# Lighting the Enterprise-D with a minimum of fuss...



## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

I've been nursing a plan for how to best light one of those clear E-D models, and the method I've settled on involved getting one of the old E-D models with the fiber optic light setup, and mix & match bits as required.

Stage 1 of my plan has been accomplished, as I just managed to win an old fiber optic E-D for relatively cheap.

In a few months, I should be able to at least plan on getting one of the clear kits.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

In the meantime, some planning is called for.

Any ideas on how to unobtrusively run a wire up from the secondary hull into the nacelles *without* digging a trench in the hull like the instructions say to do?


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

When I built my kit right after it came out, I ran very small wires up the front and back edge of the pylons then puttied them in. With magnet wire (which wouldn't have powered the grain of wheats I used) you could dig a *very* tiny channel for the wires, then putty over them.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Rather then have to attach all those fiber optics, why not just get some florescent sheets. There used to be hard to find, but tons of people(computer gamers mostly) use them to decorate tower computers.

They are pretty low voltage and can illuminate a large area.
You wouldn't have to glue an individual fiber to each window, and the light wouldn't be so pin point.

You would have to make sure to use a good solid black undercoating when you paint the outside.
And be very careful when using masking fluid on the windows beforehand.


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## petkusj (May 13, 2005)

Paulbo said:


> When I built my kit right after it came out, I ran very small wires up the front and back edge of the pylons then puttied them in. With magnet wire (which wouldn't have powered the grain of wheats I used) you could dig a *very* tiny channel for the wires, then putty over them.


That's what I use, magnet wire from Radio Shack. If you think about it, you only really need one bare wire and one insulated wire, so you can strip off the insulation with lacquer thinner. And I plan to make a narrow but deep trench using those Hasegawa scribing saws, although I might need to double them (otherwise the trench might be too narrow!).


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

I'd say go with the LED ribbon.

Paul carries it. Plus now your starting to see it in hobby shops (R/C car guys use it.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Oh, I have no plans on using the fiber optics at all. Mainly, I'm thinking using the lighting setups from the fiber optic kit, especially the nacelles, and fitting them into the clear version.

I forget, were the Bussards and warp grills colored red and blue for this kit, or was that just the Generations version?


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

The main problem with the old lighted version is that it used grain-of-wheat bulbs. They'll go south WAY faster than LEDs - plus they pull far more current so you'll have to use larger wires.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Hmmm....much to ponder....


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## rtbeuke (Sep 29, 2008)

You also need to keep in mind that the Electroluminescent (EL) lighting (florescent) sheets someone described above may operate from a low voltage source but this low voltage source drives a power supply unit (Inverter) that boost the low DC voltage to about 120 AC volt range to power the sheets. (Yes you can get a small shock off the output of the unit)

Although the EL sheets generate near zero heat, the inverter units can generate some heat that should be vented.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

Shock hazard is there, but the main problem with EL sheets is that they lose brightness. Half-life (amount of time before they're only half as bright as original) is fairly short - online sources say 2500 to 3000 hours (100 to 120 days if left on continuously). LEDs are typically rated at full brightness for 50,000 hours.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Well, I'm planning on using the power supply that comes with the kit, along with the little flashlight bulbs, minus the shrouds and fiber optics.

Sounds like the area where I might have some issues is the nacelles, but I'm still leaning towards using the string of bulbs from the kit.

BTW, the fiber optic kit should be showing up some time this week. When that happens, I'll know what I'm working with, as opposed to going from memory of the last time I had this kit and gave up in disgust over that worthless little drill.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Stage One is now complete! The fiber optic E-D has arrived.

Oddly, some clear parts for Voyager were also included. Go figure.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Captain April said:


> ...last time I had this kit and gave up in disgust over that worthless little drill.


Hey Capt'n _"that worthless little drill"_ makes a *great* paint mixer. If it's the same one as in my old *AMT* FO lighting kit. The drll bit lasted about 5 mins. I fashioned a brass rod to it and soldered a brass loop (a paddle was way too much) on the end of it and it works like a champ!!

I had to make a styrene bushing on the end of the motor housing to keep the shaft from flopping around. So don't 86 it!

