Whre can I find the right sized L.E.Ds for an HO sized prototype like highlighted in this photo? What size L.E.Ds do I need? Where can I get them on the web? Where can I also get gaskets for headlights?
I think the headlights might be the trickiest to find due to the color. Your best bet may be sunny white surface mounts. They are super tiny, but can be tricky to solder depending on how small you go. The only true sunny white or golden white surface mounts I know of at this point can be purchased through Richmond Controls. Richmond can supply the tiny LEDs with wires already attached. The only problem with surface mounts for headlights is the light angle. A regular LED is typically better for headlights since they have more of a beam then surface mounts. But finding small LED (non surface mounts) in sunny white is very hard.
Another supplier of small LEDs is Ngineering. Here is a link to their LED page.
I've purchased some small LEDs from this eBay vendor as well, but their white color is the typical blue/white you'll find in most LEDs. Good for passenger car interiors but not so great for headlights.
You can probably use surface mounts for the red markers as well. However I purchased a few 1.6mm red LEDs from this vendor on eBay to use as marker lights on my new Superliners. Nice lights and good color too. For red, I like water clear the best.
For the strobes (assuming they are white) you could try these.
Hope this helps a bit.
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
The two best sources for specialty LEDs are:
http://www.superbrightleds.com
http://www.moreleds.com
One of them even has a model railroading LED section.
LED's are typically sized by millimeters. To get the correct or closest size, you will need to measure your headlights that you want to replace. For this you may need a digital caliper. They usually have a button that converts from decimal inches to millimeters. (This is a real handy tool to add to your tool box.)
Once you find the size of hole you have, then you can look on-line for the LED and if they make one that size. You could also get a 3mm LED and attach a short length of fiber optic material to it and insert the fiber optic rod in the hole where the headlight goes. The common color of LED's that I have seen are Red, White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Orange, and Sunny White or Golden Glow.
There was a thread on the forums about using fiber optic rod and gluing it to an LED, with photos, not too long ago. Just do a search.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
One advantage of LEDs is that they give off hardly any heat. So, you can mount them directly to the shell of your trains without worrying about melting the plastic. For a small light, you can drill a hole of the desired size into the front of the car, and then glue a LED directly behind the hole. The light will shine through the hole, with the right apparant size. You can either mask around the rest of the LED inside, or let some of the light illuminate the interior.
Try looking for a piece of styrene tubing with the right diameter for your gaskets. I'd start by going to coffee shops and checking out the plastic stirrers.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Richmond Controls carries a good assortment of LEDs for model trains. They sell SMT LEDs with 6 inch leads soldered to the LED.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Hi All,
For coloured LED's nobody makes i use tamiya clear paints on clear ones for the desired effect it does take several coats at times but the results are well worth it
Thanks all
I use standard 3mm LEDs in whatever color is required and turn them down to fit whatever the required opening is ....
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
I have had good luck and great prices from this seller.
http://www.led-switch.com/1.8mm%20LED.htm
He offers an axial 1.6mm LED as well that I use for signals but I do not think there is a warm/sunny white in that size.
I frequently use fiber optic rod that I buy in assorted sizes (3mm is good for many twin sealed beam applications) and you can warm the end to make a lens.
Let us know how your project works out, Ed
Use fiber optic strand with strands cut to a length that can be anywhere you can fit in a carbody shellfeed it in to a piece of tubing with an led at the other end. You can tape or use heat shrink tubing to keep in place and seal the light.
Here is a company I have ordered from unjacketed fiber by the foot.Sizes start at 0.10 to.125 in diameter.
http://shop.fiberopticproducts.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=96_112
As another poster stated you can melt the end of the fiber to mushroom into a lens shape.I use a soldering iron to do that.
Ron High
LION has been collecting a few of these lighted ear curettes from Bionix.
LION uses them as intended, to clean out the ears of the other beasts around here, so the cost to him for saving the lighted part is nothing. Hahaha.
OK it has the little blue bulb with a brihgt LED and battery in it. The light comes on when you insert the curette. At $60.++ per box of fifty they are a little pricy, but if you wanted them for a light source it may well be worth the investment. Since it is tapered you can cut it at whatever diameter you need. Inside of the car, cover it with heat shrink and shrink the LED directly to the inside end of the device.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
alloboardThanks all
Never noticed this thread was over six years old !
chutton01 alloboard Thanks all Well, it has been a few years - what did you end up going with?
alloboard Thanks all
Well, it has been a few years - what did you end up going with?
Alton Junction
Mark R.I use standard 3mm LEDs in whatever color is required and turn them down to fit whatever the required opening is ....
You must have the world's tiniest lathe.
Steve S
Or he chucks them in a drill or Dremel
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.