Colon light pipe

[Neil QQ]

Here's a 3D printed colon light pipe design for anybody that's interested.  A standard T2 neon lamp sits inside the pipe. 

Units=Inches

The pipe is 3D printed with clear material.  A scrap piece of tubing is used as a mask to block light transmission except for the colon dots.

The stl file is attached.

[martin martin]

I like it!

~

mcve...@gmail.com

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[gregebert]

What kind of material is it ? I've only used PLA, trouble-free for many years now, because others I know have had all sorts of problems with other materials.

[Neil QQ]

You can't really use a filament printer for something like this.  In order to obtain the right optical properties and hold mechanical tolerances, a UV cured resin printer must be used.  Because of my work I have access to several dozen different printers.  In the end I chose a Formlabs printer using  this resin:

 

Alternatively, one could use a 3D print service bureau such as Protolabs here in the U.S.

[Dekatron42]

It might also be possible to use ordinary LED light guides. A thin tube, metal or plastic, where you just drill holes for short LED light guides will probably work too.

Tektronix, and other instrument makers, used light guides for NE2 Neon indicators with either short light guides (sometimes without too) and in some cases long twisting light guides for indication on the front panel.

/Martin