 Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 394
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Good day fellow hobbyist, I have started working on the lighting circuit for my small layout. I decided to go with a 12V DC supply with dimmer and use of LED's. I believe is the most cost effective solution and safe as you don’t end up installing buring hot lamps in small plastic enclosures... Regarding LED I found below websites really handy: General about LED: http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/led.htm#coloursTinting of LED: http://www.ngineering.com/led_coloring.htmWith inspiration from another user here ( http://www.marklin-users.net/fo...st16932_Jornebanen.aspxk) – thank you Jorgen  - I also constructed my own platform lights. Cost me about 1.5 USD a piece. The lights are made up of 3mm warm light LED, 460 ohm resistor and brass tubes from K&S engineering:  I used the brass tube tube itself as a conductor. Used an automobile grey coloured primer spray can, which gave a really nice finish.  The hood is made from dome studs (clothing accessories found on Ebay). Hardest part was to drill the hole in the top...  Final result:   And most importantly it was lots of fun to make it yourself! Brgs - Lasse |
Digital 8m2 layout / C & M tracks / Era IV / CS2 60214 / Train Controller Gold |
 3 users thanked Danlake for this useful post.
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 Joined: 11/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 909 Location: Wine Country, CA
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Danlake:
Great post. The lights look great. Did you taper the tubing at the end where the light fixture attaches or does it just look like that?
Chris
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 394
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Hi Chris,
Thanks - the 2 pins from the LED is used to secure to the brass tube. The minus is soldered to the brass tube itself and the plus is soldered onto the cable which you can see just penetrating from the open end of the tube. The black part above the hood is just the top part of the actual LED painted black.
Brgs - Lasse |
Digital 8m2 layout / C & M tracks / Era IV / CS2 60214 / Train Controller Gold |
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 Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC) Posts: 9,271 Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
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Lasse,
Looks very neat and realistic.
John
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Joined: 28/04/2003(UTC)
Posts: 757
Location: Wawa, Ontario
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Very nice design. I also made my own lights and found the project to be rather satisfying. A sample of my designs can be seen at the following site. Home made street lightsMatthew
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Joined: 22/06/2009(UTC) Posts: 265
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Excellent work, it gives me inspiration to make my own.
Thanks for sharing.
Brian. |
Brian
Marklin Digital-MSII, DB Era III/IV Diesel & Steam, ESU Loksound/Lokpilot & Lokprogrammer, Tam Valley Depot Octopus III Servo Controller. |
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Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 490
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Joined: 02/01/2009(UTC) Posts: 982 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Nice lights. Those K&S tubes are suseful arent they 
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 394
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Thanks for comments.
I was hoping to make some other versions (for street lights) where the top is bended 180 degress (u-shape), but keep getting sharp kinks in the tube. I was wondering if anyone had some good techniqiue to bend the tubes smoothly (maybe by heating them)?
Enjoyed browsing trough your website Matthew. Nice layout you build.
Brgs - Lasse |
Digital 8m2 layout / C & M tracks / Era IV / CS2 60214 / Train Controller Gold |
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Joined: 25/09/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,461
Location: ,
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...that's what I was wondering tooo : how to bend the tubes without "flatten" them, to make a nice curve...
Good idea, well inspired .thank you.
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Joined: 23/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 2,064 Location: Beverly, MA
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1 user thanked kbvrod for this useful post.
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 394
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Excellent - I shall order some of these springs now |
Digital 8m2 layout / C & M tracks / Era IV / CS2 60214 / Train Controller Gold |
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Joined: 28/04/2003(UTC)
Posts: 757
Location: Wawa, Ontario
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Originally Posted by: Danlake  Thanks for comments.
I was hoping to make some other versions (for street lights) where the top is bended 180 degress (u-shape), but keep getting sharp kinks in the tube. I was wondering if anyone had some good techniqiue to bend the tubes smoothly (maybe by heating them)?
Enjoyed browsing trough your website Matthew. Nice layout you build.
Brgs - Lasse Thank you, it was a real joy to build and play with. To bend the 3mm tubing to a virtual U-shape, I created a simple jig. Wasn't a perfect U-shape, but created the shape I was looking for. Here is a few pictures of the jig I created. Jig parts with a sample bent tubing.  Tubing is inserted until it reaches the screw.  Views of jig    Hope this gives some ideas for trying to create your U-shaped lamp posts. Regards Matthew
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 394
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Good idea Matthew,
Thanks for tips! |
Digital 8m2 layout / C & M tracks / Era IV / CS2 60214 / Train Controller Gold |
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 Joined: 03/10/2010(UTC) Posts: 636 Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Great lights ! Regards, John
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Joined: 27/08/2005(UTC) Posts: 11,284 Location: Strathpine QLD
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Very good tips and sites.
NN |
wearing the Pink Pinny, which is hard to see and now an waiting for a new shiny tin Hip
Junior member of the Banana Club, a reformist and an old Goat with a Bad memory |
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