I'm finishing up my re-located workbench area and need to provide a little more light to complete the space. The resourcing of said light has been tougher than I expected.
The fixture will have to be fairly close to the work surface (maybe 30") due to having to clear a cold air return pipe, and I had planned on hanging it from the top most of several shelves shelf facing my workbench (see picture below).
So what I had in mind was a 4' single tube (because of the proximity) low-profile T8 or T12 fluorescent light fixture with reflector. The fixtures at Lowes Depot are neither what I would consider low profile nor do they have reflectors.
Any suggestions as to alternative sources or products?
Not exactly the same situation, but what about using two desk lamps of the type shown below? I'd suggest mounting them on the top shelf, though, not on the workbench itself.
I had one of those mounted to the bench in it's previous location, and just got done remounting it a few minutes ago. We think alike in that I was just considering looking getting a second one.
The difference between the old location and this one is that I have less ambient light; I'd like to boost that, regardless of the number of work lights. Alas, that may not be an option as I described in the first post. I may instead reposistion the existing lights to shed more of their lumens on the work surface. Being that they are slightly behind me, it creates something of a shadow, but I can kill that with the work light.
How much clearance (headroom) do you have beneath that duct? The ideal location for a fluorescent fixture would be roughly above the front edge of the bench - any farther back and it will create shadows between you and any work which is on the bench. Since your ceiling joists appear to be accessible, why not hang a single tube fixture (an under-counter style might work) from the joists, using either chain or two lengths of wood. Using wood would allow you to turn the fixture on its side, lessening the amount that it hangs down. A length of sheet aluminum could be used to fashion a reflector, or, you could simply use a 4' section of aluminum duct - instead of snapping it closed to form a duct, spread it further open, then pop-rivet it to the fixture's housing.
This would make your uppermost shelf inaccessible, so you'd need to lower it so that it's within view.
At the 2008 NMRA convention I went to the clinic called "Model Railroading for Aging Eyes." The instructor, ( an opthamology Dr. and university professor) suggested the the ideal lighting should include both ambient lighting for the entire work space and focused lighting as close to natural sunlight as possible directly over the work area. The light you have in the area (source is just out of the pic you posted) would appear to meet the need for the ambient lighting. I think a couple of Ott lights either on gooseneck stands, or clipped to the shelf would provide the necessary lighting for close work.
I suspect I have 6 - 8" headroom under the duct. Your observation about access to the top shelf is right on; a hanging light would obstruct it, which is what led to the idea of mounting a light to the underside of the shelf itself (the lower shelves that aren't yet mounted are about 7.5" deep, the top one is about 13").
However, doing that leads to obstruction of the second shelf - sigh. The uninvented paper-thin lighting element would be perfect...
Your idea of using a spread aluminum duct for a reflector is is interesting.
Russ, the ambient light on the left side of the bench is pretty good, good call there. The current ambient lighting consists of two 4 foot two-tube shoplights mounted at right angles to the workbench. The one closest to the camera overhangs my workbench by about two feet (you can see the tail of one of the mounting chains hanging down at the top left) the second light is mounted further back - it has no overlap of the bench at all. So what looks slightly dark in the photo becomes moreso when working on that side and casting my own shadow. When it comes right down to it, it's the differential of the light spread that's bothering me.
Unfortunately, the furnace is just to the right of the photo, so I have a lot of ductwork that make it difficult to posistion the current lighting to the bench's best advantage. This wasn't an issue when I hung the lights as the area was freestanding IKEA shelving units at right angles to the bench (i.e. parallel to the lights.)
have you thought about one of the 115v led strips mounted on underside of lower shelf , some of the strips put out a lot of light and there advable in sun light white.
jim
jim currie Wrote:have you thought about one of the 115v led strips mounted on underside of lower shelf , some of the strips put out a lot of light and there advable in sun light white.
jim
Thanks for the post and the idea. I came across LED's when searching a lighting site just a couple of days ago. They look intriguing (especially the low profile and very low wattage), but I'm not familiar enough with the idea to put down the cash - yet.
In the interim, I've solved the problem to my satisfaction by tweaking the locations of the two flourescent fixtures - it leaves some peripheral areas darker than the previous setup, but something had to give!
Original setup - near light is at right angles to and hangs directly over the bench (and about four inches of the top shelf). The far light is also at right angles, but is about two feet behind the front edge of the bench
Near fixture turned 90 degrees and placed just forward of the front edge of the bench (thanks Wayne). A MUCH larger well-lit area.
Far fixture moved toward the bench so that it overlaps the front edge by about 18". The darker area of the right side has been banished!
Nice! It's amazing what relocating some fixtures can do for lighting. Now get to work and make that bench top disappear underneath some clutter...I mean MRR projects. :?
tetters Wrote:Nice! It's amazing what relocating some fixtures can do for lighting. Now get to work and make that bench top disappear underneath some clutter...I mean MRR projects. :?
But FIRST I have to clutter up the shelves - When my wife and I cleaned out the other side of the basement where my last layout (and this bench) had been, a lot of "stuff" went into hiding and excepting my tool box and the little drawer organizer, has yet to come home to roost! My wife is starting to gently remind me that a lot of that stuff is still in our room.
Wow..!! Wish I had half the shelving space you have.....Maybe it's time I did some re-arranging...
Isn't that shelf underneath the bench going to be a real "shin killer"..??
Steamtrains Wrote:Wow..!! Wish I had half the shelving space you have.....Maybe it's time I did some re-arranging...
Isn't that shelf underneath the bench going to be a real "shin killer"..??
A lot of stuff had to move to make that space possible, it was part of a much larger basement re-organization. I luckily have a wife who is *very* good at that kind of thing. It is a net gain, however, as I didn't have shelves above this workbench in it's previous location.
The lower shelf is actually well out of the way; it's 18" deep compared to the bench's 30" For example, If I'm sitting on a chair at the bench, I have to extend my lower leg about 10 degrees from vertical before my foot can contact it. I'll sometimes use it as a foot rest for that reason, though not a very comfortable one (too far in and too high).
![[Image: Shopviews008.jpg]](http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/doctorwayne/Layout%20room%20tour/Shopviews008.jpg)
