to make an ongoing installation out of bits of other people's art I've stolen throughout the week is a bad idea?

It's actually a great idea. Your art includes stealing. Their art includes beating theives to a pulp. Win-Win, as far as I can tell.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 12:52 pm

there was a plastic pyramid covered with paper money a few years back...only the large denomination bills got stolen, which suggests something. I was amazed any of it survived...(no I did not take any)

never heard of lighting theft...even my easily stolen solar yard lights have survived for many years.

JStep · Post by **JStep** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:53 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:
JStep wrote:So my plan to make an ongoing installation out of bits of other people's art I've stolen throughout the week is a bad idea?
It's actually a great idea. Your art includes stealing. Their art includes beating theives to a pulp. Win-Win, as far as I can tell.

Dammit, I'm going to have to rethink this... I was so looking forward to "Playa Collage"...

gaminwench · Post by **gaminwench** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:33 pm

...had lights taken from our art 3 or 4 of the 7 years... solar strings (attached), ceiling light (attached, buried and covered!), blue police flasher (attached)...
we've concluded that we need to budget for fresh lighting every year... and always have back-up for the likely disappearances....

YMMV...

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:28 pm

Anything with a ballast, you can remote mount the ballast, and at least stop repeat theft.
Creative use of security hardware can make most of this theft too much effort.

Fasteners range from common to custom made.
I'll offer any help I can.

The important thing is to think of them differently from locks.

For instance, you can use heavy hardware for fastening and security fasteners for locking in place.
I'm doing this on some staircases.
They do make large fasteners though.

You can make your own sleeves for nuts too, that require a deep well socket to reach.

Weird what people will steal sometimes.

arc · Post by **arc** » Sun Nov 07, 2010 4:43 pm

GYRE has it, mount the transformers inside and so they are not accessable. 12 in led light strips they look like cold cathode tubes, put out a lot of light and strong and fairly cheap. about $8 for 12 in. they come in several colors, and will last several years.

ARC

Here and there · Post by **Here and there** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:28 am

JStep wrote:So my plan to make an ongoing installation out of bits of other people's art I've stolen throughout the week is a bad idea?

Not at all, as long as you're willing to participate in my Shar'ia camp festivities, later in the week. You might have to sign a few waivers.

mentaldk · Post by **mentaldk** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:47 am

most people only steal thunder

pizzamancer · Post by **pizzamancer** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 9:04 pm

I know the Harveywood sign was stolen last year. The culprits were pretty easy to find though. It also added a whole new aspect to what was already a cool art installation.

lucky.bastard · Post by **lucky.bastard** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:22 am

Razor Wire?

Â¡Niers! · Post by **Â¡Niers!** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:42 am

Electrify everything. Five finger zap!

Lighting theft?

Lighting theft?

historically speaking