The Pier

[fbcota]

Pink Daddy: One step ahead of you. Been working on "paper work" for this project for about a week now .

I was convinced you gravitated toward the pier because of your signature ;p

[Bounce530]

I'm not at all connected with this ad, but saw it and thought this might be some of what you're looking for-
http://chico.craigslist.org/zip/1989283926.html

[Pink Daddy]

It was completely unrelated, my sig and this project... unless on some sub-concious level. I gravitated towards it because of my interest in nautical things and the proposed awesomeness of it.

[googbox]

I'm so excited for this, both in helping it come to fruition and the possibilities on playa.

It's going to be a great place to meet people, do some hippie fishing, have a first kiss, watch the sunset, sunrise, marriage proposals, deep talks, not-so-deep talks, megaphone snarking, picnics, resting spot, meditation spot, climbing spot, place to see if I really can fly....

[Miles]

well I'd be down to help out with construction/planning, so put me on your list.

[fbcota]

Bounce530: That is perfect. I am actually heading to Chico next weekend. I will contact this guy and see what we can do. Wow, you are my hero right now!!!

Sweet Miles. The more the merrier :).

I was walking down a 270ft pier just now, studying the lighting and I realized that with solar garden lights this thing will be a death trap at night. It also won't draw the attention it needs. So I'm trying to figure out other lighting options.

The goal is affordable, with enough light that people can walk down it at night with headlamps on. It should also be visible from a distance if it does get placed in the open playa away from The Esplinade.

The first thought of LED's in paper laterns is still good as the paper laterns make are very noticeable from a distance (think the string of balloons). But I actually think they are a bit too large and gawdy and will detract from the pier.

Any ideas for some cost effective bright lighting? I have found solar garden lights are pretty dim.

[Miles]

you could make some lamp posts,

bend a pipe into a candy cane shape, bolt in a light fixture or led and cover it with a cone shade made of sheet metal

[gaminwench]

lighting ideas...
a) PVC crossed arches over the pier,every 50 ft, with lanterns hanging from the joins (pedestrian lighting);

b)single, large light from tall pole at the "T" end (dock light);

c) blue flood spots under the pier, maybe with water gobos( theater light frame inserts that rotate, creating the water illusion)...

[Tin Halo]

c) blue flood spots under the pier, maybe with water gobos( theater light frame inserts that rotate, creating the water illusion)...

Hear that? That's the sound of money rushing by...

[gaminwench]

not necessarily... there's theater lighting folks on here...

[Tiahaar]

you could make some lamp posts,

bend a pipe into a candy cane shape, bolt in a light fixture or led and cover it with a cone shade made of sheet metal

Like this? A candy-cane piece of electrical conduit strapped to a post with a basic shade and a 15-25 watt incandescent (for that warm yellow look) every 25 feet or so would be plenty on the playa. Love the Pier idea!
[/img]

[fbcota]

Miles, Tiahaar and Gaminwench: I love the ideas. Although I did get the same impression as Tin Halo did,.... Dollars floating around the playa jumping out of my belly (they go straight to food these days).

Lamp posts are a great idea. Not too expensive, could possibly use LED's inside a highly reflective housing. Every 50 ft gives a really cool look too. Maybe alternate sides every 25 ft?

Visually it would be sooooooooo cool to either only light the end of the pier with a strong light, or make the light at the end of the pier much more intense then the rest of the lights. Would look so cinematic,....

Blue floods underneath would be awesome. I think this is also doable with led's. Some gobo's would be cool, only worry would be the time to manufactuer and rig power to all of them.

The big reason why the concern of cost came up in my mind was how to power the lights. The original idea of led's in paper laterns made each light fairly cheap overall as power was provided by a cheap battery.

I have been toying with the idea of building a small solar array to power the lights. If we went with a light every 25 ft plus a big light on the end, is that doable with a cheap solar array (maybe 1 or 2 high power led's per light and maybe 10 in the end light. Or a bunch of compact fluorescents)?

Option B is using a genny to power all the lights. I get concerned as Genny's are not cheap and there is a constant need to fuel it. But, if it has to be done to make a rad lighting scheme then it has to be done. Easier then solar from a tech perspective, a minor point.

How would we pull off the gobos rotation? I love the idea of blue light underneath. Maybe we can use blue leds and have them pulse (can you do that with an LED)?

A million questions. I light things all the time for work but when it comes to powering them, my options, etc,... I feel a little overwhelmed.

At the end of the day, I would love to have a basic lighting setup (say $200 of cost) and a more advanced lighting setup that ties in with the audio (maybe $500-1000, although the cheaper the better).

Hmmmm, where are my theater lighting friends when I need them. I guess I could beg to be on the grid

I am entranced with the image of the pier in the distance, with a blue glow underneath, spots shining down through the dust, eyes drawn to the bright "T" at the end. Or standing at the beginning of the pier, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, bells ringing in the distance. People moving in and out of the circles of light cast on the deck. While a gorgeous (wo)man stands at the end, in a halo of bright light looking out on madness of the neon sea.

