Side tracked again. Adafruit has some laser cut acrylic parts it uses with some kits. I was initially under the impression that laser cutters were expensive beasts. Well, like many things, prices have come down to what hobbiests can handle. While looking at stuff at Inventables, I noticed they have a desktop laser cutter / engraver system from Full Spectrum Laser.
I was side tracked onto laser cutters when someone in a forum was mentioning they, too, used a laser cutter for plastic parts for a DIY pan tilt mount for a time lapse photographs. In that forum article, they mentioned another manufacturer: Epilog Zing. They are pricier, but do the same thing.
For raw materials, any glass shop will have various types of acrylic on hand. For specialty items, someone pointed out that LaserBits has a variety of raw materials.
Inventables has LED Edge Strips for lighting acrylic etched signs. Super Bright LEDS has a variety of LED lights.
Lacking a machine to do stuff? Out source it: Ponoko is a place to etch/engrave/cut/print whatever you want.