DIY Iridescent HUD / panels

[lesthegringo]

Guys, I was fiddling about making a home made light spectrum analyser (don't ask) and stumbles upon a simple way of making those clear iridescent HUD panels that you see in modern jet fighters.

If you get an old DVD-R, score it heavily on both sides, then snap it in two. As you do this, you will see that the disc has an upper, often matt or coloured layer, a thin layer of silvery stuff (the photo-reactive layer) and a lower, clear layer. What you want is to peel apart the top and bottom layers. The top layer can be thrown out. The lower layer will probably still have the silvery photo reactive layer stuck to it, but this can be stripped off using masking tape. Once the silvery layer is off, you are left with a large sheet of slightly tinted clear plastic that on one side has an iridescent surface. My experience is that it is about 0.5mm thick, but it will depend on the type of disc you use.

The plastic is normally polycarbonate, which can be tricky to cut cleanly, so I would recommend the best course of action is to put some adhesive tape on both sides to protect the surface from scratches, then score the plastic using a sharp boxcutter type knife. You can then snap the plastic fairly cleanly, then use abrasive papers to clean up.

My plan is to also try using this as a way of making the display panels in the MFDS. I would leave the silvery layer on and insert a little piece into the panel, then use suitably coloured clear paint to match the screen colour. I'll let you all know how that works

Hope this helps someone

Les

[ChippyWho]

Intriguing tip! I use 'holographic' confetti from gift/party stores; this is very thin and seems to work quite well -a coat of Tamiya clear green will replicate the sort of HUD found on F-22s, Typhoons, etc. Do MFD screens have that kind of irridescence? Anyway, my fingers are starting to work again so I'll dissect an old DVD-R for further experimentation...

[lesthegringo]

Chippy, the MFD screens normally have a special non-reflective coating which tends to give a slightly greenish iridescent look. It is more subtle than the HUD's.

I was also toying with the idea of trying to use decal paper or decal film to try and capture that photo reactive layer - the 'disco balls' on Helicopters like the Huey Cobras are hard to replicate, and I wondered if there was a way of utilising that by making a silvery, iridescent decal to put on them

Let me know how you get on

Les

[Triarius]

Great idea, Les. Do you happen to know if this also works with CDs? I have a lot of those I use to make Christmas ornaments. (Cut into long triangles they make good icicles.)

:thumbsup:/>

[lesthegringo]

CD-R's may work, but the photo-reactive layer is directly on the upper side covered by a protective lacquer. That means that the layer is harder to get off, plus the remaining layer will be thicker. I suppose you have nothing to lose by trying an old one!

Les

[William G]

I bought two rolls of the thin gift wrapping film from Michael's

Enough to last a lifetime.

Got both green and opalescent.

Stuff looks pretty darned good

William G

[dnl42]

Cool re-use of older DVDs!, Which are an otherwise useless material that may need to be destroyed in any event.

I found that if I looked carefully, I could find a spot where the upper and lower discs could be pried apart, leaving the bottom disc intact.

Hm, I wonder if that foil could be useful too?

[William G]

Dnl,

I have used it for mfd, hud and for flat windows.

William G