# Light box not for $8.00 but.....



## punkinn

Went out today and got the bits and pieces for the "$8.00 light box" which ended up costing me $35, but does a decent job even so.  

I settled on a size about 3'W x 2'D x 3'H, used a plain white sheet for diffusing, background and the bottom for now, two 75 watt halogen floods (part of the increased expense) on either side and a clamp-on with the only spare bulb we had lying around, which was a generic 95 watt.   I also didn't glue anything, so it can be disassembled and stored very easily.   Here's one of the first shots with the set up.  Overall, I'm quite pleased.   I will find a better background/base material though.  






Nancy


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## DWK5150

Photo looks great.  I really need to build myself something.


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## Ron in Drums PA

Looks Good

Felt works good for a cheap background and it doesn't reflect light.


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## AirportFF

I grabbed this one on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79008&item=7570414253


15.99 to my door and works really nice for me


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## Tea Clipper

Hi Nancy,
Good deal, it looks like your light box is going to work great for you.  Do you have a pic of your creation?  I thought maybe the shadows are a bit strong however - what do you think?  Maybe try moving the lights further away or reducing the bulb wattage would help.  Also, inline dimmers might be cool too if you wanna get really fancy. Overall, I like it. []


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by Tea Clipper_
> <br />Hi Nancy,
> Good deal, it looks like your light box is going to work great for you.  Do you have a pic of your creation?  I thought maybe the shadows are a bit strong however - what do you think?  Maybe try moving the lights further away or reducing the bulb wattage would help.  Also, inline dimmers might be cool too if you wanna get really fancy. Overall, I like it. []



Yeah, I think the shadows are a bit much too.  I figured I'd have to tweak the lights' position, etc.   It doesn't look very "neat" but it works.   





Nancy


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> <br />Looks Good
> 
> Felt works good for a cheap background and it doesn't reflect light.



Thanks Ron!  That is just what I was looking for.  Cheap and works.  lol!  

Nancy


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by AirportFF_
> <br />I grabbed this one on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79008&item=7570414253
> 
> 
> 15.99 to my door and works really nice for me



That's VERY nice.  Good catch!  []


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## Tea Clipper

Looking good! [8D]

Okay folks, Nancy has shown that good looking photos can be had with an inexpensive light box.  Even novice photographers such as myself can achieve professional looking pics with the help of a light box.   Whether you make it yourself like Nancy has, or buy a commercial version like I did doesn't matter.  Either way, I'm very happy with the results I get from using a light box, and would highly recommend using one for those considering it.

Nancy, thanks for taking a picture of your setup.  It's very nice, I'm glad you're pleased with it.  Good job![]


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## Mikey

Wow,I am impressed at the quality of the pics that one gets from the box. And those are some really nice pens too.

I have the materials, but have been too lazy to build. I guess this should wake me up and get me going. I really feel sorry for you guys though as you'll have to stare at my pics now.[]


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## mikcal

Real good shot of your pens over all. A little tweeking of the light is all thats needed. The light to the right of the pens is either stronger or closer to the pens causing the shadow. A dimmer might help that. There are some new compact fluorcent lights (CFL's) on the market color balanced for photo's. You can find these on ebay for about 7 to 10 bucks. They have a long life and unlike regular photo floods they are a lot cooler and more durable than regular photo floods(5000 hrs verse 6 hrs of life).  A friend of mine (a pro photographer)use to use a background cut from a roll of tablecloth paper. Its coloring was muted shades of a rainbow. It was one of the best backgrounds I ever saw on ebay. Happy turning Mike


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by Mikey_
> <br />Wow,I am impressed at the quality of the pics that one gets from the box. And those are some really nice pens too.
> 
> I have the materials, but have been too lazy to build. I guess this should wake me up and get me going. I really feel sorry for you guys though as you'll have to stare at my pics now.[]



Mikey, 

It's very easy.  I had mine cut and assembled in about 15 minutes.  And that allowed for recutting when I thought the original size was too big.  []

I'll probably "neaten" mine up the next few times I put it together for pictures...  hmmm which should be today I guess as there are two new pens to record!   []

Nancy


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## jpick22

Afternoon, Nancy

What lovely pens you've made.

My take is a bit different, perhaps from some of the others.  For example, I don't find the shadows objectionable at all; actually, I find it quite refreshing to finally see some pens on a plain background, not fighting for attention with water puddles, rocks, sticks, other wood, other colors (color-family wise), maps or place mats that neither add anything while actually conflicting with what you're trying to exhibit.  

I started with the Home Depot halogens. But because of their heat, and their color temperature, I finally switched to color corrected fluorescent lamps.

If you'll check on www.tabletopstudio-store.com and look to the left "bar", click Daylight balanced bulbs(in fact, just look at everything there), you will find some interesting solutions - cool running lamps that last forever.  Think I started with 26w. and am now up to their 55w trumpet lamps (I have three - one on each side of my "tent" and one that hangs over the top, when desired.  They're not cheap, but again run "cool" and last forever.  You wouldn't have to buy their light stands or reflectors- Home Depot or Lowes or probably Wal-Mart or K-Mart have reflectors and spring-loaded "clamping" fixtures that are cheap and perfect.

I'm not suggesting that you (or anyone else) should immediately buy these products, but certainly something to think about in the future.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with your present setup, as proven by your presentation.  BTW, did I say how much I liked your pens and your photography?  Keep it up and don't get eaten up with your backgrounds - your not selling backgrounds - and you're not playing, "Find the hidden pens in the picture!" (attempt at humor)

Jay


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## punkinn

Thank you, Jay.   I like the white background also; maybe not exclusively but for most pens and items that have a lot of detail in themselves.  Your link wouldn't load for me, I'm going to go Google and see if I can come up with the site you're talking about.  

