How interesting...making your own. And your lit frame looked AWESOME!!! I'm not a very handy guy though. The LCD sounds interesting (and easier). Maybe someone will elaborate on that?
Thanks!
Not positive what you are referring to. There were a few folks who took 42" TVs and cannibalized them for the backlight. Made it white without the LCD panel. It is easier electrically, but difficult in the mechanics as you have to improvise mounting hardware and how to attach the frame.
The box I built was not difficult. The box itself only took me a couple of hours to put together and one trip to the building supply store. You need 2 8 foot strips of 2" wide pine board, a piece of white masonite backing board 8 flathead #6 x 2 screws, a box of #10x3/4" panhead screws,a bag of 3/8" plastic cable claps and a can of flat black spray paint. I am going to assume you use the rope light. Get at least 50'
Tools are a power saw, a drill and a screwdriver
First, you measure the spotlight display frame for the distances between the screw holes on the opposite edges. Been awhile, but I think it was like 28x42. The board is 1" wide, so add 1/2 inch to each edge so the board is centered. That gives a box that is like 29x43. You don't need a fancy joint, and can just butt join them together (see pictures). Drill pilot holes and screw the sides together. Paint the outside with the flat black. Cut a small notch on the bottom so the cord can pass through. Cut the backer board to size and drill 3 pilot holes on the short edge and 5 on the long edge. Place the cord through the notch and test the rope light routing on a table. Once you are happy, drill pilot holes, pass the rope light through the cable clamps and secure to the wood edges (see photos). I eventually added scotch packaging tape to hold the centers of the rope light with even spacing. Screw the back on and finally attack the snap frame to the front. Drill a couple of mounting holes in the backing board so you can attach to some screws on wall anchors. Mount on the wall, and finally insert the poster between the layers of PET-G that come with the frame.
If you have the tools, you can do this for around $100-120. If not, you can probably contract this to a handyman for $40 or so plus materials.
