I am new to this site with a few kits under my belt. However, I have no idea on how to install LEDS or fiber optic lights. I am now working on a 1989 AMT Millenuim Falcon. I just did the upgrade kit and have started some minor paint. I want to put the lights in the cockpit, the down ramp? the front, and the rear grill. Any advice?
Thanks,
D.
philly
there is a great reference site at starshipmodeler.com check that out for information on all your queries, also check into getting the book Building Science Fiction Models, its a great book, a bit older now but the informaion contained in just as worthwile.
HTH
David
Havn’t used their lighting system, but when I built my Falcon, I had considered doing my own lights. Basically, you have to box in a section where there will be lights and paint that black. If there are instructions, obviously follow them. My idea for the engine light was a type of “lighting strip” which is somewhat like a big, flat fiber-optic. Stick that there and you should have a very convincing engine! However, when you say you need help with lighting it, what do you mean by that? Assembly?
Well, I have never used LED or any other type of lights. I would nedd to know where to go and get them, how to install them, and how to power them. I would need to know how to hide the wires etc. Why do I need to paint them black?
Thanks,
D.
You can find those lights at Radio Shack or other smaller electronics stores. The people are usually very friendly and helpful so you can ask them questions to suit your build and they can offer tips. Instillation is pretty simple. If you are trying to represent lights outside, drill a hole to fit, feed in the bulb, and glue it in. Inside, such as the cockpit, try to get the light in an inconspicous place like behind and above the windows to shed a glow over the entire thing. To hide wires, look for details that you can run the wires through to mask their preasence or better yet, add a few dummy lines so they look like electrical wiring. If you wanna scratch build a control panel, make accomadations for Fiber optics with tiny pin-holes which you can feed them into to look like small indicator lights. Powering them is very simple. First check how much voltage the lights can handle, and then get a battery-pack that will do that. Remember, the more lights, the more voltage needed but don’t go crazy or you’ll fry the lights. Don’t paint the bulbs black, make a black area which they will be in. This prevents light from other parts of the ship from getting through, both natural and artificial. This prevents viewers from seeing that inside is just a plastic shell. It will add a new level of detail to your kit at a very easy amount of building. If there are any more questions, just ask me!
Graham aka Boba Fett
good luck with getting a coherent answer at RSchlock. As a costumer I go there often and usually have to hit varouis stores for the parts I need. Its not very often that I find anyone that knows much about the electronic components they sell, but alllll about thier phone plans.
Anyway the SSM site is a great resource, Graham has you on the right track with the electronic lowdown and the best way to get started is to get a set of LEDs, the resistors and wire them up, and experiment FIRST. Find out what 3 LR 44 cells powering one of the small yellow or red LEDs will do. I cut up a type N batteryclip and spliced it together to fit the 3 type LR44 batteries in. Not much life on it. I run two multiphase LEDs off of a single 9 volt and the resistor is wired into the leads coming from the battery…I can get about 7 to 9 hours off the multiphase. White LEDS EAT battery power, so you mant to keep that in mind.
several years ago Lightsheet came out and it became popular for the exhaust side of the MF and for Federation warp nacelles, lots of cool light in the blue white spectrum. Definitely before you commit any glue or paint, try the system out and hook it all up and run it, and see how long a set of batteries or other power source is going to last you.
HTH
David
Good advice. Thanks for all of the help.
I was on the phone with a local electronics shop today. They have all of the smaller LEDS and other optics for a model. The guy said to come down and he would go over everything that we need to do. With all of the advice here and at their shop, we should have an easy time at it. I only hope I can use a sodering gun without burnning anything. Thanks for all of the help. This post is a great way for newbies like us to talk shop and get help.
Thanks again,
D.
Try to remember, fingers heal, plastic doesn’t.
If you haven’t soldered before, keep the tip of the iron clean, keep the work clean, and let the work (wires) melt the solder.
If you get a soldering iron that isn’t too strong you can also use it to battle damage models that got hit with a “laser” blast
Remember when soldering the wires to the LED to put an aligator clip on the LED lead wire to prevent the LED from melting when soldering the wire to the LED. The clip will serve as a heat sink (as long as it is metal) and prevent heat damage to the LED. The book “A Galaxy Far Away” has an article in it on doing the Falcon including some lighting for her. It is OOP and I am not sure how they would feel here about sending scans of the article since Kalambach published the book.
Steve