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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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 Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 11:05 am Post subject: Christmas lights |
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I searched the forums first, got some good help, but I still have an unanswered question. How would I mount Christmas lights to my ‘72 Super Beetle?
I have everything else figured out. Want to outline the body lines and windows. I tried suction cup light mounts, but they won’t hold long. The only other thing I can think of is duct tape or gaffer tape. I need some ideas! |
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slave1pilot
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2010
Posts: 943
Location: Tehachapi CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 11:10 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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I use these for the inside of the windows at my home.
No residue and they are clear
There are different styles available
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My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1
Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle |
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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 11:36 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| I just found the YouTube video where the person used adhesive Velcro strips. My biggest concern is will the adhesive damage my paint? That’s one of the recommended advantages to using gaffer tape, because it is not supposed to leave any residue or cause any damage, so they say. |
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FullFender
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2014
Posts: 647
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 11:46 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| preachermanNC wrote: |
| I just found the YouTube video where the person used adhesive Velcro strips. My biggest concern is will the adhesive damage my paint? That’s one of the recommended advantages to using gaffer tape, because it is not supposed to leave any residue or cause any damage, so they say. |
i am unsure about gaffers tape but duct tape left quite a bit of adhesive residue on my Super after being on there a bit. still looking for a way to get it off |
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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 11:56 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| Blue painter’s tape, perhaps? |
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OB Bus
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2003
Posts: 2541
Location: Ocean Beach in Beautiful BLUE California
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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We use blue painter's tape for the night Christmas parade. It holds decently, even in damp conditions, and removes easily. It gets pulled off with 18 hours with few problems.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper. |
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iowegian 
Samba Curmudgeon
Joined: February 16, 2005
Posts: 9829
Location: Somewhere between Dubuque and Keokuk
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2018 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| FullFender wrote: |
| ........ duct tape left quite a bit of adhesive residue on my Super after being on there a bit. still looking for a way to get it off |
Goo-Gone
https://googone.com/original-adhesive-remover |
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 10:01 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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Gaffers tape (the real stuff) is available in a variety of colors. If you can't find it locally at a store- visit your nearest theatre (that's where I got mine years ago).
It adheres well and leaves very little, easy to remove adhesive. You can cut black (for instance) down into narrow-enough strips that it will stick to your window seals and look good where possible.
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| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 5:17 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| I’ve contacted 3M about the command strips to verify if they’re safe to use on a car. I’ll post the reply. I believe I’ll try the blue painters tape first, and escalate to the gaffers tape if I have to, since it’s much more expensive. Magnetic hooks seem like a great idea, but they’re pricey too. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12856
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| FullFender wrote: |
i am unsure about gaffers tape but duct tape left quite a bit of adhesive residue on my Super after being on there a bit. still looking for a way to get it off |
Saturate the residue with WD40 & let it sit for a couple of hours, wipe away what's dissolved & reapply if necessary.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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Another source of cheap gaffers tape- your local honky tonk. Some place that hosts bands. Or make a friend who's a musician. 
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| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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maybe magnets?
put a piece of wax paper under, between the magnet and the body
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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vwwestyman
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 10:15 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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I used to have a white 1960 Beetle that i covered with lights for Christmas parades.
I would always wax it first, imagining that would help tape pull up.
I used S-shaped gutter clips along the edges of the fenders and bottom of the running boards as appropriate.
Also used some kind of Christmas light clips that came with double-stick tape in strategic parts of the body, and I think I may have also used some strips of duct-tape here and there.
The double-stick tape usually peeled off with little issue, and something like goo-gone took care of the places that it didn't come right off.
The car would stay decorated for the whole season, from Thanksgiving through Christmas.
So, my thought is that it would
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President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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| Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| I ended up using 3M Command strips for hanging Christmas lights outdoors. Holding up well in cold weather, and leaves no damage when done. I'll post pictures soon. |
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505BusFanatic
Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2010
Posts: 153
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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When you need to hang many more it is much cheaper using blue painters tape. In my video I cover a lot of the different choice when putting lights up. 
Link
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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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preachermanNC
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2018
Posts: 85
Location: Wilkesboro, NC
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| Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 8:25 am Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| 505BusFanatic wrote: |
When you need to hang many more it is much cheaper using blue painters tape. In my video I cover a lot of the different choice when putting lights up.
Link
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My reason for not using the blue painters tape was that I'm not just decorating for a parade, but leaving them on for weeks. I was under the impression that the tape wouldn't stay on long. It certainly would be much cheaper. |
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505BusFanatic
Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2010
Posts: 153
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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| Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 6:07 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| preachermanNC wrote: |
| My reason for not using the blue painters tape was that I'm not just decorating for a parade, but leaving them on for weeks. I was under the impression that the tape wouldn't stay on long. It certainly would be much cheaper. |
I leave my blue tape on for 24 days each year. When I tested them, they released cleanly up to around 14 days. After that some of them would leave glue residue, but it had no problem sticking. I also wont drive when it raining, so I can't speak on the durability with big moisture. Sprinkles and snow, no problems though. The only reason blue tape wouldn't stay on is if the surface is dirty, too much wax, or the tape piece was too small. I also have never driven over 65mph either. Other than that you could at least try it in a few spots on yours and see how it works in your conditions. I used 1.25 rolls for my whole bus, about $3.50.
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sonoma_vw
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2013
Posts: 464
Location: Sonoma County
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| Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2019 10:50 pm Post subject: Re: Christmas lights |
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| What does one do if their Beetle does not have a cigarette lighter, for which to plug in the lights? (Thanks!) |
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