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Blade Runner 2049 Spinner

October 24, 2019/in Uncategorized /by Randy Neubert

Getting Ready:

In this blog we’ll be going over the lighting kit instructions for Randy Cooper’s 1/12 scale 2049 spinner car from Blade Runner. First, unpack the electronic parts kit, read all documentation, and study the diagrams. Its also good practice to have your own research material prepared before starting the lighting process. Begin by reviewing all the model kit parts… getting a general idea of how the model comes together. We’ll be breaking down this model into three categories: lighting – strip lighting – effects lighting.

Circuit Board Info

This kit comes with two circuit boards, one is for general on lighting & the other is strobe & thruster effects. I have added some diagrams regarding the layout of the circuits to get a better understanding of the electronic.

ON LIGHTING:

In the kit is a 24-port driver board which will be used for some of the on-lighting features. When using this configuration, you have the choice of what resistor to choose from, and the different output levels for each LED. Using the 220-Ohm resistor will give the brightest output within a safe operating range. Using the 1.5K Ohm resistor will produce a dimmer output, giving the LED a much softer effect. All other LED’s will use the in-line resistor set up, as displayed in the diagram above.

STRIP LIGHTING:

There are three different types of strip.

50/50 Red Large LED’s this will be used for the main rear engine.

0805 Red Micro Strip this will be used for the lower rear engine slot.

0805 Micro Strip / Can be cut ever 3 leds

0805 White Micro Strip – this will be used for the light bars around the doors & main flood light bar in front.

Cut strip to fit these areas. NOTE the Strip can only be cut in 1” sections or every three LED’s.

When connecting the main positive & negative power wires to the strip, no inline resistor is used.

NOTE: When using the 0805 micro strip, the positive & negative hook-up pads are on the back side of strip. You will need to make the connection points at either end of the strip… if you try to hook them up in the middle of the strip, it will not work. You will need to also scratch off the clear coating on the pad with a hobby knife or blade. When getting ready to solder, do not try to hold the wire on the pad & solder at the same time. When the pad is prepared, solder two small balls to the strip pads first, then pre-tin the wire ends. Carefully solder one wire at a time to the solder ball, you should not have to re-apply more solder to the connection point. Make sure not to cross wire leads over the pads. All positive & negative LED’s can be ganged to one central point, and then be hooked to the main power along the buildup.

Solder on back side of strip, read instructions above

EFFECTS LIGHTING:

In the kit there is an effects circuit board, this will control the double strobe & engine pulse feature. The circuit is based on a high output channel function, meaning you will need to add an inline resistor for each LED (Please refer to the diagram above). It is best to wire the resistor to the LED on the positive side of the lead, and return all positives back to main side of power. The negative side will be hooked up to the effects board (Marked S1 S2 F1). The circuit board itself will also need power, to do this connect the positive & negative board wires to the main power hook up.

EFFECTS CHANNELS:

S1=Strobe effect 1 negative wire (RED TOP STROBE)

S2=Engine effect 0 negative wire (WHITE BOTTOM THRUSTER)

F1=Strobe effect 2 negative wire (WHITE BOTTOM STROBE)

Interior

The interior is one of the first areas that can be almost completely pre-built, painted and lit.

The large main monitor X-1 W 4.7mm large bookend style LED. Use 220-ohm resistors.

The smaller main monitor X-1 W 4.3mm small bookend style led. Again, use 220 ohm resistors.

All other dash boards, consoles, overhead console & back seat wall use the W 3.0mm leds. Use the 1.5K ohm resistor for all the areas above. You will need to make some modifications to the upper roof section by cutting in various trenches to lay the wiring in.

The door in side panel accent X-2 Y 3.0mm standard led for these areas. Use 1.5K ohm resistor.

Main Body Layout

The main body comes in upper & lower body halves. When setting up for the electronics, you will need to build the lighting into the upper-main body as a separate lighting system. The final result would see few wire connections between the upper and lower sections. Prefabricate, paint & mount leds as you move through the model construction, testing lighting as you go.

Exterior

The exterior has many light locations and will need to be installed along the build process.

Front main upper head lights X-2 W 5.0mm standard leds. Use 220-ohm resistor.

Front main lower head lights X-4 W 4.3mm small bookend style leds. Use 1.5 K ohm or 220-ohm resistor.

Front side wheel covers X-6 W 4.3mm small bookend style leds. Use 1.5 K ohm or 220-ohm resistor.

Front side upper turn signal X-2 R 3.0mm small standard style leds. Use 1.5 K ohm or 220-ohm resistor.

X-2 Lower Door accent 220 ohm resistor.

Top strobe 1 X-8 R 1.8mm super small led. Use 220-ohm resistors. Refer to reference material for locations.

Bottom strobe 2 X-8 W 1.8mm super small led. Use 220-ohm resistors. Refer to reference material for locations.

