Better way to manage many EL wire connections?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:52 pm

Last year I made an EL wire wig the day before I drove down. It worked reasonably well, but was not particularly robust. I basically just soldered 40 strings to a set of 2 wires, then duct taped those wires around a hat. Here's what the wires look like now, a bit mangled:

I'm planning on moving up to around 100 wires this year and want a few improvements:
1) More natural looking pattern to the hair coming out
2) More flexibility is arrangement (the two wires only wanted to bend one direction)
3) Stronger connection to the EL wire

Any thoughts?

ziptie · Post by **ziptie** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:13 pm

If you attach longer leads to each strand of EL wire, you could solder them in groups, which would afford you the opportunity of an irregular soldering pattern (might look more natural)--say, twist together and solder the leads for 3 strands in one place, 7 strands in another, &c.--and use irregular lengths of coated wire to run your parallel connections between the groups. (This might also help with your "stronger connection to the EL wire" problem, since each piece won't have to be soldered individually.) Coated wire tends to be flexier, as long as your connections are solid. I don't have a lot of experience with things that need to stand up under continual flexing, so this idea might only work if you were still planning on bending the thing into the configuration that pleased you and then attaching it to something solid, like a hat.

That is my first thought, anyway. I am not sure whether it is a good idea!

-piper

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:43 am

Two words: Heatshrink Tubing.

Puts any strain on the tubing rather than your solder connections.

Badger

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:07 am

For something that looks a bit more like follicles, how about a series of power wires that run front-to-back to approximate the look of a "part"? It would also enable you to break the wiring up into modules so as to facilitate repair and minimize the chance of the whole wig failing at once.
You could also anchor the wig to a hardhat lining, giving you some support AND being adjustable.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:10 am

Okay, I just reread that and realized that I have to add that the EL wire strands would come out perpendicular to the power wires and "look like hair".
For a comfortable base, you could also use one of those "biker 'do-rags".

JezebelinHell · Post by **JezebelinHell** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:50 am

Careful, you might wind up looking like a neon Brett Michaels.

Mister Jellyfish Mister · Post by **Mister Jellyfish Mister** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:56 pm

robotland wrote:For something that looks a bit more like follicles, how about a series of power wires that run front-to-back to approximate the look of a "part"? It would also enable you to break the wiring up into modules so as to facilitate repair and minimize the chance of the whole wig failing at once.
You could also anchor the wig to a hardhat lining, giving you some support AND being adjustable.

Thusly, chums, but it shocks the shit out of my scalp. Great way to stay awake and the ladies can't resist the "El Wire Comb-Over":

[youtube][/youtube]

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:09 pm

I asked this before somewhere else, but lost track of it.

If the last 8 feet of my 40 footish el wire does not light up, can I simply cut it ?

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:18 pm

oneeyeddick wrote:I asked this before somewhere else, but lost track of it.

If the last 8 feet of my 40 footish el wire does not light up, can I simply cut it ?

Yes.

The wires don't touch at the end. It's not a circuit, it's a capacitor, so you can trim all you want off the end. Just dab a bit of goop at the cut end to keep you from getting shocks.

Badger

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:20 pm

cool......thanks

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:29 pm

Mister Jellyfish Mister wrote:Thusly, chums, but it shocks the shit out of my scalp. Great way to stay awake and the ladies can't resist the "El Wire Comb-Over":

That's beautiful! Mine is a bunch of twisted up salvaged wire so it's more of a medusa look. I did put goop on the ends, but in a rush and with my last few bits of goop so I would get regular shocks. That's the other thing I need to deal with this year! Nothing like being tasered at random to keep you partying late into the night.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:27 am

Dork wrote:
Mister Jellyfish Mister wrote:Thusly, chums, but it shocks the shit out of my scalp. Great way to stay awake and the ladies can't resist the "El Wire Comb-Over":
That's beautiful! Mine is a bunch of twisted up salvaged wire so it's more of a medusa look. I did put goop on the ends, but in a rush and with my last few bits of goop so I would get regular shocks. That's the other thing I need to deal with this year! Nothing like being tasered at random to keep you partying late into the night.

Hmmm...perhaps using a sequencer and leaving some ends intentionally bare could create a Tingler System to produce regular, systemic shocks to the scalp...might actually be pleasurable!

Another quick way to dress the ends is to use Tool Dip, the canned rubber that comes in red, yellow or black. (It also comes in spray cans! I bought one, but haven't played with it yet....) Overall, GOOP is probably tidier.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:01 pm

The GOOP would be better due to it being clear-ish so the little blob will light up too.

Badger

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:55 am

Agreed. GOOP's just better for EVERTHING.... And Tool Dip doesn't taste HALF as good on pancakes!

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:52 pm

robotland wrote:Agreed. GOOP's just better for EVERTHING.... And Tool Dip doesn't taste HALF as good on pancakes!

I prefer waffles myself.

Badger