Pintopower 1456 Posted August 30, 2014 I like lights. No, I love lights. The problem is, many of the Tamiya cars I have barely have buckets for the fronts. I have now decided that with 3D printing, LED's and some wire, there is no reason I cannot have lights everywhere. For example, my Beetle, 10 with individual lights installed (three in each tail lamp): My wheeler with 3D printed head lamps and fog lamps: 4 bulbs in each tail light: Custom lenses: I have had a lot of questions about the headlights. They are available on shape ways if anyone is interested. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/AmPro These were both kinna easy. I decided to kick it up a notch with this little guy: So far, lenses and buckets have been made in CAD (Pro/E). They were printed at shapeways: The tail light has a bezel for the LED are all separated to prevent light diffusion. It attaches to the inside of the body where as the lens replaces the one that needs to be painstakingly removed from the body. The front was simpler but cooler. The real car has side driving lights and turn signals in 2 pods within a single lamp. I decided to have the turn signal bulb just slot into the lamp and the driving light will be illuminated by fiber optics, taking light off of the main headlight unit. I tested it and it seems to work better than I anticipated. Step one was to score the tail lamps inside the housing lines: Then I drilled them so I could get pliers in there to start to pull out the plastic chunks: Once I did that, the scored plastic broke cleanly off giving this look. Mind you, this if before I have done any finishing in that area. It was rather simple to do. Then a test fit of the lens. It went in perfectly! I test fit the bucket and it went in swimmingly. I then went to the front end. This markers were nasty to model so I knew cutting them out was also going to be a bad operation. Still, slowly but surely, it worked. Here is the marker installed: It did require a tiny bit of work but it fits nearly perfect. no one was more surprised as me that these actually went in. From the inside you will see how the upper lamp has an LED bucket for a 3mm unit but the lower is nothing more than a light tube which will fit into the side of the headlamp buckets. Next I need to cut out the head lights but I know that will be messy so I will do that outside tomorrow. I am hoping to start the paint job also. That will be about as far from box art as you can get. I am thinking about something like this: Ill keep everyone posted! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grastens 2795 Posted August 30, 2014 I do like how you make "light work" of your models! The Pajero is a great subject for them, too. Your Wheeler is inspiring as well. Looking forward to seeing more progress! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteveU30 1011 Posted August 30, 2014 Wow, I'm loving your work so far! Might I suggest investing in a Dremel though? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zomboided 374 Posted August 30, 2014 That is really great work, so much more than just shoving an LED in a bucket What SteveU30 said though, once you get over the fact that Dremel's are a girls "power" tool, you'll never look back! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterbok 1282 Posted August 30, 2014 WOW, wow, WOW, yes light, there cant be enough of those (and driver figurs) your designs do real justice to those cars. way better than my fiddling All still in the prototyping fase Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted August 30, 2014 Haha! I do have a dremel but it was to dangerous to use with the sharp edges of the tail lamps and side markers. I will be using the dremel for the head lamps. Waterbok- that looks great! What buckets are you using? Mine are from the hilux but have to be popped in from the rear. Yours go in from the front it looks like? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterbok 1282 Posted August 30, 2014 No idea, those lights came with a Willy M38 I bought years ago, think they are normaly used on model ships. Are quite heavy as they are made from metal, but yes they go in front as they happen to be a perfect fit for the holes a previous owner made in the Pajero shell. Wow just found out that the big one costs 30€ here is one from Reely that fits a 22mm hole, and here they have a whole collection Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted August 30, 2014 Oh wow they look like they used to be used as spot lamps. Very cool! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted August 30, 2014 Ok, I was building a bench this morning but now I need to let the paint dry. In the mean time, I have been working on the Pajero. The standard lamp looks well molded as I am sure many of you are familiar with: That is, until I drilled it: After some dremel tool usage, we have this. please note that the head lamps are offset upwards, hence the fact that they are not centered vertically. This was rather easy to do, just take some time and they come out really good. The head light buckets from the Toyota Hilux had to be trimmed so that the lens would sit flush with the bezel. I didnt want to do this but the bezel has far to large a diameter to sit into the headlight bezel on the truck shell. The fun part was drilling a hole in the side of the bucket for the fiber optics. From the back: And from the front with the lens on. The light pipe will need to be trimmed so that it cups itself around the LED for maximum lighting. We will see how this plays out! Ill keep you all posted. Next I need to paint the body before I assemble the lights. