Lighting advise wanted

[stripes]

I am building the "Saw Filers Shack" for my layout and the spring competition. It is very fine laser cut wood, and I was looking for recomendations as to how best light it without getting that glowing wall effect?
I know that I have painted the interior walls and taped the seams on other structures, mostly plastic/resin so the light will not glow. But this seems so thin!
What are your idea`s please!

David

 

[lester perry]

There are 1.5 volt lights that are rather dim. I have used them for lights over porches but don't remember where I got them. Be carefull though some are extremely bright
Les

 

[doctorwayne]

If you can incorporate it into the structure (between the outer and inner walls) if the building is going to have a finished interior, black construction paper works well, as would black Strathmore board (cardstock).

Wayne

 

[stripes]

lighting advice

Ok, this is the stucture that I am building, http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=27439

And as you can see , it has lots of windows and is very thin laser cut wood. So construction paper or cardstock really does not seem like an option???
Here is the walls and floor with the primer coat.

David

 

[Chaparral]

I think whatever you do - short of lining the interior with light absorbing black material - you will not be satisfied with the effect since the building is mostly windows. Try a couple GWBs in opaque glass tubes tucked into the ceiling.

Hippys had psychedelic curtains and hangings over doors and windows so maybe that's a freebee detail you can exploit to disguise or diffuse any interior lighting.

Hippys were squatters,mostly, with the chartreuse Vee Dub micro bus never far away.
They had lava lamps, adored beaded curtains and candles, and if the moment moved them, said 'reet man' and 'far out' a lot. They 'played' bongos and improvised instruments to beats in their heads reciting impromtu ethereal themes their audience seemed to always hear and understand.
Oh, wait, that was the beatniks.

 

[ezdays]

You really don't have much choice if you want light to come through the windows. In my estimation, if you can't use black paper, your only other choice is to paint the inside of the wall with black acrylic. It's also by far the easiest option as well.

 

[stripes]

You are probably right Don, But until it is finished and posted in the 07 Spring competition I can`t put a light in it anyway! Right?
David

 

[EngineerKyle]

Just wondering...

What if you lined the interior walls with aluminum foil?

 

[doctorwayne]

Am I missing something here? This structure would be easy to line with black construction paper: do two opposite walls with a short fold at one end of each to lap onto one adjacent wall, then the other two opposite walls, done similarily. I'd use contact cement for this, but that's mainly 'cause I'm not a big fan of wood construction for models. That should keep warping to a minimum. Simply use a sharp blade to remove the material from the window openings: before installing the windows if they're a tight fit, or after, if there's going to be a gap around them. This would seal the walls and the corners, plus around the door and window openings. The same paper could be used to seal the ceiling, and the addition of a trim moulding on the inside around the perimeter should seal any gaps, whether the roof/ceiling is removeable or not. The foil idea is also a good one, although it might be a bit trickier to install.

Wayne

 

[stripes]

I might try that Wayne, or just paint the interior and see how it looks.

David

 

[ezdays]

Wayne,

You are right, using acrylic might cause the thin wood to warp, but other than the paper, there's not too many choices left. I would think that the foil would tend to reflect the light and cause an undesireable look to the inside. That's just speculation though....

 

[doctorwayne]

Yeah, the foil would be impervious to light, but would have to be painted after installation. It would also be difficult to install on an already assembled model, but it's a good idea if done before the walls are put together.

Wayne