When making rub down settings for irregular or carved stones it is helpful to check your progress by lighting them from underneath using a lightbox. However lightboxes are expensive and of a size unwelcome on the bench, so I have devised a mini version as follows:

(1) A 24 LED Multilight (about £5 from Robert Dyas, or Ryness) which is battery operated and about 70mm in diameter.

(2) Two layers of white tape to reduce the glare.

(3) The top of the Multilight is domed, so for a flat working surface I cut off the bottom 45mm of an acrylic pen pot (about £2 from Muji). I then inverted it, and made a hole in the side to access the on/off button. The light can
be pushed up into this quite snugly. Alternatively Muji sell a small rectangular box with a lid, which requires no work at all.

This mini lightbox can also be used for tracing or reversing small images.

Illustrations: the finished lightbox and a pendant made from an irregularly shaped Chrysoprase using this method.