Thread: REALLY easy lighted sign!

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Admins/mods please feel free to move this if it's not detailed enough to be here...

EDIT: Pictures are now included below. As it turns out, I was just being inept at operating the camera...it takes all lighting shots just fine. OOPS!
Also, you'll notice in the 1st few pictures, you can see the wax paper laying near the box, but in later pics, it has been replaced by red paper. That's because I changed it due to the fact that the lights are pink when lit up (they're supposed to be purple) and to be honest, I think it was a little bit too bright with the wax paper...I don't think a pink sign is very ominous, do you??? So I spray-painted both sides of some thin paper and used that. Problem solved, no pink sign.
I would think red tissue paper would do the job too, but you may need a few layers to dull down the brightness a bit. maybe a combination of tissue paper and wax paper (?)

SO. I made a big sign out of 1" styrofoam with "engraved" lettering. I used my rotary tool to carve in the letters. It says "Enter if you dare -- Exit will be your problem". I did the whole stone-look routine you use on tombstones, complete with chunks missing and cracks.

Then I get to thinking...wouldn't this be cool if the letters would light up?!

So I dig out my rotary tool again, and re-carve the letters all the way through the styrofoam, so you can see right through. Then I built a box out of more styrofoam (with a back on it) to mount my sign on. I made the box approx. 4" deep, and the width/height are just big enough to enclose the letters, but smaller than the overall sign face (so the box is basically hidden once the finished sign is wall-mounted). I used thick-gel crazy glue, but hot glue would work too if it's not too hot. I didn't think the box would be very strong, so I "pinned" it at the corners and once in the middle of each edge by inserting finish nails through the back and into the box walls, which I embedded slightly deeper by pushing them in farther with a very small screwdriver.
I was also concerned about weather, since the lights are indoor lights, so I wrapped the entire outer walls of the box with clear packing tape.

Now, I needed to be sure the styrofoam wouldn't melt from the lights (I don't know how hot they get), as well as reflect the light as much as possible. I laid the box on its back and lined the inside with aluminum foil, taped in place. By making a thin slice down the side of the box where I wanted my plug to be, I was now able to insert the lights, taped to the inner foil lining in strategic places.
After laying the sign on top of the box and plugging in the lights, I could see that my plan was working well...except that you could see the actual light bulbs inside. I flipped the sign over, and taped 2 layers of wax paper over the back where the letters are, "pinned" the sign in place on the box with finish nails (so i can have access to the lights when I want/need to), and VOILA! The light is evenly distributed, and looks like a proper lit-up sign...one might even say it looks a bit neon.

Total cost of this project? Well, here's a breakdown...

Styrofoam = $0 (had it just laying around)
Glue = $1 (at the dollar store)
Paint = $0 (had that laying around too)
(String of 35) Lights = $1 (at the dollar store)

Grand Total = $2.00

Total time involved = approx. 3 hours

Ya don't get custom-made lighted signs any cheaper than that!!!

BTW: if you try this, pay very close attention to how you "engrave" some of your letters!!! Letters like P, A, D, B, O, etc. Will need to have small bits of the styrofoam NOT cut away, or the inner parts will fall out, leaving a hole with no fill in the letter. Imagine the letter D as just a D-shaped hole....not very effective and rather cheap-looking. Think before you carve.

here's the pics:

Pleeeeez try to post a picture of this great idea!! You can't just tease a girl like that! Especially with all our creativity-hormones bouncing all over the place at this time of year....this idea is too good to pass up! I want to make one! or two!

Okee dokee, I'll try it and see if I get anything worth posting.

EDIT: pics are posted.

Well done, looks very effective

I basically did the samething last year. The mistake I made was relying in light sticks as a light source (I was worried about heat). The light sticks gave an uneven glow that I wasn't happy with. This year I glued some wax paper on the inside of the letters and cut out the back. The insulation I used already had a foiled side, so I bought a purple 60-light LED string light from Target and installed them. Wow! What a difference.

BWAH HA HA HA!!! Love it!

That is a simple solution to a simple problem of how to light a sign. Great job.

I've done the same thing using a cardboard box I scavanged from my local dollar store. I am happy with the results when the lights blink on and off.
here is a pic of the prject and a nightime shot of the sign.

Thanks for sharing, great idea. I need a lighted sign this year.

Originally Posted by Drayvan

I've done the same thing using a cardboard box I scavanged from my local dollar store. I am happy with the results when the lights blink on and off.
here is a pic of the prject and a nightime shot of the sign.

Hey, I like the street sign idea too....might just hafta make me one of these.