P3D Project three: light box for Franka viewer

[Tom Deering <tmd@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I know these projects are far too rudimentary for many of you.  But the
other beginners might be encouraged by the fact that I have no experience
with camera repair or stereo photography.  If I can do this, others could
also.  You experieced guys might get a laugh, though.

Project three: I built a light box for my Franka viewer.

So I built my own first camera on Saturday, shot and developed the slides
on Sunday, and was astonished when I got home Sunday night.  I never
thought about how I would view them.

I took the flourescent light off the aquarium, and placed it light-side up
on the bed.  I put a piece of white plexiglas on top of it as a diffuser,
and put my slides on that.  I stacked CD jewel boxes above and below the
slides to hold up the clear plexiglas that supported a pair of microscope
eye pieces.  I taped the whole thing so it wouldn't move.

I wish I could describe my wifes face when she saw this contraption on her
bed.  But we spent an hour taking turns looking at the slides we took.  It
was a blast.  The only problem was it wasn't very portable.

The next day, I talked to Susan at Reel-3D and had her send a Franka
viewer, next day air.  With this I was able to share my first slides with
friends.  But it's about useless in low light, so I designed a light box
for it.

I had a black plastic project box from Radio Shack laying around.  (I
bought it to make an incubator, but that's another story.)  It is almost
exactly the same size as the Franka viewer, and the same color.  Matches
perfectly.

I used the Dremel to cut square holes in the bottom.  Be sure to measure
the openings with the slide holder in place. They cut down the aperture, so
the holes in the light box don't need to be so big.  I used a paper
template to get them symetrical.

I put a single light bulb, a #14 I think, between the square holes.  I may
replace this with two bulbs later.  The bulb is wired to two AA battery
holders and a simple push button switch on top.  I cut a parabolic
reflector out of shirt cardboard.  Then I carefully glued the light box to
the Franka viewer with hot glue.  I got the alignment wrong the first time,
but it's simple to peel off the glue and try again.  Works great, and looks
like original equipment.

Total cost: about five dollars for the plastic project box, switch, battery
holders, lamp holders and bulb.






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