Fiber Optic Data Cable

[jfleisher]

OK, so I'm cleaning out our data center storage area and I come upon 2 full 500 meter spools of duplex fiber cable. We no longer use this type, so it's headed for disposal along with about 200 shorter patch cords.

I hate to throw this away, it's a single strand in a plastic jacket of course, but has anyone used something like this in a model lighting project?

Is it worth the effort to try to use it?

I bet there's enough cable here to do the lights on a 1/1000 scale Death Star...

[Kylwell]

Generally speaking, you've find it has much superior light transmission than hobby level fiber optic. The flip side is that it might be jacketed glass vs plastic and therefore be a bit trickier to handle.

[DaveVan]

I took home some years ago when we installed optical cable in our data center and the contractor left a bunch. Very difficult to use if almost dangerous. It is so fine I could see getting it in your eye or inhaling it. I junked it and was told later that was the best thing to do. Now todays stuff might be different....but I'd watch it.

[Pat Amaral]

I used to teach a telecom cabling course that included fiber termination.

Bottom line...

Don't use it. First, like the others said, it's just too fine and difficult to use for starship lighting. Second, it really is kind of hazardous when handled incorrectly. The fiber itself could be smaller than a hair and it WILL puncture your skin and break off if you're not careful. If it does happen, it's a guaranteed trip to the ER because it's damned near impossible to extract without a microscope and a scalpel.

[jfleisher]

I stripped a section of it to check it out, it's plastic, not glass. I can bend it in about a 1/8" radius with no issues. It is pretty fine though, my micrometer says 0.0095" diameter. It strips easily enough.

Testing with an LED light source gives me a pinpoint of light at the other end. It is pretty fine, but still about 10x thicker than a hair.