another push through lighted sign

[knight_toolworks]

not the best picture. this was made from 1/2" acrylic and black dibond. you can't see it but around the edges is red vinyl. the letters are glued to 1/8" acrylic on the back.
I just started cutting the letters out when the customer called and said they goofed up. I just had one letter cut so I stopped and nested the new letters aroudn the cut one. but silly me after I got the letters all ready I guess I did not copy them and ended up pasting the old set. of course they did not fit. but I got most of them on the left over scrap and only needed a small piece to finish.
the sign company I did this for has two others I will be cutting out next week.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/photo-12.jpg

[cabindoors]

How's the best way to learn this technique?

[john_l]

Steve, very nice work. If I may ask.... what was your outline or inline tolerance to get the fit just right for push through? Also.. the 1/2" acrylic is clear or translucent white? The backer acrylic is clear or translucent white? What type of illumination was used by your customer.. neon, flourescent, LED?

Thanks

[knight_toolworks]

I think I offset them .02 that was after I did the inlay routine to round all the inside and outside corners. I will make note of what I use this time and write it down.
this was just clear and I don;'t know what the back was but I think clear with a frosted vinyl on it. I never saw the lighting though but I think it is florescent. it was already in place and they had to change the sign to work around the bracing.
how to learn to do it? just do it (G) the cutting is not hard building the box is the real work. I have only built one and had to redo it two times. there is al ot of info here on how to build the lightbox. doing the face is simple.
You do the inlay routine to round the corners. That consists of offfsetting outside the radius of the bit without sharp corners and deleting the original vectors. then offsetting in the diameter and deleting then offseting out the radius and you have it. cutting the letters or dibond a bit large for the fit. You can pocket around the letters to keep them in place or cut thin material and glue it on to do the same. the the thin material is faster and easier.