Another Tutorial?

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mfirlott
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Re: Another Tutorial?

Post by mfirlott »

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)
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GraClay

Re: Another Tutorial?

Post by GraClay »

We use cast acrylic for almost all acrylic jobs with the exception of tactile signs. We particlularly use "cast" acrylic for "lettering".

Extruded acrylic does tend to melt on the tool and the cut edge is rarely as good as cast acrylic.

We use extruded acrylic on tactile signs purely because the acrylic is very consistent in thickness, no other reason.

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Ms Wolffie
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Re: Another Tutorial?

Post by Ms Wolffie »

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

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Cut3D, VCarvePro 6.5, Aspire4, PhotoVCarve, Corel Graphics Suite X6

MarkJohnston
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Re: Another Tutorial?

Post by MarkJohnston »

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?

Mark

Will Hoffman
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Re: Another Tutorial?

Post by Will Hoffman »

mfirlott wrote:
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).
:D "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
Rookie at large ... Ohh do I have questions ??

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Makingtoothpicks
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Re: Another Tutorial?

Post by Makingtoothpicks »

I vote for a new tut and any tuts. Tu tu .

Don

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