Signal light bulbs

[dumpy]

Am trying to track down some coloured light bulbs for signals.
The signals I have take 24v 3w with an E10 screw fitting. I can find clear ones but no luck so far with finding red and green (+amber would be a bonus).
Anyone got any pointers. (Tried Maplins)

 

[bobg]

I do have one suggestion, buy the clear ones and paint them with 'glass paints'. "Trousers" used to do a lot of glass-painting a while back and I thought then it might work.

 

[Neil Robinson]

Yes, Bob's method works. Check out this site's 'Top Tips' section (accessed from just under the Gscalecentral loco right at the top of the page. It was five or six years ago that I wrote the relevant tip for GSM, since then the paint has peeled due to the weather but it's no great problem to repaint.
Then again consider using leds, they don't fade and have a much longer electrical life than bulbs.

 

[dumpy]

Thanks for the information. I think it will have to be clear bulbs and paint.
Have read the "Tips" and its showed me the way to go.
I didn't know there was such a thing as transparent paint for glass. Never stop learning!!

 

[nicebutdim]

When I was a little younger I had an XR2 fiesta which I spent a bomb on modifying, and the rear end I had 'smoked' rear light clusters. The bulbs were coloured as there was no colour to the lenses, and I used...nail polish! It took a couple of coats sometimes, but it worked a treat and was really cheap.

 

[dumpy]

When I was a little younger I had an XR2 fiesta which I spent a bomb on modifying, and the rear end I had 'smoked' rear light clusters. The bulbs were coloured as there was no colour to the lenses, and I used...nail polish! It took a couple of coats sometimes, but it worked a treat and was really cheap.

Hey I'm into nostalgia too.
I had a Vauxhall Calibra - dark blue. To go to France I painted the headlights yellow. I thought it looked really good, just like a cat (tiger perhaps- but then I have a vivid imagination) that I kept repainting for ages afterwards.

 

[nicebutdim]

Before I could afford the proper smoked clusters I covered the original ones with black tights fabric. Worked great 'till someone laddered them!

 

[dumpy]

Before I could afford the proper smoked clusters I covered the original ones with black tights fabric.

Did you find them down the back seat???

 

[nicebutdim]

No, but what I did find there did good for a spare fan belt!

 

[tramcar trev]

yes, reminds me of why I wear Panty Hose... I never actually did untill my wife found a pair in the car.... Now seriously in the same craft shop that sells the glass stain you will be able to buy a product that etches glass. Buy some of that, etch the glass on the globes first this gives you a frosted fininsh on the glass and the tranparent glass stain not only sticks to it like the proverbial to a blanket it also will give you are far more realistic effect.