Introduction: Lightbox for Expose PCB

Ever want to make a uv lightbox to expose your PCB?
I gone explain how you make a handy and professional lightbox for less money.

Important!
UV light is bad for your health, avoid long exposure to UV light
UV-A lamps are best to use for your light box.
UV-B are the most harmful to your health, do not use these lamps.
UV-C: This lamps are too weak to expose your boards.

Step 1: Materialen / Materials

Parts

- Two face tanner, total 8 UVA lamps (4 UVA lamps is more than enough, but if you want to illuminate printboard faster or larger 8 lamps much better )
- 15mm MDF
- digital Timer (with countdown function)
- swith on/off
- Glass ( glass from a picture frame) 40x30 cm
- + 5mm foam 56x32 cm
- Aluminum foil or mirror 30x30 cm
- Two-drawer slides
- piano hinge 40 cm
- Screws 3.5x35
- Wood Glue
- close contact glue
- plug
- electric wire
- 4 rubber legs

Step 2: Hout Afmetingen / Wood Dimensions

The reason that I've chosen MDF is because it has a nice smooth surface and its easy with finishing.(and its cheap.)


MDF Parts:

mm
LxBxD

A - 530x340x15
B - 530x340x15
C - 560x340x15
D - 340x105x15
E - 560x60x15
F - 560x120x15
G - 300x30x15
H - 530x35x4



Part 'B' has on both sides a groove of 15mm deep and 6mm high.(see photo)
the groove also depends on the guides that are going to use.



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Step 3: MDF Bak / MDF Case

Once your wood is cut to shape you going to make the case, see photos for further instruction.

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Step 4: Elektronica / Electronics

I use 2 face thanners.
total 8 fluorescent lamps, 4 Transformer and 8 Starter

on the pictures you can see how I connect the lights and switch.

LED schedule:
http://www.circuitsonline.net/circuits/view/77


Attachments

Step 5: Lade / Drawer

Now we make the drawer with a layer of foam and glass.

See photo's for further instruction.

Step 6: Einde / Finish

Last your gone mount the MDF box on the tray with screws on the sides,
the reason you do that with screws is that when a lamp is broken you can replace it.

See photo's for futher instruction.

Step 7: Eind Kosten / Final Cost


The price is an average of the most important things you need, many of these things you have lying around or you can get somewhere cheap.

- Two face tanner, total 8 UVA lamps - euro 8.00
- 15mm MDF - euro 7.50
- Digital timer (with countdown function) - euro 6.99
- Switch on / off - euro 1.00
- Glass (glass from a picture frame) 40x30 cm - 3.99 euro
- + 5mm foam 56x32 cm - 3.00 euro
- Aluminum foil or mirror - euro 0.00 (used from face tanner)
- Two-drawer slides - euro 5.50
- Piano hinge - euro 2.50
- Screws 3.5x35 - euro 3.99
- Wood Glue - euro 4.00
- close contact glue - euro 5.00
- Plug - euro 1.20
- Wire - euro 1.00
- 4 rubber feet - euro 1.20

Total cost: 54,87 euro

I work at a D.I.Y. shop, so I get a discount on al the stuff i bought there.

This is my first instructable I hope you like it.





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