machine light

Just seen this online machine light

Might be useful for someone

Dave

I'm looking for a machine light so checked it out. Three thoughts:

1. I don't get on with touch-switch lights. They're temperamental when alive, and when dead they turn up in large numbers in the charity shop where I volunteer.

2. A "g" rating for efficiency is very poor for a LED lamp. The touch-switch circuitry may have something to do with it.

3. Two one-star reviews complain that it has a "drooping neck" problem.

Thanks for the link, Dave, but I think I'll keep looking.

George

George,

I have always really liked the IKEA knock off of the clamp-down anglepoise lamp for this purpose, I think they're called "Tertial" and hold up really well.

You can use them as is with 240V, or if you need the extra safety of low-voltage, the power demand of a Modern 12-24V LED bulb is low enough for the cable in the lamp to still be suitable, so you can cut the plug off and wire it straight into a cheap and cheerful low voltage lighting power supply.

Not as cheap as Dave's find, but you're also paying for a lot more material.

That said, I find it much better to have good lighting design for the whole space, which with the genesis of unreasonably cheap LED Battens and Panels is much more realistic and affordable than ever before.

Since I replaced the old lighting in my workshop, and took the time to design a lighting setup which gives me option to have 500, 1000 or 2000 Lux down-lit illumination evenly across the whole workshop at the flick of a switch it's extremely rare that I need machine lights anymore.

Hands down the best £200 I ever spent on the workshop.

Edited By Jelly on 30/10/2022 15:52:27

Jelly

Good points about the effects of improved workshop lighting on the need for machine lights.

However as I've utilised the space above both my lathes for shelving to store occasionally needed things freeing up the more accessible shelves for regual use items I cant get entirely satisfactory lighting from general distribution and need machine lights. Undershelf lights don't really cut it for me. Being able to point a machine light exactly where I want to see is very handy.

As eems to be the norm in space constrained workshops my Bridgeport lives canter-corner so needs a machine light to supplement general distribution. Again being able to get light in just the right place can be very helpful.

One oft overlooked benefit of a machine light is that it can be wired to come on immediately the machine power breaker (or switch for baby machines) is turned on. This gives a positive indication that the machine is live and iwll start up if the "go" button is pressed.

Given the inevitability of interruptions in the home workshop this seems a useful safety measure.

From me that particular advice as a bit "do as I say, not do as I do" as none of my machines are so wired. Instead mine are fed via "yellow body and red lever" Lewden breakers mounted on the wall in highly visible positions. It is immediately obvious to a casual look whether a machine is live or not.

Clive

I gave up on machine lights, they never seemed to point where I needed them so I purchased an LED head torch and I find the output is more than adequate and is always focussed where I am looking, particularly good for lathework you focus light right down to the tool tip which is where you need it. Dave W

For my larger drillpress I used 2x small led 220V lights mounted near spindle, it works fine, but I tried not what I wanted for the mill, so I kept on looking.
A week ago I stumbled on a small flat type of spotlight 10W LED(4000), the smallest I seen so far, the other small ones were just too big. I 1st bought 1, fit it near spindle I can even tilt it a bit, I so much liked it bought another one fitted it to the rear, now I have the lighting I wanted, both 10W. I am milling grooves and really want to see well. So far they did not proof to be any hinderence moving head down close or with my splash covers. I had two larger LED lights on the sides, but to much shadows where I need to see good. I will see how it goes down the line. My eyes don't see the lightsources here. They are also rubber sealed.

Edited By Chris Mate on 30/10/2022 19:53:13