Fiber optics?

[MYREDCHEVY]

I got a new project, but where do I find fiber optics? When I was younger I had a light with 50? strands on it, where can I find something like that?

 

[Tater Rocket]

Speaking of which, once you find it, how do you cut it so the ends are smooth enough to transmit light? I ugh..."borrowed" about 5 feet or so of fiber optic cable (real thin stuff, and they had just "found it" lying around and it didn't actually belong to any person or department at the school, so I cut myself a few feet) but I don't know how to cut it so it will easily transmit light. Anybody?

Sorry this doesn't help you at all chevy.

Spud

 

[Deleted member 684]

I know this sounds really stupid.. but did you try and cut it with a red hot knife?

 

[InTheDark]

You'll need a special cutter to cut those cleanly, and it's not cheap. But you might be able to use something like an exacto knife, just nick the fiber where you want to cut it, kinda flick the end, and it should break off pretty cleanly at that point.

 

[McGizmo]

Weller makes a soldering pen/ hot exacto that works well on the fiber optic fibers. Otherwise a heated exacto will do a nice job.

For fibers, try:

http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/

- Don

 

[Marshall Johnson]

I had a fiber optic cable and I just cut it with scissors and it transmitted light just fine with an LED glued onto the end.

 

[MYREDCHEVY]

Thanks for the link. After all the serching I did yesterday, your link is the best one yet! Did you notice the second kit they include what looks like a cigar cutter. I also seen somewhere about a polishing pad for after cutting the fibers. Now I got to order some fibers, and I'll get back with my findings. Thanks Mike.

 

[Unabomber]

Depending on how serious you are about getting a flush end, this is where you want to visit:
http://www.fiberinstrumentsales.com/fiscatalog/dept.asp?dept_id=2575

The cheapest true cleaver there is like $160, but you might find one on eBay for less. X-acto, hot knife, etc. may be fine for your application, but those tips are laughable in the fiber optics field!

If anyone needs any help with fiber, back channel me, I am currently going through school this week for it. This is school #2 for me and today we got to use a $50,000 fusion splicer, talk about a high tech spot welder!

 

[MYREDCHEVY]

I'll stick to the X-acto for "playing".

 

[InTheDark]

Unabomber,
what are you going to school for? Don't you just love those fusion splicers

If you want to see some really fun welders, you should check out what I get to play with everyday. Yag welding lasers, they're really fun to burn holes through things. If only they made them pocket sized though.

 

[PsycoBob[Q2]]

2 kinds of fiber-optics. Plastic (cut with a knife, and heat the end carefully in a hot airstream to slightly melt the end) and Glass (very fine, and dificult to use single fibers).

Edmund Optical sells fiber-optics.
http://www.edmundoptics.com/

Normally, (for a bundle, anyway) you'd put the mounting ring on the bundle of fibers, and epoxy it in place with a crystal-clear epoxy. After it cures, cut it with an abrasive cutter, and polish it with a special variety of disk sander (water- lube, special-purpose disks that take several days each to be set up properly- and smoothe the end to a perfect finish.) The last step uses a sanding disk that's signifigantly smoother than a good sheet of paper.

 

[Unabomber]

Sorry for the delayed response. I had account problems. I went to a course through a local electronics firm. It taught us Cable, BNC, Telephone, CAT 5, 5e, 6, and fiber optic cable termination. Excellent course! The $2400 price tag was picked up by my work and it also included 800 smackers worth of tools. Fusion splicers rule! The course opened my eyes, I got to do 2 fusion splices and decided you could train a monkey to do it. That job is such a racket; they get paid so well to do so little!

Welding lasers are cool! I got to see one at a tool & die company once, and they are incredible! Perfection doesn't even come close to a description of them. I bet they are a blast to operate.