How do you make realistic headlights for your tanks? Or where can you buy some? I'm impressed by some of the headlights and IR lights that I've seen on some of the models displayed by the people on this site and I was wondering how'd they do that?
Don

Don, when possible I use MV lenses. They are cheap, easy to use, and the results look great. Here is one place to buy them online:

http://www.discountmodels.com/m.v._lenses.htm

There are a couple other brands that are also good, Greif is one of them, but MV are usually easier to find.

By the way, impressive work on the M60A1!

Best,
Mike

Mike and Gary,
Thanks alot guys. Do you have to drill out the lights first?
Don

Don,

Yep you need to drill then out so the lens fits into place. They really do make a big difference and once you see them on a kit I think they are one of those upgrades that becomes a must have.

It depends on the kit. On many you do, but there are some kits you don't. For example the Tamiya Leo 2A5/A6 or the Tamiya Challenger 2, just to name a couple that you wouldn't have to drill.

Mike

Hi Don;
I use MV lenses wherever possible too but on an earlier model, I tried soemthing a little different and it worked. For those kits that come with a clear part for the lens, work a small bit of ultra-bright chrome bare metal foil into the concave portion of the light with a cotton bud and then glue the clear lens on with a few drops of white glue. If the light isn't hollowed out onto a concave shape, you could drill it out with a rounded drill bit or a rounded milling bit before you applied the bare metal foil. If you don't have bare metal foil, then some bright silver paint would do. Just make sure it's completely cured before you glue on the lens. My Tamiya Pinkie has the bare metal foil version in the headlights and on the searchlight in the second pic.







Bob

Let's make sure I have this right.
1. Drill out the molded lights (unless already that way)
2. Apply bare metal foil or bright silver paint
3. Glue lens on with white glue

Sounds good, one more question for Gary or whoever else can answer. The IR lights, do you paint the Back of the lens, or the socket, or the front of the lens gloss black?
I hate to sound like a pest, but I always like to make sure I totally understand something that I've never trying before.
Don
P.S. thanks for the comments on the M60A1

You almost have it right.

-no need for the bare metal foil or silver paint with MV Products lenses...they are solid not transparent....the bare metal foil as Bob described it is a technique on its own.

-for IR lights paint the front of the MV lens gloss black then attach it.

Glad I asked, because now I am confused. Are the MV lights just clear plastic? Or do they come already looking like a light with the silverish backing inside the light?
Don

MV Product lenses are solid...one side is highly reflective mirror and the other side is dull just like the back of a mirror.

Everything you ever wanted to know about MV Products lenses....

http://www.hubhobbyshop.com/hint32.htm

Sorry for any confusion Don....

The MV Products lenses are molded in a lens shape with a polished silver backing to them just like a mirror. No need to do anything with them except get the right size to fit and glue them into a shaped fitting. To make an IR light, you then have to paint the front of the lens because the back is already a mirrored silver finish so painting the back won't help.

The bare metal foil or silver paint technique I was talking about is an alternate method all on it's own as Jason has said, It has nothing to do with MV lenses, just a possible method you could use if you can't get the MV lenses.

Bob

Thanks guys, I'm squared away now. I can't wait to get some.
Don

Gary,
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
Don

hey all ! just a quick one to say before i found out about the after market kitsa and the like i started with silver paint and dob's of white glue then i started with silver paint and then i got "googley eyes" from craft shops and cut the vac form plastic dish off and used it as the lens! means you can even put an "elament" in it and be seen to be 3D!with careful scalple work you can even make them defused! i think if you try it you'll like it too! anywho have a good one!

I do agree...I have never done it myself....I just paint the kit lens gloss black.

But, it might add some 3D depth to the light housing and match the look of the other MV Product lens.

I was just a suggestion, not gospel.

I will go back to my Googling now.

I actually use Tamya 'X-19 smoke' to give the IR lenses a very darkened look without completely destroying the advantage of the visual depth. The red lens method you described sounds good Gary, thanks...



Bob

Hot glue (from a glue gun) dripped into the socket and given a layer or two of Klear makes a very, very nice lens.

Hot glue... hmm, never heard of that one before, I'll have to give it a try, thanks!



Bob

Both searchlights are examples of hot glue and Klear. I'll try and post better pics.