China Ball Question

very interesting... i never really realized that the 30" ball would be that low haha. so which did you use from Amvona?
 
mobiledeli said:
wow tim, thats really expensive. why wouldnt the one i found work?
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it might work, but it would be awfully unsturdy. it looks like the stands we used, which like i said, i wouldn't recommend. stands with legs like that aren't really made for sand bags, which i think are key. the avenger stands are expensive, but they'll last forever. the price is why i haven't bought any yet, but when i do, i'm buying those. i have seen posts from people who've used the amvona c-stands that jason recommended, and they seem to be a good deal. i think c-stands are a pretty safe bet to buy used too, since they're so well made (especially avenger and matthews stands) that they last a long time. so you could just search c-stands in general on ebay and see what you find. like i said, i don't have my c-stands yet, so i'm speaking from speculation, but my theory is that you're better off spending more money up front to get something that will last versus buying cheap stands and realizing you need to buy the better ones anyway, then being stuck with the cheapies.
 
so, i got my 30" china ball today, and i cant unfold it and get it in a perfect circle... its totally dented and crappy looking. any ideas? the other/smaller one i bought is perfect though!
 
If the frame wires are actually bent, you'll probably have to send it back. I know mine wasn't perfect at first, but it wasn't too messed up. And it really won't form a good sphere until you put the frame/cord holder in. There. I've grasped at every straw.
 
Cool lights, thanks so much for that tip, very valuable. I didn't even know they existed. I have an inventory of the paper china balls, I am replacing the whole inventory with the nylon.
I used the china balls to light an entire coffe shop with a 20ft ceiling. I just hung them from the rafters, they worked beautifully. The only problem with them is the durability.
Thanks to you, that problem is forever resolved.
What a great tip!
 
i put the... wire thing in and i assume it should bend (the pic showed that) but it still is the same bentish thing. How bent is yours? Also Corona, how many china balls and how big were they?
 
Cool Lights, now THAT was a great tip!. I have a box load of the paper lanterns in my inventory, all sizes. The only problem is their durability. I love these things and use them to light larger indoor areas, they are wonderful, but, you have to be VERY careful not to tear them. That is a problem the has been solved forever now, thanks to you.
I am going to replace all the old paper ones with these nylon china balls immediately
Thanks again for this great piece of advice!!!
 
The wire thing is pretty curved when in place, but the lantern itself is a nice, round shape. If it's still bent, I'd say you have a bad lantern. But if you could post a pic, it would help.
 
yeah i def have a bad lantern... now i gotta deal with returning an item to china... greattt!! but another question: how do you transfer your lanterns/bulbs to and from the set?
 
FYI: Ikea has the paper lanterns for those of you looking for immediate gratification (assuming you have an Ikea near you). Although the largest size they carry is 23" so it seems a bit small for that crazy looking CFL structure that mobiledeli made. BTW, I mean crazy-cool. I really don't have the time for the DIY tangent I am now on because of this thread. :)

But anyway, I have a question that nobody seems to have addressed thus far. What is the maximum wattage that can safely be placed in a paper lantern? I assume the bigger the lantern, the more heat it can withstand, but I'm wondering how far the limits have been pushed. Anyone?
 
yeah 23" is just a little too small i think. and also paper isnt the best when it comes to fire-proof hah. i havent expirimented enough with wattage but ill post my findings. im shooting my spyfest short in april with all these new lights so ill take notes then!
 
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thats the big one, see on the left side how it kinda dips in? but i will say it looked worse when i first got it. i let it sit with the wire in place and it kinda straightened out!
 
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