Here's an article that answers a lot of shop lighting questions that are so often asked here.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/content....y-Jack-Lindsey
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Here's an article that answers a lot of shop lighting questions that are so often asked here.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/content....y-Jack-Lindsey
This is awesome. I've kept the original FWW article handy over the years. This is a great update. Thanks, Jack and thanks, Ken for doing this.
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Thanks to Jack!!! Very well written and useful.
Great info, well written by an expert in the field. Can't asked for more than that.
I will be relocating and replacing my shop in a few months and this information is both timely and exxtremely helpful. Thanks.
Just added a T-8 light fixture to the Dungeon shop. BIG difference! Got two "Sunlight" type of bulbs in it, 48" long. Lights up the entire work area.
I have to set up a temporary shop in the house to do a kitchen and that will come in handy but it can't be permanent.
On another note but related, I grow heirloom tomatoes and peppers and start plants indoors. I have "overdriven" T8 fixtures by adding an extra ballast; they are on the 2nd floor in front of a window and are bright enough to light up the face of my garage 55 feet away at night.
It's just come to my attention that HD is selling a 2' LED high bay light http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-...2#.UbHyLuc-anI for $220. Supposedly puts out 11,000 lumens. Has anyone tried one?
I read the article by Jack Lindsey, which was very helpful. Perhaps someone can answer a question I've got. In the shop I'm building, approximately 20'x20', there's a hip roof with 5/12 pitch. So my ceiling, which will be painted white, is not horizontal. Can I mount strip lights to it around the perimeter a few feet away from the walls? In that case they'd be angled toward the center of the room by about 23º. Or does it make more sense to mount them to a 23-67-90 triangular profile stick or bracket that's attached to the ceiling? Or should I be using industrials instead?
The reason I don't want to run the lights in rows is that in the center of the room, there's a clerestory cupola, approx 7'x7' with 8 big windows about 13' above the floor, so I'll be getting a lot of natural light there. In addition to the flourescent lights, I'm going to put flood lights or some other kind of lighting in the four corners of the cupola for night use. I'd appreciate any advice someone might have.
Jane,
If Jack Lindsey doesn't see your post, don' t hesitate to look him up in the members list and send him an email or PM (private message). I am sure he'd be happy to provide his professional opinion.
He's a super nice person!
Jane, based on the description you've given I think I understand what you are building but I don't want to provide a design based on "I think". Do you have drawings you can post, email, or snail mail? A floor plan, elevation, and section showing the cupola would help. It doesn't sound terribly complex but it's easier to do it right the first time than to correct it later.
Here are a couple of photos. Thanks so much for your help. Attachment 264856Attachment 264857
That helps, Jane, but not enough is shown of the ceiling structure and clerestory. Can you post another pic taken from the same location but with the camera angled upwards to show a lot more of the ceiling? Thanks.
Sure, and thank you. Here are a couple of drawings and a photo from before the cupola was built. You can see the way I drew it the 4' lighting fixtures (shown in pink) are about 8' 8 1/2" off the floor, about in line with the height of the upper collar ties. Here I drew them horizontal as though mounted to a bracket of some sort. The photo really distorts the pitch of the ceiling, which will get strapping and then sheetrock. If I mount strip lights directly to the ceiling, the angle they would be tipped to is about 23 degrees. I didn't draw in the additional lighting that will go in the corners of the clerestory. Also, around the edges of the room, I intend to have some small goose-neck type lamps, such as over the drill press and bandsaw. I left off the layout so as not to make the drawing too confusing. Thanks again. Jane
Attachment 264902Attachment 264903Attachment 264904
Jane, there are several ways to light your shop based on what you are going to be doing and the visual environment you want to create. I'm going to pm you my phone number. Please call me so we can discuss it.