Lighting the Lathe

[Burt Alcantara]

I added a fluorescent to my lathe area and it improve tremendously. While at Home Depot I spotted a fixture that used 4 T8 bulbs and thought that would add even more light. But where to hang it -- front, overhead, back, side?

Since my ceiling is a mere 82" I have concerns about breaking the lights by a UFO. On the other hand, I've yet to have a UFO go up. They always go out or towards my face.

Next question: What incandescent light fixture do you guys use?

Thanks,
Burt

[Tony Kahn]

Burt over head is fine, if worried make a gaurd to protect it. i use a clamp light and also i have a dual 500 watt halogen stand light.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Be careful of fluorescent shop lights that come without a guard. I had a cheap fluorescent light over my lathe. I blew up a bowl one day and was showered in glass from the bulbs. Fortunately I wasn't cut. Now have a plastic guarded one instead.

[Jim Kountz]

I use two 75 watt flood lights mounted directly over the lathe. Its like a stadium when I have them both on. They are on goose necks and I can position them anywhere I want to see inside bowls etc.

[David Walser]

Burt,

With your overhead florescent lighting, it sounds like you've taken care of the first part of lighting up your lathe. The next step is to add some adjustable task lighting. I have a couple of 75 watt goose neck task lights w/ magnetic bases that I use on my lathe. The magnetic mounts allow me to move the lights just about anywhere I might like to do the most good. When turning, I typically have one on the headstock pointing down over the turning and the other on the ways or banjo, pointing towards the back side of the turning. When working inside a bowl or box, I might have both lamps on the tailstock end of the lathe. When sanding, I might move the lamp from the top of the headstock to the side of the head stock at just above center height. With the light coming across the turning and this angle, any surface imperfections are easier to see because their shadows are magnified. In short, I don't think I'd permanently mount the task light. My experience is it's nice to be able to adjust the lights to fit the task at hand.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Burt

I use mostly clamp lights and 100 watt incandecent bulbs, but my primary task light is a 100 W bulb in a Moffatt fixture with mag base. Task lighting need to be relatively portable for turning , sanding, carving, bandsawing, etc.

Sorry if this comes off political but last year's Energy Bill has served a death sentence to 100 w incandecant bulbs. I think its January of 2011 100 watt bulbs will no longer be available. Personally I think it is ridiculus. To that end I have a standing order for a case of 100 W bulbs each month. I am stock piling so I can perform every day tasks such as reading in 2011 with appropriate lighting.

Frank

[Richard Madison]

I have been gradually replacing incandescent bulbs around the house and shop with compact fluorescents. Same light with less wattage, and for lathe task light less heat on your ear or wherever is best feature. Also have two-tube 4 ft. fluorescent fixture suspended fairly low above the lathe. Really need to make a hardware cloth shield for it to protect from UFO's.

[Jim Underwood]

I have four 48in fluorescent fixtures and four incandescent bulbs on the ceiling. (Two fluorescent fixtures on each side of the shop, and a line of four incandescents down the center. Shop is 16' x 24') I use a 250 W halogen clamp light and a 60W incandescent clamp light above my lathes.

I hadn't thought of the UFO issue til you brought it up. It hasn't been an issue with my mini-lathe set up between fluorescent fixtures and clamp lights on the shelving above the lathe.

Now that the 1642 is almost directly under one of the fluorescent fixtures I probably should think about it huh?

;)

[Scott Hubl]

I have fluorescent fixtures all over my shop. (I used to custom paint cars and harleys in it)

Above the lathe I added a fixture from home depot that has a metal cage over it AND I bought the clear safety TUBES that you slide over each bulb in the fixture.
So even IF you have an exploding chunk of wood hit the fixture directly, the bulbs may break but will be contained in the safety tubes.

They are right in the same aisle as the lighting fixtures themselves and at well under $2.00 each are well worth the investment.

I also have a lighted fluorescent magnifier light on a stand with wheels that has an articulated arm.

And I have a Dental light overhead as well. (I have 2 spare dental lights that I still need to hang overhead yet at other machines) I got the dental lights on ebay for the first one and found someone nearby selling the other 2 on craigs list a week or two after buying the ebay one.

You can never have too much lighting IMO.

[Judy Kingery]

Burt, we have fluorescent lighting on the ceiling, but for task lighting over the lathe at and the bandsaw, I have Moffat incandescents, cool shade, flex neck and they're just outstanding. I'd like to buy two more, i.e. drill press and little lathe. Highly recommended! (nope, no affiliation with the company, just a happy customer). Best to you, Jude

[alex carey]

I also just use several clamps.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Burt - my shop is in the basement and I installed a suspended ceiling - so the ceiling is fairly low. I have a 2' florescent fixture - uses U sharp tubes - at each end of the lathe. I also have a daylight compact florescent in a clip on reflector that I use for detailed task lighting.

[Reed Gray]

The overhead flourescents (there are plastic sheaths for the lights available as some one else said) are fine for general lighting, but for the close up stuff, you need more. I have one of the Moffatt lights on the headstock (on my Robust and on my mini) and it can reach anywhere. I also have a floor stand Blue Max (brand name) multispectrum light. The quilters use them or Ott lamps. The light given off is like sun light and really nice for seeing things that you may not see till you are done and take it out into the sun. I never liked the halide lights. Too much heat and a fire risk. My biggest problem with lights is the wet wood I turn throws too much water on them, and they loose a lot of brightness shining through the dried sap. I do keep them out of the line of fire.

robo hippy

[Ted Evans]

The Moffat lights sound interesting, where is the best place for purchasing them? I was not very successful finding a price list on the net. Thanks

Bear

[Tom Lewis]

After years of using different light combinations I finally purchased a "Stay-Put Work Lamp" from Craft Supplies. #317-0100. I have really enjoyed using it. The Craft Supplies light plus florecent lights give me all the light I need.

