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Author Topic: Filling gaps between aluminum and LED Luke ROTJ. Anyone used aluminium paste?  (Read 1866 times)

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Offline tomleech

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I'm modifying a saberforge prodigal son control box to have actual accent LEDs. I found some triangular LEDs that more or less fit the milled fake LED size. I've filled out the green milled area (the red is original in the image below) but there's a small gap around the edge.



I am thinking about filling the gaps either with some kind of black putty or aluminium paste.

Has anyone done anything like this and have a recommendation?

Offline COUNT DOOKU

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Honestly, a clear epoxy would work well. Not sure how big the gap is though.

Pass on what you have learned. Strength. Mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is. We are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters. ~Master Yoda~

Offline tomleech

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Yeah, I thought painting whatever black might make it look a little more deliberate, rather than "this is the best I can do with a dremel" ☺ Or aluminium paste might be close enough colour wise. The gap isn't huge but it's inconsistent

Offline Darkjedi

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Well what ever aluminuim paste you use will not color match the said area. It will be a dull gray. Don't know if it could be powder coated.

Is the LED not pushed in all the way or does it have a gap?

As the Count said clear would be a better option. Yellowing may not be an issue with such a small piece.

That would be cost ineffective for the aluminuim for such a small piece.

Offline tomleech

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LED is pushed all the way and protrudes a little from the aluminium but the area already milled out to suggest an LED (red "LED" in the picture) is larger than the LED

Offline tomleech

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If anyone was interested in this I used epoxy, scraped the gaps level or slightly sunk in and then painted black in the gaps:


Offline Sethski

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Looks good to me. If it were me, I'd be happy with the very slight edge gap - although would maybe paint in the gap and wipe away any excess on LED and metal with grey paint so it didn't contrast with the metal and draw the eye as much as black. I really don't think it detracts at all and integrates nicely if going for a lightly weathered look.

If going for a super shiny finish and being very picky, another option would be to make or have made a small, thin 'cover plate' for that section (with 2 screw holes and triangular cut outs that are a perfect fit) - but seriously, looks great as is and those small imperfections are in keeping with the whole Star Wars 'used future' aesthetic to me...

Offline tomleech

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Yeah for some reason I didn't think of grey... I went to try it out but didn't have any grey so used a metallic paint I had, which turns out to very closely match the aluminium colour 😏


 

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