How to light a model?

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

I am working on the Mini Hobby 1/350 Enterprise and I would like to put lights in the hanger deck. How would you recomend doing this, and where would I get lights for this? [X-)]

Thanks
Todd

2

In 1/350 your best bet I think would be fiber-optics, any good Hardware/DIY/Electronics store should have the basic materials.
Some Model-companies also got generic fiber-optic sets out, some Kits study sets might also include a set.

Shouldn’t be a problem hiding it all inside the Hull.

3

When I was a kid, we would just squirt a little extra glue on the model and drop a match on it. That would usually light it up really well. heh, heh

4

When you find something list it here. I’m sure that I’m not the only one interested in what you find and where.

5

I haven’t found any fiber optic lights yet, still looking, but I did find a site that sells small railroad lights. www.miniatronics.com Just thought I would update people.

Todd

6

Do all those advertisers and authers in FSM realy waste their time and money?
There have been several How Tos in FSM over the past few month showing this subject and there several advertisers in the magazene whose products cover this also.
Dai

7

still think the extra glue and match was creative. Certainly lights it up to my way of thinkin!

8

try ordering from the Fiber Optic Store. Website is http://www.thefiberopticstore.com/

9

I’ve done quite a bit of work with fiber optics, light sheet and other optics in modeling. Feel free to ask away if you have any specific questions. It’s really not hard to do - and I’m supprised it hasn’t caught on much more than it has already.

Best!

Brian~

10

Thank you. I had just found the Fiber Opic Store yesterday and am currently looking in to that. uilleann, how much light is put off by fiber optics? Is it enough to light up the inside of the hanger deck or do they work better when just for smaller areas?

Thanks
Todd

11

Remember that if you are lighting up the ship for night ops, that the interior lighting is red and that the rest of the ship uses light traps to prevent inadvertant white light escaping the vessel. The flight deck at night is also rigged for preventing night blindness. Running lights are always lit except during actual battle conditions.
Daytime lighting is just like you would expect in an industrial building, large sodium and flourescent lights in the overhead.

12

Toad,
The light put out by fiber optics is not suitable to light a large open area. the light is transmitted through the fiber and very little beyond that. I use fiber optics to light the portholes in my starships and the windows of my Titanic. I also use them to light the numbers , and for the fresnell light system on aircraft carriers. The idea is to get a bright definitive light in places were it would be impractical or impossible to get a light bulb.
For open areas, I use a mixture of incandescent bults and LEDs. White LEDs are bright, but expensive and you would have to use mirrors or gloss white paint to spead the light around. They last a very long time.
Incandescents give much more of a yellowish/orange cast, burn out sooner, but are easy to wire.

13

I would really like to see some pictures of ANYONE’s models that they have done this to.

14

ghuess that those fiber optics are only good for landing /take off lights on the deck, if you want to ligth up the bridge or hangars inside, you best jump upto LED’s or small modellights, every good modelshop should have those.

I’m planning to ligth up the bridge of my 1/200 Sovremenny to.