light box

[Taz]

Hi all,

whats the best way to go about constructing a light box to mount a poster/picture on?... The woodwork side of things will be no problem as I work in a furniture firm so its more of the lighting side of things i need to know about.

thanks

Taz.

[ReTrO]

Taz m8y!

Go up to the UCi and look at their boxes I suppose.

Most light boxes I know of use standard 240v strip lighting, use many low watt ones. Otherwise you'll get a nice stripey poster!

Otherwise some sort of frosted difusion perspex behind the posrt would help.

It'll be nice to see them.

Have you recovered yet?

PS I think mr Thetex (Phil) found a place that could supply sheet lighting stuff, that was thin and could be used for very slimline wall mounting. Kinda stuff you get in LCD devices to back-light them.

[AMc]

I worked on an exhibition stand once that had big light box displays. They were bascially a large MDF box with 4 x full length low wattage 240v strip lights mounted on the back plate and a perspex screen that slotted into the front of the box. The perspex screen had our images applied as transfers so here was no diffuser between the lights and front screen.

Depending on how big your poster is then this might be the way to go too. If you're poster is smaller then you might want to look at the flat square energy saving light bulbs instead of tubes as that will give you more flexibility in sizing but keep the profile thin.

Don't use ordinary or halogen bulbs as the heat will damage your poster over time. You'll probably want to vent the box at the top and bottom to prevent heat build up, but with tubes this shouldn't bee too bad.

To support your poster you'll need two sheets of perspex so using frosted perspex for the back sheet will help to diffuse the light and prevent stripes.

You can get light fittings, tubes etc from big D.I.Y. stores and you can also get perspex sheeting in some which is sold in sheets for secondary double glazing. You may have to frost it with window etching stuff (in spray cans) but check its not going to damage the perspex or react to the light.

As ReTrO said we'd like to see some pictures, maybe even a sketch of what you're planning if you're not too sure.

Sounds like a fun project, good luck.

AMc

[Taz]

ok guys, here are the two posters im trying to back light, held with bluetack over my bathroom window!! no flash from camera they are being lit by daylight from behind.

like a blind...HMM... now there's an idea for one of them!


Taz.

[Taz]

poster2.