Shop lighting advice

[Hayes Rutherford]

I have to make a decision on general shop lighting and am looking for suggestions. In a 20x48 area, my plan was for 6 fixtures that are 4 - 4' T8 bulbs. My lathe lighting is mostly from 2 articulated lamps, not the overhead fluorescent fixture.

I know I don't want the fixture in line with the spray from roughing operations, so where do I want the one closest to the lathe?

[John M. Smith]

My shop is 32 by 48. I have 28 4 foot 2 bulb t8 fluorescent fixtures. Could use a few more. Lathe is lit by task lights.

[Shawn Russell]

You are going to want 2 lights. The fluorescent fixtures will provide ambient light. Any work at the machine I would also include directed task light.

I don't know about you but I wonder if you have enough overhead ambient light. My shop is under 300sq/ft and I have 6x fixtures with 6x 4' T8 bulbs. My total shop light with all fixtures on is somewhere around 100 lumes per sq/ft. That is brighter than what I need right now. When I first put the lights in I was ok to work with half the lights on. As I have gotten older I turn on the extra row of lights that I am working in.

[Thom Sturgill]

Might get more response in the workshops area. ... I have a 20 x 30 shop with 8 4' 2 bulb units and a single 4 bulb unit above the lathe slightly behind me. They are mounted at 12' and I would like to double them. On the other hand, there is no ceiling and the underside of the roof is not painted. I would probably go with three rows of 4 lights each in the 48' direction. Center one row and place the other two relatively close to the wall, say 4'. Do a search, there have been many threads on lighting with some professional input.

[Harry Robinette]

Just a thought. On your task lighting I have a Ikea Jansjo, a Moffet (with Reveal bulb).There's a 2bulb old 12 something
florescent over the lathe just about 6" behind the lathe center line. For checking finish work last sanding , if I finish on the lathe I have a three bulb Halogen track light. This light is only turned on to see the tiny little mark's that we usually miss until AFTER the finish. As soon as you see mark's you know you need to sand more so turn the light off, turn it back on when you need to see it again. Your eye's get use to the light very quickly,so the on and off REALLY helps and you can see every tiny mark. Hope this helps.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Thanks for the quick replies. The 20 x 48 area actually has an entry and stairway that narrows down the width to 16' for half the length. I think I got it figured out with 7- 8' 4 tube units. One will end up mostly off the tailstock end and just in front of my lathe. This was the one I spent way too much time thinking about. The lighting will be so much more than I have had, and I will mount my old scissor arm type lights at some point. They are good old US made and work well. Thanks again for the replies.

[Jack Lindsey]

Six fixtures doesn't sound like enough. Have you read the article on shop lighting under the "Articles" heading? You might find it helpful.

[Jim Neeley]

I have to make a decision on general shop lighting and am looking for suggestions. In a 20x48 area, my plan was for 6 fixtures that are 4 - 4' T8 bulbs. My lathe lighting is mostly from 2 articulated lamps, not the overhead fluorescent fixture.

I know I don't want the fixture in line with the spray from roughing operations, so where do I want the one closest to the lathe?

Check out the sticky thread at the top of the WorkShops group; it goes specifically into planning lighting.

Based on that article and assuming your bulbs average 2000 lumens, you will achieve an average of 25 foot-candles of illumination.

To quote the sticky-post link:

================================================== =====================
Typical hobbyist and small commercial woodworking shops should be lighted uniformly to levels of 50 or 100 footcandles (fc). Fifty fc for shops with young workers (age 25 or less) where there are no difficult visual tasks like intricate carving, fitting of small precision parts, etc.

For those of us over 25 or in shops with more detailed work as mentioned above I recommend 100 footcandles.
================================================== ============================================

Based upon his recommendation, if you are young and do not need to do detailed work from these lights (i.e. use supplemental task lighting) he would recommend doubling your number of fixtures.

If you are over 25 or want to perform detailed work without needing task lights, you should use 24 four-bulb 4'T8 fixtures.

It depends on whether you want warehouse-type lighting or plan to mostly work solely from these lights.

I'm just the messenger but his logic and calcs are sound.

Jim

[Craig White]

How tall are your ceilings? I am making a lighting decision for my shop too. The main floor area is approximately 24 x 50. Walls are 12' with a 7/12 pitch cathedral ceiling. Walls and ceiling are painted white. Ordered (10) T5HO 4 bulb high bay light fixtures. The supplier says it will be a little over 100 foot candles in the center of the room. The corners will be a little lower than 100. Most reading recommended T5HO at 15' or higher but, with a little dust on them, I think it'll be OK...

Craig