Workshop lighting.

Dave Shepard · September 11, 2007, 05:15:18 PM

I am rehabing my garage into a workshop and need some ideas for lights. There are five 100w lights in a 20'x36' garage. :

I had three 4' flourescent lights over the workbench, but I am finding that no matter how I set up my workpiece, I always end up with some part of it in shadow, and that makes it really hard to follow the scribe marks. I'd be interested to know what other people use that works. I am tempted to get 6-8 8' flourescent lights and flood the place, but I am not sure that is the right type of light. Thanks.

Dave

Burlkraft · September 11, 2007, 08:42:18 PM

I have 3 rows of 8' high output fluorescents in my shop. Not much trouble with shadows ;) ;) ;)

My shop is 24' X 38' I also have white steel on the ceiling. That really helps reflect the light.

I have a row on both sides of my lathes and I have never had a problem with breaking any bulbs from stuff flying out of the lathe.....I did take a chunk to the face once tho..... :D :D :D

Dave Shepard · September 11, 2007, 08:57:18 PM

Ouch! Thanks Burlkraft. Maybe if I put enough lights in I won't have to start the woodstove. :D

Dave

scsmith42 · September 11, 2007, 09:02:07 PM

I too have several rows of the 8' high output flourescent lights in my shops. They start in cold weather and put out a lot of light.

Scott

Ironwood · September 12, 2007, 02:32:14 AM

I plastic "sleeve" all of my florecence bulbs (available at most supply houses). They break when I swing stuff around. I find that when the CRASH occurs I tended to look up at that very moment, so the sleeves are CHEAP insurance vs. a trip tothe ER to get glass out of my eyes, OH did I mention I never met a fresh pair of safety glasses I didn't like? I have a very nice collection of the type that have foam around them to protect from bouncing objects from my nose or respirator. I had to get a metal schard out of my once at the ER, they used a oscillating little "probe" to get it out, NOT FUN!!!

Reid

flip · September 12, 2007, 08:02:46 AM

We have six sets of the 8' in our shop which do a nice job. One thing I've found is that when finishing or working the wood the flouresents seem to show defects in the wood or finish more than natural sunlight. I guess it's a good thing to know when doing a project but can drive you nuts trying to get all the boo boos out.

OneWithWood · September 12, 2007, 10:11:04 AM

My workshop has many 8' HO flourescent lights hung beneath a white metal ceiling also. The ceiling is 12' so I hardly ever come close to hitting one. Excellent lighting that comes on instantly in the winter.

Larry · September 12, 2007, 01:32:23 PM

I have 8 fixtures using 4-4' T8 bulbs each along with a white metal ceiling. The fixtures all have electronic ballasts and I get instant on, no flicker, no hum, and not sensitive to temperature. I didn't use HO bulbs as they get sorta pricey but I got input from a lighting guy and we managed to balance the light close to daylight with a combination of standard bulbs.

Shop size is 24' X 30'...I'm pleased enough with the lighting that I'm going to duplicate it in the yet to be finished portion of the shop.

submarinesailor · September 12, 2007, 05:08:55 PM

To echo what Larry said - use T8s as much as possible. The T8 is so much more efficient than T12s that they pay for them selves in about 2.5 years. I have worked several large lighting replacement jobs where they went into large government buildings and replaced all the T12 with T8s – 10,000 fixtures at a time.

If you are looking to remove as much shadow as possible, use a minimum of 3 rows of fixtures – right left and center. If you can afford it, use 5 rows.

Bruce

OneWithWood · September 13, 2007, 01:21:51 PM

I wish I had known aboutn the electronic ballast when I built my workshop. I do have the instant on but there is a very noticeable hum. It cna be real distracting until I start up some equipment and put my wireless headphones on

Dave Shepard · September 13, 2007, 06:03:34 PM

I have three sets of 4' T8s, and two of them burned out the ballast last week. :( I don't know how much it is for a ballast, but I don't think I paid much for the fixture new. I think I am going to replace them with several 8' T8's.

Dave

Max sawdust · September 13, 2007, 06:39:08 PM

OK I don't have fluorescent lights

Yes I have shadows, in places I do not care about.

I have cheap outdoor spot light fixtures mounted by the workstations. My shop is unheated, and fluorescents have given me problems when it is -15 in the shop. (Don't care what the lights do when it is below -15 cause I ain't workin in the shop)
max :D :D
Yes, I turn on the lights and I think I hear the electric company meter start to run faster

TexasTimbers · September 14, 2007, 01:07:12 PM

Low Bay lighting with high pressure sodium lamps is my choice. My ridge is right at 15' so I could have gone with High Bays because they reccomend highs starting at 15' so it was a coin flip.

They aren't as bright white as metal halide but they are extremely effecient and all the lumens you need to see those fine pencil lines that are your pins and tails.

Dave Shepard · September 14, 2007, 01:46:11 PM

I am not sure which lights you are talking about kevjay, but if they are the ones I am thinking of, I don't think they will work. I need instant on/off for this application. I have worked in shops that have the big round lights suspended high up, and they are almost anti-light, they don't cast shadows, they just leave voids in your vision that leave you feeling like you are about to go blind. Not a fun working environment. :( Again, I am not sure if that is what you are talking about, but I need light that is going to reflect into all the little nooks and crannies.

Dave

TexasTimbers · September 14, 2007, 02:06:29 PM

These might be the lights you are talking about Dave but you have been exposed to them, as most people have, in a situation where the builder/installer/DIYer did not heed the manufacturers advice as to the number of lights required and placement of the lights.

You can get qucik start and hot re-strike for them, but a minimum number of fluorescents like I have in my shop cancel out any drawbacks of the 4 minute start time. I cannot get my tools out and lined out on what I want to do before the lights come up. IOW they are always ready before I am.

HPS are going to give you the best bang for the buck IMHO and when I go into a shop with fluorescent its the first thing i noitce, because unless you cram your shop full of them, they just cant give you the same high intensity lumnens, especially for the money.

But lighting is like sharpening techniques. Some like the Scary Sharp and some don't. Some like fluorescent and some don't. Neither is wrong or right it is a preference. I would just make sure you visit a shop adequately lighted with HPS before you decide it isn't for you.

Warren · September 14, 2007, 06:04:01 PM

I am not in the shop so much. So I just wired the cheap 4ft flourescent shop lights end to end over each work bench with the cheap bulbs. Unfinished ceiling, so no reflectance. But still bright enough to see everything I need to do with fine work. If I were in the shop 8 to 10 hrs per day, the more efficient bulbs and ballasts might be worthwhile. But I couldn't see it for occassional use.

Warren