Show me your workshop task lighting

[Tony Wilkins]

As my shop approaches completion, I’m beginning to think about the task lighting for it. Alas and alack, it will have no windows (cost prohibitive) but it will have a lot of led overhead lighting (I tried to emphasize good light to the builder).


So, would you please show me any task lighting that you have. Things that work well. Not so well?

BTW, I am primarily (ok, virtually completely) a handtool user.

[Jim Becker]

The only "task" lighting I use is a magnetic mount lamp on my bandsaw and a 12v LED strip above my guitar bench because my head blocks room light due to the location of my air cleaner. Because I "generously" lit the entire shop, task lighting isn't really necessary in all but those two situations.

[Bill Carey]

I have 6 of these magnetic base lights (and 30 or so rechargeable batteries) plus 4 led ceiling fixtures and 2 swing arm lamps at the bench. I put the swing arm lamps on small posts to raise them up and I have dogs in the bottom so I can put them anywhere on the bench. For the mag base lights, I epoxied fender washers in strategic places so I can move them around: at the moxon, on the back of the router table fence, by the side of the mortiser, etc. And for the random places I took an old cast iron iron and epoxied it upside down to a walnut base so I can put a light wherever I want. I tried clip on lights, and lights on stands, but they always seem to come loose or get in the way.

20191224_165816.jpg 20190515_181746.jpg 20200605_163441.jpg

[John K Jordan]

I use three lights on my bandsaw - a Moffet with LED bulb on one side of the blade, a high-intensity LED light on a gooseneck over my left shoulder aimed at the front of the blade (SuperNova from Woodturners Wonders), and another adjustable light on the right side of the blade. I like lots of light.

Four lights at the sharpening station.

Multiple lights at each wood lathe, milling machine, metal lathe. All of these stations have a SuperNova LED from WoodTurners Wonders as one of the light sources.

I like multiple lights at the lathe since light coming from different angles helps me judge compound curves better.

Six light sources at this wood lathe:
lathe_PM_IMG_20160331_18501.jpg

JKJ

[Alan Lightstone]

That's impressive, John.

I'm like Jim. I only use a magnetic LED light on my bandsaw. Although I am going to look at those SuperNova lights that John mentioned.

I do have excellent overhead LED lighting. It's not quite like staring into the Sun, but I did see the Parker Solar Probe taking pictures of my workbench last week.

[Roger Feeley]

I have two goose neck led lights on my bandsaw wired to a microswitch so that they go on only when the blade is under tension.
I have a flood light over the Sawstop controlled by a ground fault relay so that it lights only when the saw is powered up.
These are handy reminders to me to detention the bandsaw and turn off the Sawstop.

I have a gooseneck light for the wood lathe just to help me see.
i have a ring light magnifier over the metal lathe and milling machine because my eyes are old.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have two goose neck led lights on my bandsaw wired to a microswitch so that they go on only when the blade is under tension.

These are handy reminders to me to detention the bandsaw...

That's a great idea, Roger. I have a little magnet with a label that says Blade Tensioned? Yes/No.

I like your idea much better.

[John K Jordan]

That's a great idea, Roger. I have a little magnet with a label that says Blade Tensioned? Yes/No.

I like your idea much better.

I like the light idea too, except sometimes I use my bandsaw table as a work surface for small things.
An extra indicator light may be in my future. Perhaps one of these (for 220v): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M8ID2BI
I bought 110v versions of these indicator lights too.

BTW, I saw this idea somewhere, not good as a reminder to detension but a great reminder to tension before use!

tension.jpg

JKJ

[Alan Lightstone]

BTW, I saw this idea somewhere, not good as a reminder to detension but a great reminder to tension before use!

tension.jpg

JKJ

LOL. Kinda hard to miss that one.