50031Hood Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 This is something that I have been working on (and off) for several years. The raw ingredients are 2mm diameter 'lighthouse' LEDs that are readily available and cheap (12p each), enamelled copper wire and 1/16 inch brass tube. I also had some CR signals 2m ladders and safety cages. Step 1 is to file the cylindrical protrusion of the LED to recreate the shape of the hood. This pic shows before and after Next tie a loop around the anode leg of the LED (the long one) with the enamelled wire, as close to the base as you can, and solder it. The solder seems to break down the enamel at the point where it is contact with the leg whilst retaining insulation along the rest of the wire. I have made a jig that can hold 3 LEDs in place so that I can bend, trim and solder the cathode legs to each other. Solder the ladder/safety cage to the brass tube. The enamelled wires can then be threaded through the brass tube and I solder the cathode to the tube. Spray the whole lot grey and then paint the front of the LED stack matt black. Before the paint dries, I add a laser cut piece of thin black card as the back-plate of the signal. Ubiquitous comparison-with-a-5p-coin pic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpendle Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Looks interesting Do you have pictures of one working? John P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
50031Hood Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Hi John, Two slightly out of focus pics below. They are powered by a 3V coin cell battery in the pics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted August 25, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 25, 2014 Very neat! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 By filing away what is normally the "lens" of the LED, it does make the illumination a little less overpowering, and therefore a bit more convincing. One thing that many of the cheap LEDs have in common - and the lighthouse type, being quite an old design, is no exception - is that the "green" has a little too much yellow in it, whereas the real thing tends more towards blue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan3mm Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 I have been using HO 'targets' from America with 1.8mm dia. LEDs on my 3mm layout and very effectively - supply has now dried up and this solution is excellent. Thanks for the idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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