Bundling fiber optic

[Glorfindel]

Curious as to how guys proceed with this. This is in regards to loose strands, from two or three strands to, say 50. Do you just stuff them in to a tube, straw, cut pipe? Hot glue, white glue them in said tube so they don't pop out?
Use shrink wrap around the LED or just electrical tape? Do you let the fiber touch the LED or do you give a buffer of 1/2" or so?
This idea of the thread popped in to my head after I watched Brad Hair's latest video of his SD build. He relented and ripped out his fiber to go with illuminated light instead.
So what's your procedure? A video perhaps?

[Ziz]

All of the above. It depends how much space you have inside a given kit, what kind of lighting you're using, length of fibers, etc.

[robiwon]

I like zip ties to hold bundles together. Easier than tape, more secure hold and no messy residue if I need to undo the bundle. I use Plastruct tubing fitted over LEDs to hold fibers. I usually use 5 minute epoxy or hot glue to secure the fibers to these tubes.

[Madman Lighting]

I include heat shrink tubing in all my kits and its what I usually use.

I tell people to gently warm the ends of fibers to "mushroom" the ends. This smooths the ends into a lens that brings in more light.

Generally I tell people to put the fibers up against the LEDs, just because its easier to hold them there but you could just as easily leave a gap.

Only use superglue as sparing little drops and never ever use super glue accelerator on fiber, it will certainly crack. I prefer white glue instead.

[MillenniumFalsehood]

White glue is what I usually use. I also use heat shrink tubing to attach them to the LED, because it gently grips the fibers without permanently bonding them to the LED, which can be useful if I have a mishap and need to replace the lamp.