AON Posted June 13, 2015 Share #1 Posted June 13, 2015 (edited) Today I made a light Box... or more correctly a light stand? I read in TFFM that Greg uses a light box to inspect, mark and fine tune his joinery. If it works for him I'm hoping it will help me. This little project cost me next to nothing as I used scraps. I taped, measured and laid out my cut lines and hole locations on the sheet of Plexiglas and onto the tape with a pencil. Then I clamped the plexiglas down to my table and using my scroll saw and a plexiglas cutting blade I made my cuts. You have to keep the saw moving or the plexiglas overheats and gums up. I cut about 1/8 inch outside the line. I then clamped the plexiglas in my vise and using a very rough file I filed the cut edges down to the pencil line. To diffuse the light shining from below I sanded the underside. Passed it quickly over my belt sanded. Quickly so it doesn't overheat and make a mess. Then I hand sanded in one direction with extremely rough sand paper. Finally I used 80 grit and sanded in four directions, one at a time. First up and down, then across at 90 degrees, and finally diagonally (corner to corner). I drilled and counter drilled the plexiglas for the wood screws, cut two pieces of wood for the stands, marked off the screw holes using the plexiglas as the template and drilled pilot holes. Screwed it all together. I slide a LED puck light underneath and that was it... she was ready to use. You can see it seems to do a great job of highlighting the imperfections. Hope someone else finds this idea useful! Edited June 13, 2015 by AON robin b, thibaultron, BANYAN and 16 others 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANYAN Posted June 14, 2015 Share #2 Posted June 14, 2015 That's a very good idea mate - thanks for passing on this effective method from Greg. cheers Pat Canute 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjdale Posted June 14, 2015 Share #3 Posted June 14, 2015 Love it Alan - thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
druxey Posted June 14, 2015 Share #4 Posted June 14, 2015 Nicely done. I feel my own method much inferior now; I simply hold the pieces up to the window (daytime) or task light (night)! Canute and mtaylor 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrybadger76 Posted June 14, 2015 Share #5 Posted June 14, 2015 thanks, what a wonderfull idea i think i will have to try that too john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canute Posted June 14, 2015 Share #6 Posted June 14, 2015 I was about to unload a light table my Admiral has, laying around the basement. Once upon a time she was a graphic artist in NYC. Having seen it's usefulness here, it won't be going out in the trash. Thanks for the tip. mtaylor, Jack12477 and druxey 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AON Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted June 14, 2015 I am very happy others find this useful or at the very least interesting. Druxey, mine is a basement shop with no outside windows. Lighting is florescent and overhead... which doesn't work well for a fellow with a fused neck. Everything else is too bright (or I am just getting too old and picky). I think this light table... I've decided it is a light table... will do very nicely. Thank you to Greg and his volume in the TFFM books! Canute, druxey and mtaylor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlevine Posted June 15, 2015 Share #8 Posted June 15, 2015 I use an old X ray view box as my light table. With everyone switching to digital, they are relics taking up room in a lot of doctor's offices. In my hospital, they are being thrown out whenever an area gets repainted. AON, gjdale, mtaylor and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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