What kind of lighting at the grinder?

JAG

JAG

Well-Known Member
OK dogs, I am having trouble lighting my grinder area. I bought a worklight, the aluminum ufo looking lights and hung it above my grinder with a Halogen bulb thinking it would be bright right over my grinding area. This has not worked out at all, I have to lower it too far to get good light and it is hot!! What kind of lighting do you have for your setup? Should I just get a couple more Fluorescent and be done with it? Suggestions?
Thank you!
Jerry
 
I use low voltage 50watt halogen machinists lamps on a flex goose neck. They don't get too hot and throw a strong, bright white light. Better lighting = better knives.
 
As you get older (I just turned 47) you'll find that there is never enough light around the grinder. I have TWO different sets of track lighting...one is located directly above the grinder, and contains 5 fixtures, two with incandescent bulbs, and two with florescent flood bulbs. The second set is about 2 feet behind where I stand, and above the grinder, and it contains 7 halogen fixtures. I also have two swing arm lights that are attached to a shelf behind the grinder, that I can position however needed. In my experience, no matter how good your eyes are, the grinding area should be the most well lit area of the shop...poor lighting at the grinder is one of the aspects we have control over....control it to your advantage.
 
Thanks guys! Ed I am right behind you at 45! I figured it would be easy to set up because my original thought was to come in from above but that did not work with my choice of light and fixture. I think I will shoot for a combination of the overhead lighting and some sort of swing arm as well. Tracy, I have seen those machinist lights and they look pretty versatile. Where is a good place to find a deal on those?
 
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JAG said:
Thanks guys! Ed I am right behind you at 45! I figured it would be easy to set up because my original thought was to come in from above but that did not work with my choice of light and fixture. I think I will shoot for a combination of the overhead lighting and some sort of swing arm as well. Tracy, I have seen those machinist lights and they look pretty versatile. Where is a good place to find a deal on those?
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I have one as well and love it.
Check out www.use-enco.com, www.mscdirect.com, or www.travers.com They all have them.

Good luck, Duncan
 
Yup im in the same boat need glasses and lots of light. I use about 4 clamp on style magnifying glass lamps one at each station . and run over head lighting as well. the magniflyers are really handy when you want to check your work. kellyw ps found them on discount at superstore for 7.50 so I bought 5 of um lol
 
I have a lot of the swing arm lights with the spring loaded hinges, but, I recently got a halogen with the flexible neck and will get more. First place they will go is on the grinders. You can aim them so much better.
 
In fluorescent lights, I really like the "Daylight" 6500K colour; it seems so much brighter.

They are available in tubes and also in Compact spirals that fit into a gooseneck arm light.
They are 15$ each here, but I like the 150 Watt Equivalent at about 45Watts...and they are cool. I have used Halogens, but have a lot of forehead burns from trying to get too close.
 
BossDog said:
I use low voltage 50watt halogen machinists lamps on a flex goose neck. They don't get too hot and throw a strong, bright white light.
Better lighting = better knives.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Aint that the truth. My shop was too dark.
Amazing what better lighting will do.

Im not sure what the bulbs I use are called. They are the kind that go in a lot of flood lights. Look like cylinders about 4 inches long. I have two of these in a fixture hanging above each grinder. They are super bright but they do put off some heat.
 
I use compact flour. on a goose neck with 4-tube flour. above.

I've also just raised my grinder so the focal length of my "2.5 bi-focal safety readers" match center of wheel to eye length. I don't stoop over as much, go out of focus, and get tired and make mistakes...... as much

I also have been trying to use a shadow at the blade edge as a guide when grinding edge up, but haven't perfected this yet. Sometimes I thin the edge unknowingly (is that a word?)

Still lots to learn at the grinder.
Mark

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Well I was trying to figure out how to light my shop. This is a great thread. I will be 45 this year and it seems like I never have enough light to see what I am doing.
 
I know it does not help you but I have a 400 watt HID fixture from a factory over mine, so I can grind with sun glasses oncool 1 It just goes to show that there really is no such thing as too much light.
 
Had the same problem
Never had enough light

Still don´t have enough
But with 5 of the biggest fluorescent tubes I could get mounted more or less right above the grinder it´s getting better
 
I had bought a HF double halogen work light stand. After about 1/2 hour of use the bulbs burnt out. I tossed the lights that came with it and still use the stand with clip on lights and it works pretty good. When you get as old as me you do most things by feel anyway. :D
 
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