Hi guys. So who here has used fiber optics around the layout? I just painted (I know it's not prototypical but it look so damn good) a MRL SD45 with a high hood short hood on it. I had extra room in the nose so I decided to make some fiber optic pilot mounted ditch lights. After about 20 minutes of heating, bending and some other things, it finally got done and they look GREAT!!! They are just as brigh as the headlights! I am thrilled about how this came out and I might start doing this to a lot of my locomotives. So who on this board has used fiber optics in locomotives or around the layout? Any tips you can share would be great as well! Thanks for any input on this. ------------------ Craig Martyn Best Looking Models Around Custom detailing AND N scale detail parts. BLMA N Scale Detail Parts BLMAinfo@aol.com
I did this a couple years ago on a Bachman dash-8 and though my ditch lights were not as bright as the head lights they looked pretty cool. I have also used fiber optics on two North Island refineries from walthers as lights on the towers. Now these with a light placed below each kit looked pretty bright and give that night time glitter to the refinery. They aren't too visible in light so they don't distract from the model. I will keep reading to look for other ideas later on in this post.
The reason my ditch lights are so bright is that the ends of the fiber optics physically go into the LED. The out side of the LED is just the plastic casing, therefor it can be drilled into, sanded, etc. I sanded the front of it flat and drilled two holes in it. Worked out great. ------------------ Craig Martyn Best Looking Models Around Custom detailing AND N scale detail parts. BLMA N Scale Detail Parts BLMAinfo@aol.com
Craig, I'm currently thinking about how to get the best out of the fibre I'm using to light the nose headlights on the Paducah-builts. The need to come off with the body and be lit from the front LED of the LL GP20 chassis. I'm using a small styrene block, drilled with 2 holes and mounted under nose, to make the fibre line up with a notch cut in the LED shroud. I may end up relocating the LED into a notch cut into the chassis halves behind them. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 N to the Nth degree!
Please pardon my igonorance. However, the fiber that I use here at work is not much larger than human hair thickness. Obviously this is not the size you guys are talking about. What size "fiber" are you using and where are you getting it. Thanks ------------------------------- Mark Ratcals Red Ale "It'll Mess You Up!" [This message has been edited by Ratcals (edited 24 October 2000).]
Mark, I'm using the fibres from one of those lamp that were the rage in the mid-late 70's - the ones with the lamps and coloured filters in the base that turned and lit multiple 'sprays' of fibres. The strands are about .015"-.020" thick. There are suppliers of fibre of varying sizes. MicroMark may be one of them and you may be able to find it as part of an electronics-style kit aimed at youngsters at Radio Shack/Tandy and the like. I pulled apart a short length of FO cable (what a messy job!) to see what size the strands were - something like .005" or less, or like hair as you mentioned. No good for head- or ditch-lights, but they may have use for markers on structures, etc. Have you used the fibre you are referring to for anything? Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 N to the Nth degree!
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. WELL, GOT TO GET TO THE HOBBY SHOP. DAN http://gotrains.homestead.com/MYRAILMODEL.html
Gary, Thanks for the info. Yes, I know exactly what fiber strands you are talking about. I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for some. No I haven’t used the other type of fiber for anything other than work purposes. It’s not terribly useful for anything once you remove the outer cover. Once you do that it is very susceptible to breaking as it is nothing more than a very thin piece of glass. How are things down in Aussie? My father in law lives just outside of Sydney in Davidson. My family and I spent about a month there a couple of years ago. We plan on going down again sometime next year. I checked out your website. Good site. However there seems to be something missing. Where are the photos of your fiber optic ditch lights? The rest of us want to see them too. Don't we? Later _____________________________ Mark Ratcals Red Ale “It’s what you’ve been waiting for” [This message has been edited by Ratcals (edited 24 October 2000).]
Couple questions... Do you use 1 strand? Does the fiber optic end up as the 'lens' on the ditch light? Feasible in HO with fatter strand? Cause i'm tired of oversize ditch lights and wires sticking out!
Multiple answer reply Mark - that would have been a later question regarding the fine fibres you already answered. Thanks. Things are fine down this end of the globe. We are coming into summer now and the weather has been nice here in Sydney, bar the last few days which were a bit wet. Davidson is on the north side of Frenchs Forest which is in Sydney! Don't let the bush surrounds fool you - it's beautiful part of Sydney I'm in Chatswood about 25 mins drive away from them. Give a yell closer to the time. Thanks for the site compliment, Mark. The ditchlights were done by Craig, not me. I played with adding optics to a low nose GP10 Paducah-built. I have still to get to that part of the GP10 pages... hehe. T-Man - a single strand is sufficient as it can be bought in different thicknesses. I have seen upwards of .030" - chose the best for your needs. Heating the tip near a candle flame will 'bell' the end providing the 'lens' and a way of securing it in the 'light' fitting. Drill a hole in the fitting to fit the strand then countersink a fraction if needed for the 'lens'. Paint the strand silver to assist in maintaining the maximum light transmission. The fibre above is plastic rather than glass and is nowhere as efficient. Hope this helps. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 N to the Nth degree!
