Menu
Woodworking for Mere Mortals
  • Learn
  • Store
  • About
Close Menu
September 16, 2011

Make a lighted shadowbox

For Fun, Gift ideas, Projects

If you have seen the last couple of Mere Minutes, you will know that I made a version of this shadowbox many years ago. I consider that one a prototype, because there is a lot that I was never happy with.

I spent a lot of time wiring and soldering, trying to get a little light bulb to shine into the box. It never really worked well: it wasn’t very bright and seemed to just drain the 9 volt battery. Thankfully, today we have LEDs, which are brighter and last much longer. Not only that, they are cheap.

I used a “Stick ‘n’ Click” puck light for my new shadowbox. Cost $4.00. It uses three AAA batteries that will last for 1000 hours.

Don’t waste good wood by building with it.

I made my original box with solid purpleheart lumber for the entire project. This was a waste of good wood. Many projects have a large percentage of secondary surfaces: structural components and other areas that aren’t visible. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with using poplar or plywood on anything that won’t show. And if it’s something to be painted, MDF is outstanding. It’s easy to cut and sand, it glues well, and paint flows on beautifully.

So this time, I used MDF for nearly the entire shadowbox. But it’s the small bit of zebrawood that steals the show. I used just a two foot length, but resawing gave me six feet.

I also decided to improve this model by adding a mirror. In fact, once again I built the project around stuff Tim Sluder sent me. Along with the Shaker pegs, he sent four mirrors. I still have three left for more projects. Thanks again,Tim!

Yarn swift Build a cheap, simple, sturdy workbench

Related Posts

Mini Quarto Game Build Tutorial

For Fun, Gift ideas

Mini Quarto Game Build Tutorial

Making Naturally Colored Wooden Candy Cane Decorations

For Fun, Gift ideas

Making Naturally Colored Wooden Candy Cane Decorations

How to make a simple picture frame using a tablesaw

For Fun, For the Home

How to make a simple picture frame using a tablesaw

Categories

  • Basics
  • For Fun
  • For the Home
  • For the Shop
  • Furniture
  • Gift ideas
  • How To
  • Outdoor
  • Plans
  • Projects
Woodworking for Mere Mortals
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Disclaimer
© Woodworking for Mere Mortals 2021
Website Designed By Reverie House Studio

Get my Curated List of The Most Affordable Woodworking Tools

I value your privacy and will protect it. You can learn about how I handle information I collect by viewing my Privacy Policy. And don’t worry, you can unsubscribe anytime.