The main thing I don't like about it, is the sloppy sheet in folds, stewn around, etc.  I'd prefer some nice, taught panels on the legs/top but then I couldn't disassemble it as easily.  Hmmm though I could make a slip-over shroud type deal with the sewing machine...  hmmm.... that might be tomorrow's project, since we're quite water-logged here in CA with all this rain.  []  

I just fashioned myself a transmission extractor for use with those handy dandy Harbor Freight punches.  Works like a charm, but I'm sure I'm not the first to think it up....  however that doesn't belong in this forum.  []

Happy New Year! 
Nancy


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## kgwaugh

> _Originally posted by jpick22_
> <br />Afternoon, Nancy
> 
> If you'll check on www.tabletopstudio-store.com and look to the left "bar", click Daylight balanced bulbs(in fact, just look at everything there), you will find some interesting solutions - cool running lamps that last forever.
> Jay



Jay,  Try this---looks good, too bad they are so $$$!  
&lt; http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/ &gt;

Gene


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## angboy

Is the "$8 light box" described on this site somewhere? If not, Nancy, did you have directions for making it and what you need that you got from somewhere? Thanks!


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by angboy_
> <br />Is the "$8 light box" described on this site somewhere? If not, Nancy, did you have directions for making it and what you need that you got from somewhere? Thanks!



Yep, here 'tis:

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

I basically followed the format, but ended up making the box slightly smaller than described, and I used plain (slip/slip) elbows rather than street elbows.  I didn't glue anything so it could be disassembled.

Nancy


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## jdavis

looks good


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## driften

Thanks guys! Someone had listed an ebay item in this thread and it got me looking and I bought one of these setups http://www.fotodiox.com/shop/images/light_tent_31/lighttent_15_demo.jpg

On ebay for $17.95 plus $12 shipping. The shipping was a bit of a ripoff but it was still cheeper overall then the non-ebay price from the fotodiox site. The company's does ebay sales all the time. Under the user fotodiox_pro ebay name. I just made it in on the $17.95 price. The current ebay price is $29.95 and the mfg site price is $39.95

I will open a thread once I get it and can try it out...


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## Bev Polmanteer

Bill Huber really did a great job on his directions.  Thanks to Nancy I will soon have a new light box![8D][8D]


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## Dario

Good tip...the price is right so I need to make me out of that (someday) [8)]


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## punkinn

There will be a population explosion of light boxes!  []


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## Mikey

1 new baby light box assembled in my basement tonight. (size 18x18x18 square)  It takes awesome pics and is almost foolproof. I used a tablecloth for the sheeting, but need something thinner for more light transmission. In all, I am happy considering it cost me $0 to make since I just used scraps from old construction I had done at work.[]

I also found that the $.59 scrapbook pages from places like Michael's are perfect for backgrounds. I picked up something like 8 pages last week for $5 IIRC when i bought the pen display cases.


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by Mikey_
> <br />1 new baby light box assembled in my basement tonight. (size 18x18x18 square)  It takes awesome pics and is almost foolproof. I used a tablecloth for the sheeting, but need something thinner for more light transmission. In all, I am happy considering it cost me $0 to make since I just used scraps from old construction I had done at work.[]
> 
> I also found that the $.59 scrapbook pages from places like Michael's are perfect for backgrounds. I picked up something like 8 pages last week for $5 IIRC when i bought the pen display cases.



Congratulations, Mikey!  A plain white bedsheet is great for the diffuser material, IMHO.  

I have some of those scrapbook pages from Michaels; I'll have to try those in the lightbox.  Great idea! They have pen display cases there??  

Nancy


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## JimGo

Nancy, you missed out on a great deal!  $10 for a pen case!  They're now back up to something like $20, which still isn't bad.  The trick is to now find one of those 50% off coupons and use it to buy a case or two!


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## Mikey

> _Originally posted by punkinn_
> I have some of those scrapbook pages from Michaels; I'll have to try those in the lightbox.  Great idea! They have pen display cases there??
> 
> Nancy



The pen display cases hold 8 pens and were on sale for $9.99 at Christmas time. Some people said they only hold the smaller stuff like Barons, but i have been able to fit Gents and even the Panache pens in them. 

The scrapbook pages are really nice since they have isles full of the paper. There is one nice one that I want to go back and get. It is a page that has the texture and look of a football (pigskin) I plan on making some pens with team colors for my "college collection" and think the leather backdrop would be perfect. i thought everyone used the scrapbook pages for backdrops??[]


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## punkinn

One final picture for this thread.  I "prettied up" the lightbox this weekend, sewing the sheet into a (somewhat) fitting shroud.   Okay, so it's still not pretty but it's better than it was.  []







Nancy


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## BigL

Everything looks very nice.  Your colors seem right on.  I would caution those who suggest a dimmer in your set-up - using a dimmer to reduce light output changes the color temperature and therefore alters the "actual" color of the subject.  (Sometimes that helps!)  However, it does look like you have a nice set-up there and your pictures look very natural.  Lane


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## gerryr

I got all the stuff last night and built one.  Total cost was $10.54 which included 20' of 1/2 PVC pipe because it was sold only in 10' lengths.  If anyone is going to build one from those directions, think about the size you really want and add up how much pipe you need.  I could have built one with just 10' of pipe.


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## BigRob777

Nancy,
I think that worked out quite well for you.  I also like the pens.  What material is the top one?  I do recognize the bottom pen.[]
Rob


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## punkinn

> _Originally posted by BigRob777_
> <br />Nancy,
> I think that worked out quite well for you.  I also like the pens.  What material is the top one?  I do recognize the bottom pen.[]
> Rob



Yes, it has worked out quite well.  The Americana Classic on top is Thuya burl.   

Nancy


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