dcruze wrote:I sure could use a tutorial on edge lit signs. I have been trying to make one but I am having trouble getting it to light right. My acrylic seems to get flooded with color instead of just the routed areas.
I attached a photo of a sample I was playing with to see if someone could help me.
dcruze...maybe it's the type of acrylic you're using. Although I've never done an edge lit sign on my CNC, I have done several with my laser. For engaving a picture/design one must use "cast" acrylic. For cutting out things like letters, one should use "extruded" acrylic. Cast acrylic sheets are made from a liquid acrylic that is poured into molds and is more expensive. Looks and feels more like real glass and is of a high quality. Extruded acrylic is formed into sheets by a large machine much like a printing press. Being a high volume manufacturing technique, this process allows sheets of extruded acrylic to be less expensive than cast acrylic (also less quality).
(Mitch)
CAMaster Stinger I
Vectric Aspire
Epilog 45watt Helix Laser
MarkJohnston wrote:I don't know why the acrylic wouldn't light up properly. I usually sand the bottom edge and flame the edges including the bottom so the are all clear but I know a lot of people don't do that. What LED lights are you using? Are they colored and are they bright?
The Last Supper is a pretty large image. What is the size you are making it and how thick?
I've been trying to post some pictures of the Acrylics I have done but the Vectric's site keeps timing out. I reduce them and have posted many others so I guess I will have to wait until it's less busy.
Mark
I have now torched the edges and the surface seemed to be too finely carve so the table itself is lust coming up greyish, the background looks great.
When I look at the piece from the top it looks just like it should but not from the front
I have torched the whole surface to make it clearer, perhaps if I scratch the bottoms of the carve, it will reflect the light.
Cheers
Wolffie
Cheers
Wolffie
Whatshammacallit
Cut3D, VCarvePro 6.5, Aspire4, PhotoVCarve, Corel Graphics Suite X6
Mark[/quote]
I have now torched the edges and the surface seemed to be too finely carve so the table itself is lust coming up greyish, the background looks great.
When I look at the piece from the top it looks just like it should but not from the front
I have torched the whole surface to make it clearer, perhaps if I scratch the bottoms of the carve, it will reflect the light.
Cheers
Wolffie[/quote]
Can you post a picture? What are you using to carve the words and how deep are you carving?
dcruze wrote:I sure could use a tutorial on edge lit signs. I have been trying to make one but I am having trouble getting it to light right. My acrylic seems to get flooded with color instead of just the routed areas.
I attached a photo of a sample I was playing with to see if someone could help me.
dcruze...maybe it's the type of acrylic you're using. Although I've never done an edge lit sign on my CNC, I have done several with my laser. For engaving a picture/design one must use "cast" acrylic. For cutting out things like letters, one should use "extruded" acrylic. Cast acrylic sheets are made from a liquid acrylic that is poured into molds and is more expensive. Looks and feels more like real glass and is of a high quality. Extruded acrylic is formed into sheets by a large machine much like a printing press. Being a high volume manufacturing technique, this process allows sheets of extruded acrylic to be less expensive than cast acrylic (also less quality).
"cast" acrylic , "extruded" acrylic , Thanks for that explanation, though I was being a thrifty shopper, turns out I was being a cheap dumb @#$ !! A tutorial on edge lit signs would be great idea. Thanks for your help