Ramblin' Dan's Workshop

The Sanctum of Fine Art and Invention

Bench Lighting

I am glad to have the new bench installed and working. I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet for any real work but I know it will be just fine.

I want to add a few accessories to the work area. It really needs it's own task light or two and maybe three. I did some investigation and three lights (three directions) are actually a recommendation for detail task work.Dazor 3-tube Classic
I have the overhead shop light and that is OK for finding the bench. You will notice in any of my shop photos that every machine has a task light of its own. The X3 mill actually has two, one on each side. Yes, they are needed.

I am thinking a classic Dazor dual or triple bulb wide florescent swing arm desk lamp with a heavy base would be perfect on the high bench just behind the low bench location. Being a heavy base makes it completely adjustable and movable. Far better than a solid mount fixture since I have all that flat space at the higher level.

The triple lamp is a new lamping of an old design. The new smaller diameter fluorescent bulbs (T8 and T6) have permitted new options in fixtures. They use electronic ballast systems that are smaller, use less power and run at a much higher frequency than 60 HZ. That means instant on, no hum and no flicker.

Then I am thinking I could supplement the Dazor classic fluorescent by use of one or more smaller high intensity LED lights I can move and adjust for proper contrast when doing detail work. Dazor makes them too.

I have the large magnifying swing arm fixture but it has a fixed mounted base. The built in side lighting is not very effective as the large lens still requires fairly close in work and I find my hands cast shadows on whatever I am holding. The lights are in the wrong place and can't be adjusted. Lesson learned. It is still usable but requires additional rear lighting.

TWolf EcoFlex II Magnetiche new LED lights are up to the task. They are very bright and small. Gloria uses a battery version all the time for her close sewing and she has not complained. They are worth looking into but not literally.

I priced an LED version of the classic Dazor weighted base desk light (shown above) and the initial cost is $130 more than a three tube fluorescent. I can burn the fluorescent bulbs for 20,000+ hours and replace the bulbs once before I could save enough in electricity to compensate the $130 cost difference.

In this case because of the initial extra cost, saving money is a bare face lie for going to LED lighting. There are a lot of other good reasons, but until the initial cost comes way down, I don't save money. The ROI (Return On Investment) is about ten years of heavy 2,000 hrs/yr use. Then I could brag about saving money.

But like I said there are plenty other good reasons for LED Lighting. I really do like what is being developed using LEDs but not for the ROI. I am certainly going to give task lighting a go with LED lamps. Of course I will be writing about what I discover. Note: Dazor products are made in the USA.

 DAZOR 318A3 3-Tube Desk Lamp

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Here is the fixture straight out of the box. No assembly required. Just remove some internal cardboard packing and some plastic wrap. The lamps were preinstalled. This light was truely plug and play. Zero setup. Just unpack.
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These 3 lamps are T8 15 watt Full Spectrum 5900K. 6500K Daylight are also available. As you can see there is a whopping amount of light out of the three lamps.

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