Anyone know where to get fiberoptic cable?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I'm looking to get some fiber optic cable for several engine projects but all I am finding is audio and decorative cabling. Anyone know where I can get some bare optic wire?

[John]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Holiday-Time-Fiber-Optic-Concord-Christmas-Tree-32-in-White/51707574

Ho, ho, ho! Deck the halls and welcome the most wonderful time of year to your home with the 32-Inch White Fiber Optic Tree from Holiday Time. Position this twinkling tree in your den or living room to contribute to a fun and festive vibe, or cut off some of the fiber for your favorite locomotive lighting project. The tree has a lifetime supply of fiber. The kids will have a blast deciding where to position it and counting the wrapped gifts that appear under the tree throughout the month of December. The tree is equipped with 83 tips that will continuously change color when plugged in, lighting up your space like never before. Once in place, the tree measures 32 inches tall and can sit directly on the floor or on an end table to create a gorgeous focal point in any room. This special Holiday Time White Fiber Optic Tree will coordinate beautifully with the rest of your festive holiday décor, transforming your living space into an enchanting winter wonderland that will delight your children and any special holiday guests.Holiday Time White Fiber Optic Tree continuously changes color when plugged inThe perfect addition to your living room or denEquipped with 83 tips for a twinkling lookFun and festive design helps to transform your living space into an enchanting winter wonderlandCreates a memorable look worthy of a postMeasures 32 in. tall and can easily be positioned on the ground, on an end table or a countertopHelps to make the holiday season extra special for kids, friends and family

[Point353]

https://evandesigns.com/products/fiber-optic-for-leds

[Maletrain]

https://www.dwarvin.com/collections/fiber-optics

[craigolio1]

The last time I bought it was in eBay, and it come from this place:

https://thefiberopticstore.com/

They have a massive selection of every kind.  They sent me some random samples of various types with my order as well which was cool. I didn’t know some of them existed.

Craig

[TLOC]

I have purchased from both Dwarvin.com and also the fiberopticstore.com. For the best quality at good prices I have gone back to Dwarvin.

TomO

[Lemosteam]

The last time I bought it was in eBay, and it come from this place:

https://thefiberopticstore.com/

They have a massive selection of every kind.  They sent me some random samples of various types with my order as well which was cool. I didn’t know some of them existed.

Craig

@daniel_leavitt2000 ^^^^ This.

[Steveruger45]

@daniel_leavitt2000 ^^^^ This.

Yes ^^^^^^^ This.   They do sample packs too, handy to figure something out before investing in a long length.   Opps, I see Craig said much the same thing.

[SkipGear]

Plastruct sells it in two sizes.

[Spades]

You can also use monofilament fishing line.   https://cockeyed.com/incredible/fiber/fiber1.php   This is the modeler who told me about use of fishing line.  https://jamestrainparts.com/dd-35-sp-model-9901-4-kevin-caldwell/ He does dome the end of the lens. I like mine flat.

[narrowminded]

@daniel_leavitt2000  Do You know what size(s) you need?  I have a pretty decent assortment down to .010" (I think) and in coils beyond what I'll use in... forever.  If I've got what you want I could drop some in the mail to you.

[peteski]

You can also use monofilament fishing line.   https://cockeyed.com/incredible/fiber/fiber1.php   This is the modeler who told me about use of fishing line.  https://jamestrainparts.com/dd-35-sp-model-9901-4-kevin-caldwell/ He does dome the end of the lens. I like mine flat.

While it would seem that monofilament line would be like a plastic fiber optic (since both look alike), it is not.  It will pass some light, but very poorly compared to a "real" fiber optic strand.  True fiber optic has an inner core from very transparent plastic, and an outer sheeting (made from different transparent plastic). Each material has a different refractive index, and that results in the light being retained inside the fiber, instead of escaping outside.

While this image depicts fiber optics used for communication, it (top example) shows how the outer core keeps the light beam inside the fiber.



If you had a piece of real fiber optic and monofilament line, you could easily see the difference in how much better the fiber optic works.  And the price of "real" plastic fiber optic is quite affordable, so you are not saving very much by using monofilament line. But if you are happy using monofilament line, keep on doing it. 

[Spades]

If you had a piece of real fiber optic and monofilament line, you could easily see the difference in how much better the fiber optic works.  And the price of "real" plastci fiber optic is quite affordable, so you are nto saving very much by using monofilament line. But if you are happy using monofilament line, keep on doing it. 

Peteski

As always your post are both informative and enlightening.   What you say is 100% correct. I usually would use fiber optics, but this method was pointed out to me.  Thought I would share.  I run trains with the lights on, look at the locomotive and I see illuminated lights.   The  U50 in the the attached link the lights on the low hood are fishing line.

Peteski, you would be a hell of a good physics teacher.

[peteski]

Peteski, you would be a hell of a good physics teacher.

Thank you!   Funny that you mentioned that.  Years ago I uses a small table fan, couple pieces of flex track, 4 free-rolling N scale box cars and a piece of plywood to demonstrate to my mother the thrust direction of a propeller spinning in the air. She had it backwards in her mind, but that convinced her. She also told me then that I would make a good physics teacher. 

[nscalbitz]

I'm looking to ge... where I can get some bare optic wire?

You think it's wire? A cable? Wrong.
Fibre-optic is a glass tube, wrapped in a dense plastic sheath... an 'installer' will throw away metres of the stuff at end of runs, end of rolls etc. as its not a reyclable resource (at the retail level). So it will be free, assuming those tubes are small enough for your needs.