12-26-2010, 11:49 PM
I hope this can be used by someone. This is how I built the floodlights for the MetroBank building which look like this. Here are the real ones:
1. Items needed:
.015 sheet
.030 x .040 strip
.040 x .060 strip
.040 clear plastic
Cut the clear plastic into scale 18" x 12" pieces, may as well cut a bunch and do them factory style. You can cut these as accurately or inaccurately as you want. I was working quickly, so there is some variation in size.
2. Paint silver on one side of the clear plastic pieces and let dry:
3. Glue a strip of .040 x .060 onto the sheet with the .060 dimension flat. Then put a bit of styrene glue on the edge of the strip, then place the clear pieces, paint side down, along this. Again, note that I was working quickly and didn't take the time to make everything perfect. I think that is okay, especially if you make a bunch of these at one time, then you can match them into groups of sizes for use in particular areas.
4. Now take the .030 x .040 strip and start glueing pices around the clear plastic. The neat thing about this is you don't have to cut anything to length ahead of time. Glue long pieces on, then let dry a bit, then cut them to length.
5. Continue glueing pieces and cutting them off to length.
6. Cut the sheet around the edges of each light:
7. I originally used the .015 sheet so it would be easy to cut. To make the light fixture a bit thicker, I glued them to another piece of .015 sheet, then cut them out again.
8. After cutting them out again, sand them to make the sides even and flat.
9. Next drill a hole in the bottom for a brass wire which will be the support. Paint each fixture, these are typically a brownish color.
10. And then I drilled holes in the roof of the building and glued the wires in, also bent the wire to angle the fixtures down some. Notice the wire can be seen through the clear plastic, I fancy that this is the bulb in the fixture.
Anyway, hope this is of value to someone. The technique of using a backer sheet of thin styrene for glueing parts is a good one and can be used to fabricate all kinds of stuff. The sheet helps to hold the itty bitty parts while being assembled. Keep this one in your bag of tricks.
1. Items needed:
.015 sheet
.030 x .040 strip
.040 x .060 strip
.040 clear plastic
Cut the clear plastic into scale 18" x 12" pieces, may as well cut a bunch and do them factory style. You can cut these as accurately or inaccurately as you want. I was working quickly, so there is some variation in size.
2. Paint silver on one side of the clear plastic pieces and let dry:
3. Glue a strip of .040 x .060 onto the sheet with the .060 dimension flat. Then put a bit of styrene glue on the edge of the strip, then place the clear pieces, paint side down, along this. Again, note that I was working quickly and didn't take the time to make everything perfect. I think that is okay, especially if you make a bunch of these at one time, then you can match them into groups of sizes for use in particular areas.
4. Now take the .030 x .040 strip and start glueing pices around the clear plastic. The neat thing about this is you don't have to cut anything to length ahead of time. Glue long pieces on, then let dry a bit, then cut them to length.
5. Continue glueing pieces and cutting them off to length.
6. Cut the sheet around the edges of each light:
7. I originally used the .015 sheet so it would be easy to cut. To make the light fixture a bit thicker, I glued them to another piece of .015 sheet, then cut them out again.
8. After cutting them out again, sand them to make the sides even and flat.
9. Next drill a hole in the bottom for a brass wire which will be the support. Paint each fixture, these are typically a brownish color.
10. And then I drilled holes in the roof of the building and glued the wires in, also bent the wire to angle the fixtures down some. Notice the wire can be seen through the clear plastic, I fancy that this is the bulb in the fixture.
Anyway, hope this is of value to someone. The technique of using a backer sheet of thin styrene for glueing parts is a good one and can be used to fabricate all kinds of stuff. The sheet helps to hold the itty bitty parts while being assembled. Keep this one in your bag of tricks.