# "Flamebulb"



## Dave Leppo (May 16, 2012)

I bought two of these for testing. They look pretty cool, just as advertised, but I need to devise a way to obscure the LED boards (and the glass) from view, while maximizing the flicker effect. Maybe a very translucent plastic candle tube of some sort.

any ideas?

http://www.flamebulb.com/


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Breaking the glass off should 'obscure' it pretty well. The you'd also have access to paint the LED board flat black which should help there, too. Possibly use a small brush to go around the LEDs, or paint the whole thing and lightly buff the paint back off the LED lens.

PS - if you go with the paint route, you might also test your paint on a few LEDs first or clearcoat first, then go black. I sprayed a couple of bare LED strips flat black for hiding purposes...turns out the paint is slightly conductive so some LEDs are very dimly lit even when they should be off due to conductance through the paint.


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## Fright Boy (Oct 1, 2014)

What are you wanting to put it in? I would say if you frosted the glass on one of those railroad lanterns it would cover it up nicely. It all depends on the intended application.


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## Dave Leppo (May 16, 2012)

It's a valid suggestion, corey, but I hesitate to disassemble the bulb. These things aren't cheep. 

FB, your idea is not bad, but the flame in a real lantern seldom flickers to this degree. This definitely mimics an open candle.

What I would like to try is to make a fake candle out of clear tubing, and then fog up the top rim to blur the view of the bulb. Then, I can see the flickering light and not the hardware, as if the wax tube left from burning is very thin. Does that make sense?


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Agreed on the 'not cheap' part... good thing I was sitting down when I looked at the price! 

Though conversely, I shudder at the thought of paying all that money for 'the look', just to obscure it behind a foggy glass or piece of plastic. I wonder if you could very lightly fog the glass with black spray paint or put a piece of black 'scrim' fabric around the bulb. People often use black scrim to add contrast to LCD projector 'Hallowindows' it might have the same effect with the bulb.

You might also consider 'dancing flame' LED candles. These project a LED on a fluttering piece of plastic and have a pretty realistic 'candle flame' effect when viewed from more than a few feet away.


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## Dave Leppo (May 16, 2012)

I removed the glass. I guess i've owned them long enough to risk it. They look a lot better. You still have to use frosted glass, or "smudge" it up just enough to hide the LED dots, but they really look cool now.


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