US Hobbies 0-8-0 headlight question

Yes, the USH and older max greys seem to have light bulbs with lenses formed into them, glued into the headlights.    

I don't know what to do other than drill out the stuff.    The ones I have seen have no metal back.    The back of the bulb is just glass also.  

A suggestin to try is clean out the front and drill through for the wires at the back and leave the white backing in the light as a reflector.

I believe it's more like the bulbs are set in place with Plaster of Paris.  When I'm replacing one I drill it out with progressively larger drill bits, at very high speed so bit doesn't grab.  Word of caution, the Plaster of Paris will screw up a drill bit in no time so use an old worn out set of bit, if you have them.

Jay

So should I drill out all the plaster of Paris and bring it down to the brass, or should I drill out just enough to remove the bulb and wires? 

Also, what would I use as a replacement lens cover to fit in the hole?

Thanks,

Adam

I only remove enough to allow me to slip a new bulb in place.  No idea what size lens would fit your housing.  By the way, sometimes, when I'm feeling lazy, or don't want to screw up  a good drill bit, I just use a small screw driver.  That way I screw up something other than a drill bit.  What ever you use, hold on to the housing, not the smokebox front.  Way too easy to break the solder joint between the housing and the bracket that holds it to the smokebox front.

Jay

I would remove just enough to get the glass and wires out if it were me.   

I used a Dremel tool low speed with a deburing bit.  Wear eye protection and a dust mask.  Clean as the day it was cast.

Larry

May I suggest to stay with the incandescent bulbs? Nothing beats them!

Adam  

If the headlight is on a USH or MG PRR model I recommend you consider replacing it with a better casting.   KTM PRR old style (can shape) headlight castings were noticeably smaller than the prototype they  model.  Scale size and better detailed lost wax PRR headlight castings are available from Precision Scale.   I re-use the KTM headlight platform by sawing off the headlight at its legs  and  solder the new PSC headlight in its place.   For a further improved look I turn a aluminum reflector insert drilled to mount a 1.5v incandescent bub just forward of the reflector.  I make the lens from thin clear plastic sheet rough cut using a scribe and a drill gauge, and finished with a fine file.  The headlight with reflector looks good unlit, and when illuminated provides a lighting effect that "fills" the headlight. 

I noticed one thing you might want to be careful with.  The top left of your headlight housing is flattened. If you drill through it without reshaping it first, you will drill away part of the housing. Might be easier (as Ed R. has suggested) to buy a new casting!

Simon

I did drill the light out, and left most of the plaster. I'm strongly thinking about dremeling the rest away and cleaning the housing.

It's a USRA 0-8-0, I would prefer to keep the headlight, if at all possible. I'm interested in how you would form the aluminum reflector.

as for the bit where it's flattened that was me and an early plier attempt. I should be able to reform that fairly easily.

I'm converting this to battery operation, that's why I wanted to go with LEDs. 

I make my headlight reflectors on a small MicroMark lathe  I first turn a 3/8" aluminum rod to the inside diameter of the headlight casting.  Next I drill the rod to the outside diameter of a 1.5mm bulb,  Then using a 45 degree counter sink tool I bore the rod to create the inside taper.  Last I use a  cutoff tool to trim the reflector to the desired depth.  Below are shots of  two locomotives I fitted with aluminum headlight reflectors.  The last shot shows the appearance when the bulb is lit. 

One piece of info related to headlights -  in the 1952 era I model PRR headlights typically were not turned on during daylight hours.  In the mid 1950's the feds mandated that headlights be on at all times.  Looking at old films you can notice the change.

Ed, that's fantastic!

I don't own a lathe, so I secure the reflector to a dremel and grind it against a grinding stone. That's how I did the Q F3's. Though the opening for the bulbs are too big, I regret that.

FWIW I have been experimenting with HO and N scale turned or pressed ali lamp shades and SMD LEDS. The lamp shades are meant for goose neck and pole mounted lights but seem a good shape for reflectors.  I haven't got one installed yet but hand-held on the bench with battery power I have seen nice results after a couple of tries with various diameters of shade and size of LED. I find the warm white LEDs good for modern Diesels, maybe tint with clear yellow marker for steam era? 

I got mine from Big Windy LED with shades pre-drilled and insulated wire pre-soldered to the LEDs at the March Meet - even customized some for me.   

That's wonderful work Ed! I think I'm going to try that. I don't have a lathe, but I have a friend who does, so we'll see how that goes.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Just a quick update on this project. So I used a dremel brush and cleaned out the housing (see picture below)  and then I had a friend machine an insert for the light. Below the headlight pic is a picture of the insert before it's been cut to depth.

So far so good I think.

Looking good.

I was really thrilled to see someone else making reflectors out of aluminum as I have been for a number of years, and I don't own a lathe.  Anyone can make them using a standard electric hand drill and a bench belt sander (best), a hand belt sander secured in a vice, or a bench grinder.  Here is how. 

First ALWAYS wear safety goggles or wrap around safety glasses.  Chuck a 2 to 3" piece of standard aluminum rod (I use a 3/8th") with a 1.5mm hole drilled in the center in your electric drill.   Start the belt sander and the drill making sure they are traveling in opposite directions to get the smoothest cut.  Hold the spinning rod against the moving belt to remove stock.  This takes a bit of practice to get the edge straight.  Stop frequently to measure the diameter with a caliper as it removes stock quickly.

I then lock this in a vice and use a 1/8th dill to start with to give the Dremel 5/16" round burr bit a pocket to stay centered in.  A drill press is easier, but I also have used a regular drill and it works fine.  When you have all the material out you want, use fine sandpaper cut into a 1/2" circle over the burr bit to clean it up an eliminate any lines in the reflector. 

Then use soft cloth circles and Simichrome (or similar) to polish it to a mirror finish.  Cut off to desired depth do it all again for another one.

They will look like this when done.  I have used 1.8 mm LED's warm white instead of the 1.5 incandescent bulb because they are such a pain to change.   I want the 20,000 hours the LED supposedly lasts. I'll be long dear when they burn out!  A little round file work enlarges the hole to accommodate the LED. 

As you can see by mine and others' pictures in this thread, they make really nice looking lights.  I posted merely to suggest a way we non lathe folks can do it.

Peter

Nice Job!

Larry

Nice material here guys!  Thank you for sharing!