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How to Model a Decorative Fountain for My Layout
Fiber light
Pam sent in this question for readers:
“Our new HO layout will have a small park with seating, ornamental trees and shrubs, and a flower garden. I’m in charge of the scenery, and Bill my hubby, is the boss of all the tricky electrical stuff. Just as well because I have no idea on anything technical. Anyway, I thought it might be nice to add a feature water fountain (not real water) in the middle of a small pond in the park. Has anyone made a decorative fountain that looks like it’s spouting water? I remember those fiber lights that were popular a few years back and wondered it they might work? I was also wondering what to use for the concrete fountain itself? Any ideas please.”
3 Responses to How to Model a Decorative Fountain for My Layout
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My lay-out is 0-Scale and I could not find a fountain anywhere in that scale, so I made one. I used an 0-scale bird bath, a water bottle cap, and a flat washer. I did see some HO scale fountains on the internet. It was the best I could do with what I had laying around. I don’t have any sprouting water but that sounds like a cool idea.
Ken
The answer to both your inquiries are in 3 books from Hungary, by Lazlo Adoba,(I got mine through Peter at the Michigan Toy Soldier) Th books are small and not cheap but the information they hold is priceless. Building Dioramas one will have info you can adapt to making realistic fountains, volume two building Dioramas two will cover the making realistic water (sorry -two is for building furniture and accessories. OK -you could get by with just Number one but Number two also has some water info as does number three- so with all three in hand you will surly be able to make the scene that you want. The books do not have exactly what you ask for but has components that you can adapt. I.e. water running from a faucet can with a bit of work become a fountain and the water will definately look like it is flowing.
I think you may have a good idea with the fiber lights. I recall my parents had a decorative ‘lamp’, for want of a better term, as long ago as the late 60’s early 70’s that had some sort of light fibers with a central ‘bulb’ that could transmit pulses of light along the fibers such that the light pulses appeared to be flowing along the fibers. It was in the way of an update on the “lava lamps” popular at the time. The fibers were fairly thick for a model train installation of this description, say 1/16″, roughly 5 – 6 scale inches in HO. It would look more like the stream from a fire hose.
However, I am quite sure that the technology still exists and miniaturized versions can be found at an electronics specialty house or on line if you are patient and can assemble the whole from components.