Painting lights

[Chuffy]

Has anyone tried painting a front light to convert it to a rear?

I've got a Lumicycle 1w led front light. It's pretty useless as a light, but it's quite bright if all you want is a light to be seen by and it has ridiculously long run times. It also runs very cool.

It occurred to me that it would make a great back light, especially if I fitted it with a glow ring.

Has anyone done this and how easy/hard was it? More importantly, does it work?

 

[Dave5N]

Use a red felt tip!

 

[yorkshiregoth]

Would some red acetate work?

 

[kyuss]

Paint won't work. It will effect the light output far too much to make it worth it. What you need is some coloured gel filters as used in the lighting industry. Have a google you should be able to pick it up pretty cheap or if you have a lighting/audio visual place nearby they might give you a bit for nowt if you don't need much. Glue it on somehow and job done.

EDIT: How big is the lamp? I used to have a swatch of gel filters that I might still have in a box somewhere. I'd be happy to send you the red bits. They were only about 3x7cm mind, but there were at least 5-10 shades of red so you might be able to fashion something from it. I'll have a look in the morning.

 

[mr Mag00]

quality street or the such like, other mixed flavour chocolate boxes are available and get a red wrapper, dont know the flavour, used in schools country wide as colour filters.

 

[jay clock]

slip a red condom over it

 

[rich p]

Chuffy, Wiggle had/have the Smaryt 1/2 watt lamp sets on offer if the paint option doesn't work. I seem to remember you were a fan of these. I've just bought 2 sets for rainy day use.

 

[Chuffy]

Paint won't work. It will effect the light output far too much to make it worth it. What you need is some coloured gel filters as used in the lighting industry. Have a google you should be able to pick it up pretty cheap or if you have a lighting/audio visual place nearby they might give you a bit for nowt if you don't need much. Glue it on somehow and job done.

EDIT: How big is the lamp? I used to have a swatch of gel filters that I might still have in a box somewhere. I'd be happy to send you the red bits. They were only about 3x7cm mind, but there were at least 5-10 shades of red so you might be able to fashion something from it. I'll have a look in the morning.

Thanks Kyuss (and Mr Goth). I was thinking of some glass paint, my concern was that it wouldn't be thick enough.

I'm going to use a glow ring, so I could attach the gel by screwing the glow ring over it at the edges. Hmmmm.......<strokes chin>

The lamp is about 3cm across, so those off-cuts would fit nicely. I'll PM you with an address later.

Thanks again,
Chuffy

 

[jimboalee]

Red opaque paint don't work.
Acetate works OK if the temperature is low. Quality street Strawberry creme.
Johnnies don't work, only if you don't want a family of little lamps tagging along.

I found Tamiya do a Translucent red paint for model cars rear lamps. BINGO!

 

[jimboalee]

PS. Its basically the same stuff Ford sprayed the inside of their rear lamps, so expect it to fade in twenty five years.

 

[Chuffy]

That's an interesting thought Jimbo, might give that a go.

Rich - I've got enough rear lights to stock an Amsterdam brothel, but one that plugs into my huge Lumi battery and will run for 60hrs and is brighter, physically larger and more powerful than any of the others kind of appeals...

 

[HLaB]

I found Tamiya do a Translucent red paint for model cars rear lamps. BINGO!

+ 1 , well they did 15 years ago.

 

[Chuffy]

+ 1 , well they did 15 years ago.

They still do! Bought a can at lunchtime and will be spraying the light this evening. I'll post some pics if it works.....

 

[Jonathan M]

Boy racers have various transleucent sparys to colour rear lights, plus maglite do plastic filters for their torch range, the Op may be able to get hold of one of those filters and use that.

 

[Chuffy]

Well, I applied some of the Tamiya translucent paint....

On the 1w LED bulb it gives a very pinky glow and proves that 1w spread over 15 tiny LEDs isn't actually that bright. It would still make a more than adequate rear light though.

So, I sprayed up a 5w halogen bulb.....

Not quite as Dinotte-tastic as I was expecting but it still gives a big red glow. Not as piercingly bright as my benchmark 1w BLT light but pretty damn good and closer to the car tail-light effect that I was after. It's less dazzling than the BLT, it gives a softer light, which might actually be safer. Pics tomorrow (too late tonight) and I'll see how it goes on the road.