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what material can i use for making a light-box?
hi all i need to quote for a light box sign ,the light box is already in place so all i need to make is the sign,its the first light box sign for me so i need to know what to use for it i.e so light can show through in the places i want it too
any help thanks richone day i will be able to help others like me i have asked for help about 5 time this week and its only Tuesday !!!
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5 Replies
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You’ll need to buy translucent vinyl.
Love….Jill -
Jills right 😉
We get ours from Amari Plastics but I think most suppliers do them.
And if you need the plastic you can also get that from Amari.Cheers
Chris 😀
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hi rich
assuming you are also replacing the perspex face?
call amari plastics and ask for a 5mm opal acrylic sheet cut to size (if you know “exact measurement” that is) its always best to tell your supplier what you are intending using the perspex for. that way they will recommend this and that, & can accommodate you better…
renewing a light-box face isn’t that hard but if it is old and weathered it can twist, sag in the middle and cause bother when inserting new perspex if there is a join needing aligned? other things like old screw fixings
can be, stuck, threaded etc. make sure you have some self tappers in case you need to drill some new holes to hold in the trim.
older signs normally have dodgy bulbs or some out… check first… nothing worse than being all finished & illuminating the sign and the guy says.. oh can you change that bulb mate? 😮
if there is a join in the sheets you will need to create a rebate with a flat headed router bit. about .5-.75 inch is fine. back one sheet with a strip of clear perspex, only about .75 inch wide by drop. this will create a tongue and grove to hold the sheets together in the middle.
getting a size for your perspex isn’t that hard, but old signs can be botched up or made bad… take one side of trim off and take a depth on the perpex, also check the middle and end outer sizes just in case they vary on a home made box? it happens!
if you can get the depth bang on then have amari cut it for you. the lentgh can always be trimmed down a tad on site if your a little over, but don’t be under.as for lettering it, like has been said use a translucent vinyl. most suppliers do them. colour range is never great. if you are using colours like black or lemon etc you will get away with normal vinyls. Ive found myself doing this on several occasions due to colour matching problems.
if you are using existing perspex and its in good nik, just strip and clean and have tar and glue remover at hand because unless really clean letter shadows show when illuminated.
if you are removing the perspex to strip, consider cleaning the front but using the rear of the perspex (if you can)to refurbish any sign its better to quote on the graphics applied but a per hour charge all other areas. you never know how bad its been put up. you could be there hours for a 30 min job…
hope this helps mate… best of luck 😉
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thanks all thats a great help, i was going to use standard vinyl on complete sign,i just wanted the out line around the words to be lit will this work?
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yeh it will work if you are flood coating say white perspex with red translucent vinyl. you want to weed out the text in the panel with the extra to form the outline. then apply the letters inserted into weeded space, but leaving some white exposed forming an outline. the face will illuminate in full colour but will also show a bright whit glow of white around the text as an outline.
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