Has anyone ever built a lightbox?

[cleary71]

I was wondering if anyone on the forum has ever built a lightbox? First off, I believe I have the right name for it, if I am wrong would someone please correct me. I am looking to make something similar to a color negative being enlarged with light bulbs behind it. I think movie posters at theaters are done this way. I was wondering if anyone knows how and where I could get something like that developed and how to go about building a box around it once I have it printed. Thanks!

 

[Hertz van Rental]

I've designed and built a lightbox - but mine was a studio one for viewing negs and trannies when you get them back from processing. If you buy a daylight one they cost £100 or more. I think mine cost less than half that.
Basically it's a box. Inside you paint it white and put in some daylight flourescents. Over the top you put a diffuser (opal perspex or similar) and on top of that a sheet of glass (6mm plate is good if you are going to lean on it). There is a bit more to it than that but that's it in a nutshell.
Just make sure you know what you are doing with mains electricity before you start.