RE: balsa wood boats from scratch
Light Box. I've never seen a commercial unit I liked. Why don't you make your own? I used 1" X 6" pine for the sides, some small rectangular trim to make a ledge and a piece of 1/4" plywood for the bottom. Something like this drawing. You can build it any size you want. I used 1/4" Plate Glass for the working surface, easier to keep clean, and it doesn't easily scratch. I got all my solid wood for at a low price from the scrap box at the local lumber store and a small leftover piece of plywood from a previous project. Went to a local glass shop for the glass. Had them cut it to size, sand the edges, and frost the back. Paint the inside white put in some tubular fluorescent lights and your done.