shop lighting

Bobby Branton

Bobby Branton

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Dec 12, 1998
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I need to get rid of the cheap hanging florescent lights in my shop and make something more permanent. The problem with the cheap 4 ft hanging lights is that when you need to change bulbs, the sockets are way loose.
I'd like to convert to ceiling mounted permanent fixtures. What say you??
Should I go with 4 ft or 8 ft lamps??
BB
 
Are you married to Fluorescent lights?

Fluorescent lights tend to give me eye strain so I went with incandescent lighting throughout my shop and couldn't be happier.

When I let it get cold in the shop my lights fire up quickly, install was less expensive and I have better control of the lighting. The main work area lights are controlled by the switches at the entrance. Specific area lights are controlled by pull chain as well as the ones in the forging area so I can turn them down easily.

You also have a lot more variety of bulbs to choose from so you can play with wattage and "tone" to suit your needs.
 
Morning Bobby,

I switched to the 150 watt screw in fluorescent and spaced them close together 30" apart. They work for me.
I got tired of trying to dispose of the big tubes.

Get thicker glasses.:eek::D

Fred
 
I have 4' flouros as background lighting and use halogens over my work areas. I basically took HF work lamps and mounted them over my bench. I can swivel them to make sure I get the light I want where I want it. Mount them higher than your head though :p
 
Will Leavitt said:
I have 4' flouros as background lighting and use halogens over my work areas. I basically took HF work lamps and mounted them over my bench. I can swivel them to make sure I get the light I want where I want it. Mount them higher than your head though :p
Click to expand...

Ouch!! How powerful are the halogens?
Got any pics??
BB
 
Will Leavitt said:
I.. and use halogens over my work areas...
Click to expand...

Man, I'd be sweating my a** off working under Halogen's!

For area's I need more specific light I have used a couple of different solutions.

One is a clamp on work light with the round aluminum reflector, remove the clamp and you can hang it from the power cord over top of a tool. I have a setup like this on one of my sanders connected to an auto-switch so when I turn the tool on the light comes on with it.

For the KMG I bought an articulating outdoor light socket, a blank plate and a pull switch so it can be aimed at my wheel. The bulb in that one is a reflector bulb for a can light. Works good and doesn't sweat me out.
 
Light intensity vs distance is a reverse lograthrimic scale.

Meaning the farther away it is, the dimmer it is.

The closer you can keep the lights, the more light you can use.

and a coat or 2 of white paint will increase reflected light in the room.

I like the Daylight 6500K lights, they just seem brighter than the "warm"


High intensity fluorescent fixtures are simple to change- spring loaded plungers with a nipple like protrusion on the end of the tube.
It makes the 8 foot tubes super easy to change
&more light available if you are changing fixtures anyway.
 
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Bobby there are 4 ft flourescent bulbs on the market that duplicate natural daylight.
GE makes them for sure in T12 and T8 bulbs. Bodyshops use them in their spray booths for better color matches.
 
markb said:
This is interesting:
http://www.usnews.com/money/busines...-the-end-of-the-light-bulb-as-we-know-it.html

The part about CFLs lasting 5 years is BULL.
Click to expand...

Why is Congress determining our right to choose the light bulb we use? You can almost follow the money on that one right to Al Gore & GE's doorstep.

I have CFL's in area's where it makes sense but they are still vastly inferior in places that get cold or are at risk of breakage. I had one with a small crack out of the package break in my hand while I was installing it.. but hey, if we lose a few people frome mecury poisoning each year it still serves the better good .. right :barf:

I have enough real light bulbs to last the resty of my life anyway :p
 
12345678910 said:
Light intensity vs distance is a reverse lograthrimic scale.
Click to expand...

Ah, that is not even close to being correct. Light intensity falls off according to the inverse square law, y=1/(d)2 where y is intensity and d is the distance. Twice as far away, 1/4th the amount of light. You might want to try checking some basic physics texts before putting out information like that.

Allen
 
Just remember that it not (d)x2, but (d)X(d) or the distance "squared."
 
Bobby,
You might try going to a lighting store and check the options. There are some new high tech lighting fixtures that may be a good solution.

LED's use minimal electricity, don't give off heat, last a LONG time...but cost big $$$.

Peter
 
I use 4' daylight fluorescents and daylight CFL's in the drill press and bandsaw. The Daylight bulbs give off a good light and they don't get hot.
 
allenr said:
Ah, that is not even close to being correct. Light intensity falls off according to the inverse square law, y=1/(d)2 where y is intensity and d is the distance.

Twice as far away, 1/4th the amount of light.
You might want to try checking some basic physics texts before putting out information like that.

Allen
Click to expand...


Twice as far away, 1/4th the amount of light.

Thank you for the correction,
Yes of course you are right re the equation.
But I doubt he is really going to calculate anything here based this.

My point is still the same.
The closer the lights, the more intensity.

Moving lower hanging fixtures up to the ceiling will have the effect of reducing his available light unless he adds more power.
 
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Bobby, I'll get a picture of my halogen set up. You WILL wear a hat working under them though. :p Remember, since I don't use machines any more, my lighting needs cover a small area of bench.
 
I just built a new grinding room and put 8ft lights in it, 3 to be exact.
I couldnt be happier and it has much better light than my other room with 4 ft lights.
I will continue to be using 8fter from now on.
Chris
 
Hmmm... my setup isn't as elaborate as some. I have a small smithy (10' x 20' - the 3rd stall of our garage) and I just have 9 'normal' 100 watt incandesent bulbs on the ceiling with wall switches at both doors. The twist, is that I have a dimmer on one wall switch so that I can turn down the light when heat treating. Work swell for me, your mileage may vary.

Dan Kaschner - Eagan, MN
 
A few years back, I was at a store that was being re-modeled. They were ripping out all the commercial two circuit track lighting. I asked what they were doing with it, and was told it was going to the dumpster. They gave me all the track and hundreds of fixtures and bulbs. I sold or gave away most of it, and stored the rest away. In my new shop I will have track lighting over all the benches. I will have drop down leads where the light needs to be close, and overhead spots or floods where more appropriate. With track lights, you can place whatever size lamp you want, wherever you need it.

While the general lighting is fluorescent, I have track lighting installed in my jewelry work shops, as well. The other neat thing I use in my jewelry shop is a dentists articulated lamp. I can move it close or far, and position the beam as needed. It moves up and down an eight foot long track. I got this for free , along with all the cabinets and a ton of equipment when ripping out a dentists office for a friend. It may end up being moved to the new shop over the grinders.
Stacy
 
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