Bending fibre optic cable and other questions

[asplogin]

Hey,

I'm building the Bandai Millennium Falcon.

I'm planning on putting some fibre optics in that beautiful thing. I have no experience in that and I'm wondering how to bend them and how much they can be bent? The model is quite small (1/144) so space inside the hull is limited. I'm gonna have to have some heavy planning on the lights. I have fibres in 0.25mm/ 0.5mm/ 1mm/ 2mm

I've tried to google this but didn't really find anything useful. Also I'm wondering how to glue them. Found mixed answers on google but I figure this place has some experts on this matter.

I'm assuming I can paint the fibers with a Vallejo acrylic black paint to get some protection for light leakeage? There will be leds along with the fibers so I should need to paint the fibre next to a led to avoid the led affecting the fibre's own light?

A huge thanks in advance and don't worry, I'm gonna be posting a build log after this project is finished. I'm taking pictures along the build.

All the best,
Jesse

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[INVAR]

I am a novice as I just completed my first kit that I've ever lit - but I can share what I have learned.

You cannot bend the fibers into sharp angles because the light will be disrupted and/or you will break the fibers. The smaller diameter fibers will curve at tighter tolerances than the larger diameter fibers, but attempting to bend the fibers at hard angles diminishes the amount of light at the end.

Once you have bundled your fibers in a tube to the light source, and after you have threaded the fiber through the holes you have drilled, you can secure the fibers with clear hobby glue. Something like Locktite Go2 crystal clear glue or a silicone based clear hobby glue is perfect. DO NOT USE superglue or CA - because it will damage the fibers and break or shatter them because it makes them very brittle. Also, I tried using a hot glue gun at first, and that only melted the fiber. I ended up taping the fiber to the inside hull where it would not move and used the clear hobby glue on the inside of the hull where the fiber was threaded through the hull and let it dry. The glue is also slightly flexible when dried and that helps if you have to move your fiber bundles around as you complete your build.

Leave enough fiber threaded outside the hole for you to trim back after you have painted your model. You can prime and paint the model and the fibers sticking out of the build - and when trimming them back, the light shows through the ends of the fibers. I have not heard of anyone painting fibers inside the model to light block. Usually we paint the inside of the model in opaque or black to prevent light leaks BEFORE we begin installing the fiber.

Hope this helps a bit, but the masters like Robiwon here can better answer you with their experience than I can.

 

[Scott1214]

Lighter to bend them and some old fashion pva glue for gluing. You can also heat the ends to increase the diameter. Just takes some practice is all. To bundle them up, use some shrink tube or brass tubing and have the the led shooting through it at the other end. To light block, use black tulip fabric paint. But I'm sure some people use different methods.

 

[asplogin]

Hey!

I have a pre-wired kit built for my need and specs. So the actual construct has been done.

I just have to route them to the model but wasn't so sure how much I can bend them. Like would a 90 degree angle be possible? Not a sharp angle of course.

About painting them, I've painted the inside of the hull black but can I paint the outside surface of the fiber without affecting the light going inside it?

For example I have a led behind the cockpit wall to illuminate some holes on the wall but also I have fibers coming through the wall. Should I paint the fiber surface next to the led? Or is the led affecting the fiber in any way?

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[3Dsf]

Fibres can't bend that much, but it's easy to do a quick test to see. If you bend them to a certain point the fibre will snap or the light transmission will drop off.

As noted, don't use superglue/ACC, model cement, or hot glue, as it'll destroy the fibres. And remember that they're a pretty directional point-source type of light.