5 20 x 30 foam core boards - white
Bread knife
SU! Scissors
Pencil
Yardstick
3M sturdy tape
In an effort to get better pictures of my projects I read about how some crafters have used cardboard boxes and sprayed the inside of them white. Or some women with handy hubbys have built their wives white wooden boxes. Since I did not like either of those, I decided to go a little on the cheap and definitely on the lighter side. By making it white you eliminate shadows. Yes window photography works and looks beautiful but often there are still shadows. And you need to do it during the day when it is sunny. A) not sunny that often in Minnesota. B) during the day? Hello! I work often at night. C) I wanted it big enough to be able to photograph scrapbooking items which are often at least 12" square. So scratching my brain I began...
Foam core board is readily available, cheap enough, and comes in a few colors. I figured 5 boards, 4 to make an open cube and one for the back. My hubby suggested the cross cuts - you know the kind, where you cut equal lengths and slide them together. I am not sure of the technical name but it would give the box the stability that just piecing the sides would not have.
I measured each piece the following way: 10" lengthwise, so I would know how long to make each cut, plus a titch more for ease of assembly. 5" in from each short side, to give a 20" opening which I later realized was a slight flaw in my plan. Each 10" long cut had to be widened such that it was over 1/4" wide to allow room to slide the thick foam core together. I cut and assembled. I was hoping the box would be steady and sturdy enough that I could set it up and take it down as need. Assembled it is 30 x 30 inches. Huge to store.
It was not stable enough assemble to not adhere together somehow. Plus, I then realized the slight flaw in my plan. By making the widening 20", width of the board, left no wiggle room in case things were not laser cut perfect, which they are not because it is me and I was using a bread knife. I had light gaps when I rested the final uncut piece up to the back. Oh well...
Using this newer 3M "sturdy" tape I permanently taped the back and sides together. It is quite sturdy and stable and huge now. It worked beautifully. I do plan on lining it with rolled paper or large sheet of tagboard to get ride of the bottom seam where the wall meets the floor. First project picture will be posted shortly. No clue where it will be stored. I will find a quiet corner somewhere down here.
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