Hey Forum, I recently purchased some Miniatronics tower LED's, they are clear, bright white lights. I was wondering if I could tone down the the blue and make it more prototypical, like a yellow glow. I bought tamiya clear orange paint, but i tested it, and it looks to orange. I was wondering if there was a better color to use instead of orange?
Thanks for replies
Tyler T. Pirelli
Modeling the Union Pacific Milwaukee Subdivision in 2005
Check out my pictures of my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52380934@N04/
Also wondering if it will effect the LED itself?
Which color looks "right" to you is a bit of a trial-and-error proposition, but it's won't hurt the LED. I've used yellow to tone done some LED's that were too bright with no problems. The Tamiya clear paint is pretty clear, so in one case I had to use several coats of paint to get it the way I wanted it.
p.s. if the paint is the wrong color or too thick, I suspect it would be easy to remove it with a little Windex and a paper towel.
I hear it is pretty easy taking the paint off. I have read that yellow and orange would work, but not to put a hefty amount on the LED on one time, since it might look to orange or yellow when lit. So it looks like trial and error will be the first step. Thanks for the response! Tyler T. Pirelli
It sounds stupid but try a yellow highlighter on your bright blue LED. Works good for me.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Miniatronics has a warm yellow LED in the YELOGLO series. The smallest is 3mm and may not work in your appliaction as the tower leds are 2mm.
I use Tamiya clear yellow myself and I like the results.
The case of an LED is epoxy, which is completely unaffected by most any type of paint. The leads are sealed on the bottom, so paint won;t get inside. However avoid bending the leads back and forth, they can flex inside and break teh hair-fine connections inside - hold one with a clear case up to the light and you'll be able to make out the fine whisker that connects fromt eh one lead intot eh top of the other - this point is where the actual diode junction is and where the light comes from.
The orange tamiya paint is the most commonly recommended one, but there are others, and other colors. If the LEDs are the bright white type that look almost blue, remember you are starting with a 'cool' white (in color temperature. harsh bright white flourescent bulbs are 'cool white' while the more reddish ones are 'warm white') so the color you paint the LED isn't exactly the color you will getout. If orange doesn't work as is, you could try micxing your own using yellow and red to get just the right shade to change the light output to an incandescent bulb color. Or save the LEDs to light up a structure that would have flourescent lights in it, and get the YeloGlo LEDs instead for an incandescent bulb color.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Before the various "yelloglo" and "sunny white" LED's were widely available at reasonable prices, I used some yellow "glass paint" I got at Hobby Lobby.
Sorry, but I don't remember the brand and I don't have it handy to check, but you should be able to find it.
I also got some clear, and mixed it about 50:50 to tone it down. Worked great!
Before the warm / sunny / golden whites, I was using the first blue-whites. Obviously I didn't like the look of HID lighting in my engines.
After much experimenting, the perfect solution *I* found was to place a piece of blank 35mm film strip between the LED and the opening / lens. The film's orangy-brown color killed the blue over-tones perfectly.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
I have used yellow and red food coloring (2:1) mixed with a bit of Microscale Kristal Klear. You still have to experiment to get the right shade.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
I use a product called Glass Paint by Delta. It comes on a card of 8 colors, and the color I use most for a warm white, is the amber. The kit also contains red and green, great for signals and marker lights. Glass Paint can be purchased at craft stores; I got mine at Michaels.
Errol
__________________________________________________
Modeling Canadian Pacific's Okanagan Branch In The 1950's
Stain glass paint for glass and plastic. Available at most good craft stores and there are a variety of colors.
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.