[David Walser]

After years of using different light combinations I finally purchased a "Stay-Put Work Lamp" from Craft Supplies. #317-0100. I have really enjoyed using it. The Craft Supplies light plus florecent lights give me all the light I need.

Here's the link: http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Shop___Safety___Shop_Supplies___Stay_Put_Work_Lamp ___stay_put?Args=

I used this light at CSUSA when I took a week-long class. It's very nice. However, I've got three of these in my shop and like them quite a lot: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90766 $10 a piece. I've switched from incandescent bulbs to compact florescent bulbs. The 100 watt equivalent bulb throws a lot of light and the magnetic base makes it very easy for me to put the lamp just where I want it on my cast iron lathe.

[Al Stramiello]

I use fluorescent ceiling lights for general lighting purposes . . . but mounted on the wall above my lathe is an old fashioned, adjustable arm, dental light. Works great and I can aim the light where I need it. I'm also a big fan of the HF lights that David referred to.

[Judy Kingery]

Ted,

Here is a link which might give you additional information on purchasing the Moffat lights; they're great.

http://www.moffattproducts.com/prod_tasklighting.htm

Hope that helps!

Jude

[Burt Alcantara]

As far as fluorescent lights are concerned, what color do you use? 3500k or 4100k or are there other colors as well? Since I use the compact fluorescents, the spiraly kind, the mix of light is not unpleasant on my eye. However, there are some temperatures that I find offensive -- the cold steely blue for instance. Perfect light for a scene from a horror flick.

[David Walser]

Burt,

I can't give a recommendation for florescent bulbs. I can't for two reasons: I don't know which color I use (and am to lazy to go out to the shop and check). Second, I think it's a matter of personal taste. I agree that the bulbs that give off the blue caste light are annoying. I think those are the daylight bulbs -- which someone up thread endorsed. In my case, I think I've got three different bulbs in my three HF lamps. When on with the overhead lights, the "color" seems alright and is not annoying (to me).

[Michael Mills]

I purchased a 100 watt halogen spotlight (outdoor) from Home Depot. The entire fixture is smaller around than a normal light bulb. I also purchased two 19" lengths of gooseneck from a stage website, the goosenecks were made for microphone extensions. I mounted mine on the wall and with the 38" gooseneck can move it where ever I want it, above, from the end of the lathe shining into a bowl, or almost parallel with the work to highlight any defects.
If anyone is interested I will try to find the link for the goosenecks. The two goosenecks and mounting bracket was about 20 bucks including shipping.
Mike

[Nathan Hawkes]

The overhead flourescents (there are plastic sheaths for the lights available as some one else said) are fine for general lighting, but for the close up stuff, you need more. I have one of the Moffatt lights on the headstock (on my Robust and on my mini) and it can reach anywhere. I also have a floor stand Blue Max (brand name) multispectrum light. The quilters use them or Ott lamps. The light given off is like sun light and really nice for seeing things that you may not see till you are done and take it out into the sun. I never liked the halide lights. Too much heat and a fire risk. My biggest problem with lights is the wet wood I turn throws too much water on them, and they loose a lot of brightness shining through the dried sap. I do keep them out of the line of fire.

robo hippy

I have the same problem with my bulbs getting covered with sap. I do like halide lighting, but the heat is an issue; depending on what bulbs you get, they also give off a bit of UV light; I know this from my many years installing & maintaining saltwater aquariums. You can actually get a little sunburn from halides. Granted, the spectrum used on aquariums is designed to match photosynthetic curves at various water depths, however. I have a couple 400w ones and a 250w that I toyed with putting in the shop, but the constant barrage of dust would be a major fire hazard. They'd have to get blown off every day without ever forgetting. Also, you can't turn them off and on like other lights--they have to cool down for several minutes before being able to be re-lit. Big drawback--imagine being out in the shop and have a temporary power surge/fail while turning--all the sudden everything goes dark & you can't turn it back on for at least 5 minutes maybe more.

Edit: I use a 96 watt compact fluorescent 6500K aquarium "daylight plant spectrum" bulb over the lathe, in addition to three other bulbs--a 150w incandescent, a 28watt CF replacement for a 100w bulb, and a 100w. daylight bulb. The daylight incandescent and the 6500K fluorescent are very similar colors, but the 28w CF and the 150 watt incandescent are pretty yellow for my taste--similar to the color given off by the 3000-4000K fluorescent range--not very natural color rendition.

[Dave Mueller]

Burt,
I have a track light over my lathe with four halogen 50W fixtures that I got from my BB store. The track light allows me to direct the light on the lathe where I really need it. I am also in the process of adding a floor standing 36 LED light I got from a fountain supply on-line for $39 including transformer. For adjustment, I'm attaching it to a short piece of 1/4" Loc-Line from Modular Hose (www.modularhose.com (http://www.modularhose.com) Item 40413 <$8) which is then threaded to a 3 foot piece of 3/4" pipe mounted on a base with a pipe flange.This acts like a moveable spotlight to focus light directly into a bowl. Initially it is a bit pricey, but they never burn out especially from the vibration. It also looks like it will work great for my grinder too.