1/350 E: Accent lights (spotlights on saucer & elsewhere

[kronos6948]

Ok...

I've gone through every single tutorial that I can find, done searches through the forum, and there's a specific technique that lights up the name and the other spotlit areas on the E. The technique I'm thinking of involves instead of tinkering with the LED's to get them to point exactly where you need them to (which includes altering the B & C decks so that the light hits the top of the saucer correctly), you basically let the light bleed through.

Now, since I'm more than likely not going to be able to focus the LED's on the exact areas on the outside of the hull (especially the spotlights from the nacelles), does someone have a tutorial on how to do this PROPERLY with having a bit of light fall off, so that it doesn't look like a perfect shape underneath?

I might be getting lucky tomorrow and picking up some xmas lights from one of the Home Depot's I work in. If I do, more than likely I'll be using the LEDs from that (and possibly the wiring as well) to light this puppy up. I will need, though, to garner more info on lighting up the deflector in the 2 colors that it gets lit up in, and how to work flashers in as well for the marker lights.

Also, anyone have any experience on using clear inks or clear colors to color your LEDs, or would I be better off just using colored LEDs?

[Adam Baker]

A lot depends on what color plastic the model is molded in. I havent seen this kit, so I dont know, but if its molded in white, then chances are pretty decent that you can make it work.

Take a look at hte build pages at this link, and it will explain exactly how to do it. The guy who did this, is a member here, but unfortunately I cant remember what his name is.

http://www.ianlawrencemodels.com/wipplent.html

[kronos6948]

Thank you so much!! This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to alter his methods a bit (painting instead of aluminum tape), but I'm going to use a lot of the basics.

This is going to be my first lighting experience on a kit. I will tinker with LEDs before the actual lighting assembly though. Just so I can get the hang of wiring them up.

As this build progresses, I'm going to need help with heat management and proper wiring, especially since his model had heat issues and also ran on 240a.

Thanks again!

[brt]

Raytheon effect. Do a search above for a few threads.

[Adam Baker]

So the new E-E model is molded in white plastic? I love the effect, and would love to do it w/ an E-D as well, but Ive only ever seen the ED molded in the light blue plastic which would be too opaque to pull this off.

[kronos6948]

So the new E-E model is molded in white plastic? I love the effect, and would love to do it w/ an E-D as well, but Ive only ever seen the ED molded in the light blue plastic which would be too opaque to pull this off.

Nah, this is for the 1/350 Enterprise refit, not for the Enterprise E.

[seam-filler]

Thank you so much!! This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to alter his methods a bit (painting instead of aluminum tape), but I'm going to use a lot of the basics.

I think you'll find that paint alone probably isn't opaque enough to stop some light leakage which will diminsh the whole effect.

[kronos6948]

Thank you so much!! This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to alter his methods a bit (painting instead of aluminum tape), but I'm going to use a lot of the basics.

I think you'll find that paint alone probably isn't opaque enough to stop some light leakage which will diminsh the whole effect.

This thread from another forum shows the method of light blocking with paint layers instead of aluminum tape. It seems to work pretty well from what I can see.

Also, I'm going to be making "light boxes" as well, to help with the blocking.