Most carvers sooner or later reach the point where they need to create unique carvings. Perhaps the carving designs that everyone else is using just don't have the same appeal they used to. Perhaps a special occasion has come along that demands something different be carved. Or maybe the carver has been asked to do a commission with a specific theme and design. Whatever the impetus, sooner or later most carvers are going to need to do some design work in preparation for that special carving project.

That means they will have to do some drawing, which means they will have to find a place where they can do the drawing. Finally, they will either have to be satisfied with the kitchen table or the living room coffee table, OR build themselves a special drawing centre, called a LIGHT TABLE.

A LIGHT TABLE is just the sort of special drawing centre that every serious carver needs. If you are a caricature carver, you might not need a LIGHT TABLE that is as big as the LIGHT TABLE a relief carver might need. But you will still need a LIGHT TABLE to make your patterns quickly and accurately.

The first problem you encounter when you start to draw your own patterns is the need a large surface on which to work. There has to be room for pencils, paper, compasses, pantographs, photographs, rulers and the like. The living room coffee table, already crowded with books, newspaper, plant and the latest in decorator candles just won't do. Neither will the kitchen table, because of the time restraints placed on its use. There are not enough hours between meals to prepare a good carving pattern. But even if there were, the pattern would likely get stuck to the table with sticky strawberry jam.

The LIGHT TABLE provides you with the space you need to draw comfortably. But more than that, it provides you with LIGHT to make your drawing easier and quicker. The light comes from below rather than above, shining through layers of paper as you trace, draw and rearrange your design.

LIGHT TABLES come in various sizes: small for the hobby carver and large for the full-time carvers, especially the relief carvers, who always seem to need more room than other carvers. I have two LIGHT TABLES, not because I am a LIGHT TABLE collector, but because my carving students often need both to create their designs in class. My main table is custom built, and is the basis for the LIGHT TABLE pattern I have included in this article.

My father-in-law (bless his heart) built it for me as a Christmas gift many years ago. I had to strap it to the roof of my old Dodge Caravan and haul it across two Canadian provinces to take it home after visiting the in-laws in Saskatoon one Christmas. It arrived safely, and has been in active service now for about ten years. It is 54" long by 42" wide by 12" thick and provides me with ample room to draw the larger patterns that I use for my carvings.

The other LIGHT TABLE is a government surplus table, bought for a song and built like a battleship. It gets used mostly by my students and features an arborite cutting surface off to the side of a smaller light box. It also has a set of drawers for storing things. This light table cost me almost nothing because I traded for it. I don't think the people who traded it knew how useful it could be.

1. I use the LIGHT TABLE to trace photographs and artwork in order to produce pencil-line drawings that will be incorporated into my carving pattern. I can, for example, take a photo of my subject, say its a building, a person, or an animal, tape the photo onto the LIGHT TABLE with masking tape (don't use other tapes), and trace a pencil-line drawing of it in minutes. This pencil line drawing can then be edited, scaled and manipulated till it is suitable for use in my pattern.

If I see a post card or an advertisement or a greeting card containing an image that I want to use, I can trace it. Simple, quick and versatile. The LIGHT TABLE shines through the photos so when you place a piece of paper over the photos you can see the shape well enough to trace the details onto paper with a pencil.

2. I sometimes also use the LIGHT TABLE with the light OFF. Let's say I have to draw something original, that is, without tracing. The best way to do this is with the light off. The large working surface of the LIGHT TABLE is still at my disposal and the glass surface is smooth and hard, allowing clean and accurate drawings. Tape adheres well to it too, and the glass surface can be cleaned with window cleaner from time to time.

3. Once I have an image on paper, I can use a pantograph to scale it larger or smaller, a compass to draw circles and a ruler to measure and align the components. This is all done easily on the LIGHT TABLE's large and flat surface. I even have space for the required coffee cup to rest comfortably.

4. Once I have traced or drawn the various components of a design, and scaled them to their correct sizes, I illuminate the LIGHT TABLE in order to arrange these components into their proper position relative to each other and to the borders/boundaries of my pattern. I do this by layering the various parts and taping them into position under another piece of paper onto which I have drawn the borders for the final design. Then I trace the arranged components onto this paper to create a complete, properly scaled pattern on a single large sheet of paper. This procedure is very difficult to do without a LIGHT TABLE.

Construction considerations

Let's say you are already convinced that you NEED a LIGHT TABLE. Here are the basic building requirements for that table to ensure it will be a safe and effective workstation for your carving corner.

1. Choose a smooth glass top, made from 5/16" tempered glass. Tempered glass is stronger and safer to use. The edges of the glass should be sanded smooth so that when you handle the glass (during installation and for cleaning) you do not cut yourself. Even though the glass is tempered, do not use the glass top as a cutting surface. Sharp blades of any kind can scratch the surface and make it less suitable for drawing.

2. The glass should be inset into the edges of the table box (see the diagram) so that it lays flush with the top edge of the box. That way you can move your ruler and drawing tools around the glass top without them catching the edge of the box.

3. There should be two or three narrow (3/4") length-wise supports placed directly under the glass for support. In addition to the inset edges of the LIGHT TABLE box these supports will keep the glass from breaking under weight and allow you to lean on the table top as you work.

4. Be sure the glass top is easily removable for cleaning. This means that it should not be fit too tightly into the top of the LIGHT TABLE box.
5. Stay away from plastic tops, as they scratch too easily, and are usually more expensive than glass.

1. Build the box with sturdy plywood of 3/4" dimension. Use screws instead of nails, and fit some supports into the corners to facilitate assembly of the box.

2. Cut grooves around the inside of the top edge of the table box, to receive the glass that will be set into it. A router will do this job neatly and quickly.

3. To make the box more reflective and brighter, paint it white inside and out, using a good quality alkyd semi-gloss paint.

4. Install two four-foot single bulb fluorescent fixtures onto the floor of the LIGHT TABLE box. If you are at all unsure about how to wire these fixtures, be SAFE, not SORRY. Have some knowledgeable person help you with it. Choose full spectrum tubes for the fixtures. These give a better light all around, and are easier on the eyes too.

5. Wire the fixtures to a standard wall switch, which you should mount of the front side of the LIGHT TABLE box. From the light switch you should connect the power cord that will go to the wall outlet. Don't skip the light switch. You will regret it, because without it you will constantly be plugging the cord in and out. AND, be sure that the fixtures are properly grounded so that when you spill your coffe and it leaks into the light box, you will not light up like a Christmas tree.

6. Under the LIGHT TABLE box, install a pair of folding table legs. These legs are just right for the table to end up at a comfortable working height for most people. Make sure they are screwed on securely. You will discover that the LIGHT TABLE equipped with these legs is now portable. All you have to do is fold the legs, and with the help of someone else, move it where you will.

7. Be sure to cut openings in both ends of the LIGHT TABLE box to allow for the installation and removal of fluorescent tubes. The holes need only be large enough for your hands to reach into the box so you can turn the tubes out of their fixtures. The tubes in my LIGHT TABLE have been in there for many years now, but some day they will wear out and need to be changed.

Conclusion

Once you have used your new LIGHT TABLE for a while, you will wonder how you ever managed without one.
When my father-in-law presented me with his home-made LIGHT TABLE (don't tell him this, OK?) I managed a smile and a slightly sincere "thank you" for the gift, not knowing if I really needed or even wanted a LIGHT TABLE. It was not until a year later that I had occasion to give him a heartfelt thank you for the gift that had become an indispensable part of my studio equipment. It makes drawing and designing for my relief carvings so much simpler. I am sure that your LIGHT TABLE will do the same for you.