Tips for community float

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Theresa

Theresa

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Aug 30, 2006
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Amanda
www.bloomingflowers.net
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OH
Our church wants a float and asked me to help, so I'm thinking of easy things to do, because I know how incredibly time consuming they can be. Do any of you have any tips to keep it simple and easy?

The float can be non-floral (shudder).
 
Having worked on several floats in my time - non-floral - Let me get some thoughts together.
 
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Thanks Ricky, I would appreciate any help, including stuff like what kind of skirting to use and where to get it.

The theme so far is "Fastcar" a take on Nascar.

I thought about borrowing car beds, and having the kids be the pit crew, but my husband said that is so lame!!!
 
You can use plastic table cloths, staple or tape on. Depending on what type of frame your using.Party City and places like that have them. How much time do you have?
 
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You can use plastic table cloths, staple or tape on. Depending on what type of frame your using.Party City and places like that have them. How much time do you have?
Click to expand...

Thanks so much!

It's for a July 4th parade. Someone is letting us use a farm trailer, I'm assuming it has a wood deck.
 
For a car, try using large cardboard boxes.Cut out pieces and make into a shape of a car and paint it up. You use duck tape to hold together. It's cheaper than using foam core boards. You'll have a blast working on this float.
I've helped with 3 floats... we took 1st place 2 out of the three times.
 
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Ok - Finally got some thoughts together......This will be in several postings.

First - skirting - Two options......Elmo covered the least expensive one....using plastic tablecloth.

My best option - Use construction staples to attach sections of 4 inch mesh wire fencing to the edge of the float base. Inflate with AIR 5 inch latex balloons to a little over 4 inches - insert a balloon into the mesh openings to about the middle of the balloon. - They stay in place and hold up to fairly brisk breezes and since this is the 4th.....they can standup to a typical summer rainstorm.
 
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Next - Your car...... Take various length of 1 inch by 1 inch lumber or various length of 1 inch round doweling......Form those into the outline of a car shape and stretch Aluminum screening in between the framework. You can also use flexible PVC piping.

You can then use 3M 77 spray glue to cover the screening in all manner of coverings to make you care as detailed as you want.

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However, With it being the 4th - I would go with some sort of a patriotic theme as well.
 
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If you'd like to know the mechanics of attaching flowers - individual and arranged, you can pm me.
 
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you can try that prom web site that has numerous things that can be used for a float addaptation.
www.andersonprom.com
They have all kinds of ideas and things that might work.
I might suggest a finish line at the races. Black and white checked flags, along with the 4th of July carefull placed through out the float desgin.
A flat bed works well for a base. Good Luck!
 
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Float update, just found this out:

WOL has 1,000 hot wheel cars they are giving us (donated by the nascar series) to hand out at the parade. We will put fliers with information on the fascar and WOL.
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Hopefully we can get a design finalized this week.

Thanks again to all who posted.
 
That just gave me a great idea for you. Take several large RC cars.......nice and flashy looking......build a hotwheel type track with hills, ramps, jumps, and the like......and race the cars on the track.

Make sure everything is large scale.....so it can be seen.
 
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That just gave me a great idea for you. Take several large RC cars.......nice and flashy looking......build a hotwheel type track with hills, ramps, jumps, and the like......and race the cars on the track.

Make sure everything is large scale.....so it can be seen.
Click to expand...

Terrific!

I was thinking of making some sort of track, with racing cars...I think you just made the idea feasible! Maybe build a slightly bigger body over/onto some RC cars. Yay-thanks!
 
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