As I’m working on developing a lighted Tesla T I thought I’d start a new thread to report progress and information on how it’s done. The thread that inspired me to begin this project is here.
To start, it’s important to know that the stock T is made of two plated plastic pieces, each about 3mm thick, one for the T itself and the second for the thin arch over the top of the T. Both pieces have 3M tape on the back and stick to indented spaces on the nose cone.
First, I developed a prototype for testing various concepts for lighting the T. The pieces are laser cut out of Plexiglas. My goal for this prototype was to test EL wire. It works pretty well from a conceptual point of view, but it’s way too complicated to do given the way the T is attached to the nose cone. A thin groove for the wire has to be cut into the back corners of the T, which takes a lot of machine time and makes it cost prohibitive ($150 of machine time just for the first one). The light given by the EL also beings to dull and eventually dies over time. Also, it’s very tough to make the wire confirm precisely to the sharp bends required to make it fit the T precisely.
Posted below are some photos of the results. The T is too big and is not precisely cut, so the prototype is a bit crude. But the lighting effect is what I was hoping for, except for the blue cast of the EL wire (I bought what was billed as pure white, but really does have a strong blue cast, another reason to rule it out). However, the effect looks much better in person than in the photos.
As a much better effect can be achieved with LEDs, the next prototype will use them. I’ll have Plexiglas pieces that will match the stock T perfectly. To make the light emanate from the sides of the pieces, the edges have to be sandblasted or otherwise roughed up, a much simpler and less expensive process than laser cutting a channel for EL wire. The LEDS will be attached via small holes in the back of the Plexiglas pieces. To match the stock T the front surfaces of both pieces will be covered with .0295 polished stainless steel sheet, laser cut to perfectly match.
I hope to have the LED prototype ready by next weekend or so. If it works I’ll install it on my own car and post photos (but only if the results are of the high quality I'm seeking).
To start, it’s important to know that the stock T is made of two plated plastic pieces, each about 3mm thick, one for the T itself and the second for the thin arch over the top of the T. Both pieces have 3M tape on the back and stick to indented spaces on the nose cone.
First, I developed a prototype for testing various concepts for lighting the T. The pieces are laser cut out of Plexiglas. My goal for this prototype was to test EL wire. It works pretty well from a conceptual point of view, but it’s way too complicated to do given the way the T is attached to the nose cone. A thin groove for the wire has to be cut into the back corners of the T, which takes a lot of machine time and makes it cost prohibitive ($150 of machine time just for the first one). The light given by the EL also beings to dull and eventually dies over time. Also, it’s very tough to make the wire confirm precisely to the sharp bends required to make it fit the T precisely.
Posted below are some photos of the results. The T is too big and is not precisely cut, so the prototype is a bit crude. But the lighting effect is what I was hoping for, except for the blue cast of the EL wire (I bought what was billed as pure white, but really does have a strong blue cast, another reason to rule it out). However, the effect looks much better in person than in the photos.
As a much better effect can be achieved with LEDs, the next prototype will use them. I’ll have Plexiglas pieces that will match the stock T perfectly. To make the light emanate from the sides of the pieces, the edges have to be sandblasted or otherwise roughed up, a much simpler and less expensive process than laser cutting a channel for EL wire. The LEDS will be attached via small holes in the back of the Plexiglas pieces. To match the stock T the front surfaces of both pieces will be covered with .0295 polished stainless steel sheet, laser cut to perfectly match.
I hope to have the LED prototype ready by next weekend or so. If it works I’ll install it on my own car and post photos (but only if the results are of the high quality I'm seeking).
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