[FIGJAM]

I picture the posts holding the pier sections sticking up maybe 4ft above the deck?

Get the led solar string lights that are going on sale for christmas.

Buy some 40oz translusent plastic glasses from the dollar store.

Cut the bottom off the glass and stuff the string lights in the glass and glue the panel to the bottom of the glass.

Attatch these to the top of the pillars that hold your pier sections.

They will be about $5 apiece and easy to bring spares to change out if some fail as each one is an independant unit.

[Miles]

Like this?
[/img]

bingo!

[zcassidy]

I'm thinking about the "take a picture with your catch idea" and I wanted to flush a couple of things out. So, my question is "how can we make it work where it only takes two people to operate while keeping in mind budget."

A secure strap for the legs (around the shins) like a bungee jumper uses would be ideal. My father is a retired stunt coordinator so I might be able to acquire something like this.

What about raising the person up and suspending them?

First I thought of some kind of pulley system but that would require a counter balance of weight (sandbags or two people).

My next thought was to use one of those wheel boards where you strap in the persons legs while they are standing then you spin the wheel (ala price is right) until they are rested upside down.

I have yet to make a wheel board. Any knife throwers out there?

Thoughts?

[Sic Pup]

What about a simple winch? I did a brief stint on an oyster farm this summer and it was really easy to hoist these huge barnacle and seaweed encrusted baskets chock full of bivalces off the bay floor and onto the boat.

[Tin Halo]

Option B is using a genny to power all the lights. I get concerned as Genny's are not cheap and there is a constant need to fuel it. But, if it has to be done to make a rad lighting scheme then it has to be done. Easier then solar from a tech perspective, a minor point.

Oddly, the (more or less) manager at my new job is currently working on three generator fix-ups, so I've been hearing him prattle on all day about the niggling little details. So, I'm picking up info as I can get it. There are good deals to be had out there.

Maybe we can use blue leds and have them pulse (can you do that with an LED)?

You sure can, Billy! Just takes a little circuit. We probably have them at work.
I'd sure as hell hope we do... we've got damn near everything under the electronics component sun.

[theCryptofishist]

You better make that winch, or whatever you decide on, foolproof.

And even then, you know, that the playa provides mega-fools.

[Snow]

I'm thinking about the "take a picture with your catch idea" and I wanted to flush a couple of things out. So, my question is "how can we make it work where it only takes two people to operate while keeping in mind budget."

A secure strap for the legs (around the shins) like a bungee jumper uses would be ideal. My father is a retired stunt coordinator so I might be able to acquire something like this.

What about raising the person up and suspending them?

First I thought of some kind of pulley system but that would require a counter balance of weight (sandbags or two people).

My next thought was to use one of those wheel boards where you strap in the persons legs while they are standing then you spin the wheel (ala price is right) until they are rested upside down.

I have yet to make a wheel board. Any knife throwers out there?

Thoughts?

Well I'm not a knife thrower, but I do have a 6' diameter sit n spin that could be repurposed for this.

[moonrise]

fbcota it seems there's no lack of creative ideas flowing toward The Pier...

Maybe use some of the Tahoe jokes; my favorite is explaining to tourists the reason the piers are so high out of the water (seems like most years due to drought) I always tell them "because the tide is out" Maybe a low tide sign or at least use the joke when the time arrives! (and it will)

I know the owners of two of the main Tahoe pier demolition companies on North Shore, they may still get a lot of wooden piers and who knows, maybe even post lighting etc that I can salvage.
There's less going on now & winter but I do see them out there on the BIg Blue Playa during winter fixing & demolishing lake front estate piers.

craigLOOK.com something I learned on eplaya (thanks!) works great for up to a 250 mile radius search and it crosses statelines! sweet!
Maybe you know of craigLOOK.com (and crazedlook.com which I couldn't get to work) try that for free materials.

Wood aging can be done with baking soda and water, gives a mild aging...$5 costco bag and a weed sprayer using water did a whole house for me! (also can use mild dilution of muratic acid and water but uh, not sure 'bout that for the safety aspect of burners)

For fishing poles & pier stuff I'd Stop at ALL the yard sales in Tahoe, usually everything is free on Sundays (sometimes on Saturdays if you tell them about burning man and the gifting culture, I gathered warm jackets and gifted them late late night to cold, forgetful? burners, most of these were gifted from yard sales, all GOOD condition/quality)

I'll call the pier demolition companies and let you know what they say.

[snake]

wow moonrise, you seem like a great resource. and i think it will be important for fbcota to develop local crews.

[moonrise]

wow moonrise, you seem like a great resource. and i think it will be important for fbcota to develop local crews.

Gracias snake!

I have a totally screwed up bad back (surgeon damaged a nerve and caused permanent partial disability) but I am still good at a variety of things.

