I recently picked up about 10M of 1mm fiber optic cable for cheap. I am thinking about using it to install some head and taillights in a few of our automobiles on the layout using red & white leds. Any of you use Fiber optic cable? Would you place the Leds in the cars or run the cable under the layout and light all of it with just a couple of LEDS. Any other uses for it?
I think I'd run the fiber optics out of the car and down under the layout. You're going to have to have a wire or something, anyway. By running them under the layout, you have the option of using just about any light source you want. And you can flash them, too.
Ed
Any time there is a group of cars, anyway - I'd collect the fibers and run those under the layotu rather than fit each car with lighting. One set of lights, regardless of what you use. Slight variation in brightness since not every fiber can be at the brightest point of the light source. And no worries about like leakage through the body of the car. I wouldn't run 10 feet of fiber optic to light cars on the other side of town.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have to politely disagree with Randy and Ed.
The problem with having several fiber optic cables coming out of the bottom of a vehicle is that the cables aren't all that flexible. That makes it difficult to get the vehicle to sit down properly on the road surface without having to glue the vehicle down permanently.
Mel has a much more eloquent solution. He mounts all of his bulbs (he doesn't use LEDs - he doesn't like the light colour) inside his vehicles and uses a very simple scratch built plug system to run power to the lights. Go back to his post and click on the links.
His system allows you to move vehicles around the layout at will. You can plug them in wherever there is a socket in the road and you can put the sockets wherever you want.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I have illuminated quite a few vehicles using fiber optic cable where the vehicle came with painted lights instead of clear plastic lenses.
The first step is to drill a hole through the center of the painted lens the same size as the fiber optic cable. Then I use a slightly larger drill bit to hollow out the headlight or tail light.
The next step is to form a lens in the fiber optic cable. All you need to do is hold the end of the cable close to a heat source like a soldering iron and the cable will flare naturally. The longer you hold the cable to the heat the larger the lens will be, but if you apply the heat for too long you might find that the lens will start to bubble.
Then I cut the cable so there is about 1/4" of cable attached to the lens. Then slide the cable into the hole and hold it firmly in place. Then use the iron to flare the inside end of the cable.
I use 90 second epoxy to hold the LEDs in place, and I illuminate the LEDs when positioning them. The placement of the LED relative to the inside flare is crucial. You need to be really patient. If you let go of the LED before the epoxy is fully hardened the LED may shift and the light won't come through the lens properly.
The whole process takes a little practise. I won't tell you how many LEDs I have had to grind out with my dremel because they didn't end up lined up properly.
RR_MelI haven’t had any problems with light leaks on my vehicles, a dob of black paint on the rear of the headlight bulbs takes care of leaks. I put the taillight and marker lights (trucks & buses) bulbs in a short Styrene tube then a drop of CA and insert the taillight fibers against the bulbs. I paint the tube black to prevent leaks. I use a standard contact spacing (¼”) with a pair of .030” brass rods as the male plug and place pairs of brass tubes as sockets around my layout for female contacts. I have over 90 pairs of tubes scattered around my layout for my vehicles. I can easily remove the vehicles without the tubes showing or just move the vehicles around my layout. I’ve installed the 1mm bulbs in well over 90 vehicles without any light leaks or problems.
This all sounds to me like it should be an MR article. How about it?
Hey Mel,
Thanks for showing your excellent, incredibly clean work! You have me thinking about ripping all my illuminated vehicles apart to install the brass tube connectors.
hon30critter Hey Mel, Thanks for showing your excellent, incredibly clean work! You have me thinking about ripping all my illuminated vehicles apart to install the brass tube connectors. Dave
Mel,
What's your source for the 1mm 1½ volt micro bulbs?
Thx.
RR_MelSorry for commandeering your thread, I just really get into my lighting projects and don’t know when to stop.
Commandeer away Mel. I've learned a ton in this thread.