A homemade X-ray viewbox can be a great conversation piece.
There are a number of reasons to build your own X-ray viewbox. Perhaps you wish to light up and view X-rays at home, or perhaps you would like to use the box as a creepy Halloween decoration. No matter what the reason, constructing an X-ray viewbox is simply a process of constructing a wooden box that can house a number of lights, and filtering it through tracing paper for a nice filtered glow. The end result will be very similar to a professional X-ray box.
Instructions
1. Measure the plastic sheet that will be the main surface. It can be almost any dimension you desire.
2. Cut the wood that will make the back side of the box to the same dimensions as the plastic sheet. Cut the two sides to the same height as the plastic sheet and cut the top and bottom to the same width minus the thickness of the side boards. Make sure the depth of the box is at least 6 inches to accommodate the light bulbs when assembled.
3. Assemble the back and sides of the box along with the plastic sheet to make sure all dimensions are correct. Drill two wood screws through the side of each corner so that they go through the side piece and into the top or bottom piece, which the sides are flanking. Turn the box over and drill two screws into each edge of the back piece so that they go into the frame, securing the back piece in place.
4. Drill a one-inch hole at the bottom of the box for the lighting kit wires. Thread the wires through the hole and connect them to the lighting adapters. Center the lights vertically, and space them evenly along the width of the box. Screw the light fixtures into the frame with small wood screws that won't pierce your frame.
5. Glue the tracing paper to the underside of the plastic sheet with spray adhesive. The tracing paper will help filter the light and make it more even across the surface.
6. Put the plastic sheet in place, aligning the edges to the edges of the frame and drill two holes for the screws through each edge. This will keep the plastic from cracking. Screw the wood screws into place to secure the plastic sheet.
Tags: plastic sheet, tracing paper, wood screws, X-ray viewbox, back piece, each edge
