And There Was Light

[John Hart]

I have spent so much time in the dark, that I'm afraid I'm turning Amish!!

When I first moved out here, I was amazed how they could see in the dark. And it's funny, nowadays, I find myself walking through the shop in total darkness and I turn stuff with nothing but a 60 watt bulb in my little articulating arm lamp. Don't get me wrong, I have full shop lighting, but it really doesn't light up the lathe area that much, and I rely on that one lamp anyway.

ENOUGH!!

At work, they are throwing out a bunch of 4ft florescent bulbs that work fine but they're not "the right type" for some of the office workers who need certain bulbs or a revolt is certain.

Anyway...I don't care about the right bulbs...I just need light. So I scarfed up the throwaways.

191434

Then I came home and dug out some old 4 ft light thingies that have been in a pile of junk for 1000 years.
191433

Then I went through another pile of junk and found an old transformer with a long cord...and cut the cord out of it.
191435

Then I cut some computer network cable out of a 1000 ft spool that I had laying around. Nailed some big ol' staples in the ceiling....wired it up....and wahoo!
I have light!!

191436

I know....this doesn't seem like much of a gloat, but it only took 40 minutes and it's the little things that just light me up. ;):)

[Dan Forman]

At least you could see well enough to find all the junk you needed! Let it shine.

Dan

[Roger Chandler]

John......that is a pretty "BRIGHT" idea :p it always helps to see what you are doing, especially when sharp things and spinnin' things are close at hand! :eek:;)

[Dale Miner]

A man after my own heart. Scarfing 'stuff', and utilizing more of other scarfed stuff, with little or no spending of $.

You got me beat on the light thingies laying around time, mine are only 99-1/2 days. (can you make the song that line is from?)

[curtis rosche]

its not dark, they/we(at work) just only work during the day in the shop. or hang up portable gas lanterns either attached to a propane bottle for a grill or a special tank built into the light.

[Brian Libby]

That is why we bring home discards from work (and other places) and save "stuff" that will be useful sometime in the future!!!
John-the future came and you needed some of that "stuff" you have been saving.

[Baxter Smith]

Looks like an artist must work at that lathe now! I can relate, all my shop ceiling lights came out of a dumpster.;)

[David E Keller]

Nicely done... Lighting improvements are still on my list of things to get done in the shop. I don't have any scrap electrical stuff just laying around, so I'll be paying retail for mine. I'm thinking of installing some track lights over my lathe so that I could direct the individual lights as needed. Any chance you're driving through Enid, OK soon with a trunk full of lighting equipment and a couple of hours to spare?

[David DeCristoforo]

Lookin' pretty bright in there! Just don't let your Amish neighbors find out you use florescent lights. Drives em crazy. And don't forget to wear shades. And please... be very careful when you wave your lathe chisels around till you get used to that sucker being there!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on your new light system! Looks like it works great!

So... what's on the lathe? Interesting form so far! Looking forward to seeing it once finished!

[Bernie Weishapl]

John the light looks pretty good. Better be careful. You get to much light it is hard to tell what you may find out there.:eek::rolleyes:;)

[John Hart]

Thanks all...Yep...It's gonna be different. Most of my skew catches come from working in shadows. Now I'll have to think of another excuse!:D

Steve...that's just a walnut vase waiting for the steady rest and hollowing. It WAS a natural edge mouth, but I blasted the bark off in a nanosecond of a lapse of attention. Guess I have to figure something else out now. :o

David Keller....you wouldn't believe how much I would love to show up and wire your lighting. That would be a cool afternoon.

Brian..what you are saying is that we are incurable packrats. Guilty as charged :D

David DeCristoforo - Just wanted to spell your name right.

Thanks again everyone. It was a goofy gloat. But I'm happy about it.