Step1: Design your sign in a Vector editing software
Step2: Layout your cuts and engravings in XCS
Step3: Make your cuts
Step4: Paint your letters and Stain / Oil your wood
Step5: Assemble and Light It Up
Design Files
I wanted to mix up the Christmas spirit with a new artistic style to get away from the traditional but still keep the Spirit alive. I researched Art Deco and than landed on Mid-century modern with it's funky sign letters, earthy colors schemes, and wonky shapes. The stars and other rayed shapes from mid-century mod work well for connoting Christmas so I used that element in the design. The sign is built from a trapezoidal cut of sapele plywood I purchased from Amazon but happened to be an xtool selection of wood, than I cut the outward or top layer of the letters for NOEL from bassword, than two layers of clear arcylic, one for the frosted letter look, and the layer closest to the wood to house the fairy lights in. It turned out pretty well. I tried using EL string light to have a more uniform glow but the EL lights in white are not bright enough. So I went back with my budget friendly battery based Fairy lights. I have an alternative battery based string light I found at Hobby Lobby which has a built in 6 hour on, 18 hour off timer but the battery pack was quite large and for this I didn't want that hanging off the back of the sign.
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Step 1: Design your sign in a Vector editing software
I use a vector editing software called Affinity Designer 2 to create the designs. In this case I designed from inspirational elements out on the web while researching mid-century modern signage, colors, and fonts.
One thing I want to highlight in doing the design in this software was the ability to import a graphical image of the sapele wood and use a masking layer to represent what the sign would look like using something approximating the wood I would be using to cut the sign background with.
Creating a masking layer in photo or vector editing software is pretty common but I always have to look up how to do it, in this case you bring the picture of the sapele wood into one layer, than the shape of the sign as a vector or “curve” on another layer, and than create the "mask layer, here's what that looks like in the software. I attached some screenshots of how to do the vector mask.
Finally, export the design as an SVG for import into XCS
Step 2: Layout your cuts and engravings in XCS
Import the SVG file via the “Image” button in XCS, it should import without requiring resizing as I exported previously with 72dpi which I have found comes across in the right size in mm's or inches.
I separate all of the items from the SVG into different layers depending on if I'm cutting, engraving, or doing a combo cut and engrave. As you can see in the image I have the different layers separated so I can set them to output or ignore depending on what media I'm working on, for example cutting the sign backdrop out or cutting the acrylic etc.
I have re-arranged the overall file based on my prototyping and I think everything is in here you'll need to properly create the entire project.
One thing I designed in the XCS software was the larger letters for my “frosted” engraved look on layer two behind the colors wood and cut letters top layer. I really like the “outline” tool in xcs and found it easier to use that than do the same in the vector software though I could do it there. Here's the process for outlining and blowing up the letters. By the way, the reason I did this was it gave some wiggle room for when I glued the top piece of wood to the first layer of acrylic, if I was off and the frosting was exactly the same size as the wood letter you would see the frosted portion and the un engraved portion of acrylic and it would look funky. Engraving the letters somewhat large avoids any messy misalignment problems.
Using outlining tool to make the letters larger(see pictures)
Copy and paste sign letters and boxes
Use "Outline" tool at 2 mm to increase size
Delete the original letter(otherwise it will re-engrave - or mark it to ignore)
Set the new letter objects to Engrave
You could also probably just use a translucent acrylic or Vellum paper to achieve the same look when the lights shine through
Step 3: Make your cuts
Setting 1
Process Method
Laser Cut
Power(%) or Cut Pressure(g)
70
Speed(mm/s)
20
Pass
1
Setting 2
Process Method
Vector Laser Engrave
Process Material
Transparent Acrylic
Power(%) or Cut Pressure(g)
15
Speed(mm/s)
400
Lines per cm
200
Pass
1
Setting 3
Process Method
Laser Cut
Process Material
Transparent Acrylic
Power(%) or Cut Pressure(g)
100
Speed(mm/s)
20
Pass
1
As a convention I've found storing my final settings in the layer name is a good backup if I forget to add a custom material setting to XCS so here's how I cut everything out and note the settings in the layer names, P=Power, S=Speed, and if applicable L=lines
Cut the top layer of “letters” out of 3mm bassword playwood “WoodCutP70S20” (Black Layer)
Cut the second layer “AcryEngP15S400L200”(Dark red layer) and “CutEngAcrP100S20”(light green layer), out of 3mm clear acrylic with the “fatter” red letters set to engrave and the green letter sign rectangles set to cut
Cut the third or “bottom” layer on the “LightHousingP100S20” layer, these are used for putting the lights in
Cut the sign background board from Sapele wood or wood of your choice including the square holes for stringing the lights through, these are on “StrLightHolesP100S20” layer and the “WoodCutP70S20” layer
Cut the gold star, also on the “WoodCutP70S20” layer
Step 4: Paint your letters and Stain / Oil your wood
3 More images
I painted the first layer of basswood cutouts for the letters by priming and sanding and letting dry, than I spray painted and did a light coat of sanding if needed in between coats, and I think I ended up with 3 coats on each which ended up looking pretty smooth and clean. I'm not good at spray painting wood but they turned out ok.
I hand painted the yellow star with gold glittery paint, pictured above. I had cut the start a second time out of yellow acrylic but didn't like the look so I just painted over it, I should have primed the acrylic but didn't, I ended up kind of laying the brush painted gold on pretty think which kind of ended up with a cool hammered gold look anyway.