I found one just like it on eBay and that's where I got the idea. I almost bought it until I realized it used the exact same motor and housing as the one in the FO kit. Voila! A cheap homemade paint mixer.

HAL9001-


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## kdaracal (Jan 24, 2009)

Paulbo said:


> Shock hazard is there, but the main problem with EL sheets is that they lose brightness. Half-life (amount of time before they're only half as bright as original) is fairly short - online sources say 2500 to 3000 hours (100 to 120 days if left on continuously). LEDs are typically rated at full brightness for 50,000 hours.


Gil at Just an Illusion seems to warranty them for life. But that won't help a sealed up nacelle. Or, in my case, a sealed up Flying sub. :drunk:

But, in the sub, it is essential! Custom fitting, and oh so cool!


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Current price for the clear E-D is around $62 at the ol' LHS, so time for another round of eBay hunting....


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## Robert-el (Sep 6, 2008)

*lighting the big d*



Captain April said:


> In the meantime, some planning is called for.
> 
> Any ideas on how to unobtrusively run a wire up from the secondary hull into the nacelles *without* digging a trench in the hull like the instructions say to do?


I came across this fix, after I'd dug a trench.
http://www.dlmparts.com/tngparts.html
However, the model is incorrect along that area anyways, so dig away, and cover it with a piece of styrene sheeting, and add one piece of detailing, like I did, and the paint should take care of the rest.
http://fav.me/d5mrko9


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## Robert-el (Sep 6, 2008)

*lousy decals!*

Has anyone else had problems with the decals supplied with this model?
I don't even mean the insane aztec decals, but any of the striping, or lettering?
I have used decal set, and even then, after spraying with dullcoat, the decals have come off, and look terrible.
I am now waiting for a supplemental set, for an additional $15. Oh, well. After the $80 set of paint masks, and the money spent on the cold cathode tubes, after abandoning the small flourescent tubes and ballasts, what's another few bucks!
Any advice on how to remedy this would be appreciated.
p.s. here is a link to a shot of my lighting test.
http://fav.me/d5mrmry
Robert.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Robert-el said:


> I came across this fix, after I'd dug a trench.
> http://www.dlmparts.com/tngparts.html
> However, the model is incorrect along that area anyways, so dig away, and cover it with a piece of styrene sheeting, and add one piece of detailing, like I did, and the paint should take care of the rest.
> http://fav.me/d5mrko9


I like that. If I still had my Dremel, I'd be even more eager, but sadly, it went buh-bye along with the vast majority of my modeling gear during the eviction.

In any case, I'd still be a bit concerned since I'll be using the clear plastic hull, which is a helluva lot more brittle than the old gray one. My luck, the thing'd shatter right when I was on the last quarter inch.

I will keep that in mind, though. Thanks for pointing it out. :thumbsup:


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## Robert-el (Sep 6, 2008)

*lighting test shots and decal fail*

I have more pics of the test for lighting this ship with cold cathode tubes. They are my new favorite things.
However, the decals are making me sad.
http://fav.me/d5mugbs
http://fav.me/d5mugg4
http://fav.me/d5mug7k


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## robcomet (May 25, 2004)

Robert-el said:


> I have more pics of the test for lighting this ship with cold cathode tubes. They are my new favorite things.
> However, the decals are making me sad.


Have you tried Gunze Sangyo Mr Mark Softer and Mr Mark Setter for your decal problem?

Rob


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## Robert-el (Sep 6, 2008)

robcomet said:


> Have you tried Gunze Sangyo Mr Mark Softer and Mr Mark Setter for your decal problem?
> 
> Rob


I used microscale micro set.
Don't know, is the one you have mentioned better?
I am willing to try anything at this point.
Thanks
Robert.


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## robcomet (May 25, 2004)

They do the same type of job as Micro Sol and Micro Set, I personally think that they're a bit stronger. It might be worth you testing Mr Mark Setter on one of your existing decals in a less readily visible place and see if it works for you.

Rob


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## shopper (Dec 6, 2003)

Captain April said:


> Current price for the clear E-D is around $62 at the ol' LHS, so time for another round of eBay hunting....


