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Best way to attach fibre to LED?

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      Gremlin Assistant Commissioner

    Hi All

    Trying to light some N gauge locos...

    Have read not to use CA glue, have tried heat-shrinking them on, but that didn't work, have tried epoxy, but also wouldn't hold.

    Would appreciate some tried and trusted methods that will hold but also be strong enough to survive some bending and squashing into place Smile
    Posted: 05 Jan 2014 15:24

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      anzac1959 Chief Commissioner

    ive drilled a hole size for size into a 5mm led dabed liquid nails on the side of the fibre optic cable then pushed fo into the LED used heatshrink they haven't moved yet.
    Posted: 05 Jan 2014 22:37
      Aaron The Ghost of George Stephenson

    Location: University of Adelaide SA
    If you get the hole the right size you won't need an adhesive, the friction of the fit will be sufficient.
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 00:12
      TheBlacksmith Chief Commissioner

    Location: Ankh Morpork
    Hi All

    Trying to light some N gauge locos...

    Have read not to use CA glue, have tried heat-shrinking them on, but that didn't work, have tried epoxy, but also wouldn't hold.

    Would appreciate some tried and trusted methods that will hold but also be strong enough to survive some bending and squashing into place Smile
    Gremlin

    I don't know why CA would not work, it is after all liquid Acrylic, and most light fibres are Acrylic?
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 08:47
      fabricator Chief Commissioner

    Location: Gawler
    You could also use something like this:
    http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HP1114&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=976#1
    It's got two holes for the pins to pass through, just install it backwards so the fibre passes through instead of the led pins.

    Not sure why Jaycar want $3.25 for one, when australia.rs-online.com sell them for 57 cents each if you buy 10.

    CA may work with Acrylic, but the led itself is epoxy, anyway the surface area of the end of a piece of fibre doesn't leave much to bond to.
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 09:02
      Gremlin Assistant Commissioner

    Thanks All

    No doubt this is the finest brains trust collection available to me!  Will try drilling two holes first, then the other options Smile
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 09:23
      SAR523 Assistant Commissioner

    Location: Chicago, IL
    If you get the hole the right size you won't need an adhesive, the friction of the fit will be sufficient.
    Aaron

    +1 for this.  I've also seen people use (small!) dabs hot glue (yes, plain old craft hot glue).

    The reason you want to avoid CA or anything else that makes a chemical bond is that it may craze the fibre which reduces or ruins the effect you are looking for.
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:17
      TheBlacksmith Chief Commissioner

    Location: Ankh Morpork
    The reason you want to avoid CA or anything else that makes a chemical bond is that it may craze the fibre which reduces or ruins the effect you are looking for.
    SAR523

    I have done many of them by drilling a small hole in the end of the LED, cutting the fibre carefully then hitting it with a hot air gun briefly (to smooth over the end of the fibre), and finally putting a tiny drop of CA into the hole in the LED then pushing the fibre in. Works perfectly. In fact I did one where I put three fibres into the end of a 5mm LED.
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 18:52
      TW10 Junior Train Controller

    Location: Anywhere in Scandi
    You could also use something like this:
    http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HP1114&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=976#1
    It's got two holes for the pins to pass through, just install it backwards so the fibre passes through instead of the led pins.

    Not sure why Jaycar want $3.25 for one, when australia.rs-online.com sell them for 57 cents each if you buy 10.
    fabricator

    Jaycar's printed cattle dog (page 207) shows HP-1114 as a pack of 20 for $3.25 HP-1115 is a pack of 100 for $13.95
    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 21:26
      Toolman Station Staff

    Location: Downunder
    An LED's semiconductor is encapsulated by epoxy resin, not acrylic.

    Drilling a hole works, but the epoxy is quite weak in tension. Otherwise slip a short piece of styrenic based tubing over the LED and push the fibre optics into that. Avoid alot of contact adhesive as the MEK solvent will quickly deform the resin of the fibre optic.

    Also, the end shape of the fibre optic is important. For maximum brightness, a smooth finish is required, cut perpendicular to the fibre optic's axis. If you require a diffuse look at the end of the fibre, use some wet-n-dry, but it theoretically won't be as bright.
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 11:28

    Last edited by Toolman on 07 Jan 2014 11:31; edited 1 time in total
      Gremlin Assistant Commissioner

    OK....having had fun with the suggestions (and learning lots along the way - thanks!)  I have drilled .5mm into the LED and seated the fibres then epoxy glued them and painted the LED black (to remove light leakage).  For me, it works like a charm Smile
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 11:56
      TheBlacksmith Chief Commissioner

    Location: Ankh Morpork
    An LED's semiconductor is encapsulated by epoxy resin, not acrylic.

    Drilling a hole works, but the epoxy is quite weak in tension. Otherwise slip a short piece of styrenic based tubing over the LED and push the fibre optics into that. Avoid alot of contact adhesive as the MEK solvent will quickly deform the resin of the fibre optic.

    Also, the end shape of the fibre optic is important. For maximum brightness, a smooth finish is required, cut perpendicular to the fibre optic's axis. If you require a diffuse look at the end of the fibre, use some wet-n-dry, but it theoretically won't be as bright.
    Toolman

    No-one said the LED was Acrylic. The fibre is Acrylic.
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 13:02
      linton78 Train Controller

    Location: South Coast NSW
    While this topic is running, can anyone suggest a good source of optic fibre?

    Thanks,

    Linton
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 13:28
      Gremlin Assistant Commissioner

    Got mine from the UK, cheap and good quality and fast postage - on ebay....

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/230951972275?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 13:30
      TheBlacksmith Chief Commissioner

    Location: Ankh Morpork
    Also this mob in Australia: http://www.opticfibrelighting.com.au/
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 13:49
      linton78 Train Controller

    Location: South Coast NSW
    Thanks guys. Just bought some.

    Linton
    Posted: 07 Jan 2014 21:55

    Last edited by linton78 on 07 Jan 2014 21:56; edited 1 time in total

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