Edge Lit Acrylic Sign

this is a guide to edge lighting an acrylic sign cut with a laser cutting machine in this case a generic K40 laser and using a base printed on a 3d printer powered either by two AA batteries or USB, mainly to use in my case as a night light for my grandchildren.

soldering iron and associated solder and flux etc

cheap LED lights from pound / dollar store

3d printed base and acrylic sign

3v button cell (to test LED's)

USB lead

VERO / strip board

120ohm resistor (5v USB) or 20ohm resistor (3v two AA)

hot glue gun

gather materials 3d print the base and laser cut the sign then decide on your power supply if you are using the two AA battery holder supplied with the lights then cut the lights after the 5th light and then glue the LED's into the base as per the image this is the simplest option and does not require any soldering skills just glue the LED's into the base and you are all done.

if you are going to use the USB option then print the base and laser cut your sign.

cut the vero / strip board into a strip with two usable holes as per image

cut the LED's from the string of lights or use your own individual LED's

use the Coin cell to test the LED's and make sure they are all the same way around (they only work one way so need to be inserted into the board the same way around)

place the LED's into the strip board all the same way around and test them again with the coin cell, they should all light without rotating the coin cell. once they are checked they can be soldered into position.

add the resistor to one end of the board connected to positive side of the LED legs (use coin cell to determine)

cut the small plug off the usb lead and strip back the sleaving to reveal the wires below if your lead has two wire they will most likely be red and black red is positive and black is negative.

connect the red to the loose end of the resistor and the black to the other side of the LED's

if your lead also has a white and a green lead as mine did then cut these wires back to different lengths

test the lights and then place them in the slot in the base add you sign and you should be all done.