A lightbox with your own hands is real! How to make a lightbox by yourself

The light box today is one of the most popular ways of creating signage or outdoor advertising in general. Such designs can be used to achieve marketing goals, as well as for branding facades of shops or trade and office centers. LED light boxes are one of the brightest and most memorable ones, and therefore many companies use them to attract potential customers.

How to do?

This type of advertising is considered a high-tech product, which is collected by a certain technology. But today more and more often the light box is created independently. The essence of a lightbox is that it is a box, the front part of which is semi-transparent and made of acrylic glass. The rear panel is needed to create structures, because it is mounted on it lamps, LED lighting and electrical wiring.

To make a lightbox with your own hands, you can use an aluminum or metal profile, which is then painted with a powder color or laminated with a film. To apply the image, you can apply the application again from a vinyl film. Lighting on the light box is carried out with fluorescent lamps, LEDs and neon tubes.

We make a lightbox with our own hands: what will be needed

So, to create an advertising box, we need to prepare certain materials and tools. Of the latter we need to stock up:

• Squeegee (rubber and felt);
• Garden sprayer ;
• Stationery knife;
• Screwdriver;
• End and circular saw;
• Electric jigsaw;
• With a metal ruler.

From the materials we need to prepare:

• A film cut on the plotter;
• Mounting film;
• Aluminum profiles - 4 pieces;
• Connecting angles - 4 pcs .;
• Fluorescent lamps - 5 pcs .;
• Wire ПВ1 and ШВВП;
• Self-tapping screws;
• glue;
• PVC sheet;
• Plexiglas;
• Water and Fairy.

Create a simple version

We will create a lightbox by ourselves with a simple construction of 1250 mm by 740 mm. The process will consist of several stages. First, we create a 1: 1 scale model in the Corel Draw computer program . The file for cutting on a special device - the plotter - is executed by thin contours, after which it is cut on the Oracal film. The next step: remove all letters around the graphics, all the things that we do not need. Then we put it on the film mounting - it is done from the center to the edge. Crop all that is superfluous.

An important role is played by the preparation of the aluminum profile - it should be calculated taking into account the shape and length of the lamps that will be inserted into the light box. The next step is to assemble three of the four parts of the box. For this, profiles and corners are used. They drill holes for self-tapping screws, with which metal elements are fixed.

At the next stage of work, you need to perform the back of our light box. To do this, we take a sheet of PVC, using a knife or saw cut the corners. We put the back in the box. To create light boxes with LED backlight, you need to purchase the appropriate lamps, as well as cartridges for them and holders.

How to attach the lamp

So, after all the components in the form of lamps, chokes, wiring, starters, cartridges and holders are prepared, we begin assembling our box. Cartridges are put on lamps, starters are inserted. We need to check if our system is working. After testing it, you need to decide where the lamp holders and chokes will be located. We mark these places. From the PVC sheet you need to cut the chops, which will subsequently be glued to the back of the light box. With the help of screws, holders and chokes are fixed.

How to make a lightbox so it works? To do this, we cut the wiring for the lamps, then we clean the ends. Lamps need to be installed in holders. Inside the box, connect the wiring, which will be led out through the opening of the backside. The wire must be insulated. After these works are done, you need to check whether we have correctly reproduced the technology of creating the box.

The last stage of creating a neon box

After checking the LED backlight system, you can proceed with further work. First, you need to cut out a facial. For this purpose, it is advisable to use organic glass. The corners should be rounded. With the facial skin you need to remove the protective film, rinse it with a sprayer and rubber squeegee. Then, an image or text is inserted. The film should be carefully smoothed, and the excess foam of the assembly is removed. To finish the lightbox with your own hands, you need to drill a few holes in the product to a diameter of 1 cm. They will serve as ventilation outlets and for draining moisture from the product.

Which mistakes?

As you can see, making light boxes is not such a difficult task, especially if you know the technology of execution and the sequence of work. However, when creating a box for the first time, errors can hardly be avoided. First, the most common problem is the lack of glow of the lamps. This indicates that the network is either incorrectly connected or not closed. So, we check carefully whether the connection is made correctly, how securely the cartridges and starters are attached, and also, if necessary, we change the lamps.

The second problem is the uneven placement of the film, resulting in bubbles or dots. This indicates that there is air or dust under it. It is necessary to remove air from the bubbles, and replace the poor-quality parts of the film.

How to make a lightbox with your own hands, so that the whole design was complete and complete? To do this, you need to carefully consider the correspondence of the angles to each other. In addition, the box should close well without any effort.

Outdoor advertising: how to attract attention?

As you know, outdoor advertising attracts attention of casual passers-by. To make it quality, you need to correctly approach its design. For example, light boxes with LED backlighting are a good solution. As a rule, it is a signboard of a rectangular or figured design, which additionally has an internal glow. As the front part of the box you can use a variety of materials. For example, many choose a translucent banner, but for its arrangement requires a special rigid construction. And the most popular material is milk acrylic:

- Firstly, it dispels light;

- Secondly, the illumination turns out to be even.

If the front part of the light box is more than three meters, it is advisable to use cellular polycarbonate. It is light and economical, but it can deform under the influence of temperature, and the honeycomb structure is easily clogged. Economical alternative to acrylic is polystyrene. True, it is more fragile and subject to environmental factors.

How to apply the image to light boxes?

Light boxes, the production of which is quite possible to conduct and independently, can have different designs. In this case, the image on them, as a rule, is applied in the same way. For the figure on the front, a translucent film with a seal or a vinyl-based application is used. The first variant is more subject to influences, and also does not differ the big brightness, thus the color quickly burns out. Vinyl applique is a better material, which, when illuminated, shows good brightness. But such a film is more expensive, and even with its installation problems can arise.

For the production of the back of the box, galvanized steel sheets are most often used, which are characterized by high strength and resistance to corrosion. In addition, this is the most optimal option in terms of price solutions. Sometimes the manufacture of light boxes is based on the use of plastic, composite panels and other non-transparent materials of sheet form.

Backlight: possible options

For illumination in light boxes, firstly, fluorescent lamps can be used. They are inexpensive, and the light will be dissipating. The second possible option - LED strip, which are energy-efficient and durable. The third one is neon illumination, which is most often used in the arrangement of curly light boxes, that is, constructions of non-standard form.

Light box in photo art

Many amateur photographers and master of photography dream of creating accessories for their hobby with their own hands and save on costs. For example, a lightbox for a subject survey is just a necessary thing, because with its help you can make an image better and place accents on it. In addition, the task of the light box is to mix and diffuse directional light so that the picture is without shadows. To create such a lightbox we will need:

• Simple cardboard box;
• Sheet of Whatman;
• Food parchment;
• lighting;
• Power buttons.

Take the box and cut it all unnecessary. We attach a sheet of paper with the buttons. Cut through the sides and top of the window neatly covered with tracing paper and fix it again with power buttons. We collect lighting devices and install them on the sides - where the slots are closed with tracing paper. The design is ready for use! Note that it takes half an hour to create it, provided that all materials and tools are prepared in advance.

However, it is necessary to operate such a cardboard light box neatly. First, heaters are best placed on the stand to avoid heating. Secondly, before you shoot, measure the white balance on the paper, while do not forget to turn on the spotlights. This is to avoid spreading the shades.