Fiber Optic Lensing Question

Tchail · Post by **Tchail** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:17 pm

Has anyone tried taking two (or more) fiber optic strands and lensing them together?

Is it possible to get a "ribbon" effect in this manner?

Something that I've been wondering about..

Thanks in advance,

-Tchail

Brownboot · Post by **Brownboot** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:04 pm

Why not use one LED and a clear piece of styrene to internally refract the light?

Madman Lighting · Post by **Madman Lighting** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:45 pm

I do a little with fiber optics.

I dont know if you can "lens" them together (by melting?) but I do know that you can file or scrape the side off to let the light out and get a "ribbon" effect.

Fiber works on a principle called "total internal reflection" by using two different clear materials and the interface between them causes light to bounce along inside the fibers. Remove the outer layer and the interface is gone, and the light comes out.

-John C.

Newbie Doobie · Post by **Newbie Doobie** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:26 am

You can sand the outside of the wire itself,and use two different coloured LEDs for light variations,if you wish to snake the two strands together. You can heat these(VERY CAREFULLY),but this smooths any sanding marks out,so no light will show through the sides! The only way would be to wrap them around each other,then glue them with with epoxy after taping them in place. This way you can still have the effect of light showing through the sides,and snaking them to make the effect you're after without removing the sanding marks that allow this!