Diffuser material for light box

Quark (Trevor) · #1 29-01-2009, 01:48 PM

Hi All,

Just ordered a sheet of opal acrylic for the diffuser in my light box.
Am building a light box based on the design in Eddie Trimarchi's most helpful article on darks and flats, recently posted in the Projects & Articles section of IIS.

I contacted a local sign writing business and they put me onto their local supplier of the material they use for light box's.

This material is an acrylic and the colour is opal.
It turns out that it is about the same price for them to cut a 457mm x 457mm piece as it is to buy a sheet 1200mm x 2400mm and for me to cut it.

Just in case anyone else is about to build a light box, maybe you should look at the difference in price between the piece of material for the diffuser and a sheet.

Thus I have ordered a sheet. Oh well, if I mess up I suppose I will be able to make a few spares.

Shame there's no one else out here building a light box.

Regards
Trevor

Mighty_oz (Marcus) · #2 30-01-2009, 09:38 AM

Make a couple and sell them here ?
What did the sheet cost ? Thinking of making one myself

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #3 30-01-2009, 12:07 PM

If you do decide to go ahead im sure that i would take a slab off your hands for my upcoming astro addiction!

Quark (Trevor) · #4 30-01-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mighty_oz

Make a couple and sell them here ?
What did the sheet cost ? Thinking of making one myself

The sheet is $185 but if they have to cut it then it will be $175 / metre.

Regards
Trevor

PS For a professionally made A2 light box from; http://www.brochureholdercity.com.au/
I have been quoted $275 + GST + postage.
That light box uses LED's, so I am not sure if it would be appropriate for flats for astro work. This box would likely cost over $300 by the time it is landed in Broken Hill so I think making one, even with the cost of a full sheet of diffuser material, still looks to be the go.

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #5 30-01-2009, 01:24 PM

your definately right there, though the thing is to make a light box that can accept different aperatures for one and for 2 be collapsable, I don't know about you but when you have to go traveling.... its alot easier to flat pack things!

Quark (Trevor) · #6 30-01-2009, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

your definately right there, though the thing is to make a light box that can accept different aperatures for one and for 2 be collapsable, I don't know about you but when you have to go traveling.... its alot easier to flat pack things!

Brendan,
The A2 light box had an image size of 592 x 420 and had a body size of 634 x 460 x 19.

If you need something to travel with and pack flat and suite a variety of apertures then one of these may suite you better, as this was only 19mm thick and you could lay it over the top of scopes up to 16" dia.

My scope is in an observatory and is going nowhere so I plan on a cube design, the size for me is really unimportant.

I asked for a quote on the A2 size as it would cover my 16" scope but the smaller sizes would be cheaper.

Regards
Trevor

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #7 30-01-2009, 03:14 PM

mmm 300 bucks for a light box i think is a bit exy, considering the LED lights that have a dual connection for battery or 12V only cost about 20 bucks and you can use foam form board thats cheap as anyhow, ide think you could get away with a high quality light box for under 100 bucks.

either that or build one with tracing paper.? even cheaper. ahh DIY