MV lenses question

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

In HO scale, the best headlight lenses I’ve found for steam locomotives are lenses offered by MV Products. The only thing I don’t like about them is the difficult-to-remove reflective backing if I want to use the lens and illuminate it from behind with an electric bulb.

I have had some success using a Dremel brass brush to buff off the silver coating. That leaves the back pretty well scratched. It can somewhat be repaired by applying Future floor wax.

Is there a better way to remove the backing? I am not comfortable gluing an incandescent 14V grain of wheat bulb to the backing because of the heat.

2

Try 600 grit sandpaper, wet/dry.

3

Scott,

You can experiment and lightly rub tiny spot with acetone as this works on some types of plastics.

Curious, have you considered using LED bulbs? They’re bright and give off no heat.

4

No, I haven’t tried LEDs. Although there was a recent advert/article advocating using them that has pretty much changed my mind. Also, the availability of LEDs small enough to fit in HO headlights makes it a much better fit than before. Any recommendations to mfgr. and source for them?

5

Best way I ever found to handle lighting an MV lens is this. First drill a hole thru the back of the headlight casting, and if necessary the smoke box front if a centered mounted headlight. Take a drill, size I use is 1/32nd", or smaller depending on the lens size, and drill a hole from the back of the lens thru the silver backing, approx. 1/2 to 3/4 of the way thru the lens. Make sure this hole is at the center of the lens. secure a small piece of brass tubing, or light tubing to the back of the lens. insert the tubing into the headlight, thru the holes into the smokebox front. Place the light bulb into the brass tubing or behind the light tubing, connecting to the power source. Paint the area of the tubing sticking out of the smokebox front the same color as the smokebox front. This does two things. Hides the light source where there will be no leakage, and provides a simulated glowing “bulb” that appears to be behind the front of the lens.
This method was taught to me by another custom painter I met when I was a teenager. Although the light is not very bright, it is extrememly convincing that you’re looking at a scale lightbulb located between the lens front and the reflector

6

This is the method I have used for years with good results. A member of my cl

7

Thank you both for the replys. I will try both ideas on my current project. When I used the Dremel to buff off the backing, I stuck the front of the lens face down on a piece of doubled-over blue masking tape and it did not move, even with the Dremel running at 1,000 rpm.

8

Richmonds Controls is one of the companies for the SMT LEDS, but I am not sure they sell them with leads attached. The surface mount technology (SMT) LED’s are so small, you can fit two into an F unit regular headlight in HO.

http://www.richmondcontrols.com/

Loy’s Toys sell the SMT LED’s in bright or sunny bright color. They offer them with leads attached and that is the way I purchase them since I do not have an electronic Micro scope to solder the leads to the small LED. I use them in place of the micro bulbs in steam and diesel headlight. I believe you can get them from Tony’s Trains also.

Unless you have some magnification device to use for soldering the leads, better to puchase them with the leads. The leads are of coated extremely small wire are are insulated until you touch them with a soldering iron. or scrape them with an exacto.