Strobe light or Beacon lens fixture

[bc6]

Hello all I'd like to install a strobe light on the roof of my KIYA97 just for kicks. I know I'll need DCC to do that what I'm looking for is a fixture that looks like a lens that will transmit the light from the LED. Streamline Backshop used to carry these fixtures, I sent them an email and have yet to get a response. Does anyone else out there know of any N-scale lenses that I could purchase.  I have some fiber optics that I'm possibly thinking of fabricating a lens with but I don't think it would be as nice looking as the one I purchased in the past.

 

Here's a video on the subject where the OP refers to Shapeways but the site does not load.

 

I did some more searching and someone has posted the stl file here for some beacons which means I'll design some modern looking lenses.

Edited October 2 by bc6

[cteno4]

So to roll your own of one of these without 3D printing it you could just try to turn your own out of a chunk of clear acrylic rod (or even a hunk of clear model kit sprue). Just put the rod into the chuck of your roto tool/dremel, clamp the tool to the table or in a vise, and turn it on. You can then use an xacto blade tip as a chisel and lathe it down to the lens shape. You can cut quite tiny circular shapes like this. It’s handy to have a micro chisel scalpel blade to use as a micro chisel in your micro lathe! Yell if you want one, I’ve got a bunch here and can just pop it into a card in the mail to you.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[bc6]

That's a good suggestion Jeff depending on how far I get tracking down some lenses I may roll my own lol. Thanks for the offer of the micro chisel scalpel blades I'll let you know.

[Junech]

If the beacons from the STL file are fine with you I can just throw them on the next time I print something with clear resin. That should be the lights for my platform project. So maybe by next week or the week after.

 

I don't know what the price for shipping from Germany to you would be though.

 

Junech

[bc6]

Thanks for the offer Junech, It sounds pretty expensive lol. I went ahead and designed my own beacons in Tinkercad. I do have a question what kind of filament would you print the beacons with? 

[cteno4]

That tiny and needing to be clear you would need to resin print it.

 

jeff

[bc6]

Thanks Jeff, I'll look for an online 3D printer.

[Junech]

As Jeff said you will need a resin printer for the tiny size, fine details, and most of all the parts to be clear.

[cteno4]

Take 10 minutes and try turning one in your rototool. It’s actually pretty easy and satisfying. I’ve made flower pots with saucers attached down to about 12” dia scale. Really is simple to do. Strobe is basically an upside down flower pot shape.

 

you can separate the piece off the stock (called “turn it off”) once you are done by just putting the xacto blade tip in at a right angle to the stock to cut a groove into the piece. Dont go all the way thru or your piece will fly away! Cut in the groove like 75% the way in and then chop off the rest with a blade carefully.

 

 

jeff