# Lighting effects with clear plexi-glass podiums.



## wemeck (Oct 28, 2003)

Lighting effects with clear plexi-glass podiums. We have an annual award show, which we call Honors & Awards. Well we have these three clear plexi-glass podiums. The year I designed the set I put the podiums on raised platforms with up-stage escape stairs. Underneath the podium base I cut out a hole so that light from a color scroller could shine through and refract through the plexi to shine whatever color I had in the scrollers. The two caveats are/were as follows:
1.) Use older platforms.
2.) Line the base of the podiums top surface with opaque white paper. That way the reader is not shot in the eye with bright light.


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## dvsDave (Oct 28, 2003)

very cool, I like the idea... you have a sketch or a picture of the final product?


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## wemeck (Oct 28, 2003)

I will have to dig it up. But I will get back to you.


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## soundman (Oct 30, 2003)

For some intersting designs with plexi school to the bottom 
http://www.metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/glowpad/index_eng
thise would come in handy for a gost or halocication(sp) or the cariter has to walk in front of it and a gobo would look off but you still want an image.


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## JediMidyan (Feb 15, 2004)

Looking at the link provided by soundman, I came up with an idea. Instead of using LED's why not use EL wire? It is very flexible and lights things very well with the proper inverter. Just my $.02


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## wolf825 (Feb 15, 2004)

JediMidyan said:


> Looking at the link provided by soundman, I came up with an idea. Instead of using LED's why not use EL wire? It is very flexible and lights things very well with the proper inverter. Just my $.02




Love EL wire--too cool and so much fun.....ever try the flat sheets of EL or the EL Canvass paper for props?


-wolf


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## Mayhem (Feb 15, 2004)

wolf825 said:


> Love EL wire--too cool and so much fun.....ever try the flat sheets of EL or the EL Canvass paper for props?
> 
> 
> -wolf


What is EL wire? (and please do not tell me it is what the Spanish call cable).
Cheers.


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## JediMidyan (Feb 15, 2004)

EL=Electroluminescent wire. It is wire that lights up. Very cool stuff. You can find it here: http://elwirecheap.com/ .

And wolf825, I used the stuff in the q-bomb device when we did the mouse that roared. I also intend to use it to build a lightsaber prop for myself. I will be buying some polycarbonite tubing(virtually unbreakable) and running the wire inside then filling with clear caulk or something else to difuse the light. The results are astounding. In the dark it looks like a real lightsaber  .


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## Mayhem (Feb 15, 2004)

JediMidyan said:


> EL=Electroluminescent wire. It is wire that lights up. Very cool stuff. You can find it here: http://elwirecheap.com/


Thanks for that JediMidyan- this stuff looks very cool. I will have to see if it is available in Australia. I have seen a similar product but only in very short lengths and one diameter.

Let me know how the lightsaber works out. 

Cheers,


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## wolf825 (Feb 16, 2004)

JediMidyan said:


> EL=Electroluminescent wire. It is wire that lights up. Very cool stuff. You can find it here: http://elwirecheap.com/ .
> 
> And wolf825, I used the stuff in the q-bomb device when we did the mouse that roared. I also intend to use it to build a lightsaber prop for myself. I will be buying some polycarbonite tubing(virtually unbreakable) and running the wire inside then filling with clear caulk or something else to difuse the light. The results are astounding. In the dark it looks like a real lightsaber  .




You should checkout the light sabers (specifically, the force FX sabers, that are made with EL sheets) at: 

http://www.masterreplicas.com

Hollywood quality working props. They come complete with sound fx...my co worker has one...neatest toy I've ever seen..its like a real lightsaber and even turns on upwards.


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## JediMidyan (Feb 16, 2004)

Hey thanks for the tip man but I've been there done that. I've seen those sabers in person at the sharper image store in my mall. They are actually very inaccurate. The hilt as a whole is too large because they had to accomodate the blade and sound electronics. If I were to buy on it would be a parksaber founde here: http://parksabers.com/. I will actually be building one similar only I won't be using a machined aluminum hilt. Mine will be made from resin cast replica pieces and some chrome plumbing tubes. And the total cost to me won't exceed $40. Far better than the price master replicas or parks wants and like parks my blade will be removeable unlike MasterReplicas. 

And the reason it turns on upwards is because they designed it to work much like a plasma saber in that instead of EL wire they used a series of LED's with a special inverter. But that is only in the VAder and Luke saber the first one they made was the now discontinued Anakin saber which the entire blade turned on at once and instead of LED's they used EL sheet. What color is your co-worker's saber? If it is blue then it is Anakins, red is Vader's and green is Luke.


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## Source4Spike (Mar 27, 2004)

JediMidyan said:


> And wolf825, I used the stuff in the q-bomb device when we did the mouse that roared.



Could you tell me abit about what you did with it to make the q-bomb?

Thank you,
-Nick


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## JediMidyan (Mar 27, 2004)

Source4Spike said:


> JediMidyan said:
> 
> 
> > And wolf825, I used the stuff in the q-bomb device when we did the mouse that roared.
> ...



Well Nick, It was really a very simple design. Just some EL wire encased in a clear acrylic tube. The acrylic tube was then covered with a piece of pvc and set up in a way the the acrylic could slip in and out of the pvc. The wire's inverter was mounted on the outside and then teh pvc was mounted onto a little stand that that made it sit at an angle. It looked alright but it was definatly not my best work.


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## lightmanz (Apr 15, 2004)

Have you tried using flat electroluminescent lamps from
CALIFORNEON LIGHTING? There great! They can be found at
WWW.CALIFORNEON.COM


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## wemeck (Apr 15, 2004)

dvsDave said:


> very cool, I like the idea... you have a sketch or a picture of the final product?



Go to:
http://homepage.mac.com/szpisjak/oldcollege/PhotoAlbum47.html

Pictures 29 and 30 have the podiums in them. Look towards the upper part of stage left.


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## PropsPupMikel (Jun 5, 2008)

That is a really cool idea, hmmm....... finally a way to make those podiums look decient.


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