Square window lighting?

[Gonzowerke]

Hey All,

I am lighting a Venator SD , and it has quite a few square windows on the towers. I'd like to keep them square when I light it, not just drill round holes. Any ideas as how to do this?

Thanks!

Gonzo

[jwrjr]

Most sets of "needle files" come with at least one file that is square. It takes a light touch, though.

[Gonzowerke]

I know about files, for the venator the windows are real close together on the tower so I will probably just cut a slot. I was talking more along the lines of Square fibre or something like that. I wonder if I can shave sideglow fibre and still have it work. I could shave a section flat, glue it in the slot, and add verticle lines for the window frames.
This guy went crazy insane on this buildup for celebration Japan

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/yatasith/folde ... ?m=lc&p=17

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/yatasith/folde ... ?m=lc&p=18

More effort than I have time, patience, or skill for, but it may be the way I have to go.

[DLMatthys]

when I light it, not just drill round holes. Any ideas as how to do this?

I would offer these tips to make a round window look square:

1 Proceed on with drilling round holes. Maybe just a little bit oversized

2 Use a length of Fiber Optic and set it into the round holes and make them flush to the models exterior surface.

3 Cut square or rectangle paint masks with masking tape like 3M blue or better yet the Tamiya yellow masking tapes.

4 Place the square tape mask over the round Fiber Optics.

5 Opaque the masked over FOs with a black primer...Switch off the room lights and check for light leaks.

6. Proceed on with primer and painting just like any other model. Remove the window masks when done.

Of course these tips are incumbant that you have a varitey of small drill bits, some fiber optic strands and a airbrush.

[Gonzowerke]

Thanks Don!

I have everything but the airbrush, and that is top o' the list of things to buy.

[MillenniumFalsehood]

A spraybomb will work just fine provided you get one that doesn't glop the paint on. Go lightly in wide sweeping strokes and it'll work fine for this application.

[QuincySapien]

After cutting the holes, you can of course try EL-Sheets behind them if there is a bit of space. Saves you the time to lay all the fibre-optics.

[kitty]

I made a mess of some windows on my Enterprise-D and came up with the folowing solution that applies to rows of square windows also.
Cut/file a slot as long as the row should be and cut strips from 0.15 mm (or the imperial equivalent) styrene sheet, as wide as the height of the slot.
Glue them verticaly in the slots and let them stick out a bit at the front and back, when the glue has hardned you can shave the excess off.
that way You can make perfect straight rows of square windows.
Actualy for a model like the AMT ent-D this beats drilling seperate holes in the neck section. it looks better and is done a lot faster
Then prime and paint everything and then put some scotch tape on the outside of the model, covering the square holes and fill them with epoxy from inside.
Or forget the tape and fil the square holes with mirco crystal clear (like it is a soapbubble), with that you can make a very thin window and after it hardened you can still fill with epoxy from inside.
with the micro crystal clear it looks as if the window is actualy placed in a frame, not just a hole.

[MillenniumFalsehood]

Just tried this and it worked so well I *had* to share it:

Get a CD case and cut a strip about 2mm wide from the clear lid. Be careful not to crack the plastic; use a pair of needle-nose pliers to do this. Cut open the rows of windows and file them smooth. Then insert the piece of CD case into the hole. If it doesn't fit then sand it down until it does. After you can get a snug fit, glue it in place and sand it gently with fine sandpaper. Then glue styrene strip(the really thin stuff) at intervals on the clear plastic to get the "frames" for the windows.

The CD case plastic acts like a light guide, sort of like a fiber optic filament, and will produce a beautiful, diffuse glow when an LED or two is placed behind it, much better than epoxy or resin.