I know how to make a cheap light box but assumed you could only trace from a template and didn't see the point. Now I'm thinking ... can you trace from a printed-paper design? I have so many printed out and have been tracing onto that durn tissue paper and sewing through it. (I'm a chicken about FMQ.) Is this the big advantage of a light box???

I have a light box I bought it for my card making and find it invaluable in the patchwork for tracing applique and patterns

I have my small ott light that I clamp on the side of my glass table, where I do all of my cutting.

I don't have a light box i just use tissue paper.Sometimes i tape my pattern to my storm door.

I have a large 18X24 light box that my husband had in his ad agency for many years, and we both still use it a lot for tracing large designs. I have even used it to copy pp patterns onto drier sheets so I don't have to remove any paper once the blocks are pieced together.

Home Depot has lightly frosted plastic panes (in all sizes, mine are 18 x 24). They also come in different thicknesses. Mine are 3 mm thick. I bought two of them
a) for stability
b) to put a piece of fabric between the two plastic layers (It eleminates glare).

I have put 7.5'' legs underneath it. Put on my table, it has a very comfortable height and I can regulate the light I put underneath it (It has three small bulbs).

This worked out quite well.

Starting to quilt has done this to me: I keep on making things myself...
It's fun!

Yes, I do know how to make one ... but what do you trace??? printed paper patterns? or do you have to use templates/tissue paper?

I use it to trace embrodery patterns.

I use it to arrange the fabric on a printed paper foundation and also to see how seams fit together. No more cutting off points!