Originally constructed from a 2 inch Stainless steel exhaust pipe found in a discard barrel outside a muffler shop. Put it on the bench grinder using the wire wheel, and said - COOL, This will work!
As an alternative, use ALUMINUM pipe. Check out TEXASTOWERS They have every size of 6061 and 6063 pipe that is beautiful when buffed out!
- DO NOT USE STAINLESS STEEL AND BRUSH WITH WIRE BRUSH, UNLESS YOU SPRAY CLEARCOAT ON IT after all the holes are drilled because it will RUST!
On a trip to the lake one day, found a trash pile where they were adding a new sub division. I noticed a HUGE piece of PVC Pipe about 4 feet long - they use it for water mains. Snapped that up too. (didn't realize it weighed nearly 40 pounds) It is 9 1/2 inch diameter PVC used for water mains and the walls are 1/2 inches thick! I thought, these would make some awesome Speaker Cans! (still thinking about a MONSTER Sub Tube with what is left over - another project; another day!)
In the same pile was a small 3/8 inch piece of plywood about 24 x 24 inch. Thought I'd need that to seal the back of the cans and other odd and ends, so put that in the truck too.
Got to work and started rounding up some more parts. Found a set of Aircraft Stobe Lights I'd had for years that came off a crashed LearJet
(used to use them on a security system). HUM, this has possibilities. Need to put something on the ends of the pipe. Walah- they just fit perfectly.
Cost so Far? - NADA, Nothing, Free! (the alum pipe was scrap cut-off and I'm local, so a 'donation' :-)
Had to decide on some lights and looked around and finally found some at Wally World (That's Wall Mart to the un-edmucated) YIPES, my first out of pocket expense! They are called Cyber White Navigator Lights. I had to modify the mounting brackets quite a bit to fit the pipe, but not lose the integrity of the strenght of the mounts.
Let the drilling begin. Holes everywhere for 6 lights, 2 speakers, and stobe light leads. A trip to the electronics store (No,... Not Radio Shack **GEESH**) for some wire, strain reliefs, AMP plug, barrier block, relays, connectors, flex tubing, switches, project box and odds and ends here and there. Grand total there- $47.00 and some change.
Anyway, the end result is a finished project. Our friend on the MBO forum, Rod, built me some clamps for the Monster Tower 2 1/2 inch diameter and the 2 inch lightbar that is 2 inch in diameter.
The light/speaker bar has lot of cool functions that I specifically wanted. There are 4 lights facing forward.
The two inboard forward facing are just on/off. The outboard forward facing can either be on/off, or with the flip of a switch become alternating wig-wag lights (like on many emergency vehicle headlights.) The 2 rear facing lighs are on/off or use with a dimmer switch. At each end of the lightbar pipe are two 40 joule each aircraft strobe lights, and ....whew, they are major bright!
The idea of wig-wag lights was taken off a boat I saw a year or so ago, that while boarding (during the day) they left the lights on and it REALLY did catch your attention. That was the primary purpose - to attract attention that we are out and and we want to be seen (so others will stay away from us) The stobes just accentuate that effect in daylight. Have no use, nor do not plan on using at night. Would be confusing and our white flashing lights would certainly attract some red and blue lights:-(
Anyway, that's the story behind my custom built light/speaker bar! If you want to take a shot at building one like or similar, please email me. I would be happy to share some of the oddities of it and modifications since original.
Since original, I've cast aside the PVC for aluminum cans I made using farm irrigation pipe (8 inch dia) and polished out.
Want to see the lightbar in action?
CLICK HERE
I am working on a new video - one on the water!
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Oh Yeah.. Thanks for looking!