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterbok 1282 Posted August 30, 2014 U got to love those Tamiya buckets, they are so handy. Makes a world of difference 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neverfollow 599 Posted September 1, 2014 Great work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted September 3, 2014 Some more updates. Just getting the paint work done. The grill is shot in black and the rear bumper is argent. The stripes are next. I use lexan paint for these as lexan paint is VERY thin. As I will have many layers, it is the only way to make that happen without using an air brush. Problem is that lexan paint in high doses will eat polystyrene paint so you need very thin layers. Any thick areas will bubble the primer. I know it does not look like yellow, but I assure you it is: I masked the areas I wanted to keep yellow: and then I painted it orange. No pix yet as it was getting dark. I did also paint the "luggage" at the rear of the car but only have a shot of it before I painted the suitcase so the whole thing is silver still: You really need to think 4th dimensionally when painting stripes in this method. It is even worse when you use polycarbonate body paint as it covers absolutely nothing. It is practically transparent. I rather enjoy using aerosol cans so I cant foresee me getting an airbrush in the near future. As long as you know over spray will find all holes in your masking, you will be fine. Ill be painted the red this evening. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted September 9, 2014 OK the body is all painted! I just have to do the bed area and paint and detail the fuel drum and luggage. That was not easy but it was sure worth it! Nothing quite like peeling off all those masks and seeing the results. Here is it primered, again, after all the base color layers. And then right after the copper coat. Man I do love this color! I have to say that I was very unhappy with the new testors clear coat. It is not like the old stuff that looked like you covered the car in the sweat from an angel it was so shinny. This stuff is really thin and dries pretty glossy but not what I am used to. Anyone have any problems with that also? What kinds of clears are you using? I am in the USA so keep that in mind. Bumpers need detailing still as well as the door jams. Then I did a test fit of my custom lenses. Man those look killer! I was so happy when I saw how they came out. Next comes the electronics. This thing is going to blow my other works away. There is also another element I designed that I haven't shown you yet. That should change up the look slightly. I'll keep you posted. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
berman 5315 Posted September 10, 2014 Looks like a factory fitment, and that Jero paintjob just rocks my socks! Well done, that's some talent right there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shodog 1835 Posted September 10, 2014 Fantastic work. Would love to see you do something about fitting lights to a Blazing Blazer shell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted September 10, 2014 Thanks guys! Fantastic work. Would love to see you do something about fitting lights to a Blazing Blazer shell. I don't think that would be hard at all. I have been dying to model up the correct tail lights for the Blazer shell, not those weird things Tamiya put on there. If I had a shell, I would do it but unless I have something to measure, I cant help you unfortunately. I am working on the Ranger/Blackfoot head and taillights right now as well as getting rid of the stupid Pumpkin tail lamps in favor of the correct ones that Tamiya blatantly ignored. Then Vanessa will get some illumination! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted September 10, 2014 I am really loving the lights and detail work, it's absolutely on the money. All great subjects that have just got a lot better! Keep up the good work and adding to this thread. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteveU30 1011 Posted September 10, 2014 OMG I've been dreaming of some proper lights for my Blackfoot for ages, I would certainly buy a couple of sets if you do make them! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
berman 5315 Posted September 11, 2014 ... as well as getting rid of the stupid Pumpkin tail lamps in favor of the correct ones that Tamiya blatantly ignored. Hello, I am listening... :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisRx718 4470 Posted September 11, 2014 OMG I've been dreaming of some proper lights for my Blackfoot for ages, I would certainly buy a couple of sets if you do make them! I second this notion! Your work is amazing, like factory-fit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted September 12, 2014 Wow thanks everyone! I am glad you like them. I have added a new thread about upcoming lighting: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=74274 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crash Cramer 617 Posted September 16, 2014 It all looks great to me, did you use Transparent orange and red on the molded lights to give them color as well as seeing the lights through the paint??? Copper Jero, that is something you don't see everyday, I suspect that window I sent you will find its way into this project??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pintopower 1456 Posted September 16, 2014 Yup, they are transparent. I really dig the copper. I re-clear coated with some Duplicolor automotive paint. It looks great now! And yes, the window goes here, along with Willy driving. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites