Gruber
New member
very cool room mod!
Tranquility Base Arcade - LED Lighting Project...
- Thread starter Alan173
- Start date
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Alan173
Well-known member
Great questions because when I tackled this project there were no LED experts to give me guidance...they all said 'good luck'! Over the last year I did many trial runs with scrap pieces. Clear plexi was hands down the most inexpensive way to go...but just like you mentioned...the only way to get it to reflect at a level high enough to pick up crisp colors...was to sand it...on the back side only. And yes...I'm side lighting it...as the door jamb section I had to work with did not allow enough room to package the LED's directly behind the plexi. The sanding gives you a 'cotton candy' type look...which is cool...but is a definite pattern you can visually pick up on. So if your swirl marks are not consistent...they stand out more. Too fine of scratches you don't see enough color...too heavy of scratches you get great color but the scratches are too visible.
In the end I went with 1/2 thick frosted (I have the exact spec. at home)...and placed the frosted side inward. It would have been nice to put the frosted side outward (to reduce finger prints)...but I was not happy with the color quality when doing this.
The key to making this look nice for me was the white masonite behind it. You need a perfect surface behind the plexi because 100% of the details show through it. You think frosted will blur the image...and it will...if you have an air gap to play with. I did not...so a hair, piece of dust, slight scratch.....anything on the masonite shows through with 100% clarity. I needed a clean room to do the final installation - LOL.
Diffusion method - I went through various methods with white plexi...UV plexi....different levels of frosted tape...a rough edge cut.....but in my case....you simply can't package the LED strip far enough from the edge of the plexi to completely eliminate the spot light effect....while still creating a 'bright' color through it. My molding solution takes care of a portion of it by hiding it...but from the other direction (from the photographs I took)....you still can see it plainly. The interesting thing is....the frosted plexi and molding makes a unique signature....and almost a spacey type feel because the spacing between LED's is clearly defined. So that is what I went with.
I'll take some shots from the other way so you can see what I'm talking about. Overall...for a custom project...the effect is well worth the effort...and when standing in the main game room...it really pops. And no doubt...pushing a button on the wall and having the doorways light up is hilarious/fun in itself...
Later I'll post up a section I drew up that better illustrates the concept of what I did....
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Angry_Radish
Well-known member
Thanks for the indepth reply!
It sounds like I'm not too far off the mark in my progress then. I can get away with more sins because I will have about a 6" gap between the LED's and the diffuser, great tip about the backdrop though, I hadn't thought about that at all!
It sounds like I'm not too far off the mark in my progress then. I can get away with more sins because I will have about a 6" gap between the LED's and the diffuser, great tip about the backdrop though, I hadn't thought about that at all!
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Alan173
Well-known member
Yeah...funny. Take a sample of the frosted plexi...hold the frosted side away from you...then hold a business card behind it...but a 1/4" away....you can't even really see it...then hold it against the plexi....and it is crystal clear.
The interesting thing about that effect is I could have put a 'floating logo' or any kind of sticker on the white masonite and you would have been able to see it crystal clear. I was half tempted to put a 'Tranquility Base Arcade' logo back there....but in the end just went with the straight forward glowing doorway. I figured that was enough for kewl effects....
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Awesome work! I love the effect. I think you've described the effect I'm looking for for a game room sign I'm making.
Would you mind telling me where you found white masonite? I've never seen or heard of it around here.
Thanks!
Tom
Would you mind telling me where you found white masonite? I've never seen or heard of it around here.
Thanks!
Tom
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Alan173
Well-known member
Hi Tom,
It goes by a bunch of mislabelled different trade names...melamine....tile board....masonite....etc...but I purchased mine from Home Depot....4' X 8' sheet was $12. It is in the plywood isle...
Alan
pmichelsen
Well-known member
If it's the stuff I'm thinking of it looks like a big dry erase board, and actually I have used it as a huge dry erase board before. It should be back where the other masonite is, along with the peg board.
VectorJunkie
Well-known member
Yes, they use melamine for dry erase boards... Also what they make the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser out of.
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Alan173
Well-known member
That is wicked. Nice job Alan. When is your gameday again?
Plan for some day in 2022 when I "actually finish" the arcade room....
<Please note the use of "air quotes">....
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Alan173
Well-known member
Tronic
Well-known member
I think I would feel like I was getting scanned as I walked through it.
ChompingQuarters
Well-known member
Saw this in person on Friday and must say these photos and video do not do it justice!!! Way cool. I'd love to do this down my stairs but when I found out the price and took in consideration that I'm planning on moving ASAP that I cannot justify this expense!!!
Gruber
New member
Looks way cool!
gozer5454
Volunteer: Google SketchUp Guru
This is one of the coolest gameroom customizations EVER! Creates an absolutely iconic image into a visitor's head and would make them feel like they've been transported to another world. Great idea. A++++ with Fifty gold stars!
dr. mr. pants
New member
this looks so amazing. i would love to add this to my place someday. put up plans!
