Building a Light box? Does anyone have plans?

[flipflop]

Hi,
I am interested in building a light box...I am wondering if anyone has done this or has plans...please let me know...

also wondering about the bulbs which do i use
Thanks!

 

[Frank Granovski]

A friend of mine from New Zealand built me a light box about 14 years ago. It's sitting on top of my large office type desk. It weighs about 200 pounds, but it's a beaut. If you want, I can e-mail you the design details. 😎

 

[photodog]

Here's an idea: Get a small flourecent light fixture turn it upside down on a countertop and get a piece of white plexiglass to fit on top. There are also small under the counter or cabinet flourecent fixtures that sell for about $20.

 

[bmattock]

I can't help you with the light box plans, but as to the light source, maybe.

Are you in the USA? If so, Walmart sells a brand of florescent bulb called "Lights of America" sunlight bulb. They're those kind that are meant to replace standard incandescent bulbs.

However, you have to look on the back of the package. What you're looking for is a marking that says 6500K. That's the light temperature in Kelvin, and 6500K is quite white - so it will look like a nice natural white when you lay your slides down on the glass, not yellow like most 'white' bulbs (3200K).

The bulbs are quite inexpensive and last a long time. They don't get really hot either. You can also buy them on eBoy or at speciality shops - they are often called 'daylight' lamps for knitters and stitchers, aquariums, and etc - but those guys all mark them up like crazy - a bulb should cost about $8 or $15 for 3.

Weird thing is this - Lights of America (lightsofamerica.com) will deny that they make them. If you call them, they'll claim they don't make 'daylight' bulbs with 6500K temps. But they do. And they all have the same model numbers - you literally have to read the back of each package at Walmart, they're all mixed in together. Priced the same, though. You'll know if you get the wrong one - the light is quite yellow compared to the 'right' one.

Anyway, I use them with cheap aluminum reflectors for tabletop product shots for things I want to sell on eBoy. I turned Captainslack onto them too, I think his wife uses them for photographing her wonderful artwork. I keep my eyes open - they come and go at the local Wally World.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Here's an idea: Get a small flourecent light fixture turn it upside down on a countertop and get a piece of white plexiglass to fit on top. There are also small under the counter or cabinet flourecent fixtures that sell for about $20.

Can't use regular florescent - too yellow. Same for incandescents. We humans see them as 'white' if there are no other true white light sources around, but in fact, the bulbs we use in our homes are yellow and we think they are white. Color about 3200K, which is nowhere near white.

Put a true 5500K to 6500K light next to a standard incandescent and you'll think you're looking at dingy teeth.

Film is not fooled at all by these lights we think of as white - hence the need for indoor film or filtration - or setting white balance on digital cameras.

NOTE: I was just checking - do a Google search on '6500K fluorescent' and you'll see what I mean. Your idea is great - but needs the correct white color to really work well.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[flipflop]

thanks for the replies.

I have access to a full wood work shop my father makes custom furniture. 🙂
I plan on using some exotic hardwoods for the outside of it...what is a good size?
Also, looking for more ideas and on lights and white plexi...could I buy this at home depot or something like that.
Thanks in advancE!

 

[bmattock]

thanks for the replies.

I have access to a full wood work shop my father makes custom furniture. 🙂
I plan on using some exotic hardwoods for the outside of it...what is a good size?
Also, looking for more ideas and on lights and white plexi...could I buy this at home depot or something like that.
Thanks in advancE!

Check this out:

http://www.jyoseph.com/extras/lightbox_tutorial.php

I just googled for diy lightbox and bang zoom.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

NOTE : O NO that's not it. Well, still looking, then. Sorry!

 

[Poptart]

Yeah, I have a light box. I thought I'd just stay in, make dinner, and watch some TV.

 

[flipflop]

thanks for the info pop...

 

[flipflop]

hmm...I was thinking of a light box for viewing negs...
anyone???

 

[Poptart]

Okay . . . get a couple of 18" florescent utility fixtures from the hardware store, a pair of GE sunshine bulbs, and a sheet of acrylic storm window. Sand one side of the acrylic till it's translucent. Make a frame about 22 X 9 out of cab facing with a baltic birch ply bottom. Mount the fixtures on this, wired together, and the frosted acrylic over the frame. Problem solved!

 

[RML]

Weird thing is this - Lights of America (lightsofamerica.com) will deny that they make them. If you call them, they'll claim they don't make 'daylight' bulbs with 6500K temps. But they do.

Aren't those daylight bulbs also used to grow cannabis? 😛

Yes, I'm from Holland. 🙂

 

[schmoozit]

I made one, quite large, and very simple. You asked about a size, but since you are making your own, you can do whatever size you want. That's part of the benefit.

I bought a single peice of 1/4 inch plywood and had it cut to make a 125 x 22 x 24.5 cm table (length x height x depth). It holds a lot of slides/negs, and was designed around a common length florescent, 2 bulb, ceiling fixture I had laying around.

I didn't/don't care much about "proper" light source, because I'm just not insane enough to shoot for light table viewing enjoyment. I only need to check exposure, focus, and composition. If that is good, it goes in the scanning queue.

Anyway, for the top, I found some very cheap plastic board of some sort. I'm really not positive of it's real purpose, but perhaps it's for sound proofing. You can find various materials that'll work, especially if you decide, like me, that you need not have the "proper" light table experience. This particular size "table" (actually sits on the floor with castors) required that I also include the white plastic board material on the sides of the interior to provide an adequate brightness level.