Light leaks

Ask and answer questions, share tips and resources for installing lighting and other electronics in your models.

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belkin321
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Location: Arizona

Light leaks

Post by belkin321 »

What is best color to paint inside model to prevent light showing thru
nick
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Location: Cranbourne, home of the Phillip Island Motorcycle Grand Prix Run. And the amazing meteorite display!

Post by nick »

I spray the insides black. This is probably the best colour to use.
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belkin321
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:26 am
Location: Arizona

Light leaks

Post by belkin321 »

Thanks
belkin321
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:26 am
Location: Arizona

Light leaks

Post by belkin321 »

Thanks
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dizzyfugu
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Post by dizzyfugu »

Black "sucks up" a lot of light. It really depends on what you want to achieve. If it is just for light blocking, a black coat will be fine (make sure to seal seams!), but if you use the model als a "lamp", white might be a better option for even light distribution.

For blocking light I also had good success with a special Chrome Silver paint from the rattkle can - actually, the result was not chrome-like at all, but the soft paint created a thick and really opaque layer, better than any acrylic spray paint.
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chiver
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Post by chiver »

i use the chrome as well. works well for me.
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nick
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Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:25 am
Location: Cranbourne, home of the Phillip Island Motorcycle Grand Prix Run. And the amazing meteorite display!

Post by nick »

Like you said, black 'sucks up' a lot of the light. Silver will just reflect it all around the interior of the model until it finds a small seam and then will show through. Black is best to 'absorb' the light.
Make sure there are no seams, even better is to use black electrical tape around all/or most seam lines to definitely block any possibility of light escaping. This works really quite well.

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TREKKRIFFIC
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Post by TREKKRIFFIC »

Another great product for light blocking is black Tulip Fabric Paint. It's water based and goes on thick. Great if you have assembled and finished painting a model and notice a tiny light leak in a seamline. You can dab some Tulip on it, wipe off the excess with a wet rag or your finger, and no more light leak. Saves you having to putty, sand, and do touchup.
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