Work Lamp Recommendations

[Justin]

I'm about to start carving on my stock and I want to get a nice work lamp that I can move at various angles to cast shadows on my carving lines.

Do any of you experienced stock carvers have a recommendation for a good lamp? I see some that look decent online but then I notice an issue or they seem cheaply built. I want something that's solid, simple, and has a base (not a clamp).

[smallpatch]

IKEA has simple lever lamps with a cast iron base.  They are well made for the money.  Less than $10 each.  Use bulbs of your choice.

[Justin]

Thanks -- I think I am going to make the 2 hour drive to Ikea on Saturday.

[DHS]

Menards has a weighted base swing arm desk lamp for $17.   Menards® SKU: 3471023.  It seems extremely well made for the money.  The joints can be tightened should they become loose.  That lamp with an led bulb made a world of difference.   

[Justin]

Menards has a weighted base swing arm desk lamp for $17.   Menards® SKU: 3471023.  It seems extremely well made for the money.  The joints can be tightened should they become loose.  That lamp with an led bulb made a world of difference.

Thanks for the recommendation -- I'll have to stop into my local Menards and take a look.

[L. Akers]

I have a magnetic base, fexible neck, led task light that I sit on the anvil of my bench vise.  I can adjust the position of the head for direct light or angle it for a raking light.  I can also easily move it to whatever machine needs more illumination.

[Nordnecker]

I'm interested in these recommendations. I have an old goose neck floor lamp that I drag around the shop for everything. I step on the base and position the light dozens of times every day. I would be severely handicapped if I didn't have it. I rewired it last year and put a 9' cord on it. I'll go 12' if I do it again.

[Mark Elliott]

I use a couple of regular clamp-on swing arm lamps with a round shade.   I ordered them from Electrix.   A lot of vendors carry them.  They are very high quality.   I use LED bulbs in them.   

Rather than use the clamp,  I just drill a hole in my bench or gun support.

[Chowmi]

I got this idea from Smart Dog, and I really like it.
I found two flexible arm table lamps at Lowe's and removed the base. Turns out, the bottom of the arm fits right into the pre-drilled holes in my workbench. I can move the lamps around wherever I want them.

Here's a picture with both of them:



You can see one of them sitting in the hole in the workbench. It is not a tight fit, so the lamp leans a bit, but I can move it so easily that I don't care if it leans.

Again, thanks to Smart Dog for the idea.

Cheers,
Norm.

[Jim Kibler]

A good articulating arm lamp is one of the most important tools to have.  I like vintage ones that have a long reach.  I’ve bought them from eBay in the past.  I prefer a rough service 100 watt incandescent bulb.  These lights are mounted t a heavy metal base that can be slid around the bench.

The value of strong directional light can’t be underestimated.  Fill light can often be of little help.  I find myself continually positioning a swing arm lamp to get the proper lighting.  I’ve found those just learning don’t appreciate the value of this for whatever reason.  I’ve taught many carving classes and students will often ask how something looks.  Many times moving their light will answer the question.

Jim

[thecapgunkid]

A window

[Jim Kibler]

A window is good, but not nearly as good as a lamp for tasks such as carving.  You want strong directional light that you can manipulate.  It’s often helpful to shut off any fill light in the room as well.

Jim

[Chowmi]

What is being implied, but not directly stated, is that flat, omnidirectional light (such as overhead fluorescent lights) will not show contour and detail.

Directional light shows varying degrees of shadow, and that is what gives you the ability to see contour. This is what you want.

So bright diffused overhead light will wash out contours, and is the bane of our craft. Just like an overcast day over snow. Hard to ski on that day because the light is diffuse and obscures contour.

Norm.

[Ron Scott]

My carving light is a articulated  LED lamp with variable intensity. The armature will reach four feet. The multiple LED bulbs are a focused beam, enabling almost any imaginable angle of light. The only criticism I have is the price, which is pretty high. 

[dogcatcher]

I have converted a "universal cell phone holder" to a "universal light holder".  I bought one of these to hold my duct collection port for my lathe.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cell-Phone-Mobile-Stand-Clip-Holder-Universal-Bracket-Creative-Lazy-HOT-360/142100956320?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=441184934337&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649   
It worked so good I bought some more, the clip is strong, does not fail, I attached a LED light to one of them.  Kind of a jury rig, but it stays there. 

[Justin]

I ended buying an Ikea Forsa lamp. It can extend higher than 2 feet but it's not super tall. Works ok for what I need it for.

[Scota4570]

Used to do a lot of checkering, same requirement.  I just used these things,

https://www.amazon.com/Woods-0160-SPT-2-Clamp-Reflector/dp/B000HJDATW?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000HJDATW

The cheapo reflector light with a clip is versatile.  You can try various bulbs until you find what suits you. I'm using LEDs right now.  They have a limited spectrum of light that tens to sharpen up what I see.   I have blocks screwed to various spots to clip onto.  I also have a mobile 5' base made of a wood circle and pipe fittings.   

One aspect that really helped was that a checkering cradle lets you swivel the stock.  That makes it easy to work on and also easy to optimize the lighting at any time. 

Come to think of it I will soon have a couple of stocks to carve.  I need to make a new cradle that can accommodate a long rifle.   

[Stoner creek]

I ended buying an Ikea Forsa lamp. It can extend higher than 2 feet but it's not super tall. Works ok for what I need it for.

How do you get anything done with such a neat and tidy bench?

[ddoyle]

It does not matter how I arrange artificial light I can never do passable work in the abscence of natural light. Outside I can cut a straight line,  Fair a curve, center punch the right spot. Inside with artificial light my work always comes out disapointing.  When I do manage something under lamps it takes way more effort and is less fun. Gave up and now bench, vise, grinder etc are all exposed to the elements and the day light.  Amazing how much better your eye works in the lumination of an overcast day outside at 2pm then it ever can under lamps.

[Justin]

Stoner, I just haven't collected as many tools as you yet... lol

Doyle, you must live somewhere warm. It's been in the single digits or teens for the last two weeks here in Wisconsin. Warming up a little this week but I still wouldn't be working out in 27 degrees!

[Stoner creek]

It’s impossible for me to be anything but a slob I suppose. Generally, the rule of thumb stands that the tool that I’m looking for is always at the bottom of the pile. A little off subject of course. Good luck with the lighting.

[galudwig]

I have a couple of Luxo lamps left over from my college days (early 80's, very durable). I made up a stand using black pipe, floor flanges, and an old brake rotor for the base. The bases of the lamps fit into a 1/2" nipple and will rotate 360. I also added an electric outlet box to plug my drill, Dremel, and heat gun into. I can position the lamps all around my stocking horse and position the lights at any angle from above, below, and from the sides.

[Bill Raby]

I would love to get a used wall mounted surgical or dental light. But even the used ones sure are expensive!

[deepcreekdale]

I use articulated circular LED lights with a magnifying glass ( which isn't as useful as it sounds) that is available from Office Depot/Office Max or whatever they call them now. Reasonable price, fairly sturdy, clamps to bench and is easy to move to make the light hit the carving at different angles. This past weekend, I was doing a living history demonstration on gunbuilding and was carving in sunlight. Very difficult to finish  the carving correctly as the light is unidirectional.

[Hefner]

In the early 1980's, when I was actively building rifles I acquired an older Operating Room light.  It was mounted on a pole about 5 feet tall with a heavy cast iron base.  The lamp arm was fully articulated and had a reflector approximately 18 inches in diameter.  It served me well as I built 6 rifles from blanks.