This custom LED sign was a project personally requested from my father who’s an OG Wu-Tang fan. He wanted a laser cut sign of the Wu-Tang logo to hang in his man-cave. There was also a special ask to make it light up in some way. Of course, I not only added LEDs, but incorporated epoxy resin too. I never pass up a chance to use resin if it can take a project up a notch and add to the overall quality. Below you’ll find the full tutorial and materials list to try this project out yourself.
Watch the full process of bringing this sign to life from design to creation.
Custom LED Sign Materials & Tools List
- (2) 1/8-inch Luan Plywood
- (2) 1/8-inch Hardboard
- Craft Resin (Save 10% on Craft Resin using my link)
- Yellow Mica Powder
- BTF Lighting LED strip lights
- Gorilla Wood Glue
- Cyafix Instant Glue + AG Instant Activator
- Rust-Oleum 2X Cover Black, Marigold, and Clear Coat
- Rust-Oleum Filler Primer
- Bulls Eye Spray Shellac
- xTool M1 Laser Cutter and Engraver
- Ryobi Hot Glue Gun
The Design Process
The design for this custom LED sign came from a mix of inspiration from several Google image searches. I put my own spin on this design with the additional materials and color choices.
I was able to design the majority of this sign using xTool’s Creative Space software. Using the trace and outline feature in XCS, I was able to get the logo accurately. The drips and some accent pieces were drawn using the Concepts app on my iPad then imported into XCS.
The xTool M1 has a maximum cut size of 15 x 12 inches, so I used the entire bed to create this project. Since I would be adding resin, I had to make sure the second layer included a border around the edge to create a seal.
Building the Sign (Step-by-Step)
Laser Cutting the Wood
After designing, the first cut is the backer using Luan Plywood. For the Luan Plywood backer on the M1, it takes a couple of passes for this thickness. Here are the settings I used:
- Power: 95%
- Speed: mm/s
- Passes: 6
The Hardboard sheets are similar to MDF, so it’s not the best material for your laser due the particles, but I find that it cuts well without too many processes. Here are my settings for this material:
- Power: 100%
- Speed: 4 mm/s
- Passes: 2
Just note that every machine is different and you may need to tweak these settings for your specific material.
Painting Laser Cut Pieces
You can either use acrylic paint or go with spray paint, like I did for these. I recommend prepping your pieces with the Bulls Eye Shellac, so that the paint you add coats your pieces nicely and doesn’t absorb into the wood. This can be a tip for painting Hardboard or MDF. Then go in with a primer before adding your color paint, so it coats smooth.
Prepping for Resin Pour
Once all of the wood sheets are cut, you want to make sure you add enough glue around the edges to create a strong seal for the resin pour. Additionally, you can add some masking tape around the edges to catch. If need be, you can always sand away any leaky resin.
Mixing & Pouring Resin
I decided to go with yellow mica powder for the epoxy resin pour. The amount of resin will depend on how large your sign is, but I used about 1.5-2.0 fl oz. of epoxy. The typical cure time for resin is 24-48 hours. Since this is a shallow pour it should be good within 24 hours.
You can choose to use UV resin like I did for filling the honeycomb pieces. Alternatively, you can use the epoxy resin.
Adding LEDs & Backing
To save some time, I went with small 1x1cm blocks I picked up from my local Dollar Tree, but you can choose to cut two outlines of the backer piece that are about 10% smaller. Gluing these two outlines together should be the thickness of the LED strip.
Using a mix of hot glue and superglue, attach the LED strip along the edge you just created either with the outline pieces or additional wood pieces.
Custom LED Sign Finishing Touches
For any imperfections along the sides, you can choose to sand down the edges and paint them over with black acrylic paint.
The Custom Sign’s Final Form
I think this custom LED Wu-tang sign came out pretty good for a weekend turnaround project. One thing I would do differently is the backer for the LEDs. I did struggle a bit with the bought wooden blocks I used, so I would go with additional W outlines cut and stacked together to attach seamlessly on the back of the logo instead.
This was a really fun project mixing laser cutting, painting, resin art, and LED elements into one final piece. It was even better giving this piece away to someone who appreciates Wu-Tang and art.
Tips for Makers Who Want to Try This
Here are two quick tips for this Wu-Tang LED Sign to make this project smoother for you.
Resin Pouring Tip
When adding your mica powder to your epoxy resin, don’t mix the equal parts together first. Instead, add your resin or part A to your cup, then add in your mica powder and mix. This allows extra time to mix in the mica powder. Once it’s all mixed in, then you’ll want to add in the equal part B or hardener to your cup. Then thoroughly mix your two parts together for the instructed time needed for your epoxy resin, typically 5-8 minutes.
LED Tip
Test out your LED strip throughout the process to make sure all is good before sealing everything together.
If you enjoyed this build, check out the full video for more behind-the-scenes moments and tips.
Want to try this custom LED sign yourself? Drop a comment or tag me on IG @linamakesart if you do!
