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Morbius
3rd March 2013, 09:11 AM
Hi Everyone,

I am in the process of investigating ways to light my lathe, so I can actually see what I am doing properly.

I recently read an article from Popular Woodworking (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/lighting-the-lathe) that was informative.

Anyone here have suggestions for types/strength of lighting that is useful on a mini-lathe and what pitfalls to avoid?

Regards,

Craig

wheelinround
3rd March 2013, 09:17 AM
Only thing I can say is do not put a magnetic based lamp on top of the headstock

dai sensei
3rd March 2013, 09:30 AM
Here re a few: Lathe Tools - Lights - Millers Tooling, Brisbane, Australia (http://www.millerstooling.com.au/Lathe-Tools-Lights.asp). I have the first one, not with the magnetic base though, they are not strong enough so made my own with 5mm steel plate 200 square held down with good rare earth magnets. I can stretch it out full length and it holds no problem :2tsup:


Only thing I can say is do not put a magnetic based lamp on top of the headstock

Why?

Is it vibration? If so, my set-up holds without any issues.

Morbius
3rd March 2013, 09:37 AM
Only thing I can say is do not put a magnetic based lamp on top of the headstock

That idea actually worries me just looking at the pictures online of people doing that. Fortunately my headstock is rounded, so there is no temptation to even try that.

Is there a recommended type of bulb. I note on some of the other posts on this topic that some talk about halogen lights and others mention flouro bulbs.

I was actually looking at one of those long-life energy saving spiral bulbs. I figure that the reduced heat lowers the level of risk of me burning myself on it or setting something on fire. Just not sure if I should be getting a white one, or a daylight one or something else.

The other area of uncertainty as how to fix it to the lathe bench to ensure that it doesn't get in the way and can be move around to be useful. Any recommendations?

Thanks again,

Craig

Morbius
3rd March 2013, 09:46 AM
Here re a few: Lathe Tools - Lights - Millers Tooling, Brisbane, Australia (http://www.millerstooling.com.au/Lathe-Tools-Lights.asp). I have the first one, not with the magnetic base though, they are not strong enough so made my own with 5mm steel plate 200 square held down with good rare earth magnets. I can stretch it out full length and it holds no problem :2tsup:



Why?

Is it vibration? If so, my set-up holds without any issues.

I have to confess, my little lathe with it's 1/2 horsepower motor isn't likely to vibrate anything off of it in a hurry, especially if it is held on with strong earth magnets. My headstock isn't suitable (I think) for using a magnet, but looking at some of the other options on that site:

Halogen light on adjustable mount 256279

It looks like they offer some other decent solutions. Still not sure about halogen or the energy savers.

Craig

Drillit
3rd March 2013, 09:50 AM
One thing about the flouros, make sure that they do not protrude below the outer level of the top of the lamp. I have
(3) lamps one from each direction well above the lathe. They are effectively your outside floodlit type (spotlight)
and one above the lathe screwed to a shelf, it is old bedlamp, but works well. I use a magnetic lamp over the
grinder but it is separately installed by magnet on an old beer/solft drinks frig. Yes, the ole Silent Khight still goes some 60 years on. At our Mens Shed we use the magnetic
lamps on top of the Novas and we have not had any problems - my only warning is as I said - ensure the fouros dont protrude befoere the lamp opening.
To get a good look inside deep vessels, I resort to the trusty torch, only way. Otherwise I guess you can take the magnetic lamp off and look into the vessel.
Hope that helps. Drillit.

artme
3rd March 2013, 09:59 AM
Might I suggest the highest output LED bulb you can get to fit whatever light you choose?

HazzaB
3rd March 2013, 10:13 AM
I have to agree, LED s are the way to go, don't give off half he glare, don't get hot, and cheap to run, there are retro fit globes for nearly every application.

HazzaB

Morbius
3rd March 2013, 10:15 AM
Might I suggest the highest output LED bulb you can get to fit whatever light you choose?

You can get ones to fit into regular light fittings!?!

I've never even seen one of those until I googled just a minute ago. Here's an example:

LED replacement bulb 256284

I thought you'd need to get a dedicated led fitting.

It's a great option!

Thanks,

Craig

wheelinround
3rd March 2013, 10:19 AM
Many of the manufactured lamps with magnetic bases are quite strong and the closeness of bearings etc actually does draw magnetic field that far.

I saw a lamp on a Jet min at a demo a few years ago and asked if we could do a quick experiment no-one else was around but the fellows turning. The fellow turned on the lathe and then as I instructed removed the lamp from the headstock the lathe increased in RPM. In replacing it it slowed back down.

Over time the magnet will magnetize the metal around the bearings and the bearings attract steel which will wear the bearing quicker. Bit like leaving a screw driver on a magnet to magnetize it.

I have seen a home made base using a 10oz speaker magnet on a headstock :o.

BobL
3rd March 2013, 10:22 AM
I was considering adding a dedicated light as shown in some those links and then I upgraded my shed lighting. Now I have 2 double fluoros a little to the side and just behind my stance at the lather and I don't need one.

jimbur
3rd March 2013, 11:24 AM
Yes, the ole Silent Khight still goes some 60 years on.
Now there's a trip down memory lane - kero, gas or that new-fangled sparky stuff?:U

Sturdee
3rd March 2013, 12:02 PM
The other area of uncertainty as how to fix it to the lathe bench to ensure that it doesn't get in the way and can be move around to be useful. Any recommendations?

Thanks again,

Craig

I use the ordinary swing type reading lamps (similar to the one in the Popular woodworking link) that fit into a little plastic block that can be clamped on any surface. I discarded the plastic block and clamp and made a few wooden banjos for them. One at each end of the lathe. They can be moved in and out as needed.

Also for looking inside a deep hollowing I bought a $ 25 adjustable small halogen light that is very useful.

Peter.

Sturdee
3rd March 2013, 12:51 PM
Also for looking inside a deep hollowing I bought a $ 25 adjustable small halogen light that is very useful.

Peter.

Actually it was $30 and the light is LED from Ikea. (http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60169661/) Mine just sits on the bench behind the lathe but they can be adapted to fit onto a homemade banjo as well.


Peter.

kcam
3rd March 2013, 01:04 PM
256349 Found this handy pocket (telescopic with magnetic base) LED torch at Super Cheap yesterday for $8

dabbler
3rd March 2013, 01:12 PM
I use a halogen reading lamp originally intended for a desk. The base is it's transformer so it's a bit clunky if I ever re-arrange things. It has two brightness settings but is almost always on high. It's okay 90% of the time esp. when turning and finishing. It isn't as useful for inspecting close up though. I find the problem with it is the distance from light source to workpiece changes as you move it around, because the arms work as levers. A flexible gooseneck would work better.

I recently picked up a rechargeable "Batwing" light from Bunnies for $27. It sits on a hook on the wall behind the lathe. Has 3 modes - led torch, one panel (bout 18 LEDs) and 2 panel (36 LED). I can use it to find the odd dropped item or hold it over or near the workpiece and by changing the angle it's easier to see fine tooling and sanding marks. I original planned to mount it on a flexible arm, but have found it useful as-is. Only problem is you can't use it when charging (takes about 3 hours).

Paul39
4th March 2013, 04:41 AM
I saw a lamp on a Jet min at a demo a few years ago and asked if we could do a quick experiment no-one else was around but the fellows turning. The fellow turned on the lathe and then as I instructed removed the lamp from the headstock the lathe increased in RPM. In replacing it it slowed back down.

Over time the magnet will magnetize the metal around the bearings and the bearings attract steel which will wear the bearing quicker. Bit like leaving a screw driver on a magnet to magnetize it.:o.

That is most interesting! I have a big bar magnet on top of my flat headstock to keep my can of Tung oil from vibrating off.

I will try removing the magnet while running to see if it makes a difference.

As to lighting, I have a two tube 4 foot florescent fixture 3 feet above and a bit toward me over the lathe. It makes enough light so that I can take hand held photos with a "film speed" of 800. Exposure is 1/30 to 1/80 sec.

I have read all the discussion about turning and florescent lights. I don't have a problem.

The compact florescents have an electronic ballast so you don't get the 60 Hz flicker of the old long ones. LEDs are wonderful and the price is coming down. I have seen some 40 watt equivalents for around $8.00 US. There are some mushroom shaped ones that would work well for looking into bowls and vessels.

My Hegner with the square tube bed shakes and vibrates, so I hang everything from overhead that I don't want on the floor in the chips.

Over the Woodfast I have a recycled over the medicine cabinet strip with 4 60 watt compact florescents. Lots of light. Locally the CFLs are; 6 100 watt equivalent for $3.00, or 8 60 watt for the same.

smiife
4th March 2013, 07:58 PM
hi craig,
not sure if you have thought about this kind of lighting
my partner is in to aquariums and this light is brilliant
for working on your lathe,i pinched it from her fish tank:U:U
cheers smiife:2tsup:

Morbius
4th March 2013, 08:11 PM
Smiife,

That is bright! I could just about get a suntan just looking at the picture :)

I never considered aquarium lights!

