I'm trying to research out how best to light it. :freak: I do know it may require more skills than my basic electrical knowledge and that there are boards out there for doing the strobes and navigation lights but what about the rest of the lighting, which is the best way to go... :confused: For one thing, whats the best way to light up the nacelles??? I'm not after a studio model with the full fx highlights on the hull but I don't want to do this kit an injustice either. So any help, ideas or recommendations are greatly apprieciated.

Cheers,
Alec.

Alec,
do you have access to an auto parts store in your area?

I found that the simplest way to light the clear parts of the nacelles was with 12" blue neon. they are found in the "ground effects" or "pimp my ride" sections

they're easy to wire and are pretty lightweight. they run on 12 volts.

you might have to trim down the casings or even remove the guts, but they give a great even light. You will still want to frost the inside of the clear piece to diffuse the lite a bit.

good luck

I'm trying to research out how best to light it. :freak: I do know it may require more skills than my basic electrical knowledge and that there are boards out there for doing the strobes and navigation lights but what about the rest of the lighting, which is the best way to go... :confused: For one thing, whats the best way to light up the nacelles??? I'm not after a studio model with the full fx highlights on the hull but I don't want to do this kit an injustice either. So any help, ideas or recommendations are greatly apprieciated.

Cheers,
Alec.Hello Alec, We do sell a full kit for the 1/350 Refit Enterprise. We also have a navigation board parts kit, we can set you up with a driver board for as many lights you want to run too? www.voodoofx.com/fiberfx.htm

Thanks
R Neubert
VoodooFX
1-650-568-3400

I'm in the same boat as you Alec - I got a Refit Enterprise on Ebay recently and if ever a kit cried out to be lit, it's this one. I've been looking into some of the commercially available kits and have been very impressed by the VoodooFX one.

Quick question, Randy - does yours have self-illumination spotlights, you know the ones that light up the NCC-1701, Enterprise text etc. on the nacelles and the saucer? I always loved that effect in the films.

I'm in the same boat as you Alec - I got a Refit Enterprise on Ebay recently and if ever a kit cried out to be lit, it's this one. I've been looking into some of the commercially available kits and have been very impressed by the VoodooFX one.

Quick question, Randy - does yours have self-illumination spotlights, you know the ones that light up the NCC-1701, Enterprise text etc. on the nacelles and the saucer? I always loved that effect in the films.

Hello MML, The general kit does not come with that effect as set in the instructions, but the kit does come with 12 extra led ports for more lighting that would support the location with no problems. The back nacelle spots can be done with a backlighting trick, however the dish spots will be much harder area to over come.

Hello Alec, We do sell a full kit for the 1/350 Refit Enterprise. We also have a navigation board parts kit, we can set you up with a driver board for as many lights you want to run too? www.voodoofx.com/fiberfx.htm

Thanks
R Neubert
VoodooFX
1-650-568-3400


Thanks mate.

I have actually been looking at your kits, I'm just tossing up as to which one I'd possably use or can afford. Infact I sent you an email yesterday re frieght to oz which you answered late last night brissy time. Thanks for that by the way.

Cheers,
Alec

I have one too that I am in the midst of building. For the nacelles, I picked up a pair of 12" blue plasma style cold cathodes that I think look really cool, and much more dynamic than just a static blue glow. These are the ones I got:

http://www.xoxide.com/12linespcoca.html

Yeah that may just be the way I'll go too... If I can figure out how to run the 9v pcb's I want for the nav lighting from a 12v source...???

Yeah that may just be the way I'll go too... If I can figure out how to run the 9v pcb's I want for the nav lighting from a 12v source...???

I am using regular LED's from a string of Christmas lights, so what I am going to do is run the whole thing off 12 volts and string the LED's in series with three per set. That should give me four volts per light, which is perfect for the ones I am using. If I end up getting any others that run off less voltage, not sure what I will do with them :freak:

after doing some web research :freak: I've decided to use some tube I'm getting from plastruct for my nacelles instead of the cold cathode tubes mainly so I can keep it all at 9volts. I figure by putting a blue 5mm led in each end glued in place I should get something like the glow from you'd get from a cold cathode?? :confused:

As for the rest of the lighting it looks like the best way for me will be pretty much fixing each led with its own resistor along with one of the nav board kits out there and running it all from a 9v power pack.

over a tube that long, you will get a "soft spot" in the middle where the light will not be as bright as it is at the ends.

that's the advantage of CCFLs.

LED's will give you "hot spots" unless you space them close together

it's a trade off

Lou is right, I tried to do that and that is exactly what happened.

I ended up mounting 2 5mm blue led at either end of the nacell pointed towards the middle at each other.

Lou is right, I tried to do that and that is exactly what happened.

I ended up mounting 2 5mm blue led at either end of the nacell pointed towards the middle at each other.

MMM... The tubes I have on order are 6mm ID so I might be able to slide in a couple towards the middle to light up any dull spot.

MMM... The tubes I have on order are 6mm ID so I might be able to slide in a couple towards the middle to light up any dull spot.

You can do that, sort of like that rope light you can buy. However, you are going to get hot spots wherever the lights are unless you seriously defuse it. Frosting or sanding the outside of the tubing will help, but since the opening in the nacelle is over a foot long, I think you will have to use more than 4 lights to mitigate the effect.

MMM... :confused: well there's nothing like a challenge :drunk::p

I got the nav board in the post today... Thanks again Randy. :thumbsup:

I have also ordered a bucket load of leds via evilbay as well as the clear tubing from plastruct which has turned up. So thing are going along nicley now. But as it stands this is a build that I proberbly won't start few a couple of months yet. Plenty of time to do some more practice on my electronic abilities or lack there of :p and then do some test runs for the nacelle, deflector and hull lighting.

You can do that, sort of like that rope light you can buy. However, you are going to get hot spots wherever the lights are unless you seriously defuse it. Frosting or sanding the outside of the tubing will help, but since the opening in the nacelle is over a foot long, I think you will have to use more than 4 lights to mitigate the effect.Hello Timothyn 1967,
Here is what I was able to produce with just two Leds. Alec if you need some help drop me an email fxshop@yahoo.com

Thanks
Randy Neubert
VoodooFX
650-568-3400

[QUOTE=fxshop;2540926]Hello Timothyn 1967,
Here is what I was able to produce with just two Leds. Alec if you need some help drop me an email fxshop@yahoo.com

Is that the leds in the clear tube effect? Looks good, :thumbsup: I was worried there'd be more of a dull spot... If so how long is the set up you did? I was planning for mine to be about 230mm (91/4 inches)

I'm trying to research out how best to light it. :freak: I do know it may require more skills than my basic electrical knowledge and that there are boards out there for doing the strobes and navigation lights but what about the rest of the lighting, which is the best way to go... :confused: For one thing, whats the best way to light up the nacelles??? I'm not after a studio model with the full fx highlights on the hull but I don't want to do this kit an injustice either. So any help, ideas or recommendations are greatly apprieciated.


Linke shows how to do the strobe and nav blinking...

http://www.colosseumbuilders.com/enterprise/circuits.htm