Instructables user bigtreehouse writes:
The goal was to make a light box for my students to use that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. Went to the second-hand store and found a florescent light... ($4.99 with 50% off) then noticed a suitcase/briefcase ($3.99 with 50% off). I got them both and started thinking of ways to put them together.
Posted by Becky Stern |
May 15, 2009 07:00 AM
DIY Projects, Imaging, Instructables |
Permalink
| Comments (11)
| Email This |
| Digg this!
Oldest comments listed first.
Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!
Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.
$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)
Check out more videos from MAKE.
 |
MAKE on Facebook Visit our Facebook page and become a fan of MAKE! |
 |
MAKE on Twitter Follow our MAKE tweets! |
 |
MAKE on Flickr Join our MAKE Flickr Pool! |
Gareth Branwyn
Editor-in-Chief
Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
| Web | Twitter
Becky Stern
Associate Editor
| AIM | Twitter
Marc de Vinck
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
John Park
Contributing Writer
| Twitter
Sean Ragan
Contributing Writer
| Twitter
Matt Mets
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
Dale Dougherty
Editor & Publisher
| Twitter
Shawn Connally
Managing Editor
| Twitter
Goli Mohammadi
Associate Managing Editor
Kip Kay
Weekend Projects
| AIM | Twitter
Collin Cunningham
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
Adam Flaherty
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
John Baichtal
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
More contributors: Mark Frauenfelder (Editor-in-Chief, MAKE magazine), Kipp Bradford (Technical Consultant/Writer), Chris Connors (Education), Diana Eng (Guest Author), Peter Horvath (Intern), Brian Jepson (O'Reilly Media), Robert Bruce Thompson (Science Room)
Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!
Click here to advertise on MAKE!
Behind the Scenes at MAKE and CRAFT
In January, many of the remote MAKE/CRAFT team members (myself included) convened at the Maker Media headquarters at O'Reilly Media in Sebastopol, California. Take a look behind the scenes of your favorite DIY publications as Goli Mohammadi gives us...
More...
Help | Write for MAKE | Contact Us | Subscribe | Advertise with Us | Privacy Policy| About MAKE | FAQ
© 2010 O'Reilly Media, Inc.
All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on makezine.com are the property of their respective owners.
RSS
Why bother?
A cheap fluorescent lamp is going to have a poor spectrum and poor colour cast. It's easy to see in the picture the light is not well diffused. For any real photographic work, using this would be worse than using nothing and holding your material up to a bright window.
Tools are usually the worst possible place to cut corners because anybody is is only as good as their tools, and this is a great example.
Reply to this comment
I thought this was a great reuse project, but the primary thing I would use a light box for is to trace designs for embroidery or other line art, so no true color or perfect diffusion is necessary. It's a little mean to rag on this guy, a teacher, who's just trying to help his students succeed. This would be perfect for making simple stop-motion animations; I don't think it was ever intended to be for "real photographic work."
Reply to this comment
Yep! It was made specifically "old school animation" so it's perfect!
In fact, my lightbox is all scratched up because I keep it on it's side in a closet, (not a great idea) this one has a lid, keeping the surface nice and smooth which is really important when inking.
Reply to this comment
Yeah, the drafting-angle light box that I've been using for the past 20 year, that I bought when I had a graphic design business, has hot spots and poorly-diffused light, and it works perfectly fine for what it was designed for -- which is tracing, cutting masks, etc.
The one above also has an undeniable Repo Man appeal.
Reply to this comment
I think Becky's right on this one. From the instructable:
"Now I am ready to do some old school animation! I will still use the computer to scan, color and compile... but that will come another time."
I think the author meant to call this a "Light Table in a Box", rather than a "Light Box", which has a specific meaning in the photography world.
Reply to this comment
Why bother indeed. I tried using this to heat my bathwater and received a nasty shock. It's better to stick with store bought products.
Reply to this comment
Hey, just because you can't get it to work the way you want, don't insult makers ;).
Reply to this comment
Yeah. The one I have was sold as a "Light Table," even tho it doesn't actually have legs and goes on top of a table, so it really is a light box, but yeah, table vs. box might be the way these two tools are officially differentiated.
Reply to this comment
I went to art school and always saw a bunch of "pora-trace" brand things we called light boxes. Here's a link that confirms some brands refer to a tracing box as a "light box" AND "light table":
http://www.artsupply.com/alvin/lighttables.htm
I'm glad we're talking about two different pieces of equipment, that way we can all be happy.
Reply to this comment
I'm also glad it's two different pieces of equipment and I appologize to the designer for the tone of my earlier post.
Reply to this comment
Reuse!
Recover!
Recycle!
RETHINK!
This is a WONDERFUL project, period.
Reply to this comment