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Fiber optics?

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by Amanita, Jul 30, 2006.

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  1. Amanita

    Amanita Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 12, 2003
    Does anyone here know how to work with Fiber optics, or how I could get the parts and build something myself?

    I'm working on a skyscraper costume for Halloween, a fantastic blend of human and skyscraper features. For the hair, I was thinking something similar to one of the images of Padme in the RoTS art book. She's got all these soft red lights through her hair, and it looks awesome.
    I was thinking strategically placed clumps of fiber optics scattered through the hairpieces would give me the effect I wanted. But I have not got the foggiest idea where to get the parts to build something like this, or even if fiber optic effects like this are doable by an amatuer.
     
  2. VillieGee

    VillieGee Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2002
    All you need is a light bulb and the optic fibers. Put one end of the fibers near the light bulb and put the other ends where you want the light to go. Piece of cake!
     
  3. moosemousse

    moosemousse CR Emeritus: FF-UK South star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2004
    I think it'd be easier to use LEDs, they're smaller and don't give off heat, they also use less energy so the batteries will last longer.

    For the optic fibre you could allways buy a cheap, second hand fibre optic lamp, something like this would do, and just take out the optic fibres. The only drawback with this is that they might not be long enough.
     
  4. Amanita

    Amanita Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 12, 2003
    I just happen to have three sets of LEDs that I got on sale after christmas last year. One red, two blue. There's about 10 bright LED's connected to a battery pack. So they're perfect. Use one set to illuminate my crown, the other for the fiber optics. I don't think a cheap lamp would quite be long enough- some of these clumps would need to be 15 or so inches at least. Anyone know where to look for the fiberoptic filaments by themselves, so I can cut them to the length I need?
     
  5. Jedi-Loreen

    Jedi-Loreen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2002
    I found this place while looking around last night:
    Fiber Optics
    It sounds like you want Endglow, but they have all kinds of fiber optics here.
     
  6. DARTHLARS

    DARTHLARS Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 12, 2002
    I have heard you could glue a fiber directly to a LED with epoxy, because epoxy is transparent it should let the light through.
    However, I have never got any particularly bright result myself, even with a very short fiber.
     
  7. Jedi-Loreen

    Jedi-Loreen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2002
    Maybe that's why they sell 1W and 3W Luxeon LEDs at that site I put up the link to. ;) Maybe you'd need something pretty bright.
     
  8. Amanita

    Amanita Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 12, 2003
    I noticed that they have LED strips, as well as unjacketed cable by the foot..Hmm. that might be just what I need, either that or epoxy the fibers right onto the LED set that I already have.
     
  9. VillieGee

    VillieGee Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Oct 30, 2002
    You could use a color wheel so they twinkle too. :)
     
  10. Amanita

    Amanita Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 12, 2003
    The colour wheel sounds cool, but finding space for it inside the headpiece might be problematic. Besides, I want the fiber optics to match the blue LEDs that I will be using to light up the crown with. That and the fact that these hairpieces will be arranged in such a manner that a colour wheel would be impractical- several clumps of fiber optic cable emanating from numerous parts of the crown, mingling with false hairpieces.
     
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