# Improving on the Prop Lantern



## Zombie-F

At the Massachusetts Make and Take yesterday, gmacted (or was it HalloweenZombie?) presented the idea of covering the LED inside the LED lantern with something to diffuse the light and make it look more flame like. I liked the idea and tried an experiment today. I heaped a little bit of clear silicone RTV onto the LED and shaped it like a tiny little flame. The results are pretty cool if you ask me! Thanks for the idea guys.

I also did some distressing with this lantern, using only sandpaper to sand away the paint here and there. I also dulled the gloss on the paint by rubbing the entire lantern with Denatured Alcohol. I plan on finishing the look by frosting the glass with some glass etching gel (from Michael's) and then smearing on some diluted black paint to make the glass globe look like it's a little charred.

Hopefully, I can find a way to squash a LED flicker circuit in there to complete the prop.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/Zombie-F/Lantern%202_0/0801140006.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/Zombie-F/Lantern%202_0/0801140007.jpg​


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## Brad Green

Don't know if this is of any help Zombie, but I pirated one of the flicker circuits from those GE flickering tea lights and adapted it to my lantern. The unit is apout the size of a fingernail and it worked out fairly well.


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## Revenant

ZF, I bought a 10-pack of flickers from these guys http://stores.ebay.com/APM-Engineering-Mall cheap and the circuit boards are smaller and thinner than a dime. 2 bucks for the PCBs, 6.50 shipping. I haven't mailed to ask them about combined shipping yet but even if they wont it's 85 cents for a nice flicker circuit with LED included. Very tiny, hide 'em anywhere. I'm kicking around the idea of hiding them in a piece of clothing (imagine a HauntForum logo T-shirt with firelight flickering in the windows? )


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## Bone Dancer

Thanks guys, I was going to refit my lanterns for next season with leds. This info will help out a lot.


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## heresjohnny

85 cents a pop for LED flicker, thats awesome.

One nice thing about LED flicker is that you can use Ultrabright LEDs and diffuse them. I have seen store bought diffusers, and I have also used hot glue on the end of an LED as a diffuser. If you can find a place to tuck the batteries pack away you can also use alternate batteries, I have used 2 and 4 AA battery packs successfully, and they last forever. I have never tried a 9 volt battery. 

Last year I used some hacked LED tea lights with the ultrabrights and a cheapo BigLots lantern with my monster mud prop, I really liked the effect I got from the lantern.


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## Sickie Ickie

yep. Just about to say, those tea lights can be bought at the dollar store now, 1 or two to a pack. Mods (if needed) can be done from those.


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## Bone Dancer

I just remembered, I picked up some three packs right after Halloween last year. Now where did I put them


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## Zombie-F

Revenant said:


> ZF, I bought a 10-pack of flickers from these guys http://stores.ebay.com/APM-Engineering-Mall cheap and the circuit boards are smaller and thinner than a dime. 2 bucks for the PCBs, 6.50 shipping. I haven't mailed to ask them about combined shipping yet but even if they wont it's 85 cents for a nice flicker circuit with LED included. Very tiny, hide 'em anywhere. I'm kicking around the idea of hiding them in a piece of clothing (imagine a HauntForum logo T-shirt with firelight flickering in the windows? )


Thanks for this link! I just bought 20 of them and 20 of the battery holders, so I should be more than all set for a while. These are perfect. And to think, I was actually going to t-tech some prototype boards myself and try to squash them into the housing.


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## Zombie-F

Slightly off-topic... can you believe the guy selling the LED circuits and battery holders for them won't combine shipping on any of his auctions? Wish I'd read that before I bid on the items. Oh well, he'll just get some good old neutral feedback from me... after he's already left me a positive. 

Back on-topic...
Does anyone know where I can get some glass etching dip in an amount that I'd be able to dip one of these lantern's globes into? The etching cream doesn't do such a great job and needs a few applications to fully frost the glass.


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## gmacted

Zombie-F said:


> At the Massachusetts Make and Take yesterday, gmacted (or was it HalloweenZombie?) presented the idea of covering the LED inside the LED lantern with something to diffuse the light and make it look more flame like. I liked the idea and tried an experiment today. I heaped a little bit of clear silicone RTV onto the LED and shaped it like a tiny little flame. The results are pretty cool if you ask me! Thanks for the idea guys.


