New Fluorescents over midi lathe.

[Brian Kent]

4 bulb 4' T8's dedicated shop lights over the Delta 46-460. It mounts on chains, so I can mount it at any height. 8' ceiling. I also have a cheap swing arm lamp.

It is this one with a wire cage over the lights:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog/servlet/Search?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&keyword=4+bulb%20shop%20light&Ns=None&Ntpr=1&Ntpc=1&selectedCatgry=Search+All

Question: How high would you hang the lights? Is 6' 6" good. (I am 6' tall) Any problems with the light being that low?

Thanks

[Roger Chandler]

I have mine mounted at about 7 ft tall from the floor.......which makes it about 3.5 - 4 ft. from the ways of the lathe. I use daylight florescent tubes [48"] and a swing arm with a daylight cfl spiral bulb.........all the light I need! I have my 46-460 at a right angle just off the headstock of my big lathe, and use a swing arm magnifying florescent light for that.......again all the light I need.

[Brian Kent]

Sounds good, Roger. Thanks.

[Mike Cruz]

I'd be concerned about a blank flying off the lathe or a chunk (not if, but when) and hitting the light. If those bulbs break, it'll be messy and nasty. If the wire cage can keep anything from breaking the bulbs, then fine...but otherwise, I'd put it as high as you can.

[Thom Sturgill]

I'd be concerned about a blank flying off the lathe or a chunk (not if, but when) and hitting the light. If those bulbs break, it'll be messy and nasty. If the wire cage can keep anything from breaking the bulbs, then fine...but otherwise, I'd put it as high as you can.

There are also plastic tubes that fit over the bulb. Prevents some breakage and contains most of what it does not prevent. I have these on a similar overhead fixture mounted much higher and three LED goose neck lamps mounted on the lathe (Jet 1642)

[Pat Scott]

+1 for the plastic tubes if you turn green wood. Water from green wood gets flung all over and you don't want your hot fluorescent tubes breaking from cold water hitting them. Take the same precaution for any swing arm lightbulbs also. I had a bulb pop on me one time due to water. Then I happened to look up and see water dripping from my fluorescent lights. I bought plastic tubes for one light, and bought a new 4' light that had a plastic cover instead of wire guard.

[David C. Roseman]

[snip]
Question: How high would you hang the lights? Is 6' 6" good. (I am 6' tall) Any problems with the light being that low?

Thanks

Brian, I agree with Mike, and for an additional reason. That four-bulb fixture throws a lot of light. So with eight foot ceilings, I'd hang it as high as you can. Especially if the ceiling is finished. Our shop ceiling is ten and a half feet, with unfinished open-truss construction above that, and the simple 4' two-bulb fixtures that we've mounted at ten feet do a good job. Plus, you'll have the incandescent swing-arm task lighting at the lathe, which is important, IMO, due to the optical characteristics of fluorescent light on a spinning lathe.

David

[Brian Kent]

Done.

It turned out that the ceiling is 9-1/2 feet. I hung the light over the path of the garage door, which I had not thought about when I asked the question.
I will look for some plastic tube covers too. I am kind of curious why the fixture is painted grey instead of white, but I'll leave it for now.

Thank you everyone.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mine are 3' 7" from the lathe and do have the safety tubes on the bulbs.

[Robert McGowen]

The only time I have broken a bulb was when I raised my face shield with a gouge in my hand. Oops! Now I hang the lights a little higher. :cool: