Anyone use fishing line as a substitute for fiber optic? While I realize it wont be as opticaly clear as fiber optics I am looking at the cost side. I estimate my Bad Guy Pie Cruiser will use about 833 feet of fiber optic cable. That adds up to an expensive fiber optic bill.
I think I will hit Walmart tonight and see what is available in sizes.
Fishing Line?
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Each 10' jacketed piece is actually a couple dozen fiber optic strands, so you're actually getting a few hundred feet of fiber for your $7.50.
Each 10' jacketed piece is actually a couple dozen fiber optic strands, so you're actually getting a few hundred feet of fiber for your $7.50.
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USS Atlantis
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Considering fishing line is a different material, I'd doubt it'd transfer light anywhere near as well as dedicated FO
Another place is The Fiber Optic Store - get 15' of the 64 strand cable for $27 - un-bundle it and you have almost 1000' of .265mm (.1") single strand
Another place is The Fiber Optic Store - get 15' of the 64 strand cable for $27 - un-bundle it and you have almost 1000' of .265mm (.1") single strand
I bought some 50lb. test fishing line at Walmart last night. I cut two lengths and two lengths of fiber optic. These were glued into 1mm holes drilled in a scrap of plastic. Super glue did not harm the fishing line or the FO (from the fiber optic store). The fishing line was a bit more flexable than the FO. I tested with a white LED and a blue LED. On a scale of 1-5, the FO being a 5, the fishing line was a 3. It was noticably dimmer than the FO. I expected that. With the blue LED I would rate the fishing line a 5. There was no notable difference between it and the FO for brightness.
The fishing line was $2.96 for 450 feet. The light output was more "in scale" than the near blinding light given off by the FO. I could do the whole ship (estimated 833 feet of strand) for under $7.00.
Delimas...............
The fishing line was $2.96 for 450 feet. The light output was more "in scale" than the near blinding light given off by the FO. I could do the whole ship (estimated 833 feet of strand) for under $7.00.
Delimas...............
That's a good point. It's not like most of us are making something that needs to show up on film with bright stage lighting.robiwon wrote:The fishing line was $2.96 for 450 feet. The light output was more "in scale" than the near blinding light given off by the FO.
I might do another test with a junk model to be sure, but I'd say got for it. Someone has to be the pioneer.
-Rog
That would be a great deal but I need 1mm FO and they only go up to .5mm in the cable.USS Atlantis wrote:Considering fishing line is a different material, I'd doubt it'd transfer light anywhere near as well as dedicated FO
Another place is The Fiber Optic Store - get 15' of the 64 strand cable for $27 - un-bundle it and you have almost 1000' of .265mm (.1") single strand
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Chacal
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How long were those? I reckon for short stuff they'd be similar, but for longer runs (a foot or so and longer) fishing line would be quite inferior.robiwon wrote:I cut two lengths [of fishing line] and two lengths of fiber optic...
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Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
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BERT aka MODEL MAKER
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They were only about 3 inches! Don't remember the brand right now. It was cheap stuff though Bert. It was $2.96 for 150 yards. The name brand stuff may perform better but then the cost savings starts to dissapear. I am just going to go with regular FO. The fiber optic store has a deal were you buy 200 feet and get 100 feet free. I'll order a few of those sets to get the roughly 700 feet I estimate I will now need. I stopped at 800 windows drilled. The "average" length of any given FO will be around 10 inches.Chacal wrote:How long were those? I reckon for short stuff they'd be similar, but for longer runs (a foot or so and longer) fishing line would be quite inferior.robiwon wrote:I cut two lengths [of fishing line] and two lengths of fiber optic...
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Chacal
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Test with the longest length you'll use. Maybe you can save some money having fishing line for the shortest runs and real FO for the longest. See how far light will go inside the fishing line still coming out bright enough on the other side.robiwon wrote:They were only about 3 inches! [...] The "average" length of any given FO will be around 10 inches.Chacal wrote:How long were those? I reckon for short stuff they'd be similar, but for longer runs (a foot or so and longer) fishing line would be quite inferior.robiwon wrote:I cut two lengths [of fishing line] and two lengths of fiber optic...
Sheer elegance in its simplicity.
Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
We did some testing in Physics class back in high school, 1984-85 with a lazer and fishing line doesn't work very well as FO.
you may have better luck, but all so remember fishing line breaks down faster than FO.
you may have better luck, but all so remember fishing line breaks down faster than FO.
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Amish Vampires in Space.
Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.
Groucho Marx
WE ARE THE BORG. YOU SPECIES WILL ADAPT TO SER... Squirrel!!