Diffusion via sheet styrene

[turner3d]

I have seen several videos (Boyd of Trekworks, Will of Ensign's Chair, others) where they have used sheet styrene in front of LEDs for diffusion. After doing some searching, I found a few recommendations for 0.5mm white styrene, which comes out to about .019". I ordered some .020" white styrene from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0968WK38R/) and it is completely opaque. I mean, this stuff wouldn't even need light blocking. Does anyone have any recommendations on something I can actually use?

[southwestforests]

Looking at the white sheet styrene on hand I think the .005 inch thick, which is paper thin, would work okay.
Gluing it in place will be a bit of an adventure since liquid cements will melt it before they glue it.

EDIT: yeah, that works, with then without,

[blakeh1]

Looking at the white sheet styrene on hand I think the .005 inch thick, which is paper thin, would work okay.
Gluing it in place will be a bit of an adventure since liquid cements will melt it before they glue it.

EDIT: yeah, that works, with then without,

I have used that same technique as well

I forget the exact sheet thickness, but as mentioned, it was paper thin

Your other option is order clear styrene and ""fog" it up by sanding with a fine grit sandpaper

[Rocketeer]

I've used 0.005" white styrene for diffusers a number of times. I've also tried sanded clear styrene, but the glow isn't as uniform as with white.

[EVApodman]

Try spray painting lightly clear plastic. Then it will be like a gel.

I also spray painted LEDs to get a more uniform lighting.

[Kleinalrik]

There is special paper for technical drawings for use in plotters.
They are thin as paper but are of plastik and diffuse fairly well without blocking that much Light from the source.

If you use several layers with some spacing inbetween (1/16 to 1/8) the diffusing becomes more even.

[seam-filler]

There is special paper for technical drawings for use in plotters.
They are thin as paper but are of plastik and diffuse fairly well without blocking that much Light from the source.

If you use several layers with some spacing inbetween (1/16 to 1/8) the diffusing becomes more even.

Usually called Drafting Film it is a polyester-based film with a translucent one- or two-side matte drawing surface. It’s treated to reduce static and accept paint, ink and pencil. Agreed- several layers will diffuse better. PVA (white) glue will stick it well.

[TREKKRIFFIC]

Translucent white milk jug plastic works great for diffusion.

[TREKKRIFFIC]

Translucent white milk jug plastic works great for diffusion.

Here I am using two strips in conjunction with some packing material sheets for the warp nacelle grill lighting on my Enterprise E build:


USS Enterprise E - Nemesis-WIP- Nacelle Diffusers by Steve J, on Flickr


USS Enterprise E - Nemesis-WIP- Foam Packing Sheet by Steve J, on Flickr

Final effect:


USS Enterprise E - Nemesis-WIP- Diffusers with Foam Packing Sheet Test 2 by Steve J, on Flickr

[star-art]

Don't forget that white styrene turns yellow with age. . .

[Bellerophon]

Don't forget that white styrene turns yellow with age. . .

I don't think that's always the case. I have unpainted white styrene over 30 years old that shows no sign of yellowing. I think it's a matter of UV exposure, and that not all styrene is created equal.

[star-art]

Perhaps, but most of my 30+-year-old plastic model kits that have been sitting in a dark box all these years without being exposed to sunlight at all have still turned yellow. The plastic also gets brittle with age. I'm sure exposure to UV very likely accelerates that process. But, styrene parts are also vulnerable to things like cigarette smoke. . .

"Milk plex" aka translucent acrylic is really the ideal diffusing material. Of course, it's not flexible and not available in very thin cross sections so that's not always a practical choice. But if you're sealing something up inside a model for the foreseeable future, acrylic is a material that's proven to stand the test of time.

[Kylwell]

The farther away you can get the light source from the diffusing material the better it will work. That being said check out the various plastics manufacturers for free samples like this https://plaskolite.com/catalog/optix-ld ... ng-acrylic