Hey Capt:

Just caught up with this thread and apologize for jumping in. Wanted to wish you good luck on building the Enterprise D. I started one about 15 years ago and did not finish it. An article in the June 1994 Fine Scale Modeler was my inspiration at the time. During your build, if you need a part or two, PM me. I have a collection of spare parts for that AMT/ERTL kit.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

No problems with parts, the kit I got is complete.

What's going to take a while is getting one of those clear E-D kits for (relatively) cheap. Another LHS has the thing for nearly $70 .

No matter, I've got my eye on a couple on eBay that'll total a little over fifty bucks.

Lucky I'm not in a big hurry to get a 1:350 TOS E....


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

This is looking to be a fairly expensive month, mainly having to do with putting fuel in the car so I can get back and forth to the radio station I'm volunteering at (KGNU in Boulder), so it might be a bit longer in getting that clear E-D than I thought. Some nagging medical issues might put a cramp in things as well (nothing serious, but even minor stuff seems to get expensive pretty damn fast).

Might be able to pull it off towards the end of the month, or maybe next month if the check is equally good.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Captain April said:


> Stage One is now complete! The fiber optic E-D has arrived.
> 
> Oddly, some clear parts for Voyager were also included. Go figure.


Turns out those extra Voyager parts will come in handy, as now I'll be able to build the entire deflector assembly in clear. And since I also stashed some lighting hardware in with the Voyager kit (mainly wires and brackets for rows of lights), I should have an easier time lighting it.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

kdaracal said:


> Gil at Just an Illusion seems to warranty them for life. But that won't help a sealed up nacelle. Or, in my case, a sealed up Flying sub. :drunk:
> 
> But, in the sub, it is essential! Custom fitting, and oh so cool!


Hard to tell how long anything will really last. 

Curious though, once the EL Sheet go to half brightness, how long do they last?

If they last a lot longer before going out entirely, one could ad a second strip and switch for that eventuality. Then when the first one goes to half brightness switch it off and use the second one. After the second one goes to half brightness, switch'em both on . . .

Just an idea . . .

All predicated on the EL strips lasting longer overall . . .

And I don't know that to be the case.

Anyone here that could fill us in on that?


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

I probably won't take this approach, but any idea of just how weird it would look if I just ran a whole bunch of fiber optics in, like one of those funky lamps from Spencer's Gifts, so I could keep the light source itself outside? Or would it just look like the ship has been converted into a warp driven disco?


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Okay, decision time is approaching.

Do I pull the trigger on a clear E-D, go a bit mental and get a 1/350 TOS E, or go totally mental, blow the entire check, and get both?


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## robcomet (May 25, 2004)

Get both and add them to the stash!

Rob


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

The check is gonna be a wee bit shorter than I'd expected, so, as the 1/350 is a new kit and will be out for a quite a while and the clear E-D is growing scarcer, I'm probably pull the trigger on that and get the Big E with my tax return.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Nice big check this time, so it's time to pull the trigger on the clear E-D, hopefully within the week...


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## GT350R_Modeler (Sep 6, 2005)

This brings up a question I've wanted to know for a long time now. I have built many of the "D" kit over the years, but never lit it because of the enormous amount of work involved with lighting the windows. Now that I have a clear kit, it's much easier with the windows not needing to be dremmel-ed open, but I still have the dilemma of masking them. I've looked all over the interwebs and can't find a supplier of window masks for this kit, so how does one mask them?


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

If it were me, I'd place a drop of masking fluid (Micro-mask or Maskol, maybe) in each window. It would have to be just enough to form a convex drop and not fill the depression completely. But it should conform to the shape of the part you want masked. After painting, you'd rub over the windows or use a knife point to remove the masks.

Alternately, you could make your own window masks by drawing the shapes in Illustrator or Corel Draw, then taking the file to a sign maker to cut the masks out of self-adhesive vinyl. That's what I did for the AMT Smoothie.


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## GT350R_Modeler (Sep 6, 2005)

Thanks Steve. I do happen to have PS and Illustrator, so I may give that option a try.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

At the same time, you could draw shapes for your other models' masking needs, so they all get cut on one sheet!


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

My plan is to mask the windows I want lit from the inside, paint normally, then scrape away the paint from those aforementioned windows, probably with a toothpick or very small screwdriver. A little touch-up on the inside to take care of any sniggling light leaks, and should get an effect pretty close to the studio version.


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