Showcase Miniatures Model 10 Gate Crossing Signal

[Bob]

I just received several of the new Showcase Miniature gate crossings along with the red LEDs they say that you can install.  Has anyone put these together yet?  I am wondering if there are any tricks or hints that will make assembly, painting, light installation and decal application go more easily.

[tehachapifan]

Have not gotten one yet but have been looking thru the online instructions for these. One thing that stood out to me is that there appears to be no lenses for the lights and that the sample ones seem to show the squarish LEDs just sitting in the light housings/bezels. Curious to see what folks come up with for lenses, as I don't think the LED by itself will do it for me. Otherwise, these look absolutely amazing!

[mu26aeh]

Someone on FB had step by step pictures building his.  I'll have to track down where it was

Here is link, he has pictures but no descriptions.  It's a few posts down

https://www.facebook.com/DNMRNSL

[arbomambo]

Isn’t there already a discussion about these here?:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=57599.0

[Bob]

Yes, you are right - I couldn't find that thread.  I'm hoping there might be some hints about putting one of these together.  I have also ordered gate crossings from the other two manufacturers mentioned in the thread and hope to do a side-by-side comparison.

[cec209]

I have yet to assemble one of these crossing guards but my past experience with Showcase Miniature signal heads as well as other sources' signal heads is that a small drop of canopy glue over the LED makes an excellent lens.

[ridinshotgun]

I would think a drop of micro Krystal clear would work as a lense too.

[tehachapifan]

I've thought about Krystal Klear but am curious what the end result would actually look like. My concern is that the originally rounded/convex (lens shaped) droplet will dry into a concave and rippled mess (as I think it shrinks when drying). But maybe it won't. Would love to see pics of a signal where this was used. Another question is can it then be painted with, say, Tamiya clear red acrylic paint after it dries, or will that rewet it? Would a droplet of just the clear red paint work the same, worse or better?

[peteski]

I've thought about Krystal Klear but am curious what the end result would actually look like. My concern is that the originally rounded/convex (lens shaped) droplet will dry into a concave and rippled mess (as I think it shrinks when drying). But maybe it won't. Would love to see pics of a signal where this was used. Another question is can it then be painted with, say, Tamiya clear red acrylic paint after it dries, or will that rewet it? Would a droplet of just the clear red paint work the same, worse or better?

Unlike resins like epoxy, Krystal Klear remains flexible when dry, so is you don't like the results, you can always just yank it out.  You should be able to paint it using Tamiya transparent red paint. Or, better yet, tint the Krystal Klear with that paint before you apply it. You should end up with solidly tinted red lens. If you are worried that it won't work, try a sample before using it on the crossing signal.  Another idea would be to tint Krystal Klear in liquid form with some food coloring.