New Shop/ needs lighting

[WKevinD]

I'm not sure if this goes here or "back fence"
I'm in the process of building a new shop. Basically a 12'x20' heated space in the back of a new barn.
I have a bench for metal a bench for wood and detail work and a rifle building bench. I have an 11' ceiling and two windows (East facing).
My question is this " what are you guys using for lighting" The interior walls are rough cut pine above and a 4'ribbon of plywood below so I know it's going to suck up light (no reflective light)
I need brighter light for old eyes and low offset light for shadows for carving and finishing.
Right now I have the chance to do it right and I'm tired of struggling to make do.
I know you guys have come up with great solutions to common problems so I'm looking for your combined expertise.
Thanks,
Kevin

[ehoff]

In you need two types of light, general lighting and task lighting. General lighting is your overall lighting,  I use four foot florescent fixture in my shop for general lighting. The next type of lighting is task lighting, this is brighter light directed at where you are working. I use swing arm  lamps, clamp on reflector lamps and a desk lamp for my task lighting. The swing arm lamp is fastened to my bench. The clamp on lamps can be clamped on the stock, or on the rafters above where I am working or clamp a 1x2 on my bench and fasten it to them. The desk lamp I set on the bench. I use incandescent bulbs in these. The rule for lighting is about the same as for clamps, you can't have enough.

[bob in the woods]

I built a new shop about 4 years ago, and changed everything from what I had before.  My old shop had overhead florescent lighting and some swivel arm bench lights.  I have basically eliminated the overpowering overhead lights and instead concentrated on task lights, coupled with decent sized windows . Much less tiring for my eyes + it's easier to adjust the lighting to suit the situation i.e. carving, surface finishing etc.  

[billd]

Has anyone tried the LED replacement tubes in flourescent fixtures?   

[Kermit]

LED replacements for flourescent tubes for general lighting. Talked about in this thread.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=29402.15

Get some task lighting too. I wish I had a big north or east facing window, but that ain't happening.

Bill--if you don't already have flourescent fixtures to convert, visit a used building supplies place such as Habitat For Humanity ReStore. You don't need the old ballast--you'll be removing/ bypassing it.

Prices are coming down. If you want American made, buy Cree lighting.

[E.vonAschwege]

The interior walls are rough cut pine above and a 4'ribbon of plywood below so I know it's going to suck up light (no reflective light)
I need brighter light for old eyes and low offset light for shadows for carving and finishing.

Is it an option to paint the walls surrounding your work area bright white?  My current shop (spare bedroom where I'm renting) is about 10x12 and is entirely white - so I use a big halogen floor light that aims up onto the white ceiling, and lights up the whole room for general work.  For closeup work I use a couple drafting table lights (the ones on long spring loaded arms).  Best to find the kind that have locking knobs, otherwise they don't stay put.  I also have a small light that has a clamp for a base that normally lives on my drill press, but I also clamp it to the vise or bench when I'm doing carving work. 
-Eric

[flehto]

My bench is in the basement and above the bench is a glass block window to the ourtside facing south.  The wall in back of the bench is painted white whereas the remainder of the walls are stained pine boards. The 12' ceiling has white, 2'x4'  accoustic tiles w/ 4' double bulb fluorescent fixtures {4} The swiveling bernch lights {2} are mounted on elevated arms to make more useable bench top area.  Has worked well for 20 yrs, even w/ my poor eyesight.

 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Look up Ott Lites... Both table top and floor lamps.  They are the best for task lighting!!

[kaintuck]

cheap overhead floresents......just to keep me from stepping on tomtom....and high intensity spot on my current work~~~and i THINK i want one of those swivel magnifier w/lit insides.......

wish i had eyes like tomtom..he dont need no stinking lights........

marc

[whetrock]

I've got a fluorescent shoplight right over the bench, plus two bulbs of hundred watt incandescent in the ceiling for angled light. Having some angled light is really important for seeing shape, as you have to be able to see shadow. Got to have some angled light. I also have a pull down hooded light on a cord, that I can raise or lower as necessary to get more angled light if I want it.
If you plan to be in the shop during the day, then its best to have daylight, lots of it if possible. I put in a new window above the bench in my basement so as to help with that. Still not enough, but much better than it was. Better ventilation, anyway.

Beyond that, PAINT. Lots of white paint. My shop is a basement garage, and it used to be just grey brick. That was no good at all. Painted all the walls white. Painted the garage door white, as well. That helped tremendously.

Also, echo what the other guys said on the magnifier with the light in it. (Eyesight is no good anymore and I use it all the time for checking out small stuff. On that topic, I also found that Lowes carries wrap around safety glasses with BIFOCAL READING LENSES built in! Oh, man, that was a good day when I found those!)

[Mark Elliott]

I don't think there is a more practical suggestion for general lighting than white walls and ceiling with ceiling florescent lighting.   However,  If I were to replace the halogen swing arm task lights on my bench,  I would look for ones with LED panels emitting 6500K light.    This is a very bright blue light great for seeing color.   It is also a LOT cooler than my halogens.  I am gradually converting to LED bulbs and love them.   I keep a bunch of LED flash lights laying around when I need a lot of light on a particular spot.   

[Dan Fruth]

I installed regular "screw in" bulb lights on the ceiling with pull chains. But I purchased 5000 Kelvan, 60 watt bulbs for each socket. The quality of light produced by these bulbs is by far much better than any other type of light, It as close to sun light you can get. Reptile houses use the same type of lights for their cages. The quality of light is not the yellowish color of regular lighting, which makes a big difference, especially when inspecting colors, as in finishing and staining. I also use 35 watt 5000Kelvan bulbs in my task lights. These bulbs make a big difference....Dan

[WKevinD]

OK I'm now convinced the rough cut pine I have planned for the back of the rifle bench should instead be white and probably plywood...I like the option of having a "fastening" wall.
Mark, the 6500K LED is something I'll be exploring, a local electronics supplier has some 8" dia. lights with an LED array ,110v. I'll check the output. They should be light enough to mount on articulating arms of some sort to allow good low angle directional lighting.
Also need to look into LED general lighting. Not sure about the 4' florescent fixtures, too much like office lighting but they do fit a budget.
The 5000K bulbs that jellowaydan mentions - are they LED?

Thanks,
Kevin

[snapper]

check out the led panels, really cool looking.

Fleener

[Dan Fruth]

The 5000 k bulbs are florescent, and they seem to last a long time. I have replaced 3 in 4 years. Average cost is $15 per bulb, but 65 watt bulbs produce a great quantity of light. I have one over each piece of equiptment, and 4 around the bench. Just google 5000 kelvan light bulbs....Dan

[Dan Fruth]

Here is a link to my blog. In the upper right hand side of the page is a link ...Tour the shop.....You will see how much light these bulbs create....Dan

http://dfruthflintlocker.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=1

[Kermit]

Way too lean, Dan! 

[drago]

For fluorescent lamps try to get T8 or T5 fixtures, They use less and last a lot longer. Fluorescent lamps are available in daylight color too. The Kelvin number is the color of the light on the light spectrum. Brightness or light output is rated in lumens so don't get confused by the numbers. LEDS are getting better but I don't think anything beats incandescent.