Need a new FiberHead? Buy one HERE
First, start with a durable fiberoptic whip
When you're looking for an affordable LED whip, try to find one that will last at least a few years. Better yet, find one with a lifetime warranty. Any cost savings you get from buying a cheap LED whip won't be worth it if your FiberHead is falling apart all the time, or if electronics break and fail.
At FiberFlies, we offer a lifetime warranty. Dancers choose our PixelWhips because they are durable and commonly last longer than 5 years! (Of course, you will need to replace the FiberHead before then since fibers break and thin out over time, kind of like hair.) Since our fiberoptic whips are designed by a world-class flow artist, every feature is selected to help you dance easily and gracefully.
Then, straighten your fibers with these DIY tips
You might want to straighten your FiberHead if you're having trouble flowing with a curly whip. Straighter fibers will also give your fiber flow dance a different look.
This DIY FiberFlies tutorial will teach you how to easily heat and straighten your fibers safely.** If you want a more detailed tutorial, read this blog for customization tips and explanations.
**PRO TIP: Is this your first time reshaping your fibers? Try using an old FiberHead to experiment with! If you only have one FiberHead or need an extra one, buy one of our FiberFlies replacement heads HERE.**
What you’ll need:
- A pot big enough to hold your loosely coiled FiberFlies FiberHead. When choosing a pot, check to make sure that your FiberHead will coil easily into it BEFORE you add hot water.
- A water kettle to boil/heat water in (or a second pot, only for boiling water). This needs to be different than the first pot that will hold your fibers - you do NOT want to let your FiberHead touch the hot surface of a recently heated pot!
- Ideally, a thermometer that can go up to 155 °F. If you don't have a thermometer, you can search online for how to estimate your water temperature.
- Gloves that can protect you from steam and potential splashes. Rubber gloves will not help you hold a heated pot, but they will work fine for small drops of hot water.
First, start heating your water (you'll want it at 155 °F maximum), using the pot/kettle that will NOT be holding the FiberHead. If you don't have a thermometer, you can search online for how to estimate your water temperature. While you follow these steps, be careful to NOT to submerge the metal base of the FiberHead!).
Prepping your pixelwhip FiberHead:
- Before you start, detangle your FiberHead, starting from the bottom and detangling fibers as you move towards the base (like you would brush out hair).
Make sure your FiberHead doesn’t have any big tangles or knots in the fibers.
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Then, swirl the fibers together so they form a single bunch with no stragglers. You can do this by holding the handle in one hand. Then, form a loose “O” with your other around the fiber bundle. Moving the whip handle in a circular motion, swirl the whip as you move the “O” hand from the base of the FiberHead, down the length of the fibers. Do this several times.
- We recommend detaching your FiberHead from the pixelwhip flashlight/base lighting unit before you apply any heat to it. Place the flashlight in a safe place so it won’t get wet or fall in the water.
TO GET STRAIGHTER FIBERS, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
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Pour the heated water into the pot that will hold your fibers. Ideally, the water should be 150-155 °F.
- Put on your rubber gloves and hold your FiberHead by the metal base. Hold the fibers in the hot water for at least one minute, swirling them every so often.
- Carefully remove the fibers from the water. Make sure you don't drip hot water on yourself!
- Use a hair tie, rubber band, or zip tie to attach the FiberHead to a coat hanger while the fibers are still warm. Place the coat hanger high enough so the fibers hang straight and don’t touch the floor. Some people hang their FiberHead on a coat stand. You can even put the hanger on top of a tall cabinet or shelf, keeping it in place by putting an object on top of it.
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Leave the FiberHead to hang for a few hours or even overnight, allowing the fibers to cool into a straighter shape.
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>>> Looking for an extra FiberFlies FiberHead to experiment on? Want multiple FiberHeads so you can switch between fibers for a different look when you flow? |
Did you know?
💫 Know-how from the experts:
You might notice if you leave your pixelwhip FiberHead in a hot room, or in your car on a hot day, it will stay in whatever shape it was in as it cooled. This happens because LED whip fibers are made out of a material called PMMA, which is a thermoplastic. This means that it becomes softer as it is heated, and it becomes stiffer it cools (you’ll notice that fibers will become brittle and shatter more easily in the cold!). To fix any unwanted bends or kinks in your fibers if you've left them in the heat by accident, just follow the steps above!
✨ If you've followed the tutorial above and want to post your results, use #diyfiberform to show off your skills on social media! ✨
