Are you ready to make a…

LED ACRYLIC DISPLAY

By completing the following project, you will gain the following skills:

Access to the Learning Factory
Basic Safety Training
Laser Cutting
Woodworking
Knowledge of LED’s

First Things First…

You’ll need to Complete your Safety Trainings

To make these projects in the Learning Factory you’ll need to go through a series of trainings before your can use any tools.

Step 1: Complete the online training by reading through the content, watching a video and completing a safety and knowledge quiz.
Step 2: Complete the in-person training. You will have to come to the Learning Factory Makerspace in order to complete a ‘Scavenger Hunt’ to familiarize yourself with the shop. You will use a QR code reader (available though most phones camera app) to scan each item as your find it around the shop.
Step 3: Complete the appropriate advanced training. For the LED Acrylic Display, you will need to complete Woodshop Training.

Complete Online Training

Complete In-Person Training

Sign up for and complete Advanced Training: Woodworking

NEXT…

FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE SHOP

Use this map to navigate the shop and find the tools you need.

The Learning Factory is open from 8:00AM-10:00PM Monday-Friday.

Wood shop has special hours to accommodate trainings. Please keep this in mind.

Wood Shop Special Hours:

MONDAY: 8:00AM-6:00PM

TUESDAY: 8:00AM-12:00PM

3:30PM-5:30PM

WEDNESDAY: 1:00PM-6:00PM

THURSDAY: 8:00AM-10:00AM

FRIDAY: 8:00AM-1:00PM

Effective: 1.24.22

NOW YOU ARE READY TO GET STARTED

Step 1

Gather your build components from the LF Staff. You are responsible for keeping your parts together and bringing them back with you if you plan on completing the build through multiple days. You should receive the following Items:
1. (1x) 8in x 8in Acrylic Square
2. (1x) LED Strip Light with Remote
3. (1x) Battery

Step 2

Cutting your Wooden Base: You will need to cut a piece of MDF to the correct size and shape necessary for the base you are going to make. The material is currently in a long board. You will have to layout a piece so that you can get a finished product of XXin x XXin. To do that you will need a tape measure and a pencil or awl. Once your wood part is laid out, you will use the miter saw. Cut your material right on your line using the shadow guide feature of the miter saw.

Step 3

Routing the Holding Slot: The next step is to create the channel that holds the acrylic upright. You will be using the router table. The cutter we have cuts the slot to the correct dimensions. You may have to change the router bits out of the machine. If this router bit is not inserted into the router at the time, please reach out to a Learning Factory staff member to assist you in changing the bits out of the router.

Step 4

Engraving the Acrylic: The next step of the project is to laser etch a design onto your acrylic. This is where you come up with the design that you want. You can etch virtually anything onto the acrylic. The laser cutter in the Learning Factory accepts ether a .dxf or Adobe Illustrator file. Once you have your file created, find a Learning Factory Staff member to help you run the laser cutted.

Step 5

Cutting the LEDs to Length: You will need to the LEDs to the correct length to fit inside your light base. There are scissors marks specified on the LED strips. Please use a pair of scissors to cut the LEDs on the first scissor mark. Scissors are found in the top of the red toolboxes located near the Learning Factory Office. CAUTION: Cutting anywhere that is not specified with a set of scissors will cause the lights to not work.

Step 6

Assembling: The last step of this project is to assemble all your finished parts into the light. The first step is to run the LED Strip through the wide portion of your MDF base. Next place the acrylic into the thin portion of the slot of the MDF base. It may be snug, but work the part slowly into the slot. Slamming it or hammering it into the slot may crack the acrylic or MDF and break the LEDs. The last step is to plug in the LEDs and put the battery into the remote. Please test your lights before you leave the Learning Factory.

LED Acrylic Display

*Make sure you have both the online and in-person Learning Factory training as well as Woodshop training before starting this project.

STEP 1

Gather your build components from the LF Staff. You are responsible for keeping your parts together and bringing them back with you if you plan on completing the build through multiple days. You should receive the following Items:

1. (1x) 8in x 8in Acrylic Square
2. (1x) LED Strip Light with Remote
3. (1x) Battery

STEP 2

Cutting your Wooden Base: You will need to cut a piece of MDF to the correct size and shape necessary for the base you are going to make. The material is currently in the form of a long board. You will have to lay out a piece so that you can get a finished product of XXin x XXin. To do that you will need a tape measure and a pencil or awl. Once your wood part is laid out, you will use the miter saw. Cut your material right on your line using the shadow guide feature of the miter saw.

STEP 3

Routing the Holding Slot: The next step is to create the channel that holds the acrylic upright. You will be using the router table. The cutter we have cuts the slot to the correct dimensions. You may have to change the router bits out of the machine. If this router bit is not inserted into the router at the time, please reach out to a Learning Factory staff member to assist you in changing the bits out of the router.

STEP 4

Engraving the Acrylic: The next step of the project is to laser etch a design onto your acrylic. This is where you come up with the design that you want. You can etch virtually anything onto the acrylic. The laser cutter in the Learning Factory accepts either a .dxf or Adobe Illustrator file. Once you have your file created, find a Learning Factory Staff member to help you run the laser cutter.

STEP 5

Cutting the LEDs to Length: You will need to the LEDs to the correct length to fit inside your light base. There are scissors marks specified on the LED strips. Please use a pair of scissors to cut the LEDs on the first scissor mark. Scissors are found in the top of the red toolboxes located near the Learning Factory Office. CAUTION: Cutting anywhere that is not specified with a set of scissors will cause the lights to not work.

STEP 6

Assembling: The last step of this project is to assemble all your finished parts into the light. The first step is to run the LED Strip through the wide portion of your MDF base. Next place the acrylic into the thin portion of the slot of the MDF base. It may be snug but work the part slowly into the slot. Slamming it or hammering it into the slot may crack the acrylic or MDF and break the LEDs. The last step is to plug in the LEDs and put the battery into the remote. Please test your lights before you leave the Learning Factory.