B
Bill Stormer
Guest
Out of curiosity, I recently acquired a 16x20" LED lightbox that has a
front opening frame whereby I can insert a picture. I placed a picture
within it, plugged it in, and I now have it on the wall and I impressed
with the illumination it provides. Since I got this lightbox from a
friend, it didn't cost anything but there's another area on the wall
that could use a 16x20" lightbox too. However, when I see the prices
online, I am taken aback.
Being a somewhat DIYer in the past, I decided to carefully disassemble
this lightbox to see how it worked. To me, it just looks like there are
LED strings that were stuffed all along the insides of the aluminum
frame with a diffuser behind the picture. I don't see anything behind
the diffuser. I see that aluminum or steel "snap frames" are available
non-lighted and significantly cheaper than the lightbox. I'm wondering
if it just wouldn't be possible to simply acquire a non-lighted 16x20"
metal snap frame that opens in the front and then line the inside
perimeter of the frame with the LED's and then use a diffuser behind the
image. I have three concerns that I'm hoping someone here might address:
1) I'm assuming that the non-lighted metal snap frames, that open from
the front to insert pictures, are the same frames used for their LED
lighted counterparts. Does anyone know for sure, or are the metal snap
frames that have the LEDs made differently?
2) The LED strips I see lining the inside edges seem to almost be like
LED chips. Any idea what LED type I should look for? I'm guessing for
starters that they have 6500K color temp, and they are definitely using
12 VDC since that it the size of the power supply feeding the frame.
Beyond that, I'm not sure of the wattage or output.
3) The diffuser is the last question, not sure what to use for that.
I see DIY plans around the web for lightboxes, but most are much thicker
than these 1" thin ones, and I have yet to come across anyone reverse
engineering one of the types I have, so if anyone knows please share.
Just trying to keep things simple and cheap.
Thanks in advance for any help,
Bill
front opening frame whereby I can insert a picture. I placed a picture
within it, plugged it in, and I now have it on the wall and I impressed
with the illumination it provides. Since I got this lightbox from a
friend, it didn't cost anything but there's another area on the wall
that could use a 16x20" lightbox too. However, when I see the prices
online, I am taken aback.
Being a somewhat DIYer in the past, I decided to carefully disassemble
this lightbox to see how it worked. To me, it just looks like there are
LED strings that were stuffed all along the insides of the aluminum
frame with a diffuser behind the picture. I don't see anything behind
the diffuser. I see that aluminum or steel "snap frames" are available
non-lighted and significantly cheaper than the lightbox. I'm wondering
if it just wouldn't be possible to simply acquire a non-lighted 16x20"
metal snap frame that opens in the front and then line the inside
perimeter of the frame with the LED's and then use a diffuser behind the
image. I have three concerns that I'm hoping someone here might address:
1) I'm assuming that the non-lighted metal snap frames, that open from
the front to insert pictures, are the same frames used for their LED
lighted counterparts. Does anyone know for sure, or are the metal snap
frames that have the LEDs made differently?
2) The LED strips I see lining the inside edges seem to almost be like
LED chips. Any idea what LED type I should look for? I'm guessing for
starters that they have 6500K color temp, and they are definitely using
12 VDC since that it the size of the power supply feeding the frame.
Beyond that, I'm not sure of the wattage or output.
3) The diffuser is the last question, not sure what to use for that.
I see DIY plans around the web for lightboxes, but most are much thicker
than these 1" thin ones, and I have yet to come across anyone reverse
engineering one of the types I have, so if anyone knows please share.
Just trying to keep things simple and cheap.
Thanks in advance for any help,
Bill