Light defusing?

[sci-fi-bldr]

I'm currently work on a 72 Finemolds Falcon and am going to do some simple lighting for the engines

I've got a bank of dome style LESs and am looking to defuse the bright spots

I'd like to use the existing engine box provided with the kit if possible

So far I've tried rippled acrylic...milky polypropylene....sanding the back of a piece of polycarbonate....and sheet of .010 white..and flat coating a piece of clear.....to different degrees of effectiveness.....none of them looked real good

Any suggestions....

Also.. opinion........blue or white

[Trekmanscott]

Have you tried tissue paper?

[robiwon]

Get a bag of batting, the stuff used for stuffing pillows. Works great. That's what I used to diffuse the engine lights on my Salzo Galactica.

http://i67.tinypic.com/2l6gdg.jpg

[sci-fi-bldr]

I'll give both those a try....Thanks

Nice tail end robiwon....

[SpaceRanger1]

Plastic from milk jugs.

[naoto]

… milk jugs.

(how long someone makes a Feudian slip) … if mammary serves me right …

[brt]

How long will you nurse that?

[sci-fi-bldr]

This is utterly ridiculous.....

[admiralcag]

I've used batting, tracing paper, frosted gels.

Vern

[modelnutz]

1.5 % to 2.5 % Talc added to clear urethane when casting makes an excellent light diffusing material

[naoto]

The glow isn't very bright, but perhaps one could use something like electroluminescent tape?
https://www.adafruit.com/category/79

Another idea is to indirect light -- i.e. the light is reflected off a diffusing reflector. Of course this will likely cut down the light output somewhat.

[brt]

This is utterly ridiculous.....

Don't you mean udderly?

[brt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P5YVJE5zEg

Fiber optic Side Glow Cable

[naoto]

Although not directly related to model building, the following might contain some useful information* :
http://www.overclock.net/t/1187138/bant ... l-analysis

* in particular the note about the distance between the light source and the diffuser material makes a difference.

[sci-fi-bldr]

brt you say udderly...I say utterly.....tomato TAmodo......

Thanks again everyone....I found some bright LED tape and am going to try some of these out.

[naoto]

… tomato … TAmodo …

Tow Mater?

[TheHawk]

You could try a mini floresent tube?

https://www.google.com/#q=mini+floresent+tube

[Lt. Z0mBe]

Get a bag of batting, the stuff used for stuffing pillows. Works great. That's what I used to diffuse the engine lights on my Salzo Galactica.

http://i67.tinypic.com/2l6gdg.jpg

That life-size Vince Hoffman and Rocketeer are great. Loved that Galactica...

Kenny

[swhite228]

Go to your local dollar store and look for the electronic candles with the color changing base. The material used to make the candle is great for defusing the led light. Place a strip over the leds, then if needed put a strip over the engine openings,

You will find for the dollar you get a nice large piece of the plastic ,a color changing led as well as a flicker led. It is a good buy.

[naoto]

[spelling-and-grammar-Nazi]
In the context of the subject of this thread, the term in use should probably be "diffuse" rather than "defuse"

defuse
* remove the fuse from (an explosive device) in order to prevent it from exploding.
* reduce the danger or tension in (a difficult situation).

diffuse
* spread or cause to spread over a wide area or among a large number of people.
* spread out over a large area; not concentrated.
[/spelling-and-grammar-Nazi]

NOTE: The reason for this post isn't to be critical of anyone, but rather as a friendly reminder to take a bit of care when writing something -- as it *may* not be an image you want to be projecting (i.e. much in the same way that being sloppily dressed doesn't leave a favorable impression about yourself with others, sloppy writing can similarly affect the image you're projecting about yourself).

[Mr. Engineer]

I am thinking of those polythene stuff, which was used to wrap electronics goods. I got those 2mm thickness from a Daiso stores (in Malaysia) and they looked good. Better than drafting paper.

(I know you know this) Remember, to close the gaps between each hotspots until they form a continuous light.

[rayra]

Sand the ends of the bulbs AND use at least one layer of diffusing material.

Indirect lighting works great too. Don't point the ends of the bulbs at the 'exhaust'. Long, long ago in a small bedroom far away, I built a lightbox out of cardboard for the engine bay and faced it with aluminum foil. I aimed the lights forward, into this reflector box and use a sheet of wax paper inside the clear plastic engine faceplates. It worked pretty good and the variations from the wrinkles in the foil even added to the effect.

[The Arbiter]

Although not directly related to model building, the following might contain some useful information* :
http://www.overclock.net/t/1187138/bant ... l-analysis.

Thanks for that link. I used to be heavy in the modding community and then "life" happened. Most of my old links are dead. I just 20 minutes going oooh ...ahhhh. LOL

[RossW]

Get a bag of batting, the stuff used for stuffing pillows. Works great. That's what I used to diffuse the engine lights on my Salzo Galactica.

http://i67.tinypic.com/2l6gdg.jpg

That was going to be my suggestion as well.