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You put manufacturing order right there, on ponoko.com, pick 1.5mm clearly acrylic P3 sheet, they'll cut it following the design and send the result to you.
I went on the site to buy the acrylic pieces but it's only for the design for $10 and not the actual product. How do I order the actual acrylic sills?
Buy the design files
Click on My Ponoko Account in upper right
Click on My Designs
Select Acura TL 3G Illuminated Sills
Then that will allow you to purchase the actual product.
Buy the design files
Click on My Ponoko Account in upper right
Click on My Designs
Select Acura TL 3G Illuminated Sills
Then that will allow you to purchase the actual product.
Thanks for clearing it up for me!! Really appreciate it!
Haven't had time to work on them yet. I drove to Cape Girardeau over the weekend to buy a hardrop for my S2000 otherwise I would have done them over the weekend.
eaf, what's the total cost in material of this project? Not trying to be cheap or anything, but I like illuminated door sills a lot and would like to budget ahead.
Ponoko - Design Files $10
Ponoko - Acrylic Sills $46.55 (shipped to KS)
Amazon - Weld on and Applicator $13.09 plus tax (have prime so no shipping cost)
Etsy - EL Tape $54.42 shipped
Mcmaster - Copper tape $14.31 (shipped) There are cheaper options
Total so far is $138.37.
I already have the vinyl so I don't have a cost for that. Also I already have other supplies like the wiring, taps, and such.
One thing I'm scared is to mess up the di-noc though. I can totally see myself making it shrink too much.
That will hardly happen, it doesn't shrink that much. But don't apply heat after you cut out letters and before you glued the two pieces together. Otherwise it will definitely mess up the small details, and the letters won't be flat anymore.
If you are concerned about the di-noc peeling/shrinking then use the 3M 94 Primer which is made to help the vinyl bond better to the surface at the edges.
Thinking about making a DIY video on putting these together and installing them if the OP is alright with that. I have 3 of the four acrylic put together and the vinyl on them. Was going to tape doing the last one.
Thinking about making a DIY video on putting these together and installing them if the OP is alright with that. I have 3 of the four acrylic put together and the vinyl on them. Was going to tape doing the last one.
Why would he not be okay with that?
If he's the type of person not to be okay with that, he wouldn't be the type of person to write up a DIY for others.
Big shout out to eaf on this. I just got my EL tape in (in blue) to do this and can't wait for the acrylic to show up so I can start. I ordered SimCarbon vinyl which I don't know if I care for yet - it is a bit too black. I also ordered some silver for another project, if I like it better, I'll use it. Here's how the blue tape looks:
Blue EL tape from lightkraft - not illuminated, no flash
Finally got my acrylic in and started working on them. I wish the camera showed how nice the blue glows, but without any glare or brightness. Its very unlike neon, which the picture seems to resemble.
good diy. but i dont think most people here are as handy as you are.
Nah, its all really plug and play. eaf did the hard work with the design files.
I'm far from gifted creatively, and mine are coming along just fine. If you can apply a sticker, know how to quirt glue and caulk, and just a little bit of soldering, this is an easy project.
Not to mention I keep telling my wife that I need some black caulk, lol. Reminds me of an SNL skit I crack up just thinking about. I'm such a child, lol.
Nah, its all really plug and play. eaf did the hard work with the design files.
I'm far from gifted creatively, and mine are coming along just fine. If you can apply a sticker, know how to quirt glue and caulk, and just a little bit of soldering, this is an easy project.
Not to mention I keep telling my wife that I need some black caulk, lol. Reminds me of an SNL skit I crack up just thinking about. I'm such a child, lol.
"I NEED SOME BLACK CAULK!"
I was riding the subway not long ago and I had a stiff neck, I told my girlfriend "My neck hurts". She gave me a dirty look and pointed with her eyes at a few black men sitting not far.
Couldn't you just cut a piece of acrylic the size of the aluminum and leave it solid, get some vinyl decal material cut so that the word "Acura" and the bars are cut out of it and the light will shine thru that? That would eliminate the need for stacking the material.
Just about to finish this project up. Shout out to the OP for an awesome write up. Does anyone know by chance the rationale for sanding the bottom of the sills before install?
Just about to finish this project up. Shout out to the OP for an awesome write up. Does anyone know by chance the rationale for sanding the bottom of the sills before install?
Just about to finish this project up. Shout out to the OP for an awesome write up. Does anyone know by chance the rationale for sanding the bottom of the sills before install?
Please post pics once done! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out!
Thanks again to eaf for the awesome write-up! I just completed this. I had a couple of thoughts and updates below
1) I did NOT have to do any desoldering or use copper tape. The EL Tape from Lightkraft on etsy now comes with leads attached to BOTH sides of each strip of EL tape. The wires coming off the tape were not bulky at all so I was able to use those ones. (I still drowned stuff in caulk underneath just in case)
2) If I did it again I might try to find a black caulk that was a sealant AND an adhesive instead of straight silicone caulk. Silicone does have adhesive properties but I had issues attaching the sills to the plastic bases. I ended up putting silicone around the EL tape then dabbing a bit of epoxy on the far edges to really bond it well to the base.
3) I put both inverters in the area above the area where the front passenger feet would be
Overall sorta a lengthy process but very satisfied with results!
12-14-2014, 12:39 AM
definitely nice DIY for our 3rd gen.
