One Clear Sidemarker installed and the other... well...
01-07-2005, 01:15 PM
#1
One Clear Sidemarker installed and the other... well...
well this is what i get for trying to experiment. i'm not too worried about this thing being f-ed up. oh well, i like the way the clear looks. i put the amber in the oven to see what temp would be good to get it to open up because very soon i will be doing some LED modifications to the clear ones. i wanted to use the amber as an experiment, and well.... you see.
01-07-2005, 01:34 PM
#6
lol why didnt you ask me that!
Ive tried everything possible to open them up.
heating, freezing, a combination, chiseling, grinding, praying. not even god almighty can get those damn things apart in one peice.
the one set I did get open, I did so by completely grinding the other half away, took 2 sets, grinded the back off a set of clears to get just the clear part, and the amber part off to get a back. unfortunatly my goal of creating a smoked reflector that didnt have any tint on the lens was futile when I learned the clear reflectors are actually white all by themselves, even on a black backing.
Ive tried everything possible to open them up.
heating, freezing, a combination, chiseling, grinding, praying. not even god almighty can get those damn things apart in one peice.
the one set I did get open, I did so by completely grinding the other half away, took 2 sets, grinded the back off a set of clears to get just the clear part, and the amber part off to get a back. unfortunatly my goal of creating a smoked reflector that didnt have any tint on the lens was futile when I learned the clear reflectors are actually white all by themselves, even on a black backing.
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01-08-2005, 05:16 PM
#8
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Sorry, I don't mean to laugh at your attempt, those melted sidemarkers just look hilarious!
Sorry, I don't mean to laugh at your attempt, those melted sidemarkers just look hilarious!
Last edited by 2004z; 01-08-2005 at 05:57 PM.
01-08-2005, 05:46 PM
#9
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I was able to break apart the sidemarker by simply using a blade and a thin flat-head screwdriver.
Start by taking your razor blade and slicing into the seam, between the orange and gray pieces. It's best to start at a corner and work your way out.
When you finally have a corner worked free, meaning you can jam a screwdriver in there, keep slicing along the length of the sidemarker. Basically, you want to get out as much material as possible so that the plastic cracks in a straight line.
When you think you've shaved off enough plastic, take your screwdriver and jam it into the corner. Slowly work your way down and make sure to watch how the plastic is cracking. If it is cracking downwards along the seam, you're fine. If you think it's going to crack perpindicular to the seam, take your blade back out and start slicing into the seam at the point of the crack. Work your way down until the whole front side is free.
Repeat the steps for the top and bottom seams.
The back is tricky in that you cannot get a blade in there to cut the seam. Basically, all you can do is force the screwdriver in and crack the plastic.
If you look at your car, you will notice that only the very top face of the sidemarker is visible. So even though the plastic casing will need to be glued back together, it will not be visible from the outside.
01-08-2005, 05:56 PM
#10
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With that out of the way, maybe you guys can help me with my project...
I currently have ares' LED sidemarkers on my car. While I do like how they look, what I really want is a solid strip of light illuminating the entire sidemarker. The brighter, the better.
I'm thinking this can be done with a large EL strip, but I can't find a strip bright enough.
I cracked open my amber sidemarkers and in it, I placed one of those EL strips meant for your computer case. While you could see the light shining outwards, it was very dim.
If anyone knows, do EL strips come in varying intensities? If so, where can I get them? I've checked with various EL websites and have not been able to find what I was looking for.
At the minimum, I'd want it to be at least as bright as my current LED sidemarkers. Ideally, I'd like them to shine as bright as regular headlights!
I currently have ares' LED sidemarkers on my car. While I do like how they look, what I really want is a solid strip of light illuminating the entire sidemarker. The brighter, the better.
I'm thinking this can be done with a large EL strip, but I can't find a strip bright enough.
I cracked open my amber sidemarkers and in it, I placed one of those EL strips meant for your computer case. While you could see the light shining outwards, it was very dim.
If anyone knows, do EL strips come in varying intensities? If so, where can I get them? I've checked with various EL websites and have not been able to find what I was looking for.
At the minimum, I'd want it to be at least as bright as my current LED sidemarkers. Ideally, I'd like them to shine as bright as regular headlights!
01-08-2005, 11:03 PM
#11
the only thing i could think of that would put out as much light as i THINK you want, would be a straight line of high flux LED's or luxeon stars. if not that, then a white neon tube? i just dont know jack about EL strips man. i couldnt begin to tell you.
ps... NICE job on the side marker. wish i had known that earlier. lol.
ps... NICE job on the side marker. wish i had known that earlier. lol.
01-09-2005, 10:18 PM
#12
Been there done that.. I have a box full of about 40 sidemarkers we did different experiments with at strictlyz.
I thing getting a flat strip will be hard.. I looked 2 years ago and couldnt find anything when we were making them..
Oh yeah dont try to boil them either that wont work..
I thing getting a flat strip will be hard.. I looked 2 years ago and couldnt find anything when we were making them..
Oh yeah dont try to boil them either that wont work..
01-09-2005, 11:48 PM
#13
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Originally posted by 2004z
With that out of the way, maybe you guys can help me with my project...
I currently have ares' LED sidemarkers on my car. While I do like how they look, what I really want is a solid strip of light illuminating the entire sidemarker. The brighter, the better.
I'm thinking this can be done with a large EL strip, but I can't find a strip bright enough.
I cracked open my amber sidemarkers and in it, I placed one of those EL strips meant for your computer case. While you could see the light shining outwards, it was very dim.
If anyone knows, do EL strips come in varying intensities? If so, where can I get them? I've checked with various EL websites and have not been able to find what I was looking for.
At the minimum, I'd want it to be at least as bright as my current LED sidemarkers. Ideally, I'd like them to shine as bright as regular headlights!
With that out of the way, maybe you guys can help me with my project...
I currently have ares' LED sidemarkers on my car. While I do like how they look, what I really want is a solid strip of light illuminating the entire sidemarker. The brighter, the better.
I'm thinking this can be done with a large EL strip, but I can't find a strip bright enough.
I cracked open my amber sidemarkers and in it, I placed one of those EL strips meant for your computer case. While you could see the light shining outwards, it was very dim.
If anyone knows, do EL strips come in varying intensities? If so, where can I get them? I've checked with various EL websites and have not been able to find what I was looking for.
At the minimum, I'd want it to be at least as bright as my current LED sidemarkers. Ideally, I'd like them to shine as bright as regular headlights!
If you find out how to do this please post how you did it. I am interested it the same thing.
01-10-2005, 04:14 AM
#14
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http://www.our350z.com/todo-4.html
Try this site. It has a link on how ordering this led strips. I have never bought it but they look pretty good on the site.
Try this site. It has a link on how ordering this led strips. I have never bought it but they look pretty good on the site.
01-10-2005, 06:57 AM
#15
EL isnt bright enough, tried fiber optics, but it wasnt feasable, LEDs werent bright enough to work so dispersed; proper fiber lighting was way too big and bulky.
luxeons were the best thing I found, but still not perfect.
what you need to do... is fabricate a new backing to it I never got to test this, but I think if you create a box about 2" deep. and mount however many LEDs in the back of that. the extra distance should let the light disperse before it hits the lens. what I havent figured out for sure is of the washer fluid resevior isnt in the way on the passenger side.
luxeons were the best thing I found, but still not perfect.
what you need to do... is fabricate a new backing to it I never got to test this, but I think if you create a box about 2" deep. and mount however many LEDs in the back of that. the extra distance should let the light disperse before it hits the lens. what I havent figured out for sure is of the washer fluid resevior isnt in the way on the passenger side.
