Quality of Light in the Shop

[Sweany]

I just replaced all the flourescent bulbs in the office with "daylight" or "day balanced" bulbs. They are 6500 kelvin IIRC correctly the closest thing to natural sunlight theyy make.


MAN what a difference. I learned about the bulbs from Coop's demo on photography at Harleys hammer in.

Thanks Coop, I got a couple attaboys on that one

 

[Chiro75]

Daniel, those pictures are worth a thousand words! I've noticed in pictures of Higgins' workshop that he has the ceiling painted silver. I assume he either likes pretending he's in a spaceship, or that the silver reflects light. My "shop" has about 7' ceilings, original brown wood, so no reflecting going on there. Of course, I placed my grinder right where I can't hang a light, too! Go figure. Anyway, those lights from Lowe's are great for $8 a pop.

 

[Sweany]

Daniel said

avoid down lighting

Well right after work I was thinking about that.

So I turned all my fluorescent fixtures upside down. Just before I was ready to flip the switch dinner was ready .
After Dinner I flipped the switch. (now dark outside)

I tripped over a bucket stepped on a rake got wacked in the head and fell backward into the lumber stash......

How close to the ceiling are these things sposed to be. I'm not getting any light here!!

 

[Ilovetoolsteel]

All seriousness aside. Where are you getting the bulbs for $3?

I recently bought a 4 pack of the cork screw looking fluorescents for about $9 bucks at home depot.



As an aside, for a neat trick that will amaze and astound the children. The bulbs come in a clear plastic clamshell package. In a darkened room, (with the kids present), Rub the package of bulbs on some fabric like an acrylic sweater. The bulbs in the package will magically glow!

 

[Daniel Koster]

If you're not jokin' around, Sweany - then accept my apology for laughing-out-loud when I read your post.


Seriously, though. You may need to add a fixture or two, but the overall light "wash" will be better.

You want the fixtures about 12-24 inches from the "reflecting surface". If your ceiling is too high, then you can use a board painted white, or even foamboard, posterboard, etc.

I'm not making this stuff up or just pulling it out of my hat - photographers use these ideas, engineers know about them and architects (like myself) incorporate them in designs all the time.

Add a few fixtures, use low-wattage compact fluorescent bulbs, and point them at the walls/ceiling. Unless you're in a warehouse, it'll improve your lighting.

I use the same lights on my lightbox:

(closeup of the lamp)

 

[Chiro75]

Dan, you're the man! I read Coop's lightbox instructions and I couldn't make a bit of sense of the pictures. Problem solved, and the best thing is that I have the lights already! Take more pictures of anything. I seem to learn something new from all of them!