Making a Neon LED Sign Board

We had ordered some neon LED strips about two years ago when we planned to use them for various projects. However, over time, we forgot about them, and they were left in the cupboard all this time until we finally found them two days ago. When I first saw them, I didn't know what they were. Then, my father told me that they were Neon LED Strips used in LED signboards.

 

I was fascinated to see them. Then, my father suggested that I make an LED signboard for the DIY Lab. I was thrilled to create the signboard.

First, I connected the LED strips to a power supply to check if they were working, and to my surprise, they looked beautiful. The bright, neon light was mesmerising. 

I even switched the lights off to see them in the darkness, and they were looking awesome. Now, determined to make the signboard, I started planning.

We first took references from the internet and understood the basic process to make the signboard. Then, we decided to use a big, black acrylic sheet for the back and a transparent acrylic sheet on the front. Then we took some basic measurements, cut the acrylic sheet accordingly. 

After that, we traced 'DIY LAB' on the black acrylic sheet and then started sticking the LED strips to the sheet with Feviquick according to the letters. 

Then came the main part, which was to connect the circuit. 

At first attempt, we connected the strips in parallel with copper wires and then connected the circuit to a 12V-DC adapter and applied black tape to the copper wires to hide them. Then we drilled the holes in the two acrylic sheets, aligned with each other. Then, using screws and bolts, we joined the sheets to each other. We used two hangers to hang the signboard on the wall. Then, we drilled two holes in the wall and hammered the nails into the wall. After that, we thought that it was ready, but it was not looking good due to the black tape, which was shining due to the external light. 

After realising what we should have done, we took the board, removed the acrylic sheets and drilled holes at each joint of the circuit. Then we connected the circuit from behind the board using nice wires, and then taped the joints. Now the circuit wasn't visible. After cleaning the acrylic sheets, the board looked a lot better than before. Then, we screwed the boards to each other and hung the board on the wall. The signboard was looking amazing. The bright, neon colour was amazing. 

If you want to make one, here are the materials and steps given below:

Materials:

1) 2-3 different coloured neon LED strips of your choice

2) 2- 40 x 60 cm acrylic sheets (1 black and 1 transparent)

3) Wires 

4) 4x Screws and 4x nuts

5)12V DC Adapter

6) 2x Hangers

7) 2x nails

8) Feviquick

Tools:

1) Drilling machine 

2) Laser cutting machine

3) Soldering machine and accessories

4) Hammer

Instructions:

1) Take the black acrylic sheet and the neon LED strips.

2) Draw or write the content you desire.

3) Stick the strips according to the content on the sheet, and keep some extra wire so that you can solder easily.

4) Drill holes at the places where you want to connect the wires to the strips.

5) Solder the wires and take them behind the sheets.

6) Drill four holes according to the screws at the four corners of both sheets, and make sure the holes are aligned perfectly. 

7) Drill two holes at the top of the black sheet and screw the hangars to it. 

8) Take the DC adapter and connect it to the two terminals of the first LED strip.

9) Fit the transparent sheet to the black sheet using screws and nuts.

10) Drill two holes in the wall at the same distance as the distance between the two hangars on the black sheet.

11) Hammer the nails in the holes and hang your signboard.

YOUR SIGNBOARD IS READY!!!