workshop lighting

Create a Post
F

Framer Ken

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 26, 2002
Posts
17
Loc
Southampton. England
Any suggestions welcome on good overhead workshop lighting. I wear glasses and have 53 year old eyeballs ( the rest of me is a LOT younger )
At present I have double overhead fluorescent fittings and think they need upgrading. Also in the office where customers view mountboards the quartz halogen lighting affects the impression of colour. I have seen advertised blue lamps intended to recreate "natural daylight" does anyone use them or have suggestions for good lighting ?
 
Ken,
Our eyes are the same age! Perhaps they will one day exchange birthday salutations!
Our new shop had overhead track lighting, incandescent, of all things! I am an electrician, among other things, but not a very neat one, I'm afraid.
My wife, Janet's, partners husband is an engineer and a bit of a perfectionist. He installed 2 4-tube flourescent fixtures that are suspended to hang on either side of her design table. They have worked wonders!
She was having to literally take the art, the cusromer, the mat corners, and the moulding out onto the street into the sun to get true color representation.
She will have to tell you what type tubes she used, but everything is as it should be now! Reds are red, blues are blue, and, most inportantly, Janet''s happy.
I will ask her to post an answer.
I'm sure there are other ideas, some of them quite cost prohibitive, but she 'got out' for around 75 US dollars, and that included everything!

[ 02-10-2003, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: CharlesLowry. ]
 
Here's a tip: Don't rely on flourescents alone where you do your fitting. Adding an incandescent light souce will make glass streaks much easier to catch.
 
I have high intensity florescents in my work area and they give out a good non glare bright white light.

I also have an "Ott-lite" lamp which puts out a daylight type light. It is very bright and only 17 watts. Colors are perfect under it.

I too have old eyes starting to cataract and every bit of light helps!
 
Originally posted by CharlesLowry.:
She will have to tell you what type tubes she used, but everything is as it should be now! Reds are red, blues are blue, and, most inportantly, Janet''s happy.
[/qb]
Click to expand...
They are propably the "full spectrum" bulbs. They cost more but they are worth every cent. You can get these at Home Depot or Lowes or whatever home center is in your area.

Jerry

[ 02-10-2003, 10:27 AM: Message edited by: jerryervin ]
 
Daylight balance tubes are very good for your fluorescent light, chuck in a bit of tungsten to fill gaps etc.
Most importantly in a workshop, make sure that your fluorescent fittings are not all on the same phase as they will flicker at the same rate which can be very hard on your eyes, if you are using saws and routers etc then it is very important to have different phases as the flicker can make the blade appear stationary when they are in fact moving.
If you have the luxury of a high roof then using Sodium bulbs as the filling light source is fantastic, we often work through the night and barely notice the difference.

It would be very beneficial for you to do a search on this topic as it has been covered very well in the past.

[ 02-10-2003, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: Lance E ]
 
Create a Post
Back
Top