Today I made a Light (box) Stand

[AON]

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

[BANYAN]

That's a very good idea mate - thanks for passing on this effective method from Greg.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[gjdale]

Love it Alan - thanks!

[druxey]

Nicely done. I feel my own method much inferior now; I simply hold the pieces up to the window (daytime) or task light (night)!

[angrybadger76]

thanks,

what a wonderfull idea i think i will have to try that too

 

john

[Canute]

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.

[AON]

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!

[tlevine]

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.