Home Open Account Help 256 users online

Model Railroading > Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)


Date: 05/04/01 01:54
Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: tehachapifan

Just installed some 0.10 fiber optic strands to an N scale SD40-2's porch-mount ditch lights. The project came out OK...the lights are a bit too dim though. I wanted to eliminate the "glow" from the strands where they ran through the anticlimber and the pilot so I tried some paint. I thought I was being real clever when I tried silver paint first, with the idea being that it would cause the light inside the strands to reflect and intensify towards the end. I was quite dismayed when this rendered the strands completely ineffective! So...one would have to wonder if black paint would actually be better in this application. Thoughts please!

Thanks in advance!

Russ



Date: 05/04/01 02:52
RE: Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: LocoBil

I have worked with the stuff before and having used marker pens to color the ends for lighting I suggest you try a black marker to do the sides of the fibers. I belive something such as a Sharpie or the like would work, also have you tried flaring the ends of the fiber slightly to increase the light output?

Loco Bil



Date: 05/04/01 07:50
RE: Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: DWC

Loco Bill talks about flaring the end of the strand I don't know how he does that but I hold the end of the strand close to a hot soldering iron which starts to melt the end and it seems to curl backward. I keep doing this until the end is about the diameter I need.

Dave



Date: 05/04/01 08:46
RE: Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: tehachapifan

Yes, I have "mushroomed" the ends with a soldering iron. This made perfect lenses that fit right into the light housings. But with the painting/coloring the length of the strands...would whatever physics that ruined 'em with the silver paint come into play with other colors (like black)?

Russ



Date: 05/04/01 17:24
RE: Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: Runs4TheNS

Russ,

What kind of paint did you use on the strands? It is possible that a solvent in the paint may have attacked the coating on the fiber optics that reflects the light down the strand?

One trick I learned for increasing reflectivity in lights (such as a micro bulb used with a MV Products steam locomotive lens) came from the instructions of an old neon sign kit. I first paint the area where I want increased intensity from white (a water based acrylic works well for this), then put a coat of black on top of it when the white has dried. The white reflects the light better, and the black finish coat cuts down on any light from showing through. The same might work for fiber optics...



Date: 05/04/01 18:46
RE: Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: tehachapifan

It was water-based paint that I don't think damaged the strands. It does seem like it should work and I also have had success in other lighting applications. Something's different with fiber optics I guess.

Russ



Date: 05/05/01 13:53
RE: Painting Fiber Optic Strands(?)
Author: bobcochran

Another thing you might do is to polish the end that you mushroom
out, to eliminate any flaws on the end. I took a fiber optic course
and we used # 800 grit wet dry paper. Use a small amount of water
to help in the process. Sand the fiber optic strand in a
figure eight pattern.

Good Luck,

Bob Cochran



[ Share Thread on Facebook ] [ Search ] [ Start a New Thread ] [ Back to Thread List ] [ <Newer ] [ Older> ] 
Page created in 0.0483 seconds