"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news_r_fairbairn-
If you wish to be more up-to-date, use red LEDs instead of the
grain-of-wheat bulbs. You CAN use clear plexiglass, with an inverted
bevel at the instrument holes. I would suggest painting both sides of
the plexiglass white, to contain the light, before the cutting/engraving
operations. The front face can be left whit or painted in your desired
color.

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Orval is on the right track.

But for best results, use clear plexiglas, coat both sides of it white for
better internal light transmission. Then, coat both sides of it black, to
stop extraneous light. Bevel or reverse-bevel the edges,, depending on the
effect yu require/desire. Engrave through the top black /white layer into
clear plexi. You CAN use white plexi for this, but you will rquire so much
more light (numbers of lights, at many places) to achieve the illumination
and readability at night that you desire, as most white plexi absorbs a
great deal of the light - it just isn't as translucent as it seems,
especially being edge-lighted..

As for the "name-tag" material, the white inside in MOST oif that stuff is
opaque, and it is of such differing quality and material from various
manufacturers as to be a literal crap-shoot.

Flash