For the sapele wood I used Danish wood oil and applied it with a foam brush and then wiped off the excess and let it dry. It really darkens the wood but not adversely. After the oil was dry I sprayed a coat or two of Polyurethane.
Step 5: Assemble and Light It Up
7 More images
I threaded the fairy lights in and out of the paired holes, after threading the entire string, about 30-40cm's worth through I left the battery compartment with about 12 cm's of wire in the back of the sign board. I found that I could have 5 lights per letter cutout
I positioned without gluing the second layer of acrylic or “acrylic light housing” next to the wood encompassing the square holes and moved the lights into a rough position contained in each letter light housing
I placed without gluing the first layer of acrylic with frosted letters and the painted latter cutouts or top layer
I tested the lights to see how everything looked and found I like to keep the lights to the sides of the frosted/engraved part so it's not so obvious but I looks awesome either way
After mocking up positions I went ahead and repeated the above steps but using the JB weld super glue and gluing each layer of the letters consecutively now that I had a feel for how everything would position. I found I didn't need to glue the actual fairy lights in as the wire is stiff enough and In theory I could pull the entire string out if needed, though I don't know how I would thread them back through again very easily.
I affixed the battery compartment to the back of the sign using a double stick tape with the screws outward so I could replace batteries if needed.
I haven't placed a hook or feet to stand the sign up as I haven't fully decided on where to put this but it would be easy enough to use velcro, a 3m picture hook, or small easel to display this funky sign.
I'm happy with the finished look, in the pictures I have the sign in front of some glass lit trees but the lighting in the NOEL sign is from the fairy lights, same for the garland placement.
I use a vector editing software called Affinity Designer 2 to create the designs. In this case I designed from inspirational elements out on the web while researching mid-century modern signage, colors, and fonts.
One thing I want to highlight in doing the design in this software was the ability to import a graphical image of the sapele wood and use a masking layer to represent what the sign would look like using something approximating the wood I would be using to cut the sign background with.
Creating a masking layer in photo or vector editing software is pretty common but I always have to look up how to do it, in this case you bring the picture of the sapele wood into one layer, than the shape of the sign as a vector or “curve” on another layer, and than create the "mask layer, here's what that looks like in the software. I attached some screenshots of how to do the vector mask.
Finally, export the design as an SVG for import into XCS
Import the SVG file via the “Image” button in XCS, it should import without requiring resizing as I exported previously with 72dpi which I have found comes across in the right size in mm's or inches.
I separate all of the items from the SVG into different layers depending on if I'm cutting, engraving, or doing a combo cut and engrave. As you can see in the image I have the different layers separated so I can set them to output or ignore depending on what media I'm working on, for example cutting the sign backdrop out or cutting the acrylic etc.
I have re-arranged the overall file based on my prototyping and I think everything is in here you'll need to properly create the entire project.
One thing I designed in the XCS software was the larger letters for my “frosted” engraved look on layer two behind the colors wood and cut letters top layer. I really like the “outline” tool in xcs and found it easier to use that than do the same in the vector software though I could do it there. Here's the process for outlining and blowing up the letters. By the way, the reason I did this was it gave some wiggle room for when I glued the top piece of wood to the first layer of acrylic, if I was off and the frosting was exactly the same size as the wood letter you would see the frosted portion and the un engraved portion of acrylic and it would look funky. Engraving the letters somewhat large avoids any messy misalignment problems.
Using outlining tool to make the letters larger(see pictures)
You could also probably just use a translucent acrylic or Vellum paper to achieve the same look when the lights shine through
As a convention I've found storing my final settings in the layer name is a good backup if I forget to add a custom material setting to XCS so here's how I cut everything out and note the settings in the layer names, P=Power, S=Speed, and if applicable L=lines
I painted the first layer of basswood cutouts for the letters by priming and sanding and letting dry, than I spray painted and did a light coat of sanding if needed in between coats, and I think I ended up with 3 coats on each which ended up looking pretty smooth and clean. I'm not good at spray painting wood but they turned out ok.
I hand painted the yellow star with gold glittery paint, pictured above. I had cut the start a second time out of yellow acrylic but didn't like the look so I just painted over it, I should have primed the acrylic but didn't, I ended up kind of laying the brush painted gold on pretty think which kind of ended up with a cool hammered gold look anyway.
For the sapele wood I used Danish wood oil and applied it with a foam brush and then wiped off the excess and let it dry. It really darkens the wood but not adversely. After the oil was dry I sprayed a coat or two of Polyurethane.
After mocking up positions I went ahead and repeated the above steps but using the JB weld super glue and gluing each layer of the letters consecutively now that I had a feel for how everything would position. I found I didn't need to glue the actual fairy lights in as the wire is stiff enough and In theory I could pull the entire string out if needed, though I don't know how I would thread them back through again very easily.
I affixed the battery compartment to the back of the sign using a double stick tape with the screws outward so I could replace batteries if needed.
I haven't placed a hook or feet to stand the sign up as I haven't fully decided on where to put this but it would be easy enough to use velcro, a 3m picture hook, or small easel to display this funky sign.
I'm happy with the finished look, in the pictures I have the sign in front of some glass lit trees but the lighting in the NOEL sign is from the fairy lights, same for the garland placement.