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Realistic
Fires By Colin Churcher
This
web page
was last updated on January 27th, 2010.
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Background I have been experimenting with
leds from strings of Christmas lights. These are very cheap (I
purchased a string of 70 lights from Home Hardware on special after
Christmas for about $9.00) and easy to use. This project was to
prepare some glowing embers which result from a forest fire burning
out. If you need a proper fire, such as a campfire, Evans Designs
at http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/
have a good range of leds that can be connected directly to track
power. This company also has a number of other useful items such
as flashing leds and welding kits etc. |
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1.
I made this on a piece of green covered project sheet. Three leds
have been removed from their sleeves and soldered to hookup wire using
a 1000 ohm resistor on one side and covered with heat shrink insulating
tubing. The orange led was subsequently changed for a third red
one. |
| 2. Three
holes were made to take the sleeves for the leds and a template was
prepared to simplify drilling of the holes for the final
installation.
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3. The
fire area was painted black to show basic burn area and the leds were
test fitted into the sleeves.
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| 4. A base coat of powdered
blackboard chalk is applied in the central area to simulate
ash. It was flooded with methyl hydrate and then secured with a
50-50 mixture of white glue and water.
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5. Flames and embers can be made
from cotton balls impregnated with fluorescent red and red/orange
model paint left to dry overnight. The wispy ends make good
flames while the thicker areas can be cut into small irregular pieces
to simulate embers or hot coals.
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| 6. Some spots of fluorescent red
paint are applied over the chalk and some embers are glued down around
the holes for the leds.
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7. Small twigs are painted black and
glued down at random around the embers.
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| 8. Powdered white chalk is applied over the whole, particularly the twigs (branches). |
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9. The leds are inserted into their
collars.tested and glued down.
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| 10. More embers are glued around and
over the leds. Take a careful look at this to place the embers in
such positions that they obscure direct vision of the leds, the
intention being that the embers glow indirectly from the leds, which
should not be visible directly.
After installation additional blackened branches will be secured above the coals to simulate the final stages of a forest fire. |
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