# First CNC Routed / LED Project



## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

We recently finished our CNCRP 4896 Pro router with custom vacuum table. While we have done a couple routed ACP signs with digitally printed faces / lettering but this is our first Routed / LED combination sign. Unfortunately this project had a tight deadline so I wasnt able to take photos of the assembly process. 

Thanks for looking
Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Talk about wicked looking ! Great job Gary


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## jpbldr (Feb 17, 2018)

ACP is Aluminum skin over some sort of plastic core, right? If this is the material used on the sign in the attached pic, I'm curious how it was lit. I have done some experimental things with acrylic/lexan carving to make edge lit panels. But that is different than what I see here. More info if you can share please? Is the core material translucent, so that edge lighting still transmits to the carved area, even thought the skin is opaque?


Brian


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

Rain man thank you, Brian no sorry I should have explained the process better. You are correct that the ACP is an Aluminum Composite Panel. Then I have a sheet of 3/16" translucent white polycarbonate Lexan with 3m 3630 translucent blue & green vinyl applied to where the lettering is. We then used 3m VHB tape to apply the ACP to the Lexan. I built a 3" deep box / cabinet out of 3/4" marine grade plywood to house the waterproof LED's. We could have made the cabinet out of aluminum extrusion or ACP but I wanted something that I could use screws to attach the LED's via a bracket. Then we drilled oversize holes in the ACP and lexan to allow expansion & contraction differences between it & the wood. The faces were attached with stainless truss head screws then painted to match the ACP. I'm new to LED but I'm pretty sure we used 3528 (or it was 2835) 6500k white LED's to light the box. I can look when I get to the shop.

The logo that glows has 5050 RGB waterproof LED's taped to the back of the ACP with 3m VHB tape then 100% clear silicone around the VHB for extra security. The LED's are placed about 1.5" in from the edge. Facing back towards the wall. The logo was mounted 2" away from the wall on treated brackets.

Thanks for looking


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Looks like you're off and running with the new machine, Gary. Very innovative. Plus........... it looks pretty impressive!!


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

That looks really nice and very professional, Gary! Good job.

David


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Talk about wicked looking ! Great job Gary


Is that really a good way to describe a church sign?  All kidding aside, it does look fantastic.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Gary, Very nice looking sign. I'm sure they are happy with your work.

For those that don't know 3M VHB tape is 3M brand and the VHB stands for very high bond.


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

Thanks everyone. Yes VHB is very high bond I'm used to sign industry people, it's used so much in the sign industry everyone knows that product.

If you've never heard of it Kennworth uses it to hold their bumper covers on their Semi trucks. As I like to say you could glue whale snot onto an iceberg with it.


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## Potowner1 (Feb 17, 2011)

Great job Gary, and really good choice for the colors. 
I'm beginning to look at CNC's myself, but I need a bottle of aspirin after about an hour of looking. I do not intend for this to be a business, just a hobby.

Thanks for sharing.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

sreilly said:


> Is that really a good way to describe a church sign?  All kidding aside, it does look fantastic.


I actually thought about that several seconds after posting it. Then I thought , what the hell


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Very nice looking. Many years ago I worked at a shop that made neon signs, some 'halo lit' like the top parts of that one. I guess LEDs have taken over that and most other types of signage too.


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

That really looks awesome !!!


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I actually thought about that several seconds after posting it. Then I thought , what the hell


You're on a roll Rick.....


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## UglySign (Nov 17, 2015)

TenGees said:


> Very nice looking. Many years ago I worked at a shop that made neon signs, some 'halo lit' like the top parts of that one. I guess LEDs have taken over that and most other types of signage too.



Whats neon? One thing for sure is it's a whole hell of alot easier to illuminate channel letters w/ leds.
The days of drawing up those patterns, setting up the housings etc.... over. Least for me :grin:
Now you can make a more shallow can instead of having them bulky when small.
Poor neon guys have taken a beatin'. Same for the guys that used to cutout the channels
when the CNC came along. Oh well... kept me bizzies. :grin:


Very nice sign there Gary! 

By any chance do you use Lord Adhesives?
A good alternative to welding if you cannot.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

UglySign said:


> Whats neon? One thing for sure is it's a whole hell of alot easier to illuminate channel letters w/ leds.
> The days of drawing up those patterns, setting up the housings etc.... over. Least for me :grin:
> Now you can make a more shallow can instead of having them bulky when small.
> Poor neon guys have taken a beatin'. Same for the guys that used to cutout the channels
> ...


I never thought about it that way , and you would think leds put a major dent in the neon industry. 
And RBG leds can change colours , so there’s that also


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

Uglysign - No neon for me, 10 years or so ago I lost my balance and jumped a 15,000 watt transformer with my little finger my back hurt for 2 weeks. We have used Lords 181 double sided tape in the past, it words good but it's not as good as VHB but very good for interior signage.


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## Scottart (Jan 8, 2015)

Keep posting please great work and really appreciate the insights into materials I have never played with..


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

Scott I'll keep posting jobs, I'm not sure how many this big we will do. We are in a pretty rural area so there isnt a lot of places willing to spend this kind of money on a sign.

Next thing I want to play with is edgelit LED. I've finally got all my supplies I need to start playing with these.

Thanks
Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I really like implementing edge lit lexan . Use it in my gym to spruce it up a bit. Prefer to use the RGB leds and controllers so I can change colours on the fly .


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

That look cool. Did you just profile city it? Have you done anything with diamond drag bits?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

On the ceiling I cut the majority of the centre out with a jig saw , then cramped an mdf template to it and finished the edge with a flush trim router bit .
Next I sand it with 120 grit sand paper ,as I find by having a sanded area on the exposed edge gives the led light something to refract off of . 
On the inside edges where the leds are located , I sand them with 120, then 220 , then carefully use a torch to bring it back to clear again . I find more light gets threw if the hidden edge is clear.

There’s no profile on the edges , just flat , but I’m debating to try something new with the mirror .
I want the lexan mounted flush with the wall on my next upgrade , but you won’t see the edge as well . I’m thinking about running a dado blade along the underside edge to create a 1/2” depth cut ,then sanding with 120 .

Here’s a pic that shows the mirror edge lit up better


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## JamesS (May 3, 2020)

Zund CNC cut. Dibond engrave frame fold w/ dibond & acrylic thru cut letter on stand offs.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Good looking project, James. Head over to the introduction area and tell us a little about yourself.

David


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