sandcarving

Lighted Bases

Commercially available

This uses a small base from Scilux. Unfortunately, the company is no longer in existance. The small base is shown here in a shop built shadowbox.

This is an 8x10 image, in a base with a 7/16 inch slot. I've "padded" the 1/4 inch glass with 1/8 inch Sintra and a small shim. Slot fit-up is critical to hold the glass vertical. Photographed under bright workshop lights; the black Sintra really helps.

Here are two pieces, the smaller is 6x8, for size comparison.

Closeup of the smaller piece. Note the gap at the top of the Sintra; without it, the edge lit glass would be difficult to see under normal room lighting.

Custom sizes

So what about non-standard sizes, and irregular shapes - circular for example? Both Jim and I have been searching for an LED solution for larger carvings, say up to 10 by 12 inches. Jim has produced a seven inch edge lit strip containing 8 or 10 LEDs, that can be strung together for larger sizes. White LEDs are still expensive, costing about $3 each in small quantities. I've found it is both cheaper and far more convenient to buy from him, rather than designing and assembling my own units. For irregular shapes, though, you'll want to build these yourself, or contract to Jim for a "special". Jim also suggests contacting Flex LED for solutions.

So, what do you build to house the strip lights? These three photos show a simple wooden base, containing an 8 by 10 practice piece (don't look too closely, it's pretty ratty - that was a very bad week, and nothing went right!). There are easier solutions, and Jim's elegant routered pieces are simple to produce.