back lit Aztec calendar

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Xxray
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back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

Took a 12x12" .25" thick chunk of plexi and spray painted it black.
Once dry, etched in the design with a diamond drag bit. Built a light box for it and presto !

As you can see, it suffers from a dark spot lower right area, should have made the LED strip a little longer.
I have some diffuser film, might try that to see if it improves lighting.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by highpockets »

Well done! I really like the idea!

Thanks for sharing....
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

Yeah, concept is good, lighting is difficult.
Even if the strip was longer there would still be relative dark spots, you can see exactly where the strip is.
I think I'll extend the strip plus use a diffuser, won't be quite as bright but more uniform.

Of course, doesn't even necessarily have to be lit to look pretty sweet.
Doug

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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by highpockets »

Wonder if you could use a mirrored box to scatter the light more. :?: :roll:
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

I dunno, wouldn't the mirror itself interfere with light ?
You are probably thinking of something else [mirrored inside edges?], really tough to think of something that would offer uniform lighting and color changes, short of using about 4ft of LED strips. As it is, probably used about 2ft on this.
I've used the exact same concept with white plexi many times, far more forgiving than clear.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by FixitMike »

Try edge lighting instead of back lighting to get uniform brightness.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

Am well versed in edge lighting Mike, just messing with a different concept.
My vision was having light beam out rather than through, was partially successful.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by dwilli9013 »

Doug,
Have you thought about trying to run a piece of aluminum foil shiny side towards the center around the edge of the Plexi? I'm wondering if maybe that would refract the light beams back in towards the center.

Nice piece ere regardless. Thanks for sharing it.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

Since the design spans nearly the entire square, don't think angled mirror would work as that itself would block light.

Have edge lit painted plexi before, paint seems to soak up light and is a bit underwhelming, which is why I have had this on my bucket list for a while to try.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by martin54 »

How deep is your lightbox Doug? It may be to shallow, a deeper box may give more uniform light & also make the LED's less noticeable :lol: :lol:

Sure I still have info some where for building lightboxes which I did a few times as a signmaker that gives the spacing distance between different types of lighting LED, fluorescent etc & the depth of the box required. Will see if I can find it :lol: :lol:

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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

True Martin, I like to keep them slim or they lose a selling point [not that I am even likely to sell this].

People like em slim and not bulky, mdf slats I made the box with are just 2.5" wide. Plexi itself is inset .25, making a grand total of 2.25" between the LED's and plexi.
Another couple inches would no doubt disperse light better, and bulk it up considerably. I would probably be forced to do that, add more LED's or both if this was a paid project, wouldn't let one go into circulation with a dark spot like that.

Too, doesn't look as drastic to the naked eye as it does in a high res pic, though it is no doubt noticeable. Am hoping LED extension and diffuser film gets it up to snuff, will post back when able.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by ElevationCreations »

Why not just add more LED strips for more lumens? Great looking project.

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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by Xxray »

I'm a gonna do that, lots of drama and personal stuff side tracking me from my projects.
I think that short of a full backwall of LED's there will be dark spots on something like this, but I think adding 6 more LED's and the diffuser will greatly improve it, look forward to the results. Martin is right, logically, the more space the better light distribution, I was going for the slim design and I am stuck with it.

I also made another design, same concept but with white plexi, ready for lights I'll post that too ,,, These light boxes tend to be popular at clubs/bars ect, simple and sweet.
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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by martin54 »

Doug, what about a combination of edge & back lighting, as neither one seems to give the look you are after maybe a combination of the 2 will work :lol: :lol:
I can understand why you would want to keep them fairly slim, most of what I have done has been large shop front type boxes so they look OK with a bit of depth, if I were making smaller boxes like this I would want them to be quite slimline as well :lol: :lol:

When you say White Plexi I take it you mean what I would know as opal rather than dense white. Opal is what is used in the sign industry for most lightboxes.
If the LED strips are very close to the panel then you may still get the same problems with lighter & darker areas, a defuser film might help with that.

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Re: back lit Aztec calendar

Post by mtylerfl »

I saw a lithophane backlit with a 12" x 12" flat LED panel last year at a CNC Conference. Lighting was nice and even. The drawback was those flat panels were a bit pricey (I think the fellow said about $70). Maybe they are less costly now?
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