Anyone know where to get fiberoptic cable?

[peteski]

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.

I'm sure Daniel meant "fiber optic strand, or filament".

While the fiber optics used in communication are made from glass (as you describe above, but they are solid, not tubes), they are usually too thin for what we need for hobbies. Plus glass is not something I want to be messing with.  Most modelers use all-plastic fiber optic strands.  It is easily cut, the ends can be polished or mushroomed (using heat), and it is safe to use (no glass shards in your fingers).  I have several diameters ranging between 0.010" and 0.080". Useful stuff.

[Boilerman]

Check ebay There was a vendor there that had it a while back.

[greenwizard88]

This is what I use. Not quite real fiber optic, but...

https://www.orientaltrading.com/fiber-optic-halloween-wands-a2-13810904.fltr?keyword=optic

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Thanks guys, this really helps!

[John]

This is what I use. Not quite real fiber optic, but...

https://www.orientaltrading.com/fiber-optic-halloween-wands-a2-13810904.fltr?keyword=optic

This is the same stuff in those Christmas trees .. it works really great .. if you heat end into a little bulb shape, it diffuses the light some .. also super glued to the LED will still pass a lot of light ..

For making ditch lights, this type of stuff is perfect, and cheap ..

[daniel_leavitt2000]

@daniel_leavitt2000 ^^^^ This.

Ordered. I got .25mm, .5mm and .75mm. I still have several feet of 1.0mm around. These will be perfect for adding marker lights on my MBTA F40s, which spent half their life running backwards.

[peteski]

Since wa are all being so helpful, I'll mention couple more things.

Those fibers in Christmas trees or inexpensive toys are "real" plastic fiber optic. That's why they work so well.

I also found out that using CA glue on the plastic fibers makes them brittle and they become brittle.  It might be just the specific stuff I have, but I figure that I would give a heads up.  I now use other glues (like 5-minute epoxy).

[craigolio1]

Clearance Christmas decorations are great places to harvest cheap fibre optics. I bought a 2ft tall tree a bunch of years ago for $10. I harvested 3 different sizes from 12” to 24” in length and I have enough to last forever.

[Lemosteam]

Clearance Christmas decorations are great places to harvest cheap fibre optics. I bought a 2ft tall tree a bunch of years ago for $10. I harvested 3 different sizes from 12” to 24” in length and I have enough to last forever.

^^^^ This too!   

[dougnelson]

Daniel:
For locomotive projects I use clear styrene sprue with good results.  Heat with a candle and stretch to desired diameter and shape.