Torso Lighting

I built a light box to mount behind the 10 Chest Buttons. I started with an Aluminum "project box" cover and bent the sides so that they were a little more than the original 90 deg. I cut 1/4 inch PVC for the top and bottom of the box. I was able to cut these pieces and shape them to fit the radius inside the torso.

I installed two lamp sockets in from the back of the light box. This will allow me to change the lamps without removing the entire box.

I mounted the light box onto two sets of bolts which were anchored in 1/4 inch PVC strips on each side of where the box mounts. These mounts were glued to the inside of the torso with fiberglass resin. I also installed the belly lights and belly lights micro controller circuit board on two custom PC board mounts. I made these mounts from PVC which I cut to fit the inside contour of the arm wells. I cut a slot on the inside of the mounts and slid the circuit board into place.

Here's a picture showing the lights turned on . The belly lights are blinking randomly at this point. It's really tough to get a good picture, not using the flash. With the flash, you don't see the lights.

I received my two large Chest Light Lenses this week. They are the exact lenses used on the original.

Here's what I did with the Dialight lamp sockets, so that I could use the standard T-3 1/4 Miniature Bayonet Base lights. I removed the black plastic portion of the socket. The black plastic was press fit and could be nudged (lightly with a wood dowel and hammer) out the back of the socket. So I am left with the metal portion of the socket with a large hole where the lamp goes.

I then took a 3/4 x 1/2 in. PVC Reducing Bushing ($0.17 @ Home Depot plumbing section) and hot glued a T-3 1/4 lamp socket in the middle. This bushing slides nicely inside the metal socket.

• Prev
• Next