I decided I wanted a W marquee letter but the only ones that were available were either cheap reproductions or prohibitely expensive. It's just a thing to put on the shelf, after all, and not worth spending hundreds of dollars on.
After kicking the idea around for awhile I came up with a plan to build a cheaper and cooler one from what I'd seen available. My marquee W letter is constructed from various materials including 3/4" plywood, aluminum flashing, LEDs, liquid nails, and ping pong balls.
I used velvet paint on the metal sides to make it look like old, corroded metal. The background is black and white crackle paint, which also makes it look old. The finished product lights up but is not bright enough to bother people in the room.
Laying out the pattern.
Tracing the pattern onto the wood backing.
The wood backing with all 35 light holes drilled out.
Ping-pong balls with their labels sanded off are lit by LED Christmas lights.
The lights cycle through three colors.
The lights cycle through three colors.
The lights cycle through three colors.
Test fitting the parts.
Metal flashing is attached to the wood backing, giving the sign depth.
The final flashing is attached.
Cracked paint to make it look old and weathered.
The ping-pong balls were given six coats of laquer to make them look like glass.
All of the lights in their mounts.
Putting on the ping-pong balls.
Painting the sides in red velvet paint to make everything look old.
On the shelf. I messed up a few of the ping-pong balls and had to replace them.
The light is bright enough to be seen but not bright enough to distract from other things.