RSSOld scanner = light table
Matt writes - "Well, my wife recently asked me to build her a small light table for her to use to copy the paper patterns that she uses for quilting. I started to design one in my head, and then decided that if I just pull all of the guts out of the old scanner and replace them with a fluorescent light bulb (so as to not generate too much heat), I'd have light table. I also put a translucent piece of plastic under the glass top of the scanner bed to diffuse the light from the light bulb a bit." - Link.
Matt's blog has a few other interesting Maker projects (garden railroading, o-gauge railroading, home-built CNC machine, woodworking, PC and home electronics projects, etc) check'em out - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Aug 14, 2006 03:50 PM
DIY Projects |
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Comments
Oldest comments listed first.
| Posted by: Shadyman on August 14, 2006 at 5:17 PM |
How about a sheet of that light diffuser stuff they use for fluorescent lighting in office buildings?
| Posted by: NateMC on August 14, 2006 at 9:32 PM |
You can get varying degrees of diffusion sheets from theatrical lighting stores.
I've also seen light tables built out of old backlit beer signs.
| Posted by: jmassaglia on August 15, 2006 at 9:12 AM |
Great idea. My wife just sets the desktop color to white on her computer and uses that. I've got a scanner or two in my basement not being used. Maybe I'll try building one of these.
| Posted by: MikeCat on August 15, 2006 at 10:27 AM |
You can get the diffuser stuff right at home depot, with the related fixtures. They come in sheets that you can cut to fit. Its a little brittle however, so cut slowly and cleanly.
| Posted by: spongebathe on August 16, 2006 at 12:44 PM |
I was thinking about doing something just like this the other day ago.
Kudos for beating me to it.
| Posted by: iBub on August 20, 2007 at 3:52 PM |
Don't (as in DO NOT) buy plastics at Home Depot. Lowes or other big stores. If you live near a big orange or blue store, chances are there's a plastics distributor close by as well. Find the nearest plastics distributor where you can buy what you need sold at about $2 per pound for smaller stuff and $4 per pound for larger pieces.
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