Have an idea, need some support to make it work...

bleroy

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Hi all, just like the title says I have an idea in my head but am not sure how to make it work and figured I'd ask for some help. I've been wanting to do this for years but haven't gotten around to it. Id like a Pony emblem in the door sill plate on both sides of my car. I would need it to be a glass/plastic that is transparent so that an LED (or light of some sort) could shine through it. The effect I'm going for is much like the image linked, but instead of "Mustang", it would be a Pony emblem. I would wire it with the door plungers so it would only come on when the door opened and that part I can do myself. I guess I just need ideas on how you would go about doing the pony part? Would you cut the door sill and lay glass behind it? Would you cut a pony out of an acrylic type glass and insert it? I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I'm afraid an afternoon with a dremel tool wouldn't do it for me. Can anyone make such a thing? Can you laser cut a plastic door sill? Just throw me some ideas! Thanks in advance, I know this is not your typical question/post! :rolleyes:


cdc-0511700301_9928.jpg
 

amy98gt

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you can achieve the same using a thin piece of acrylic that you frost by lightly sanding it. You backlight it with the appropriate color led. Then you can get very thin pieces of metal used for lamination countertops and such that already has the adhesive backing. Take the material to a laser cutter and have the house cut in and stick on the acrylic. I did a piece for a guy a couple years ago using a mirror. I had the horse laser cut and then lightly laser etched the only removing the selective mirror surface for the details. I think I have another one still laying around somewhere.
 

ttocs

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I actually have a lit up strip on my sill that illuminates the word "MUSTANG" on mine in blue with a polished aluminum sill. I found it probably close to 8 yrs ago on ebay and got a deal on them for only $75. At the time I saw them advertised but they were +200$ back then and hard to find because of it.

edge lighting works better on frosted plexi where you shine the led through the plexi rather then just on the back of it. That is how I made my pony logo light up as shown in my avatar.

If you wanted to do your own I could help out. I had some custom fender badges laser cut for me locally and they came out amazing with the perfection of a laser of course. You can edge light frosted plexi but it will add some thickness. The way they do it is with a piece of electro-luminescent sheet lighting and you can get kits on ebay that you can cut to size in different colors and its paper thin. You would need a few people together to get the price down though (5-6+)
 

ttocs

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surprised to say this is the best pic I could find of it and nothing with it lit up. When lit the white area remains dark and only the mustang area lights up a nice blue. I have some ford puddle lights I am going to add to it that will shine on the ground when the door is open(and its back on the road).
DSCF0934.jpg

here are the fender badges I had cut for an example of how accurate the laser cutter is if there was a question.
DSC017801144091412057349-88942fab4c.jpg

It would be cheaper to have a rectangular window cut and maybe use a decal on the bottom to mask off the area you do not want lit.
 
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bleroy

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surprised to say this is the best pic I could find of it and nothing with it lit up. When lit the white area remains dark and only the mustang area lights up a nice blue. I have some ford puddle lights I am going to add to it that will shine on the ground when the door is open(and its back on the road).
DSCF0934.jpg

It would be cheaper to have a rectangular window cut and maybe use a decal on the bottom to mask off the area you do not want lit.

I'd like it to look just like that with the "window" effect but rather than Mustang, have the Pony emblem. It would obviously be smaller but have the same effect. What would the price be if it were only me?
 
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bleroy

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Also instead of the door sill plate, I would also be okay with cutting a window and putting it in the plastic above the door sill. That would be easier I would assume and I would prefer that look as well. As far as the puddle lights that shined on the ground, I'm interested in that as well. Can you send me some info on those please and thank you?
 

ttocs

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cutting that window in the plastic piece though will also mean you are cutting out the mounting tracks that run below it. It might not mount as tight as it was originally and it would be a little harder to get a cut that would show or make the plexi on top of the plastic look normal. I would not worry about depth as if you use the electroluminescent sheets (as most of these do) because they are literally as thick as some thick paper or thin cardboard. It gives a nice even light with out any hot spots that leds leave.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/size-A6-ele...175?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c45ad04e7

puddle lights are easy. drill a hole, slide them in, run your wiring and they are done.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-4th-gen-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35dc5e71ea&vxp=mtr
 
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bleroy

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Thanks man, I'll look into that when I get home! I'm sure I'll have some more questions, I'll get up with you when I get off!
 

RichV

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That's a very cool idea.

Maybe take it to the next step of LED fender badges GT, horse, Cobra of varying colors.
 

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