The Backlit Radio Sign Project
In 2009, we've been working with a sign-maker to produce a new "Tune-To" sign for the display. This photo is one of the final "proofs" that he produced for the sign. The only change for the finished sign will be a space between "89.7" and "FM". But, of course, the sign is only part of the equation. The sign will be printed on transparency material and it is meant to be lit from the rear. So the real work for this project will be to build the box that houses the sign. The box will also contain the lighting that illuminates the sign. My dad, PaPa Joe, is going to help with the project and fabricate the box for us...Let's check it out...
One of the first things my Dad likes to do is build a small-scale prototype of a project so he can work through any design issues, etc. So this photo shows how the sign will be in the front part of the box and the rear portion of the box is where the lights will be mounted.
This photo shows the detail on the front of the box, and how the sign will be sandwiched between pieces of plexi and then be held in place on the front of the box. About this time I purchased the pieces of plexiglass to sandwich the sign at Home Depot, so those are ready to use.
So now we've switched over to build the actual frame and box for the sign. This photos shows the two pieces of plexiglass and the mounting frame. Looking good so far.
Another view of the plexiglass sandwich pieces and the mounting frame. The plexi pieces and metal retainer will fit inside the wooden frame on the box as shown.
The front of the sign is now attached to the rear box for a test fit, and now the whole sign is ready for some primer. Let's get this bad boy painted up and ready to go! Thanksgiving is just around the corner!
This photo shows the lightbox with the weather stripping seal, which is designed to keep out the moisture. We did some testing for lighting, and were originally going to use a piece of rope light mounted around the rear of the box for illumination. After more testing and thought, we changed our minds and decided to use a string of 100 M5 LED lights to do the illumination. After testing, we determined that they would light the box evenly as long as they weren't too close to the plexiglass.
Here's a shot that shows how the wooden frame mates up with the rest of the box and the weather seal. We don't get much rain here in San Diego, so it doesn't have to be particularly watertight.
Now for mounting the LED lights on the rear of the box...Dad mounted 100 hooks evenly spaced on the rear of the box. The hooks are shaped like an "L", so we can attach the LED lights to each of the hooks with cable ties. Having the LEDs spread out really helps even out the lighting. It works great as long as there is a few inches between the lights and the rear of the sign.
Get out the cable ties, it's now time to attach the LED lights to the back of the sign! We attached the lights sideways on the hooks, for maximum light output. We used cool while M5 LEDs to illuminate the sign. I might try warm white lights in the future, but it works great with the cool whites...
Here's a shot that shows the lights all in place on the hooks, and ready to go. The sign is going to look great! Notice the details on the bottom of the sign...Dad put some screen-covered vent holes on the bottom, and there are two square holes in the bottom for stakes to support the sign (with some "stops" inside the sign box). At this point, I think we're ready to put the final coat of paint on the box and get it mounted outside...
Here we are at the finish line! This is what the sign looks like when it is lit up in a dark room. We're going to leave it on during display hours outside, and it should be a great way to let everyone know about our Belardo Lights radio broadcasts on FM 89.7. Thanks for checking out our photos, and hopefully it will help those of you who are thinking about making a sign of your own!