Has anyone used this

[Ken Glass]

All,
It seems I am having an increasingly hard time seeing inside any hollow form I do. On tall forms with small openings you can't feel very deep, and using tools without seeing the tool action sometimes leaves a less than desirable finish. Below is a flexible shop Light by Craft-USA-tools and I wonder if anyone has one and if they like it or not. I was searching for something along these lines to aid in seeing into the form better. I have tried magnetic lights from the side and back, but the light is usually blocked my my hands when working my monster rig or a long swan necked hollowing tool. Pipe in if you have a solution. I have (3) three overhead spot lights that do a great job on lighting the lathe area along with two four ft. fluorescent's, but most of the time the interior of the hollow form is too dark to see.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ken - I'm no help I guess cause I turn totally by feel but will grab a flashlight every once in awhile and look inside the form to see how things are progressing. I have to wonder - if actually having a light mounted to the tool - if you would be able to see anything anyway because of all the all the rapidly accumulating shavings.

Will be interesting to read what others have to say on this.

[Dick Strauss]

Ken,
Walmart and HF have a combo red laser and blue/white LED with a flex neck and magnetic pckup for under $4. It works well for me.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96673

I have no connection to HF or Walmart.

[Ryan Baker]

Small and flex-neck LED lights are sometimes useful for occasional inspection, but you should not even be trying to see inside forms while hollowing. You won't be able to see, even if you do get a light in there (except for something with a large neck opening). All you will do is create all sorts of cramps and pain in your back and neck from twisting into all sorts of wierd positions attempting to see. It's not good for tool control anyway. You should be able to hollow accurately and smoothly without seeing the cut. That's just a matter of practice and technique. You will be much happier in the long run.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ken I hollow by feel also and will grab a flashlight to do a inspection at times. It is pretty hard to see anything while turning and would think it would be even harder with a light on the tool. I wouldn't see why it wouldn't work when the work is stopped and the tool is removed. I attended a demo by Mike Mahoney on turning HF's. He said the funniest thing when teaching a class to watch and see how many people are trying to see inside a HF while they are turning.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

A second for the HF comment. I bought a flex neck LED tool and it worked out pretty well for me. I don't have it strapped to the tool but I am able to get it very close to the opening and have it still be out of my way. When it is that close I fight a bit of a shadow from the tool but either I have gotten used to it or it become manageable because I never even think about it now.

Joshua