I need to find out the size of the LEDs to use with TOMAR INDUSTRIES HO signal heads (specificly #6044). I know I can just buy the LEDs the TOMAR sells, but the TOMAR's price is really rather high (6 for US$7.65 ~= US$1.28 each -- I can get these LEDs from Mouser for US$.15 each). TOMAR does not say exactly what the size of the LEDs are. I *guessing*
2mm (just under 7 scale inches), but want to be sure.
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Those must be 3mm O.D. LED's. I have made my own HO scale single target signals and used 3mm bi- polar green/red LED's. I put the LED in a cordless drill and file down the flange. I then switch the LED in the drill so the front is showing. I have done the same using a drill press which is easier and faster. I then flatten the front and with the file, make the front the proper size for HO scale or fits the hole in the target. That way the front of the LED is flat like a real signal. I get a few plastic straws from a coffee shop and cut them at an angle so they become a very nice hood. Common sense says to email Tomar and ask for the size but I bet those are 3mm unmodified. They show an email option. I always tell people to go to the source and then go to a forum if no answer from the source.
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The photo shows a flange on the LED and all I have seen so far with the flange are 3mm and 5mm. Granted I have not seen a lot of LED's so a question to Tomar would be good. Also, Trains.com would be a much better set of forums to ask. Many more users there than here. Use the Model Railroader, Electrical DCC forum.
There's a pretty good amount of plastic covering the actual diode, so yeah, you can go to town quite a bit on it. I've even used a bench-mounted sanding wheel on them if I was in a hurry. I don't recommend messing with the very end of the LED though - keep that shiny and transparent if you can, or you'll lose some brightness, and on multi-color LEDS, it might not combine the light as well if you flatten it out. Personally, I think the rounded end looks nicer than flat anyway.
Ha, I did the same thing when I wanted to make signal lights to go near tunnel entrances, but I used plastruct tubes, that happened to perfectly fit the LED. I also glued a washer around the back side to make it look like the round flange you commonly see on those signs, and then painted the whole business matte black before installing the LED.
In my experience, manufacturers almost never mess with LED cases. Sometimes you might see some scratch marks like maybe it needed a little persuasion to fit in their housing, but mostly, they build the housing to fit the LED, not the other way around. *
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