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Josh Richard
02-15-2011, 8:58 PM
We are looking into making LED light signs in my engineering class. The acrylic will be 12” wide and from 3 to 10 tall with a laser engraved design area. Students will design the unit, including LED circuitry and size a wall wart. How many and what type of LEDs would folks recommend?

Thanks for your help and expertise
Josh

Steve knight
02-15-2011, 9:10 PM
that's pretty large. well it depends on how much is engraved. I have noticed on things I have done if there is much vertical design and bottom lit the top parts may not be as bright.
so side light may be best.
I bet my lights from www.superbrightleds.com Why would you do the circuitry? they are pretty much pre made these days.

Dee Gallo
02-15-2011, 10:28 PM
I would love to see someone design an edgelit light that has lights all around - it would really make everything (design-wise) so fool proof. A 10x12 light would be fantastic that way. I did a 10x12 with just the bottom edge lit up and it actually looked better with the light OFF in my opinion, but the customer loved it. A nice sleek frame, a big size, all-around lights? I'd buy one!

cheers, dee

Dan Hintz
02-16-2011, 6:00 AM
[QUOTE=Dee Gallo;1638075]I would love to see someone design an edgelit light that has lights all around - it would really make everything (design-wise) so fool proof. A 10x12 light would be fantastic that way. I did a 10x12 with just the bottom edge lit up and it actually looked better with the light OFF in my opinion, but the customer loved it. A nice sleek frame, a big size, all-around lights? I'd buy one!/QUOTE]
Ah, but how much would you pay for such a prize? ;) I have offered to make such a beast on several occasions here, but no one was even close to the price that would make it worthwhile... I can't compete with China-level pricing.

Josh Richard
02-16-2011, 7:06 AM
Sounds like the question I should be asking is how far will light travel through acrylic?

We have 100's of edge lit exit signs in the building that are about 10", that is what I was basing my design on.

Dan Hintz
02-16-2011, 8:27 AM
Sounds like the question I should be asking is how far will light travel through acrylic?
Depends upon the quality of the acrylic, image etched into it, LED angle, etc. In other words, there's no clear-cut answer. It's easier (and cheaper) to try some experiments and see if you're happy with the results. To give you an idea, I charge clients $100/hr to run simulations and do custom lighting designs... the only people who pay that are corporations. With off-the-shelf LED strips, you should have no problem with lighting a 1'-tall acrylic piece... a 5'-tall piece will require either serious experimentation or my design services. I think you get the picture...

Bill Overturf
02-16-2011, 9:04 AM
This light box for lack of a better term is powered by a string of battery operated LED's I bought at XMAS time from Target. The string has 18 LED's in 5 on the bottom 5 on the top and 4 on each side. The acyrlic piece is 12X12 with a mirror behind it. My lovely daughter got candle wax all over this one I will try to get the other one out tonight and snap a better pick. They look really cool when all the lights are out.

182926

Dee Gallo
02-16-2011, 9:37 AM
This light box for lack of a better term is powered by a string of battery operated LED's I bought at XMAS time from Target. The string has 18 LED's in 5 on the bottom 5 on the top and 4 on each side. The acyrlic piece is 12X12 with a mirror behind it. My lovely daughter got candle wax all over this one I will try to get the other one out tonight and snap a better pick. They look really cool when all the lights are out.

182926

I like it, Bill! Blue's my favorite LED color too. So does it plug in or use batteries? What is the frame made of? Is the frame also engraveable? IF you were going to sell one (or 10), what would you have to charge? Why put the mirror behind it? I like the 2 sided effect, plus doesn't it make a reflection that could appear to be a double image (read: blurry)?

I know, that's a lot of questions, but this has me psyched!

cheers, dee

Bill Overturf
02-16-2011, 10:06 AM
The frame is made out of 1X2 and trim I guess it could be engraved never even thought of it. We put the mirror in for 2 reasons 1 if makes it functional as my wife actually uses it as a mirror 2 it hides the wires which could be done a different way if you wanted to view it from both sides. Cost wise I'm kinda in the same boat as Dan it cost more to make than people think. I made 3 of these for XMAS presents the acrylic cost me 45 the lumber and trim was probably around 30-40 dont really remember lights were 8 a piece. Plus paint and time it added up pretty quick. Oh and another thing on the mirror you really dont get much a reflection of the engraved image. These LED's are battery powered off of 4 AA batteries. My daughter uses hers every night as a nightlight so it is on from 10 pm till 7 am and so far I have not had to replace the batteries I'm curious myself how long they will last I will try to remember to post and let every body know when I have to replace them

Josh Richard
02-18-2011, 9:32 AM
Thank you for all your help.

Here is what we have today.
A block of wood with a cavity cut from the bottom and a slit cut in the top
That block was placed over 6 red LEDs and a resistor on a bread board

The text is a little wide for the lights, we need to bring that in a small amount and engrave the text a bit deeper.

Dan Hintz
02-18-2011, 11:41 AM
Josh,

I will send a pm.