HI Well I didnt pay $60 for mine used a 40% off a Michaels.
But before that or if I need a biggerspace I have used the windows but hurts my arm if I have to trace very much so make your own box.
1 lg box, + 1 lamp, +a white lght wt fab to cove the top of the box and a non shader piece of glass over the top...
A hole in the bok to run the cord into the box. The white fabric or muslin is to defuse the light so not to go blind. I have used that many a times..... it works great and you can sit down or a smaller box on a table. One of those skiny floresent lights work's great that goes under a counter for extra light... good luck now got spend the rs of the $ on fab and threads.....smile

$60 may seem like a lot of money for a light box, but there is nothing more convenient than to pull it out of the box when you need one. I bought mine many years ago and actually did pay $60 for it and don't regret it for a minute. You have to decide if you really need an actual light box or if a make-shift one will do. Good luck on your decision. :)

I use my glass-topped breakfast room table with a lamp underneath. Works for me!

I use a clear storage tub turned upside down over a lamp and it works wonderful, then tape the design drawn with a black permanent marker on a piece of copy paper on the tub. It works very well. The trick is to draw on the quilt top before sandwiching it together. Mary

I bought a big picture frame that has plexiglass instead of glass. So it is light. I took the plexiglass out and put a bead of glue around the inside of the frame and put the plexiglass back into the frame. So it will always stay in the frame. One of the Dollar Store moon lights gives nice light. I put the frame with the plexiglass onto a box, with the moon light inside, and I have a perfect light box. It works great.

My husband took an old wooden box and a piece of glass and rigged a light inside that has a pull chain. He put trim on the top so the glass can be taken out and cleaned. Works great.

I finally broke down and bout one. It is only 9x12 but that is plenty big enough. It has made life easier and it was $30 with my Joanne's coupon. I tried to talk my husband into making one but he said just buy one so I did. (used to use my window too)

I have a Janome plexiglass extension table that came with a machine my son bought me for Christmas several years ago. I always used it as a light table (portable stick-up light underneath)Had a drop down table for the machine, so I never needed the extension table.

I use the glass top coffee table...put a light under it (I have a little desk lamp that I take the shade off of) & go for it.

use a flat bottom plastic bin. turn bottom up and place over a tap light. easy - peasy. and cheap.