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View Full Version : LED light base for desk name plate



John W Richards
04-22-2011, 12:03 PM
I got some LED bases from Jim Good and made these desk name plates. I think they will be good sellers for me.
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Dee Gallo
04-22-2011, 12:35 PM
Good job, John - you managed to get the big areas even, which was always a possible problem. Did you use the 80% black on those fat letters?

I hope you sell a lot of them!

cheers, dee

Michael Kowalczyk
04-22-2011, 2:40 PM
Hey John,
Nice work and I like that you added a graphic to it also. Nice touch of making it as part of the cut out.

I have a few ?'s for you.
How long does it take for you to engrave and cut each name plate?
Have you thought about rounding the corners?
What are you thinking of charging for them?
Do you include the AC adapter? Do you include batteries?

I did a job for a bank and charged 15.00 each and 20.00 if they wanted the AC adapter. My setup/engraving/cutting time was always under 6 minutes. So it was reasonably profitable but even better is that each of those pcs became free advertising also.

Like Tom "Buzz" @ laserBuzz likes to promote... "You have to give to get" and here's how this one worked. One of my helper's wife works at the bank and they asked if I could make one for her. So I did and everyone at the bank got to see it and several ordered some also. I did not have to deal with any of them since my helper's wife collected all the names and $. So that's one way of marketing them.
Hope you do well and ...

John W Richards
04-22-2011, 6:08 PM
I did not try the 80% black, they came out nice at 100% black. I will give it a try to see if there is a difference.

John W Richards
04-22-2011, 6:13 PM
Michael,

to answer your ?'s:
1. It takes about 2 minutes to cut and engrave, to step process for me, cut first then raster.
2. Thought about it, but customer wanted them square.
3. I got $25.00 for each without batteries or adapter. I offered adapter for additional $5.00 and they did not want them.

Bob Heltibridle
04-22-2011, 8:16 PM
John
Great job, I have done several sign like those.
My process is a little different
1. I mask off the front side of the sign (the side that goes face down on the table) using that blue painters tape
2. I raster the backside of the sign.
3. then I cut the sign out.
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Ron Thompson
04-22-2011, 9:05 PM
John,

What did the bases cost (with adapters)? And where can I order some?

Ron Thompson

paul mott
04-23-2011, 6:12 AM
Hi John,

Nice work.
One question though - what is causing the little wispy marks which are appearing at the top and sometimes the bottom of each letter ?

Paul.

Frank Corker
04-23-2011, 6:29 AM
That looks like reflection from the top of the letters, I'm sure that it's not visible when view directly on, that picture has been taken with an angle visible.

John W Richards
04-23-2011, 8:37 AM
John,

What did the bases cost (with adapters)? And where can I order some?

Ron Thompson

Jim Good, a creek member, sells these for $3.00 each and adapters for $2.00 each.

John W Richards
04-23-2011, 8:38 AM
Hi John,

Nice work.
One question though - what is causing the little wispy marks which are appearing at the top and sometimes the bottom of each letter ?

Paul.

Frank is correct, looking at them they are not visable, it is the angle of the camera shot.

Ron Thompson
04-23-2011, 9:35 PM
John,
I did send a private message to Jim requesting prices but his box is full. So I'm unable to contact him.
Do you have another way that I can contact him?

Thanks .... Ron Thompson

John W Richards
04-24-2011, 9:19 AM
John,
I did send a private message to Jim requesting prices but his box is full. So I'm unable to contact him.
Do you have another way that I can contact him?

Thanks .... Ron Thompson

I email him at jim dot good at a2zengraving dot com
It may take a day or two but he will get back to you.

Mike vonBuelow
04-29-2011, 1:45 PM
4-29 update
It may be more days if you're just now emailing him like me as Jim has been affected by recent storms

You're in our thoughts Jim :(

Jim Good
05-03-2011, 12:14 AM
Guys,

I am back online! We got our power back late last night and my internet connection came back today. Spent the day cleaning out refrigerators and stocking them back up.

Wow, the damage is everywhere. Some of the gas stations are now opening back for business. That's good. We still have a dusk-til-dawn curfew because of the knuckleheads that are looting houses and businesses. That is SO tacky.

I appreciate all the well-wishes. We consider ourselves very lucky. For some reason the storms left our house alone but damage existed on our street, neighborhood, and definitely in our region. Many people lost their entire house and there was no debris left. Just a clean area where a house once existed. I can't imagine being in that house during the storm. With over 300 deaths, I'm hoping my friends will not be among that total.

I've got some boxes going out tomorrow (Tuesday). I'm sorry for the delay. I know the post office is open so they will go out.

