Thread: Best use of recessed halogen spots?

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I have a couple uplighters, some lanterny-thingies but would love to make use my existing ceiling lights: 10 recessed halogen spots.
Can I cover them with a template to make cool shadows?
Too hot?

I would go to a home improvement center and get expertise and supplies but am in Beijing...
Did find a electronics shop catering to theatre/band needs: if I know what I am looking for, I could dig around.
Art supplies are easily available at specialty shops not far; could I actually paint the bulbs and scrape off later?

Tape fabric around as a hanging shade?

Any ideas/cautions are most appreciated!

cheers,
Creepy Jane

Are they standard socket halogen floods? If so you can put in colored CFLs (or regular colored incandescent lights.) Btw Home Depot has 11 stores in China, I would think at least one of them would be in Beijing. I believe loosely translated it is The Home Store. I tried looking it up for you, but .com is offline for upgrades?!? What if I really wanted to buy a hammer online at 12:47am???

thanks for searching WalkingCorpse. If there is such a Home Depot, it will be way out in the 'burbs and not stock the same stuff (and certainly have useless staff). Walmart here is hilariously weird...

I just tried messing with the light: can get at the bulb but not pop it out. The whole little lamp just wants to push back into the ceiling.
Reckon I can only add something around/under...

Originally Posted by creepy jane

I just tried messing with the light: can get at the bulb but not pop it out. The whole little lamp just wants to push back into the ceiling.
Reckon I can only add something around/under...

I've got a few deep exterior recessed halogen cans on my soffits. Changing the bulbs is a total PITA - here's what I figured out that works for me:

If it's a screw-in type bulb you can facilitate removal/installation by using a piece of duct tape to make a "handle". Just tear off a short length, fold it in the middle and press about 3/4" of the tape together at the crease. Then stick the remaining ends of the tape to the bulb and use the handle you created at the crease to twist out the bulb.

hee hee, that sounds like a good trick! thanks, will give it a try in the morning.

You could get color gels and put them over the lights - they are made to withstand the heat. Don't know where you would find them in Beijing - theater/lighting places. You could also cut shapes into them to create shadows. Do be careful with your choice of materials if you use something else, since the halogens do get hot.

Success!

I went back to the vendor in an electronics market that sold me the fogger... amongst the disco balls and spot lights were color-gel sheets only $2.50 a meter.
Cut out and taped over circles to my halogen lamps, voila!

Have most of the sheets leftover. Went over great at the kids party last night: red fog.

Sometime or other will experiment with cut-outs: the refraction of the lamp interior surface doesn't make me optimistic.

Thanks for the help and good luck with the hauntings!