My goal is to get co-operation from the pier demolition companies...time to rekindle those friendships (they basically work and drink and what not)
The challenge will be to get them to CALL ME when there's some good stuff to be had, before they dump it!

[theCryptofishist]

wow moonrise, you seem like a great resource. and i think it will be important for fbcota to develop local crews.

...
The challenge will be to get them to CALL ME when there's some good stuff to be had, before they dump it! :P

I think that's always an issue with reuse. My guess is that a whole lot of reusable stuff gets thrown away because even with dump fees and gas, it's just plain cheaper to throw things away than to make a few phone calls and wait for someone to haul it away. Oh, and liability, of course.

Just my little political nugget for the evening.

[Finnegan]

I love this project! It will be fantastic! I would vote for deep playa, no bar. Make it a reflective destination, looking back toward the city.

How do you want people to experience it for the first time? Approaching this from the "waterline" would be very different from finding this on the "shoreline".

And this would fucking rock:

How about a semi-giant cephalopod surfacing from the playa at the end of the pier? Tentacles and what not made out of wire and EL to provide a ground install to threaten those "swimming" by?

Sign me up for that team!

[moonrise]

wow moonrise, you seem like a great resource. and i think it will be important for fbcota to develop local crews.

...
The challenge will be to get them to CALL ME when there's some good stuff to be had, before they dump it!

I think that's always an issue with reuse. My guess is that a whole lot of reusable stuff gets thrown away because even with dump fees and gas, it's just plain cheaper to throw things away than to make a few phone calls and wait for someone to haul it away. Oh, and liability, of course.

Just my little political nugget for the evening.

Hiya Fishy! Nice to see ya' out swimmin' around The Pier!

Yes, there's a disgraceful waste of good materials all the time up here...luckily I've known these demo guys over 25 years and I have a telescope and can SEE them and the barges w/cranes and where they are going from my window..heh heh....thanks to that forest fire in '08 (no, I didn't start it nor did I put it out)
If they don't call me first I know how to find them (and the lake front owners are NEVER around except maybe ONCE in a blue blue moon) and with luck (and some really nasty storms) they'll be more than enough...maybe a whole pier!
At the very least some lamp post lighting, ladders, pier posts, planks you name it...if they co-operate, I'll be collecting it. (owed favors and/or brides work wonders on these guys..I'll try both)
PS Please don't scare me with words like (liability!) Shhhh....

[Snow]

owed favors and/or brides work wonders on these guys..

[fbcota]

Figjam: Nice idea with the lights. I will test that out and see how bright it gets.

Tin Halo: Good keeping your ear out. I was thinking of looking for "Broken" gennies as I think most people just give up without fixing a basic problem. The massive air compressor (that can run 4 framing nail guns at once) that we will use was a broken compressor that a friend found for $40 and fixed in about half an hour.

I am leaning toward budgeting a wench and the bungie cord foot straps. Need to look around and see what that needs. We were discussing yesterday that if that wench isn't perfect we could cause some serious problems,...

Moonrise: Perfect, Perfect, Perfect . Welcome aboard.

Finnegan: Send me an email mrschultz at gmail dot com.

I want people to walk up to the pier from the approach end and walk up onto it first. I think its really important that the placement of the pier be in a space that clearly defines the start of the water line / end of shoreline. I love the idea of vehicles like bikes and mutant vehicles approaching from the sea side. Although from all directions I think the pier is going to create some really amazing thoughts and reactions. I think of people dropping into a fantasy land regardless of their approach. Some may think of a swashbuckling film, others may find a romantic boardwalk, some a trip across the globe, slip further into a desolate futurescape.

I was speaking with a friend last night who mention he thought the city placement was purposeful. Its aligned to make the city feel like it is opening out to an open ocean. Can anyone confirm this? The local team is leaning toward near/on esplinade placement, while eplaya seems to be exclusively open playa .

If there were 2 buildings at the start of the pier what should the second one be?

Ohh, and we think we may have a couple local Reno bands that could be willing to play on the pier.

[FIGJAM]

The lights are 20 or 30 lights per string.

When thier bundled, thier like a bright led flashlight.

Bright enough to see well and not detract from the view of the city.

The right plastic glass will defuse the light nicely and shouldnt be hard to adapt whatever stile you choose for the pier.

[theCryptofishist]

owed favors and/or brides work wonders on these guys..

:shock: :shock: :shock: :D

Leaves me wondering if they should be local or will mail order from Russia do?

[fbcota]

Nevada really needs a serious economic stimulus, so I say we use Rural Nevadan brides. I know they have less teeth, and may not age as well as the Russians, but you know, we need to look out for number 1 :P.

Figjam: I think you have a believer in me. Its time to track them down and see how well they work. On a side note I had already been considering adding those christmas lights as general decoration. They create a nice festive look that is on target with the art while adding a bit of that safety thing that I seem to artificially oppose.