I like the way you guys think ,,, By nature, most forums where guys gravitate, you will find a fair share of thinkers and do it yourselfers.
Very much in CNC, and most any artform, in only limited by the imagination.
The concept of lighting is simple, but the actual implementation can go a number of different routes.
Most guys end up using led strips, with a row on the bottom. In theory, you could surround the whole thing with a strip, since you can literally buy strips 5 ft long, at you are able to cut whatever length you need - Oldman is thinking correctly, some kind of U channel would be just the ticket for a professional, framed look that would also cover the LEDs.
Don't think it would be practical or desirable to drill holes for the LED's ,,, Though that could well be another approach for a different technique and effect.
The neg thing I see about that is the drill path will be very well defined, as well at the etch itself. It wouldn't drill clear, it would leave a drill etch. That may be fine, depending on what you have in mind ,,, You could then stick some conventional LEDs in the holes, wire them in series, and light em up ... But keep in mind that I don't leave much space between the edges and the design, especially on the top and bottom. This is because 1, don't really need to, and 2, to get as much use as possible of the material that I have.
I will try holding 2 together and beaming different color lasers later on, when I got an extra set of hands or 2 to help. Also, I think I will try my idea of painting on the prototype, which actually, all I have to do it finish the edges to make it a production model. I'm just not sure how I'd beam clear concentrated light at the edge.
I also made a PC Engine logo ,,, Didn't cut it yet, I mean I have the file made ready to go, I'll cut that later and post back, should look pretty sweet.
Oldman, CNC, like most anything else, takes alot of commitment, trial and error ect. Like most anything else, you'll get out exactly what you put into it. Alot of guys go in expecting to be cranking out masterpieces on their first day, and are sorely disappointed. There is a steep learning curve, not so much with the machine itself, which is actually only a glorified power tool, but with the software and code to run it.
The cheapest ones start off at around $4,000, they are of the hobbyist nature, and not well suited for even something like this. You need a machine with some balls to cut out a chunk of 1/2 plexi. You can get a nice machine for around $9,000 [about $1,000 alone just for shipping] ... Then you'd need to spend an additional $3,000 or so on software, and learn how to use it.
Rockler wood shops have the upper end hobby machine, CNC Shark pro. if you have a Rockler close by, you could have a look. But as I said, if you want something you can grow into, something more towards the industrial side, the cheapest you can go is about $9,000 - And if you really want to jump in head first, and want something you can cut a 4x8 sheet on, you can spend $30-50,000, easily. My machine is only 3x2 ft, but it suits my purposes ,, But theres no question, I'll be upgrading to a larger machine to expand my horizons at some point.
These are the types of things I usually do, as you can imagine, these 2D plexi etchings are fairly simple compared to these complex 3D exotic wood carvings. Crucifix took about 4 hours to cut, the specialty tapered router bit used cost about $50. Nothing cheap in the world of CNC, but once you are on the right track, you can turn something thats in your mind into something you can hold in your hands, and possibly sell.
