Having looked at a variety of lighting options and considering that the LED really needs to be in contact with the edge of the acrylic sheet to achieve the desired brightness; I decided to purchase several small battery powered LEDs that are intended for illuminating balloons and paper lanterns. This will allow the lights to be fixed directly to the spinning wheel without worrying about cords getting tangled up. This approach will alter my design a little bit because the lights will be stuck onto the wheel, breaking the otherwise perfect circle. I plan to use the points of the hexagonal pattern as syntax for connection points to help mitigate any distracting effect these auxiliary lights may have. Hopefully, the Moire effect will be more prominent with the spinning plate illuminated!

I’ve purchased materials to build the Immersion Wheel assembly. There will be a 1″x6″ board at the bottom of the base which will a serve as the foot. On top of the this board will be two pieces opposing angle aluminum holding the stationary plate (like book ends). These “L-shaped profiles will be fixed to the base board with sub-flooring adhesive to avoid any appearance of hardware. I would have liked to machine a single piece base to increase the finished appearance, but it would have been outside my time and budget constraints. I also bought hardware for the the wheel to spin, which consists of  a 5/16 bolt, washers, and nut. There will be a few washers in between the plates to avoid rubbing while spinning.