LED Nightlights

**Dee Gallo** · 03-21-2009, 9:57 PM

I finally got a chance to make 2 nightlights for some college kids. This is my first time using photos on a nightlight, and I'm happy with the way they came out. They are much prettier in person, but the pictures give you the general idea. I only adjusted the photos in photoshop and then imported to Corel to add letters and outline.

**Bill Cunningham** · 03-21-2009, 10:04 PM

Those look fantastic Dee.. Great idea...

**Frank Corker** · 03-22-2009, 8:37 AM

They look great Dee. Did you replace the light on an existing one or make your own from the start?

**Albert Nix** · 03-22-2009, 9:07 AM

Dee did you engrave the pics on clear acrylic?

**Steve Clarkson** · 03-22-2009, 10:00 AM

Dee,

Nice job.....they look great. (BTW.....your customers are much better looking than mine!).

I had made a nightlight a few weeks ago, just to see how it would look. I bought one at Walmart for like $3 and was able to cut a piece of acrylic almost perfectly to fit. It was small (2"x3" or so) but it lit up perfectly.

How did you make yours?

**Dee Gallo** · 03-22-2009, 12:01 PM

Thanks everyone, these are fun to make. I buy the lights from Jim Good (a member here at the Creek - check him out!) and you get both the base and a 5" x 5" (approx) blank to use so it's very convenient. You can use batteries or buy a small plug dealie from him... his prices are very reasonable. He calls them glowboards and the acrylic is clear, youchoose the color light you want (red, blue, green, white). He also has bigger sizes but I have not tried them.

cheers, dee

**Steve Clarkson** · 03-22-2009, 1:08 PM

I've bought quite a few of these from Jim......and everyone loves them.....especially the kids.

The prices are EXCELLENT and the service is.......well, OK it's Jim.......just kidding!

I bought one of his big ones (@ 20"x12"} and I'm dying to try it out....but I'm saving it for just the right project.

Highly, HIGHLY recommend Jim for these.

**Bob Keyes** · 03-22-2009, 9:05 PM

Dear Dee,

You have the best ideas. I buy the boards from Jim and engrave school mascots on them. They are beginning to sell some now.

Thanks.

**Martin Boekers** · 03-23-2009, 3:42 PM

They look great Dee!

I too have bought these from Jim, you can't beat them for what they are!

Great for night lights or holiday stocking stuffers.

I really like the mini ones too.

Marty

**onur cakir** · 03-23-2009, 5:08 PM

Perfect idea + perfect results !

Engraved on clear acrylic ? No paintworks on engraved areas ? I didnt understant how the engraved image on "clear acrylic" becomes visible with led light ?

**Steve Clarkson** · 03-23-2009, 5:11 PM

Onur.....you don't know what you're missing if you haven't done any edge lit acrylic! Use cast acrylic and the frosted parts glow incredibly well.

**onur cakir** · 03-23-2009, 5:29 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Clarkson

Onur.....you don't know what you're missing if you haven't done any edge lit acrylic! Use cast acrylic and the frosted parts glow incredibly well.

what is "cast" acrylic ?

**Martin Boekers** · 03-23-2009, 5:36 PM

Onur,

When you engrave into the acrylic it creates a frosted "rut" with the light shining up throught the edge of the acrylic it hits the frosted "rut" an illuminates it. This is a great effect for not alot of bucks. you can change the color of the light or the color of the acrylic for different effects.

If you do a web search for edge lit acrylics you'll see many exmples of this. This is a great tool for advertisers.

Marty

**Michael Kowalczyk** · 03-23-2009, 5:52 PM

Originally Posted by Dee Gallo

I finally got a chance to make 2 nightlights for some college kids. This is my first time using photos on a nightlight, and I'm happy with the way they came out. They are much prettier in person, but the pictures give you the general idea. I only adjusted the photos in photoshop and then imported to Corel to add letters and outline.

Hey Dee,
What did you end up charging for those? What DPI for photo and PPI settings for laser? I did some last year and the acrylic started to cup. I may have ran it a little deeper/hotter than it could handle. You don't have much room to play with using 2mm acrylic. Just curious!

Thanks for sharing and ...

**Steve Clarkson** · 03-23-2009, 5:58 PM

Originally Posted by onur cakir

what is "cast" acrylic ?

The opposite of extruded acrylic!!!!! LOL!!!

There are two kinds of clear acrylic.....cast (which engraves frosted) and extruded (which engraves almost totally clear and you can only really see it by color filling).

Mike, I use my standard acrylic settings, but Jim advised me to back off slightly on the power when engraving.....if the bottom (or the edge closest to the LEDs) is too deep, the light won't be able to travel through the acrylic to the outer edges.

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