Do the ends of the fiber need to be polished?

Fiber optic filament that is utilized in the transmission of data requires a very low rate of impedance, hence the need to polish and properly prepare the ends of the filament to very exacting standards.

However, within the typical applications of the hobbyist incorporating fiber optic filament into their modeling, or the home owner looking to install a star ceiling, polishing the ends of the fiber optic filament is not necessary.

You may encounter a small spur when cutting some of the thicker diameter filaments, this is easily removed using a fine grit sandpaper, a nail emery board, or Dremel tool.