edge lite sign

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Hi all
here is what I've been working on the last few weeks
hope it doesn't scare ya all to much
if there is any questions just ask

72601











ken

[Joe Pelonio]

Very cool job Ken.

I've done the engraving for some of those but they are always installed in vehicles so I never get to see them lit up.

[Stephen Beckham]

Okay Ken, now put five layers of plexi with five different images of the horse in gallop - then use five different LEDs to rotate through the plexi pieces one at a time... That should give you a galloping horse. :D

Just kidding - the funny thing is - if you are anything like me, your first thought was "yeah - I could do that..."

Seriously - that's awesome - I bet you could sell common pictures like Einstein, Marylin Monroe ect... in that type of medium... Is it swappable? Meaning - if you gave a person three different images - could they easily switch it for different look every now and then?

Steve

[Mike Null]

Ken

That's super. Can we have a "how to".

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Hi
Steve, Yes the top is made to lift off and the acrylic can be changed. I figured that would work well with the seasons and holiday time. I've made a few different inserts. And your comment about multi layers i'm already doing that.:D

Mike, A how to is in the works

The base that you are looking at is to be covered with a fancy wood of some type. Have not decided yet what to use but the acrylic will be interchangeable no matter what.

I think a nice winter picture of some sort as well as all the holidays

ken

[Bob Cole]

You are definitely my hero. I have a similar idea but for a different purpose.


I take it you manufactured everything. I've been looking for a reasonable price for a base that can hold some acrylic (probably 3/8 or 1/4). Do the whole LED thing with a photo sensor to turn it on at night.

[Frank Corker]

Nice job Ken, I'd be interested to see how you got that light box to work, it's one thing that is holding me back from trying.

[Keith Outten]

Epilog has a nice example of multi-stack acrylic that is engraved and lites up with LED's in the sample club area of their web site. It's worth a look for anyone interested in this kind of project.

.

[Sam Starr]

Hey Ken great work. Talk to you soon:D

Sam

[AL Ursich]

Great Work..... And Yes I thought of the multi images and multi LED idea was GREAT..... That from a guy that has committed to make a Jeopardy Game for a Company to train employees.... Complete with flashing lights and buzzers....

AL

[Avi Maor]

This is very nice indeed.
Can you give us some details about the light source you used?.
Thanks
Avi

[Bob Keyes]

Here's a pic of one I did last year for Christmas ornaments. I just dug it out again for this year. The problem is the flare from the led's on the bottom. Are you using some sort of diffuser to stop this?

Any help appreciated.

[Bob Keyes]

Don't know why this didn't work! Try again. Ah, it was too big!! Anyway I hope it is here now.

[Frank Corker]

Bob, that's super, a diffused piece of acrylic across the lights would block out the flare, but nice work indeed!

[Bob Keyes]

Thanks Frank. It worked well last Christmas. I hope it does better this one. I'll try a piece of diffused plex and see if it helps.

[pete hagan]

Try sanding the top of the led flat. When we have to make some props with a light source we will often just sand the top with a belt sander or similar item. Of course the light output is diminished because the whole point of the top is that it is a lense. I have flamed them after sanding to help the light output.

Pete

[Bob Keyes]

Thanks Pete. I may try that. I sanded the bottom of the sign, but that did not seem to help.

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Bob
I have nothing like what you have on my LED's. Do you have then directly under the item to be lit? Mine are directly under the edge of the acrylic and I have not sanded mine in any way. Just cut them with the laser and engraved and inserted.
ken

[Rodne Gold]

You must not sand the edge the leds are resting on , they need to be clear and polished and the leds need to be smack bang in the middle of the edge too and in contact with that edge. You get various leds with beam spread patterns , use one with a wide spread.
Apart from that you need to put reflective tape on the exposed edges of the signs (left right and top) and you can use the self adesive shiny silver vinyl for that , it bounces the light back into the piece itself. The problems with LED's are that they arent bright , any diffusion will cut light output dramatically.
We actually dont use leds much for edgelit signs as they are often problematic re light transmission , we use a cold halogen tube with a transformer , easily housed in aluminium extrusions , for much much better results.