workshop lighting

[lugo35]

just thinking about lighting for the green monster. is there any other option other than strip lights. cost is the main concern. would 6-8 bulbs switched in pairs be any good? thanks all

 

[White House Workshop]

Strip lights are good because they don't cast shadows.....

 

[OllyK]

I use a combination of Halogens and Flourescent strip. Strip are cheap to run and kick outless heat, but sometimes the spots can be handy for a little more specific direction light

 

[woodbloke]

I use strip lights with spots like these for specific lighting points say on the sharpening table or bandsaw - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

3 strip lights plus a 100W bulb in an old photographic lamp reflector on a stand which I can move about and point wherever I want when I need a bit of extra light. It's like daylight in my garage at night The wife blames me every time an electricity bill arrives But at least I can see what I'm doing when I get banished to the dog house :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[lugo35]

thanks all for your replies, have got 4 strips and will prob get a spot or two where needed.

 

[woodbutcher]

hi lugo.

make sure that the strip lights have diffusers as the stobbing of the tubes can make the moving parts of power tools look like they are standing still and this contributes to a number of accidents in the workshop.


woodbutcher.

 

[misterfish]

make sure that the strip lights have diffusers

The other advantage of diffusers is that they protect the tubes from accidental knocks when moving long bits of timber. On the other hand they do need cleaning of sawdust and dead insects on a regular basis.

I've got striplights along the centre of my shop and lighting track spread around the walls which lets me move spotlights to the position I'm working. I got some of my track and spots from the local Freecycle site - all for the cost of a 10 minute drive to Bognor Regis.

MisterFish

 

[dickm]

Not sure how diffusers would stop the supposed strobe effect. Have to say that I've never been convinced that this effect is very likely in practice, since it would be a pretty low chance of the speed of movement of something with appropriate shape being exactly coincident with mains frequency.
But maybe someone in H & S can give examples.
Certainly diffusers are a good idea for preventing broken tubes!

 

[lugo35]

hi havent got difusers. never had them in old shed, this roof is higher so fingers crossed wont break any
as for the strobing, think this happens at around 2000rpm(sure someone will come up with the exact speed). as dick says the chances of this happening are quite slim and most woodworking machines are very noisey so should know there running. hope to get door on shed over weekend and start getting things set up

 

[tnimble]

I've 6 high frequency striplights with high polish reflectors 58W each in my shop of about 130 square feet. For normal work much to bright but excellent for fine detail work. Normally I've set them dimmed down which works great. I've never noticed any machines not appearing to be rotating, seeming to run in the wrong direction or anything like that.

Along the sides where my workbench, lathe and my sharpening corner are located I'm planning on putting up a few LED spots composed of those 3 x 1W high power LEDs. I'm also planning of putting a few cheap LED lamps inside of cabinates and drawers that automatically switch on when I open them.

 

[Barreller]

I was advised that fluorescent lighting over a lathe is potentially bad so have a 150 watt halogen over my ML8. The advice came from an engineer who knows the HSE regs.

Steve

 

[Roy Clarke]

Follow tnimble's approach and use high frequency strips. They are more expensive, but running costs are 30% less, they can be dimmed, you can even have an auto dimmer to maintain a constant light level in the shed, and they start instantly, extending tube life. I have a HF strip over my lathe.

For the spots, LEDS are MUCH more expensive than halogen, but they consume 3W instead of 50W and they don't burn you when you stand too close.