Or interior accents can be made this way.
You will need:
A roll of METEL duct tape
A bunch of pigtails and Bulbs (whatever size/type suits your application. smaller or LEDs will generate less heat so the light tube will last longer)
Some surplus hunks of thick (1" or more) plexiglass/lexan
A handfull of 1/4" plexiglass rods
1" (or larger) plexi or lexan shipping tubes
(the last 2 can be clear if you use colored bulbs, or whatever color light you want --just make sure its translucent. Opaque wont transmit light)
A sheet of hardware-store flouresent light difuser.
A tube of crazy glue
#1/ Make "plugs" for the ends of your tube with the heavy plexi and a holesaw. If you cant find the plexi, go to the doller store and get some HDPE (otherwise known as a polyethelene cutting board
and crazy-glue together enough layers to make it thick enough )
#2/ Drill out one end of the "plug" to take your bulb and socket (exactly how will depend on your socket. If all else fails make a piece out of thin plexi to take the socket and glue that in place)
#3/ Cut the 1/4" rod to length (about 12-24" is good) and polish the cut ends (it wont transmit light unless its polished smooth. Those cotton polishing pads that come with a dremmel work well for this).
#4 Cut the difuser into strips that will fit inside the lexan tube.
#5/ Insert the rod into the plugs and use a few dabs of crazy glue on the joint AFTER the rod is in place (taking care not to get glue on the ends of the rod and ruining your nice polishing job)
#6/ Assemble the difuser under the rod inside the tube, and use a bead of crazy glue to seal the assembly at both ends.
#7/ Put a layer of the metel duct tape around the top 1/2 of the tube to act as a reflector and put the light on the ground where you want it.
#8/ Mount using adel clamps, wire it up and throw the switch.
If it blows you are in for a new 99 cent bulb rather than a $50 neon transformer. Its not as bright as neons, but close. If you want to brighten it up just shorten the individual assemblies so there are more bulbs in a run.
Rice.....Part of a balanced Pontiac diet.
I'll take/post some in a week /couple of weeks......... when I get around to making a set for this car. Last ones got sold with the car they were on.
Rice.....Part of a balanced Pontiac diet.