Craig



hi craig,
not sure if you have thought about this kind of lighting
my partner is in to aquariums and this light is brilliant
for working on your lathe,i pinched it from her fish tank:U:U
cheers smiife:2tsup:

bassmansimon
4th March 2013, 09:19 PM
I have a jet midi 1220 lathe which came with a flexible light attached to it. I'm sure you could get similar to bench mount, but the reason I mention it is that the instructions required that you use an energy saving fluoro (I guess LED would work fine too). Imagine that this would be due to heat. After turning some things with the light at weird angles, I have noticed not only fine timber dust on and around the globe, but also the wafer thin timber shavings. I think that with a 100w incandescent globe, there might be some fire risks.

Paul39
5th March 2013, 02:40 AM
hi craig,
not sure if you have thought about this kind of lighting
my partner is in to aquariums and this light is brilliant
for working on your lathe,i pinched it from her fish tank:U:U
cheers smiife:2tsup:

Is the light LED or Florescent? I looked for aquarium lights and found both along with incandescent.

Aquarium Lighting, Fish Tank Lights & Aquarium Hoods | PetSmart (http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2769134)

Nice looking shed. Orderly, clean. Unlike mine.

smiife
5th March 2013, 08:19 PM
Is the light LED or Florescent? I looked for aquarium lights and found both along with incandescent.

Aquarium Lighting, Fish Tank Lights & Aquarium Hoods | PetSmart (http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2769134)

Nice looking shed. Orderly, clean. Unlike mine.

hi paul,
the lights are called T5fluro tubes they are various watts and you can also
get blue ones called moonlight,the shed was reorganized
over the xmas break and that is why it looks tidy,it did not stay like that for long:o
thanks anyway,
cheers smiife:2tsup:

Trent The Thief
5th March 2013, 10:43 PM
I have two lathes that are both lighted by regular shop lighting (4' daylight florescent tube) and by a dual spotlight fixture over the bed. I use daylight CFL spotlight bulbs (90W equiv.) adjusted to shine onto the workpiece.

I find that the daylight bulbs are like opening the roof to the sun ;-)

The next replacement bulbs will be LEDs in the daylight range. I just put a couple into recessed fixtures in my kitchen. They're even brighter than the CFLs were! They were more expensive, but they should outlast me by a few years.

Paul39
6th March 2013, 05:25 AM
hi paul,
the lights are called T5fluro tubes they are various watts:2tsup:

The T5s are the most efficient long tubes made at the moment. They require a ballast specifically for the for the T5. T8 tubes are more efficient than the standard T12s and can be used in T12 fixtures.

The newer electronic ballasts are more efficient than the old magnetic ballasts and have the advantage of not having the 60 Hz flicker. I think they run at about 400 Hz.

A little miscellaneous useless information I have acquired along the way.

Syd Sellers
6th March 2013, 05:45 AM
hi craig,
not sure if you have thought about this kind of lighting
my partner is in to aquariums and this light is brilliant
for working on your lathe,i pinched it from her fish tank:U:U
cheers smiife:2tsup:


Hi, why wouldn't you turn your lathe around and use some of the natural light you get??? It seems you have your back to that huge window....

Just a thought...:U

Paul39
6th March 2013, 06:15 AM
Hi, why wouldn't you turn your lathe around and use some of the natural light you get??? It seems you have your back to that huge window....

Just a thought...:U

Maybe he wants to shield the window from flying bowl blanks with his body.:D:D:D

robo hippy
6th March 2013, 07:45 AM
This type of lamp set up is pretty popular here in the US. Not sure if they are available over there.

Moffatt Products, Inc. Flexible Arms and Task Lighting (http://www.moffattproducts.com/)

Never cared for the elbow lamps as they never seem to stay put. I do have one floor lamp as well. Never liked the halogen lamps, just too hot, and found them smoking on more than one occasion. Haven't tried the LED lights. What I do have and love are Blue Max bulbs, and another similar one are OTT lamps. If you know any hand quilters, or needle point sewers, they all know about this type of lamp/bulb. Basically they are multi spectrum, and some are called therapy lamps for those of us who live in grey rainy areas. Their spectrum is closer to natural light. Ever take a sanded piece out into day light and see all sorts of scratches and other things that you couldn't see inside? These bulbs solve a lot of that problem, probably as much or more than getting prescription eye glasses. If you are on good terms with your dentist, they have some really nifty elbow lamps and multi spectrum bulbs as well.

robo hippy

artme
6th March 2013, 08:45 AM
This has turned into a very interesting thread! I have certainly learnt a few things.