Oops! Sorry for not giving credit where credit is due. So Craig, any hopes of seeing some photos? Gary, I should know within the next few months as to when we plan on coming down to Australia. ______________ Mark Ratcals Red Ale “It Rocks!”
Simple mistake, Mark. Well Craig?? Late Feb I may be away, but the first half of the year I'll be here. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 N to the Nth degree!
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ratcals: Oops! So Craig, any hopes of seeing some photos? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yep, I hope to have some pictures soon Mark. Here is the history behind what I did. I detailed a high nose SD45 and then painted and started to decal it in MRL. The problem was that I glued in the grab irons and the end decals would not lay flat over them. Any way, last night it got the black treatment and is now a NS high nose SD45 with working ditch lights. Bad thinking on my part but oh well. When I get some spare time, I'll take a picture. Take care every one. BTW, I got my fiber optic strands from a stand some one had at a swap meet (not a train one). They came off of one of those hand held battery operated thingies that look like a fountain when lit. Worked out pretty good......for only $2! ------------------ Craig Martyn Best Looking Models Around Custom detailing AND N scale detail parts. BLMA N Scale Detail Parts BLMAinfo@aol.com
Update, update, update... Just got back from vacation in Cebu (Visayas, Phil) where I saw Xmas trees incorporating fibre-optic filaments as part of the structure. They spray out the ends of the branches and were relatively inexpensive (and looked quite neat too!). Looking at the smaller trees (around 3') there would have been enough fibre to last several lifetimes. Downside - it was the thinner type around .012". Cost was from around P1300 (US$26) upwards depending on size. Check out your local K-Mart/Wal-Mart/Target/et al for them. They could be of major use. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 N to the Nth degree!
The plastic is Tenite used for the flexable fibers. Real glass fibers are dangerous around your eyes if one breaks, The slivers and short pieces will imbed into your skin also. We have to observe extreme caution handeling real glass optic fibers in the lab. Most Commercial plastic supply houses carry various sizes of plastic fiber optics, also in colors. Plexiglass will also carry light. Paint the out side of fiber bright silver when finished. Both ends clean of course. ------------------ ole'Watash, Steam Hog
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by watash: We have to observe extreme caution handeling real glass optic fibers in the lab. Paint the out side of fiber bright silver when finished. Both ends clean of course. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> What Lab is that, Watash? Does the silver paint make a lot of difference to the brightness? You are a very knowledgable guy, Watash, please keep your tips coming ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
I was senior engineering designer in a secured laboratory developing missle guidence systems. Very deep stuff, Black Projects on things you do not believe exist. Yes the silver helps reflect ambient light back into and along the fiber. Silver nitrate would be the best, like the back of a mirror. I don't think you can get it without a permit today. Maybe a craft store would have something similar to make custom mirrors, or a Binswanger Glass dealer might let you fill a little glass medecine bottle of it. Its that black looking paint on a mirror back. Learned a lot in 70 years! Glad to share. Thanks. Use the salt box to shape the fibres so they will stay in place easily. The salt box is a big help with plastic house walls etc. Make jigs from wire, strips of sheet metal etc. to hold in place let cool, then glue while in place, see? Perfect fit! ------------------ Watash
Thanks for the idea folks. I now have two Bachmann engines with operating ditch lights.It was alot easier than I thought it would be. And they look GREAT! http://gotrains.homestead.com/MYRAILMODEL.html
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NS: Thanks for the idea folks. I now have two Bachmann engines with operating ditch lights.It was alot easier than I thought it would be. And they look GREAT! http://gotrains.homestead.com/MYRAILMODEL.html <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Glad to here you were succesfull NS! It reeally does ad a lot of realism for just a few cents! Although I do want to look into the Richmond Controls headlights sooner or later. ------------------ Craig Martyn Best Looking Models Around Custom detailing AND N scale detail parts. BLMA N Scale Detail Parts BLMAinfo@aol.com
So Craig, you're probably in a good position to try/answer this with the BLMA casting and the fiber optic stuff. I wanted some realistic streetlights for my layout. I was thinking of scratchbuilding an original and making an RTV mold of it. Then casting the lamps with clear resin and embedding a white LED at the base. When the whole thing dried, I could paint the post silver, leaving the "lens" clear. I'd mount the LED under the baseboard, and after putting an appropriate limiting resistor, have a psuedo-fiber-optic street lamp. Any thoughts (other than too expensive). Ed Harrison ------------------ Ed's Mental Cab Ride
