I took an old 1/2 storm window, placed it on 4 cans and put a light under it.....works wonderful

I quite often just tape to my sliding glass door.

You all are so thrifty/handy/imaginative!

Don't forget if you have a table with leaves you can pull it open and lay the glass or plexi- or stormy over the gap and put a table lamp on the floor beneath.

Hey! I bet an old glass refrigerator shelf would work! Mine are smooth on top, ridged underneath.

That's what I do. Of course I'm limited to tracing only during daylight hours :(

If you belong to a quilt guild/group chances are someone has somethign you can use free, even if you have to go to their home. sometimes others want to get rid of their bulky light boxes as they take up so much room to store. HINT: one of the quilt groups I bleong to has a very large light box donated for members' use ... so the owner didn't have to store it anymore.

You can always go the old fashioned and really cheap way and use painters tape and a window with good sunlight coming in.

For the clear portion a number of idea: the acryllic extention table, buy some clear plastic from a local supplier, use the glass from a picture frame [can find cheap at thrift stores,] buy a small piece of glass from a glass store as they may have smaller pieces available from other projects, likewise buy glass from a framing store, use a glass top from a pation table or from an end table [if you have one with such a topper], do you have access to a glass storm window? ... just let your imagination go wild.

Some quilters use a large almost clear plastic bin [Joanns or thrift sttore/garage sale], cut a groove for a light cord on one end, put their light facing up on a flat surface, and then put the plastic bin upside down over the lamp.

For holding up the glass: I use soup cans with my Ott-like lamp under the clear acrylic I have, open table leaves, between folding snack tables [if use acryllic], and more.

I expect you'll get a lot of different answers here.

ali

Bellaboo I have a good supply of flat,clear plastic bottom bins from when I used to get the massive margaine tubs. I use them for all kinds of storage (they are about 10X12)and for light boxes as needed.

Holy moly!
That's a LOT of margarine!

I use a piece of plexiglass that I bought at Home Depot and my folding Ott light. I put 2 plastic shoe boxes on my cutting table, suspend the plexiglass between them, put the Ott light underneath, and it works great. It's also easy to store when I'm done.

Everyone has such great ideas (which I knew yall would!) I may look at the Crayola Light Box and at Sam's. I kinda like the ones that are flatter and closer to whatever it's sitting on. I've used the old "hold it up to the light" and try to mark it but usually get it out of whack!!

Edited to add: searched for the Crayola and I can be "cool" with Cars, Hanna Montona, Elmo, etc.!! LOL

I bought a piece of plexi glass already cut at Lowe's. I put a tap light in a card board box and plexi glass on top. But I may have my daughter in law get me the light box from Sam's. I do not have a membership with them.