Task lighting

[Bob Rotche]

Hi all-
Starting to get the shop ready for the new mustard monster which I hope to have next month. Already have 220 in the shop but need to run an outlet to where the lathe will be placed. I have pretty good lighting with abundant overhead fluorescents but need to do better with directed task lighting and was wondering what people have been happy or unhappy with. Wall mounted? Floor standing? Lathe mounted? Obviously needs to be very flexible. All suggestions are appreciated and, of course, everybody loves pics!

Bob

[Tim Rinehart]

Bob,
Check out this thread on my approach...one of many. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?143010-Mounting-a-Moffat-Light&p=1453234#poststop
I think someone with access to square steel tubing could make something alot better than what I did...and I may remake mine someday...but it works for now.
Have fun with the MM...a great machine with lots of followings. Some really great turners up in your area, have you joined a club yet?

[Bill Bolen]

Vaughn McMillan has a post out there somewhere. He used the cage mount on his MM and made an articulated arm that looks to work well. Search the family WW site or the WR sit.Might even be here that I read the post.

[John Hart]

Here's a low budget approach, Bob. I just wanted to do something quick and dirty, but it turned out to work quite well. Just a plain articulating drafting lamp (about $10 at HD) and I drilled a hole in the benchtop and stuck it in the hole. 'Course, they have the various mounting base configurations that come with the lamps....but that meant that I would have to drill 4 holes. :eek: Sounded too much like Flatwork....Blech!:p

191265

[Bob Rotche]

Thanks for the input. Looks like there are multiple good options. Has anyone tried the magnetic base flexible arm task lights? Are the magnets strong enough to hold onto the lathe well?

[Mark Hubl]

Bob, I use a couple of clamp task lights with CFLs above my lathe. Can move them, less glare and they stay cool. I did pick up several of the IKEA's and really like them. I did not use their bases, I just turned some little pucks and added a one inch rare earth magnet. They work very well for up close detail work and carving. Can move them any where and they hold like CA. There are several threads about these lights.

[Jim Burr]

Vaughn's thread is on Family Woodworking - posted 05-24-2009, and is entitled "You...you light up my lathe." I use this at his place and it works well...and if all goes well, I'll use it this weekend too! It really does work well and he has added one additional lamp that can be removed if not needed.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Here's a low budget approach, Bob. I just wanted to do something quick and dirty, but it turned out to work quite well. Just a plain articulating drafting lamp (about $10 at HD) and I drilled a hole in the benchtop and stuck it in the hole. 'Course, they have the various mounting base configurations that come with the lamps....but that meant that I would have to drill 4 holes. :eek: Sounded too much like Flatwork....Blech!:p

191265

I am so glad you posted this, I have been wanting one of these for a while and wasnt sure where to find one....used to have one around here somewhere but have no idea what happened to it, thanks!

[Michael Mills]

Hi,
I took two 18" flexible arms and screwed them together and then mounted it to the wall midway of my lathe. The 36" flex arm reaches any position and is easily pushed back out of the way. I typically only use it for finishing or for light inside a bowl as the overheads are fine for everything else. You can pick up the fixture of you choice for about ten bucks.
The person on ebay still has them for $5 ….search …gooseneck flex arm…

[David Gilbert]

If you have access to an Ikea they have some small LED lights called JANSJÖ. They cost only $9.99 in the US but unfortunately they won't sell these by mail so you have to visit a store.

Here is the link to a series about task lighting: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?151292-Ikea-Light-Madness

I have three of these mounted on my Jet 1642 and wouldn't be without them.

Cheers,
David

[Dan Forman]

I rely on a combination of fluorescent tube lighting with a clip on aluminum reflector light loaded with a 100 watt halogen bulb. In my basement shop, there are plenty of places to clip the light on the ceiling joists, but it would be nice to have something like Vaughn's outfit to fine tune the direction of light for details and provide raking light for detecting scratches.

Dan

[Kathy Marshall]

I use magnetic base lamps. I started with the LED lamp from Woodcraft (ac/dc) andit worked great but the bulbs don't last very long (of the original 7 only 2 are working now). I also got the LED magnified w/9 bulbs (works great for finials and other small detail work) and since it's only used occasionally it's holding up fine. I now use a magnetic utility light that uses standard bulbs and has an articulating arm which works great. The LEDs are really nice because they are small and don't get in the way. The magnets work great on all of them and are plenty strong, convenient, and easy to move around. Can be used on the headstock, tailstock, banjo or rails. I'd like to try the Ikea ones to see if they last any longer since. I have not found any way to change out the bulbs in the LED lights I have now.

[Michael Mills]

Here is the one I described above. Like Dan, I have a 100w halogen in it; it is always about three feet away so the heat is no problem (it is a small outdoor spot light from HD). Bowl is with just the overhead lights and then with the overhead and task.
Overhead light only; overhead with task light; task light on wall

[Bob Rotche]

Thanks so much for all of these suggestions! Lots of good options. I'm thinking I want to try something magnetic with a flexible arm and either compact fluorescent or LED to avoid the heat of halogen. Time to start searching the net...