What to do with Scratched Lightbox or Viewing Box

[RedSun]

This is a flat, about 3'x5'x4" box with lights inside. The front is white, so you can put the negative on it to view it.

But somehow the former owner did not take good care of it. They used the surface to cut photos and there are cut marks all over the surface.

So what is the best way to use it? I can think of re-surfacing it (big job), or put on large sheet of clean paper before putting on the negatives. Anything else I can do?

 

[MattKing]

It was probably used at a print shop.

What about painting it with a clear protective paint?

 

[MartinP]

Can you turn over the white surface (presumably acrylic or polycarbonate sheet), so that the cut marks are on the "inside" surface? Depending on the thickness, that may make the marks unnoticeable.

 

[RedSun]

Turning over is a good idea. Not sure about paining since I do not want anything to scratch the negatives. The other one is to polish it (or re-surface it, w/ power tool) to get rid of the un-smoothness.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Before you turn the cover over try to get any dirt out of the scratches as this will make them less visible. You also might try car finish compounding to lessen or remove the scratches.

 

[AgX]

-) cutting off any sharp ridges with a nearly flat held razor blade. (This alone should be sufficient.)

if not

-) grinding with down to 1000 or so grade (final polishing would add a lot of static electricity)


-) varnishing (would need at least that cutting action anyway)

 

[RedSun]

If I re-surface or polish away the scratches, can I use this as a contact printer? compared with Paterson type with enlarger light?

It uses fluorescent tubes (2 or 4?) at the sides.

Well, I just remember that the lights use the transformer/blinker and this would ruin it as a contact printer when you turn off and turn on.

 

[David Brown]

http://www.novuspolish.com/index.html

 

[Truzi]

I had an old convertible with a scratched plastic window (the thin plastic that folded with the top). I could not see through it, so went to an auto parts store and bought polishing compound. I had to re-polish every so often, and considering the type of plastic, only did it well enough to see. However, something like this may help, especially since you want the surface to be opaque in the first place, just without large scratches. (When time came to replace the top, I got one with a smaller glass window.)

 

[paul ron]

Turn it over! Just be sure to clean the top side real good. I did it with my x-ray viewer, like new!