New brass Milwaukee Bipolar EP-2 clinic- part 2

[u18b]

Well, I couldn't go to sleep until I tried one more thing.

So I took the one that is too small and experimented.

This was the result.  I think it is closer to what we are looking for.  Ignore the light leaking out of the edges.  This one is too small.




When I get a chance, I'll experiment a bit more and explain what I'm doing.

I think this might work.
 

[robert3985]

Well, I couldn't go to sleep until I tried one more thing.

So I took the one that is too small and experimented.

This was the result.  I think it is closer to what we are looking for.  Ignore the light leaking out of the edges.  This one is too small.




When I get a chance, I'll experiment a bit more and explain what I'm doing.

I think this might work.
 

Wellll Ron, that looks pretty damn good with the light turned on!  I'll be anxious to see what it looks like with it off and see what you're aiming for... 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[peteski]

I think even better would be a photo of the 1:1 scale loco's triple headlight in that housing. IIRC, Ron did post that photo way earlier in this thread.

[nscaler711]

Not my photo. Obviously.

[u18b]

Wellll Ron, that looks pretty damn good with the light turned on!  I'll be anxious to see what it looks like with it off and see what you're aiming for... 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Bob,
That's exactly the problem.   There are so many competing issues- but achieving all is really hard if not impossible.

Do we want an EP-2 that looks realistic in photos?
Or do we want one that looks realistic when lit?
And what is realistic when lit?  Can you really see 3 bulbs when the prototype is lit?

So no matter what we do, there will be a compromise.

In this case, I know the owner wanted the 3 light version if possible.

[u18b]

Here is what I tried.

I installed some 30 mil hobby fiber optic.

I'm installing it from the front side since I want control of the back side where there is just not a lot of room to spare.




This is the inside.  I sanded the fiber optic flat before I installed it.
I tried to keep the tip so that it projected only slightly.
Superglue on the outside holds the optics in place.




I then took a flame and moved it near for only a second.   The tip melted a bit.   I still have one optic fiber that is long so that I have something to hold onto.




I then trimmed the fiber optic and then sanded the suberglue and the fiber optics smooth.



Here is a better shot of the inside.




And that produced this.
The glare was a bit less.

[u18b]

And here is my problem.  Will it look like this?

Well, the bulb size is about right.
Spacing is about right.

But what I did is not silver- and I'm not sure how to get it that way.   I had to file the face smooth to get the glue off.
So my face is yellowish phosphor bronze.

I guess I could apply the glue from the inside, but it would probably leak a bit out the front.

If I paint it silver, I have to clean over the lenses.
Can I make a DOT of that latex masking and then airbrush this silver-- pulling off the latex when dry?  Don't know.  That stuff is pretty thin.

[u18b]

What I might try when I have time is to make the next one and drill the holes small.

These holes are where I started.   They are  .65 mm.   If I finished this with small holes, painted it silver and then installed fiber optics last, then it might work.

But would it let enough light through?

[nscaler711]

Perhaps use a silver sharpie? 

[u18b]

Perhaps use a silver sharpie? 

Now that's an idea.  I wonder if they make one in fine point.
That sound worth trying.  Thanks.

[u18b]

Yes.  Saw some online.  Will order today.
Good idea.  Thanks.

[nscaler711]

No problem!   

[peteski]

If I paint it silver, I have to clean over the lenses.
Can I make a DOT of that latex masking and then airbrush this silver-- pulling off the latex when dry?  Don't know.  That stuff is pretty thin.

The liquid latex mask I use  is very stretchable - like latex gloves. You should have no problem peeling off after painting.  But on such a small metal object the surrounding paint might actually peel up too (if it is applied to heavily).

Another thing I would have tried would be to finish and paint the metal piece, then for lenses use a UV-curable resin (like Bondic or one of the other brands).  Just flow the liquid resin into the 3 headlight openings then harden it with UV light.  If more was needed, then just repeat the process.

[robert3985]

Because the part is so small and complicated with three lenses, using your technique, to make it "silver", I would have started with aluminum rod instead of brass.  I think with 20/20 hindsight, that would have solved the problem.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[mmagliaro]

Because the part is so small and complicated with three lenses, using your technique, to make it "silver", I would have started with aluminum rod instead of brass.  I think with 20/20 hindsight, that would have solved the problem.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Hey... great idea!  How about nickel silver rod?  OnlineMetals.com has it, and it would look terrific.    You can even solder it easily, if you want to do that to attach it to the body.   https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?step=2&id=1262
Look under the "brass" drop-down from the top.