Clear engine parts question

myersjessee · Post by **myersjessee** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:47 am

So, I have some clear engine parts and I'm wondering how people tend to handle the plastic. I was thinking I would paint everything I didn't want to light up and then paint some translucent grime on the interior where I want it to light so that when the LEDs are off it doesn't look like there is a window inside the engine. Is that the right way to handle this? Better ideas?

Ziz · Post by **Ziz** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:58 am

Be more specific - which engine parts of which ship/vehicle? What kind of lighting are you using and how much of it? How far along your build are you? Are we talking plastic clear parts or resin?

It all figures in to the answer you get.

myersjessee · Post by **myersjessee** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:53 am

Apologies. It's LED lighting. (fairly standard 20mA 3.2VDC white and blue LED's for the engines...1 of each per engine is the plan if thats bright enough when I test it) The build is just starting. (right now I'm fitting, measuring, and figuring out what little bits I need for the build)

I actually have a couple ships in mind that I'm starting all at once. BSG Raptor, and Mk7 Viper. Both have a fairly standard cylindrical "engines" and both kits have a clear resin inserts that can sit inside the engine cylinder interior. The LED's would be housed inside the engine cylinder with the clear resin piece sitting between them and the outside world.

What I'm hoping would work is to set it up so when someone views the engine interior from the rear of the ship if the LED's are off it looks at a glance simply like a painted part of the model. I'm thinking a combination of dark interior behind the clear resin and perhaps some translucent washes would make the effect work. Then, when the LED's come on they would overpower the translucent haze and show off the engine glow.

At least, thats the idea in my mind. I've seen a few of the larger scale resin kits lit up, and it occurred to me I didn't know the technique people used.

Does that make more sense?

star-art · Post by **star-art** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:35 am

Hey Jesse!

When we built the model for the movie "C" I came up with a pretty neat effect. I selected a clear canopy from a WWII bomber that was basically shaped like a hemisphere but with some detail on it. I then took a Dremel and carved radial "ribs" in a star pattern.

The lights were placed behind this dome and we arranged it so the "top" of the dome was furthest inside the engine. This way, the carved ribs appeared to be on the back side of the part.

Next, we added diffusion by placing a frosted styrene panel between the clear dome and the outlet of the engine. This was simply a piece from a clear CD case.

Finally, we added a "basket" at the very back of the engine. This structure had holes to let the light through.

The results looked fantastic. The engine looked awesome when the lights were on and still looked good with the lights off.

To accomplish what you want to do, use opaque parts with holes in them. Then, place the clear parts a ways further in so there is a gap in between. This way, shadows will hide the clear parts when they are not lit up.

It's important the clear plastic not be up close to the holes in the opaque parts. Otherwise, you will see the reflections of the clear parts (whether they are frosted or not) and it will look like a "window pane" as you suggested.

Hope that helps!

http://www.therpf.com/f10/c-movie-stars ... el-155323/

myersjessee · Post by **myersjessee** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:46 pm

Charles!

AWESOME! Great advice, and can I say WOW! on the gorgeous ship?!?! Been heads down with work and family and fell "out of it". So glad you pointed it out. Amazing work. Beautiful!

(THANK YOU!!! )

star-art · Post by **star-art** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:05 pm

Thanks!