Introduction: How to Make an LED Light Box of Your Own

Tinkercad Projects »

Hi my name is Wehazit Kelati and i go to to school her in Greeley Colorado and i am currently a sophomore in high school. I did this project for my Introduction to technology, class and I decided to write an instructable and I will include the basic steps into creating this LED light box. Just make sure to follow these steps and you will create your own personal Light box.

Supplies

  • Material:

Step 1: Step 1: Materials

Materials:

  • Arcylic 3 mm thick
  • Ruler to measure out sides
  • Laser Machine
  • Ultimaker 10s pro 3D printer
  • PLA plastic
  • Rosin core solder
  • Iron
  • Rework rosin core
  • Heating gun

Attachments

Step 2: Step 2: Designing and Printing the Box

Designing:

Light box:

  • Go to tinkercad.com
  • Make a new design
  • Create a box wit X,Y,Z as 120mm x 40mm x 30mm
  • Make it hollow subtracting 3 mm to the X,Y,Z
  • Make a lid using the same measurements
  • A wall thickness of 1.5mm

Slot:

  • 97,7,40 as XYZ
  • Another slot with measurements of 95,4,40 for XYZ and make it a hole
  • Align the first slot in the center of the box and move 10 times to the side
  • Align the slot hole to the center of the box and move 10 times to the side
  • Group them

Circle hole:

  • 3,3,20 as XYZ with 20 elevation
  • Move to the opposite of the slot and place it to the very side of the box
  • Group it

Box hole:

  • 13.5,10,20 as XYZ with elevation of 20
  • Align it to the center of the side of the smaller side of the box
  • Group it

Printing:

  • Click on one of the designs
  • Click "Import" on top right
  • Download as STL
  • Do the same with the other design
  • Use PLA plastic to make the box
  • Make sure everything is good and print using a creality printer

Attachments

Step 3: Step 3: Elecetronics and Wiring

Electronics and Wiring:

In this step we created a circuit diagram and wired the components to make the box light up.

  • Go to circuit diagram maker website

4 electrical components:

  • Energy source (AC/DC)
  • Conductor (wire)
  • An electrical load (Device)
  • Controller (Switch)
  • Battery

(Each component's symbols are above with the pictures)

Using these four components make a circuit diagram like the one above.

Soldering:

  • Heat up the rework solder up to 350 degrees
  • Get a 2 3 inch wires and cut half an inch
  • Twist the cut wires together so the circuit can flow
  • Using the iron melt the silver rosin core and spread it around the twisted part to keep it from coming apart.
  • Cut enough of heat shrink tubing to cover the twisted wires
  • Put the tube in and melt it to insulate using the blowing heat.

Step 4: Step 4: Acrylic Engraving

Photo Engraving:

  • Go to google draw
  • choose a picture of choice
  • Go to file, page set up, and use the standard 4:3 template
  • start tracing the picture using the curved line
  • make sure to connect the lines so the shape can come out better
  • After tracing remove all the borders
  • download as PDF and I sent it to the teacher

Cutting:

Adjust the standard focus of distance so that it it can be closer to the lens by .030" so, it will produce a better edge quality on 1/4 acrylic and thinker. The two types of acrylic are cast and extruded acrylics. The cast will help a better option when engraving which makes a frosted look when engraved. while extruded acrylic can get you smooth edged cutting.

cut a 1/8" (3mm)

  • 5000 f (DPI )
  • 15s and 100p

  • you will need a 300 PDI50

  • watts Epilo Laser machine

  • 1/8'' (3mm) acrylic

  • Print picture using the Laser Machine printer

Step 5: Step 5: Assembly

Final Product:

The final step is putting all this together to make the box light up!!!

  • Get 2 wires
  • cut half an inch from the wire
  • get a charger block
  • cut off the end and 3 inches
  • separate the charger wires and cut a]half an inch off
  • put the 2 wires in the circle hole
  • using the switch put both the cut wires in the circle part and connect them together
  • using the solder and iron melt the solder into the wires and switch
  • using the solder melt it to connect the LED and Black (Negative) wire on the silver part
  • after soldering, using super glue put the whole led in the slot
  • Plug in the charger block and it should work.