For those requesting info, that will go out this evening. The kids are asleep so I have some time now!!! My kids used the glowboards for their night lite when we didn't have power. They worked great! Now with power, I'll plug them into the wall and keep using them.

Thanks again for the kind words and the patience. My family is safe so now I can devote some time to my Creek family!

Jim

Chuck Stone
05-03-2011, 7:15 AM
Glad to hear you're OK Jim!

Ron Hartl
05-03-2011, 9:30 AM
John, very nice work, but I would be careful using the Harley Shield, they have it copyrighted and are very watchful on people using it.

Mark Sipes
02-14-2013, 4:30 PM
What material is used to make the LED lit signs. Is it normal Plexi, Lucite, Cast Acrylic. Trade names?
Thickness 1/2" 5/8" ? Suppliers

Plexiglas ELit appears to be the tradename..... 10mm thickness only



Thanks

Chuck Stone
02-15-2013, 7:32 AM
I've used all sorts.. what size will depend on that your base needs.
Cast acrylic seems to be best for the etching look. You can get acrylic
sheets just about everywhere, but might need to find a distributor
for cast acrylic. Extruded stuff I can even get at Home Despot, in a pinch.

Wish I could find more bases without importing 500 at a time.. had
conversations with a gentleman in China about them and I could swing
a MOQ of 100, not 500. So he referred me to one of his US distributors,
who gave me a price that was about 3x retail.

Don Necaise
02-16-2013, 1:06 PM
Dee
When you are talking about 80% on the black can you please explain that ? I am still learning some of this Thanks

Mark Sipes
02-16-2013, 1:32 PM
Fairly sure she is referring to the color black at 80% .. part of the Corel color bar gradients of 100% black to white.

Dee Gallo
02-16-2013, 6:26 PM
Yes, Don, I meant you should fill the shape with 80% black instead of solid black. It helps to make a little more even engraving in large areas. But since your came out the way you wanted, it does not matter.

AL Ursich
02-19-2013, 1:40 PM
When sourcing the LED Lights to make your own base, look for USB LED lights.... One less Wall Wort...

AL

Mark Smith61
02-19-2013, 1:49 PM
Interesting idea on the USB LED lights. Since these are desk top signs most people likely have a computer near by. Or if not I would assume a USB LED could also be powered by one of the wall plugs that come with a USB outlet too. That would make for a very compact power supply.

AL Ursich
02-19-2013, 2:14 PM
eBay has the 10 LED strip versions for less than 5 bucks. Only a short cord but USB Extensions are easy to get.


Mostly only see white light. A Color Filter could be used too... I have the Translucent 3M Film for Street Signs in Red, Green and Blue.

I have seen some done in the Reel LED Strips in Blue and RED for EMS and Fire Department. The Reel LED's come in many colors and operate off a 12 volt DC Wall Wort and can be cut in strips of 3 LEDS as needed or a cut line every 3 LEDS.

Making a base is pretty easy with a Router.

AL

Mark Smith61
02-19-2013, 11:33 PM
The one below is on Amazon for $12 and comes with a 51" USB cord.

http://www.amazon.com/Antec-Advance-Accent-Lighting-Blue/dp/B007TG5ECW/ref=pd_sim_e_3


On Edit: Other places, such as Frys.com have this same item for $9.99. According to a video I watched on Youtube these strips come with 6 LEDS and it's 14.5 inches long, but there are two places the strip can be cut. You can either cut off 1/3 rd or 2/3rds and then you have to solder the wires together.

mike moll
01-21-2014, 8:21 PM
Jim where did you get the led bases at? Do you sell them?
Thanks Mike


I am back online! We got our power back late last night and my internet connection came back today. Spent the day cleaning out refrigerators and stocking them back up.

Wow, the damage is everywhere. Some of the gas stations are now opening back for business. That's good. We still have a dusk-til-dawn curfew because of the knuckleheads that are looting houses and businesses. That is SO tacky.

I appreciate all the well-wishes. We consider ourselves very lucky. For some reason the storms left our house alone but damage existed on our street, neighborhood, and definitely in our region. Many people lost their entire house and there was no debris left. Just a clean area where a house once existed. I can't imagine being in that house during the storm. With over 300 deaths, I'm hoping my friends will not be among that total.

I've got some boxes going out tomorrow (Tuesday). I'm sorry for the delay. I know the post office is open so they will go out.

For those requesting info, that will go out this evening. The kids are asleep so I have some time now!!! My kids used the glowboards for their night lite when we didn't have power. They worked great! Now with power, I'll plug them into the wall and keep using them.

Thanks again for the kind words and the patience. My family is safe so now I can devote some time to my Creek family!

Jim[/QUOTE]