Rear main engine X-1 R 50/50 large strip leds. No resistor required. There will be some scratch building involved. A light box for the main rear engine area will need to be constructed.

Constructed light box for rear main engine

Rear lower engine band X-1 R micro strip. No resistor required, see NOTES on soldering instructions.

Rear lower engine band sides X-2 R 3.0mm standard LED. Use 1.5K ohm resistor.

Bottom Lower flood light bars X-1 W micro strip. No resistor required, see NOTES on soldering instructions.

Rear license plate – X-1 W 4.8mm wide angle led. Use 1.5 K ohm resistor.

Bottom rear engine thrusters – X-2 W 5.0mm standard leds. Use 220-ohm resistor. Refer to EFFECTS LIGHTING.

Photo Gallery

787 Dreamliner Lighting Kit

September 12, 2019/in Uncategorized /by Randy Neubert

Getting Ready:

In this blog we will be going over the general lighting kit for the passenger windows & cockpit. This lighting kit fits the Revell 1:144 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner model kit.

(INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS VER: 1)

Start by getting the two half-sections of the fuselage and test fitting them together. When lighting passenger window areas, you will need to light block the inside of the windows with paint. I personally suggest priming the surface first with white primer, followed with light gray primer. For the second coat, apply flat black & finish with another sheen of flat white. Test for full light block by using a bright light on both sides to see if you have any hot spots. Re-apply where need.

Second, you will need to scratch build a center support panel for mounting the strip lights. It is best to trace the main fuselage pattern on a piece of paper to create your polystyrene panel shape; it can be a little undersized, preferably to fit without binding inside the model. A piece of .030 polystyrene panel is suggested. When you’re happy with the fit, glue down some small hold down tabs to the panel, as this will provide anchor points inside the model. At this stage, it is advisable to scuff the inside of the window glass to get it ready for mounting. Finally, use a small amount of CA or white glue to hold the window glass in place.

Before you mount any of the passenger lighting, you must have all the other effect lights in place. The cockpit light can be placed in multiple areas… but for this project we mounted it on the back wall of the cockpit bulkhead. If you’re adding more effects, make all necessary hook-ups at this time. Pre wire & mount LED strip to each side of the panel, running it down the center until secure. Test fit the panel once more before final install. To add a nice touch of realism in the passenger lighting, black out some of the windows or cover up LED’s here and there. Before making the final closure of the fuselage, test all the lighting features, making sure to run main power leads outside of the model. Also pay close attention to any loose wires or areas that may fit too tight. Make any final adjustments and mount fuselage halves together. Most of the model can be pre-painted & finished prior to the final install. pre-fabricate electronics as much as you can before install, running wires to areas that cannot be easily accessed. If you have any questions please check our blog page or email me at randy@voodoofx.com.

Finished Comp Photos

Jabba’s Sail Barge Lighting Kit

September 12, 2019/in Uncategorized /by Randy Neubert

Getting Ready:

Lighting the Haslab Jabba’s sail barge. This style interior model lighting system can be tailored to fit many applications, for this project; let’s call it “compartment” lighting. A good place to start is by drawing out a rough plan of the zones you will be trying to light. Take into consideration where you will be hooking up the main power to the model; the on/off switch can be planned at this stage as well. Next find the most open and accessible point in the model, this will be the area to house the main LED driver or effect boards. The circuit board becomes the main hub for all the lighting effects, all the leds will be fed from this central location. It is advised to have an open access panel for the circuit boards if possible. The circuit board has ports for different resistor values to be used in the circuit, giving you the availability to control the light output to each individual light source (LED). Most kits come with 220 ohm resistors which will produce a bright lighting effect, or you may also have a 1.5K ohm resistor which produces a dimmer or duller effect. Depending on what effect you’re looking for; use the appropriate resistor value.

In most cases, interior model lighting is based on LED placement in the area to be lit. If you have open access to the back side of interior walls you can do a test mockup to find the best area to light. Try to prefabricate as much of the lighting where you have full access. It is good practice to test lighting as you go to make sure you have the LED’s properly connected & operational. When running wire, try to keep in mind that parts of the model will need to be modified to access wire. Avoid any pinching or kinking of the wire, and drill out wire porting where needed. The kit contains diffusion material… these are used to create a washed or distorted feature under the lighting. There are many ways to use the materials to produce lighting tricks; it is recommended to test out what is suitable for your application.

Mounting electronics & LED’s: Use small amounts of hot glue, using gaffing tape for security. Silicone is another way…but takes a long time to set and cure. CA is not recommended. Once all your lighting locations have been set in place, run the system to make sure all lighting is operational. After a short test run, button up any loose wiring & prepare the model for close-up; making sure not to pinch any wires in the process. If you have any questions please check our blog page or email me at randy@voodoofx.com