# Fiber Optics



## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

Has anyone tried using Fiber Obtic cable to get a nice, non-point light for something like eyes? I like the whole eye-glow effect, but really don't like the artificial point source of an LED. 

I was thinking about inserting a bunch of FO lines all around the cavity of an eye socket. Then either I would cut the cable off flush with the surface or even pointed backwards to the rear of the cavity. Bunch up the strains and light them with an LED. Since the LEDs are fairly directional, you wouldn't lose a lot of light...


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

I've wanted to use fiber optics in all sorts of ways, but they've always seemed on the pricey side. If you know of a cheap source, I'd be much obliged for a hookup.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

I did something like that a few years back. Used a couple high brightness red leds with a small AA battery pack that had a switch on it. I drilled into the fronts of the leds so they'd accept the fiber and glued it in place and covered that with black tape to keep the light in. I mounted a strand of fiber behind each side of the frame of an old pair of glasses. At the hinge points I bent the fiber back around to point at my eyes held in place with some hot melt. People freaked out when they saw my eyes start glowing for no apparent reason. I would think the same idea could be applied to a mask.

I got mine years ago at the local Radio Shack pretty cheap. You can use jacketed or get un-jacketed and pull some insulation off a piece of wire to use as a jacket.

Good cheap jacketed cable here:

http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Jacketed.htm

This place sells mostly un-jacketed and the prices are pretty high (you can do much better for leds on ebay):

http://thefiberopticstore.com/FOS-mainpage.htm


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

I have not specifically tried fiber optics for the effects you mention. Though when I need a non-point source of light, I have been known to use a diffused LED or even lightly sand the tip off a normal LED to make it more diffused.

There are so many LED styles, sizes, etc out there these days, seems like it would almost be easier to just run a specific LED for the effect you want.


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