That was my idea. I'm glad it worked out.


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## Lotus

I hope you bring that to the next make and take


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## Otaku

Zombie-F said:


> Does anyone know where I can get some glass etching dip in an amount that I'd be able to dip one of these lantern's globes into? The etching cream doesn't do such a great job and needs a few applications to fully frost the glass.


Z - I've been using the spray-on glass frosting stuff. I think I got it at Michael's. I've got a couple of Big Lots lanterns that have lasted for over two years with no peeling.


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## Zombie-F

Otaku said:


> Z - I've been using the spray-on glass frosting stuff. I think I got it at Michael's. I've got a couple of Big Lots lanterns that have lasted for over two years with no peeling.


I used that same stuff a few years ago on my original lantern and it yellowed and peeled off after the first year. Of course, I keep the lantern outdoors for a time, so that may have something to do with it.


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## Zombie-F

Lotus said:


> I hope you bring that to the next make and take


I will be sure to. Once I have it finished with the circuit and the frosted glass, it should look pretty impressive.


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## Frighteners Entertainment

One thing to mention about the etching compound,it seems to make the glass more brittle. I'm finding the globes are much easier to break after the etching process.


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## Bone Dancer

Just a thought. Do you think a clear satin finish spray enamel would work?


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## Otaku

Frighteners Entertainment said:


> One thing to mention about the etching compound,it seems to make the glass more brittle. I'm finding the globes are much easier to break after the etching process.


I imagine it would be - I haven't used glass etching compounds, but I'll bet there's a lot of phosphoric acid in them. It's one of the few acids that can attack glass.


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## heresjohnny

I was reading about this last night, etching compounds use Hydroflouric acid, which dissolves the glass and is very dangerous undiluted. I use a light misting of gray spray paint myself, and hot glue for a diffuser shaped like a flame.


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## BudMan

I used to etch car windows with a product called Armor Etch. It was available at craft stores. The longer it sat, the "darker" the etching. I would imagine you could find it at Michaels.


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## hawkchucker

After reading Zombie's responce on the spray frosting I did a little experiment with mine and left the globe outside in the New england weather for the past week. I have not had any problem with the peling, or any flaking. I applied the spray to the inside of the glass, and I dont know if that has anything to do wtih it.


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## SpectreTTM

Has anyone ever tried Sand Blasting the Globe?

I have a sand blaster but have not had a chnce to add the 220V 
needed to run my compressor since I moved to the new house.


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## BlinkyTheHouse Elf

I like the idea of the defuse bulb that sounds cool but like the other I was just going to use paint to smoke up the globe part , mainly because that is what I have on hand.
oops, now where did I put my hand?


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## Death Master

SpectreTTM, I sand blast my globes and it works very well, I also use black paint at the top to smoke the globe.


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## Dr Morbius

SpectreTTM said:


> Has anyone ever tried Sand Blasting the Globe?
> 
> I have a sand blaster but have not had a chnce to add the 220V
> needed to run my compressor since I moved to the new house.


Plug it into your clothes dryer outlet.


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## SpectreTTM

Dr Morbius said:


> Plug it into your clothes dryer outlet.


Hey Doc,

Great Idea but I don't think my wife would like the idea.
I think I'll put in the outlet when the weather gets nicer.


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## Denhaunt

Has anyone thought about using the globe of the lantern as a "real" candle globe for a few evenings. My wife has some simular looking globes that she puts around/over the candles (very pretty - but a real pain in the butt to clean afterwards). All of the soot builds up toward the top. Might be nice touch. I'm in the process of making a lantern right now. I'll give it a shot. 

On a side note - I wouldn't do this with plastic globes and you would certainly want to make sure that the top of the globe was open to allow the heat to escape. Just a thought.


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## Bone Dancer

I wonder if clear spray with a satin finish would work, maybe with a touch of brown and black on the top edges.


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## tonguesandwich

To get that oil dirty look, do what some of the pros do, spray it with Design Master Floral Spray/ Glossy Wood Tone. Michaels should have it.


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