Narrow shop light question

[rick carpenter]

My 'shop' for now is the side wall of my garage, basically ~18' x ~4'. My bench is two sections of 6'x16" tops mounted against the wall with a 2' center section for the router table, making for a total surface area of 14'x16". I have read the shop lighting sticky but I don't think it addresses my particular situation.

I'm looking for suggestions on how low/high to mount three 2 bulb 4' light fixtures since they'll have such a straight down area to light and will have the wall as a reflector. I may have a separate flexy or 'boom arm' light over the router/center section.

[Jack Lindsey]

My 'shop' for now is the side wall of my garage, basically ~18' x ~4'. My bench is two sections of 6'x16" tops mounted against the wall with a 2' center section for the router table, making for a total surface area of 14'x16". I have read the shop lighting sticky but I don't think it addresses my particular situation.

I'm looking for suggestions on how low/high to mount three 2 bulb 4' light fixtures since they'll have such a straight down area to light and will have the wall as a reflector. I may have a separate flexy or 'boom arm' light over the router/center section.

Based on your comment that the wall will act as a reflector it sounds like the wall will be painted a light color. If that's the case I'd mount the fixtures so they are in a line directly overhead when you are standing at the bench. That should put them about 16" to 18" away from the wall. Locating them closer to the wall may result in a form of objectionable reflected glare known as a veiling reflection.

[Russ D Wood]

It all depends on the type of work being done on the bench. I do a lot of little hand work on one of benchs and on that bench I have mounted the light a little lower but seems like I end using a small gooseneck neck lamp to add to the light. On the other benchs I have the light up high and against the wall. Just 'my way' not neceesarily the 'right way'! Russ