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Step 2Prepare the Plastic Sheets
There will be a total of three layers of plastic that make up the frame. The top layer is completely clear, and mostly decorative. It is larger than the poster itself to give a modern look. It also prevents the poster from flopping out onto the floor.
The middle layer is where the "subliminal message" is hidden. It features a graphic etched onto the plastic, so that when the plastic is edge-lit the graphic is illuminated and shines through the poster. When the message is unlit, it becomes invisible.
The bottom layer is the "backlight." One of the faces on this layer is completely sanded to diffuse light, while the other face is covered in a reflective material. It has 14 LEDs mounted on each side, whose light disperses and illuminates the entire panel.
The top layer should be cut so that there is about an inch of plastic border all the way around the poster's edge. The Serenity poster is 17x22," so the top layer is 19x24." The best way to cut the plastic is by cutting it on a table saw. I don't have a table saw, so I roughly cut the plastic with a Dremel tool first, then cleaned up the edge with my band saw. You could also have the plastic cut at the store, if they have the facilities to do so. I don't recommend scoring and snapping off the plastic - it always seems to go terribly wrong (at least it does for me!)
The middle and bottom layers are the same dimensions. They should be cut slightly smaller than the poster's edge, about 1/4" on all sides - about 16.5" by 21.5." This is done so that the LEDs around the sides can be hidden.
The middle layer is where the "subliminal message" is hidden. It features a graphic etched onto the plastic, so that when the plastic is edge-lit the graphic is illuminated and shines through the poster. When the message is unlit, it becomes invisible.
The bottom layer is the "backlight." One of the faces on this layer is completely sanded to diffuse light, while the other face is covered in a reflective material. It has 14 LEDs mounted on each side, whose light disperses and illuminates the entire panel.
The top layer should be cut so that there is about an inch of plastic border all the way around the poster's edge. The Serenity poster is 17x22," so the top layer is 19x24." The best way to cut the plastic is by cutting it on a table saw. I don't have a table saw, so I roughly cut the plastic with a Dremel tool first, then cleaned up the edge with my band saw. You could also have the plastic cut at the store, if they have the facilities to do so. I don't recommend scoring and snapping off the plastic - it always seems to go terribly wrong (at least it does for me!)
The middle and bottom layers are the same dimensions. They should be cut slightly smaller than the poster's edge, about 1/4" on all sides - about 16.5" by 21.5." This is done so that the LEDs around the sides can be hidden.
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