Display an object or a message with an acrylic lightbox.
Whether you have a collection, antiques, bottles or trophies that you are proud of, or you simply want to put on a colored lights display, an acrylic lightbox will attract attention and create a glowing scene. The project can be accomplished with acrylic plastic sheets and just a few materials. More importantly, it requires little to no knowledge of working with tools. Choose one LED light for a single color effect or multiple LED lights to create a rainbow effect inside your box.
Instructions
1. Cut four 1/4-inch thick sheets of acrylic with all of the same dimensions or have the acrylic cut at a hardware store when purchasing. Cut one 1/4-inch thick sheet of acrylic 1/2 inch larger than the other four sheets. For example, if you have four 10 inch-by-10-inch sheets, cut the last sheet to be 10 1/2 inches-by-10 1/2 inches.
2. Place the largest sheet of acrylic flat on a table. Add acrylic cement to the left edge of the sheet. Place a second sheet of acrylic perpendicular to the first sheet on top of the glue. Hold in place until it's sturdy. You should have an "L" shape. Let it dry for 20 minutes.
3. Continue to form a box by lining each edge with acrylic cement and attaching the acrylic sheets. Let each sheet dry for 20 minutes before moving on to the next sheet. Leave the top of the box open.
4. Flip the box so that the open top faces the ground. Let the entire box dry for 24 hours.
5. Place the colored LED rail light on a table and plug the cord into an outlet so the light glows. Place your object for display in front of the LED light so that the light illuminates the object. Place the box over both the object and the LED light. Let the light cord run out underneath the back of the box.
Tags: sheet acrylic, with acrylic, 4-inch thick, acrylic cement