I'm finishing up a Drive-In Theatre and need to install the speaker posts. Can anyone recommend a site that carries fibre optic lights which might work as the speaker post lights? The lights as I remember are usually blue and somewhat dull, just enough light to keep cars from hitting the poles in the dark. Or, can anyone recommend another light souce....they have to be pretty small, almost microscopic. I haven't worked with fibre optics before so I really don't know what I would need....I did check out some sites which offered very little help nor gave very much on contact information. Any help appreciated, Thanks!
I don't think there is anyone making what you are looking for. Fibre optic s are essentially either a glass of plastic rod that light transmits thru from a single source. I have used the plastic type of fiber to do some lighting in locos and it is easy to work with. I made a "bulb" on the end of some by showing the end of the fiber to a flame for a couple of seconds. The heat causes the end of the fiber to "mushroom" which can be used as a bulb. I have some fiber at home right now that would make a nice post by itself. It is about .100" dia. and is fairly rigid. If you were to form a bulb on the end and paint the "shaft" it would do what you are looking for. All that would be needed them is to drill a hole where you want to plant it and run the length back to a light source. In this case it would be a Blue LED. One thing I always do when painting the sides of the fiber so I don't get any light leakage is to paint it with silver paint first then paint over that with what ever color I want to show. The silver will help with the light transmition to the end.
Dan Pikulski
www.DansResinCasting.com
Here's an uncommon solution: What about using flouresent paint and a blacklight? First, check the surrounding scenery with a blacklight to make sure undesirable things don't glow. You can paint other signs and poles with different colors (I have seen convincing scenes using blacklights to activate 'neon' signs to a pretty realistic degree, and it might be easier than all the fuss-work involved with fiber optics. I've never seen a drive-in modeled with post lights, great idea! I'm not saying my idea will work, I just thought you could use some out-of-the-box thinking. Either way, post pics and let us all know how you did it so we can all learn.
http://delray1967.shutterfly.com/pictures/5
SEMI Free-Mo@groups.io
It sounds like Fiber Optics could be the answer you seek. Here are a few links to some info and an online shop selling the stuff. I have not ordered from them so cannot say what they are like.
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=701
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/84312/997661.aspx#997661
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/104162/1209570.aspx#1209570
http://www.thefiberopticstore.com/FOS-mainpage.htm