DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

How to construct the world’s most well built and best looking DIY light box

May 22, 2018 by John Aldred 8 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

It’s always interesting to see how those who have some kind of actual construction skill tackle photography related projects. For example, if any of us needed a lightbox for a small product shoot, we may typically venture off toward Amazon. Or we might be impatient and want to build our own, so we grab a cardboard box, and start hacking away at it with a knife.

For a woodworker, though, like Glenn Scott at DIY Creators, a cardboard box just isn’t enough. After recently requiring a lightbox to shoot some small products, Glen decided to build his own. He uses common woodworking techniques to construct it, and the result is just magnificent. A purpose-built wooden lightbox that looks like it fits right in with your furniture.

It’s fascinating to see this level of craftsmanship and attention to detail put into something so simple. Especially when it’s so inexpensive to just go and buy one ready made. But if it’s something you’re going to be using regularly, and you want something custom built for your own space and needs, you just can’t beat taking pride in one you’ve built yourself.

Glen begins by cutting up some pieces of 2×1 to length. He needs to build frames for the front, back, two sides (inside and out) and top surfaces. Don’t they all look neat laid out next to each other?

To join the pieces together, Glen used simple butt joints with pocket hole screws. You can get as fancy as you like with this, with mortise & tenons, dovetails, box joints or however you wish it to look. But, as they’re not going to be holding a heavy load, glued and screwed butt joints will work well. Just make sure your cuts are straight.

As Glen was using standard 2×1 for the whole frame, he built a simple jig to hold the pieces of wood square while he screwed them together. A spot of glue was placed along the edges where each pair of pieces meet. With everything assembled, Glen had two inside end frames, two outside end frames, top, back and front frames.

To attach the basic interior frame together, Glen uses wood glue, with brad nails to hold things together while the glue sets. As some of the pocket holes for the screws are visible after this process, Glen covers the holes with filler, which he then sands down as smooth as possible to the surface of the wood.

Translucent white material was stapled to the interior of the top, and the exterior of the two sides. The inside of the top panel received an extra piece of 2×1 to help cover the exposed edge of material at the front of the box. On the ends, the two trim frames were added to hide the edges from exterior view.

The final result is a very nice looking lightbox, with plenty of room inside for small products. There is the chance that the wood may interfere with reflections on certain items, but depending on the types of products you plan to shoot, that may not be an issue. If it turns out that it is, you can always paint the wood inside the box white to match the material.

Taking such a project to this extreme and level of detail may seem like overkill for most. Especially when you can buy one quite inexpensively.

But, if you have a passion for woodworking and a regular need for a solid lightbox, then why not?

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Make this unordinary DIY light box with only three items and for less than $10 How I built a large format 8×10 Afghan box camera How to build a cheap collapsible DIY light box Default ThumbnailHow To Build A PVC DIY Photo Light Box

Filed Under: DIY Tagged With: DIY, DIY Creators, Glen Scott, light tent, lightbox, product photography

John Aldred: from diyphotography.net

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

« Leaked Fujifilm X-T100 photos show X-T20-inspired design
Shutterbug ends print magazine after 45 years to focus on web »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Here’s a bullet time video booth you can build yourself
  • Ricoh has discontinued the HD PENTAX-DA 21mm F3.2AL Limited silver lens
  • This “stellar flower” unravels the twilight’s evolution in 360 degrees
  • Strobes vs Continuous LEDs – Which is right for you?
  • Wave goodbye to Apple’s My Photo Stream next month

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy