Pt. 18 Corridor Floors and Lights

This is kind of a rather large update.  I got some photo etched flooring for the corridors so that I can light the edges, as in the movie. Also with the photo etch are part of the corridor wall light sconces.

And this is the model corridor flooring.

So I've removed the photo etch...

Because I want to light the floor edges, I have to cut away the plastic floor to allow light to shine through.  So I do this using my dremel tool with a circular saw blade.

And a test fit of the photo etch to make sure light will come through.

So time to prime the photo etch

A test fit of the photo etch and flooring in the corridor sections.

So then it's time to attach some LED strips to the underside of the flooring.  Plan is, that the LEDs will glow under the floor and the light will reflect up through the photo etch sides.

Then wired up for power

And the other 2 corridor sections as well

So before testing the lighting, there's also a step in the corridor, and the photo etch has a little piece to use for the step illumination.  So time to do some more cutting away of the plastic model.

You can see through the cutaway I've done.

And with the photo etch piece on top for a test fit.  Perfect.

So it's time to paint the belly of the corridor white so when the LED are on, they will reflect evenly and up through the photo etch.

And a test light of the corridor step...

And test light of the corridor floor edging.

There are also 3 panel covers to go in the long corridor section. These panels are for control of lights and doors.

So time to do some more dremel work.  Drilling out a hole in one corridor piece...

And making sure light will shine through the photo etch.

And more dremel drilling and testing for light pass through.

So far everything is lookin' good.  So time to prime the photo etch...

And paint black.

Then the back side of the etch I've painted some areas where I want colored light to shine.

While there are decals for the photo etch, I'll only be using the large "E" photo etch decal.  The "A" and "B" decals don't matter, since the panels are actually black in the movie.

So decals are applied to the one piece I'd like to use them with.

The other 2 panels will remain black as stated before.

So LED's are placed and attached appropriately within the model to light the panels.  I've also added some paper to the backside of my cutouts to diffuse the light so it won't be so harsh.

And a test light of the panels.

I've also done some more cutting away of the hold area where there are also steps to the corridors.

This particular curved corridor floor has some light leak where it meets with the 2 intersecting corridors.  So I've cut some styren pieces and glued to the underside and painted the same floor color so they will block leaking light.

So it's on to the wall sconces.  So here is the photo etch sconce, which is very small, as can be seen in the second photo.

So my plan is to use some 1/32" styrene tubing and ground down the end to make a round shape.  Then insert another Styrene rod in the center to fill in the hole.

Then cut off the end of the tube and glue to the photo etch.

 Then prime...

  and paint.

Then a hole drilled in a cushion section

The cushion is backed with a piece of paper, once again, to diffuse the light from the LED.

 And a test lighting of a sconce.  Perfect.

So then the remaining holes are drilled int he corridor...

more sconces made....

LED holders attached to the backside of the corridor wall to hold the LEDs...

and LEDs attached and wired.

Then holes drilled int he remaining corridor sections...

And more LED holders.

This section is now wired up using a breadboard to solder to for easy removal and addition of LEDs.

AND FINALLY.  A test lighting of the completed corridors.

So there you have it.  The corridors basically finished.  I still have some more to do to the hold area itself in some tiny little details, but the interior is now extremely closed to being finished.


So stay tuned.  MUCH MORE TO COME....