I am presently building the Walthers 2-Stall engine house and attempting some interior detailing. Other than the Tichy lampshade reflectors (among others) has anyone made their own scratchbuilt lighting reflector lampshades for overhead use in a shop space like this model? I would appreciate any plans, images, assistance on this.
I have no idea what ‘type’ of reflectors you are referring to. I use the round type reflector that is real life tend to be green in color and contain a single light source in the center of the underside. I make my own using a very simple device. I put a length of brass rod of the appropriate diameter into a motor tool and I turned the end with files with the tool running on it’s lowest speed. I left a long ‘nipple’ in the center of the turned section of the rod and gave the rest of the end of the rod the typical ‘hat’ shape I use for reflectors. This gives me a male pattern and I shape aluminum foil over the end of the brass rod. I burnish the aluminum until the folds and interior defects disappear and then I turn the rod and trim the reflector to the diameter I want it to be. I also trim the center of the reflector to remove the part that has fit up the nipple, leaving a small hole for the installation of the LED with a stout enough lead to hold the reflector over a door or over steps and the like.
If I misunderstood what it it you’re looking for you have my appology. If my system works for you have at it.
Tom
Steam contains a lot of hot air, just like most of us modelers
I’ve been thinking on making my own as well. While I have a lathe, I would rather not make all that I need that way. I’m thinking thin brass sheet and paper-punch or regular hole punches for suitable size and then use a small ballpeen hammer as a die and give it a whack with another hammer into a block of wood. The conduit would be of appropriate diameter brass cut to length and bent to whatever shape is required. I thought about using the brass as a conductor for one lead and running only one wire through the tube but I haven’t checked to see if that would still be too big.
Photos, or better yet, video would be very helpfull here.