The use of daylight spectrum fluros is probably the next best thing to a good LED set up.

The reason I originally suggested LED was because of two factors; the cooler temperature
and the lack of flickering that comes with fluro. The flickering can, in some case , induce a seizure.

RETIRED
6th March 2013, 03:53 PM
The flickering can, in some case , induce a seizure.Bugger, I thought it was work that did it.:D

smiife
6th March 2013, 08:27 PM
Hi, why wouldn't you turn your lathe around and use some of the natural light you get??? It seems you have your back to that huge window....

Just a thought...:U

you probably can not see from the photo but there are
2 large roller doors at the front of the shed,also we get a lot of visitors
and i like to see who is around and no one can creep up behind me:o
and scare the !#%** out of me:roll:
also a few things do come of the lathe occasionally as you all know:doh:
so i think a window in front of the lathe !!!!!!!!!!!!!! nah! not a good idea
cheers smiife:2tsup:

artme
6th March 2013, 09:22 PM
Bugger, I thought it was work that did it.:D

too much indulgence in Mother Segal's Syrup is another known cause.:D:D

jimbur
7th March 2013, 02:07 PM
The flickering can, in some case , induce a seizure.
It's a valid point. You don't have to be an epileptic to be affected by flickering. If you start to feel vague at the lathe (or any other machinery), it might not be advancing senility. Take a break and don't push yourself.

Mobyturns
7th March 2013, 09:07 PM
It's a valid point. You don't have to be an epileptic to be affected by flickering. If you start to feel vague at the lathe (or any other machinery), it might not be advancing senility. Take a break and don't push yourself.

Flickering - isn't that emerging bright ideas?? :q

Trent The Thief
7th March 2013, 10:09 PM
It's a valid point. You don't have to be an epileptic to be affected by flickering. If you start to feel vague at the lathe (or any other machinery), it might not be advancing senility. Take a break and don't push yourself.

I'll second that. Party strobes don't do me any favors. I've needed to clear the area a couple times when I wasn't even drinking.

And speaking of strobes, did this video make to you guys?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUNzaTsMFTU

Homeleigh
7th March 2013, 10:33 PM
Bought an LED lamp from Bunnings that has a clip at the base. Attach it wherever I want. Works well on both lathes.

RETIRED
7th March 2013, 11:34 PM
It's a valid point. You don't have to be an epileptic to be affected by flickering. If you start to feel vague at the lathe (or any other machinery), it might not be advancing senility. Take a break and don't push yourself.Jim, whilst my remark was flippant I know only too well what flickering or strobing can do.

I suffer from Menieres disease so am very aware of strobing lights. Our fluoros are co phased to rectify most of the problems but every now and again a certain log will set up a strobing effect. To counteract I speed it up or slow it down.

There was actually a very lengthy thread on it a while ago, here:http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/workshop-lighting-around-lathes-119892/

jimbur
8th March 2013, 05:53 PM
That's unpleasant . I have to work in short bursts.

Big A
8th March 2013, 09:15 PM
Lighting a lathe eh?

With the vast amount of experience and expertise that you fellas and fellarettes have, I am surprised that none of you have stated the patently obvious.

Just chuck a lighted match in the pile of shavings, chips and dust under the lathe and up she goes.:U

Not that steel is going to burn very well, so why bother?

On the other hand, if you want to see what you are doing, illuminating your work and lathe is another boiling recepticle of piscatorial species. An experienced turner in my neck of the woods (boom boom) has a brace of lights around and over his work areas and reckons too much light is just enough.

Cheers,
"A".

PS. About 50ml of home made rum is enough, so I better shut up.:B

Trent The Thief
8th March 2013, 09:26 PM
/snipz
I suffer from Menieres disease
/snipz



That sucks. I have bouts of BPPV.

NeilS
9th March 2013, 05:03 PM
Here (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/lighting-again-143795/#post1403572) are mine. Headstock mounted is a good solution for a swivel head lathe.

For looking deep into forms while hollowing, a head mounted LED lamp (like these) (http://dx.com/c/flashlights-lasers-999/headlamps-906?tc=AUD&gclid=CIuE57L57rUCFcQhpQodqV8Axw) are a solution.

Mobyturns
10th March 2013, 08:41 AM
That sucks. I have bouts of BPPV.


Sucks all right a relly of mine has it too.

WOODbTURNER
11th March 2013, 01:44 PM
Never too many lights for old age. Two smaller led ones are from Ikea that were on sale and the other is halogen as mentioned in other post. Also have a double fluoro billiard table light above and the white background to highlight. Got a flexible fibre optic light for seeing wall thickness for thin turning.