Task Lighting

[Tom Bender]

While this post focuses on a task that is not specifically woodworking, the results should shed light on woodshop issues and solutions.

In Winter we spend some hours doing jigsaw puzzles. The puzzle pieces are shiny and reflections were making it hard to see them. This made me look at the lighting we were using, a combination of 4 foot fluorescent and round bulbs. I hit on two improvements;

1. Polarized glasses cut the glare about in half, a significant improvement, but since my only polarized glasses are sunglasses they required even more light. I thought about getting a special pair of glasses but first went on to plan B.

B. Only one light source above my head and slightly behind does not reflect glare at me. I installed a 4 foot LED fixture and it works great. But a puzzle requires a lot of space and moving around is necessary, especially for older eyes that can only focus over a narrow range. When moving around the table hunting pieces and when someone else joins the fun it is less great.

III. Take a batch of similar pieces on a plastic board to another location for subassembly.

Still looking for better answers.

[Mark Daily]

You might try something from the TV/movie industry and use something over the light fixtures to diffuse the light. As I write this I’m not sure what exactly to use but usually it’s a thin piece of white flexible plastic.

Go to Amazon and search “light diffuser sheet” and you will find lots of plastic and fabric sheeting that may work for you.

[Roger Feeley]

Back in the day, I had some sheet polarizing film that went on studio lights. Why wear glasses when you can polarize the light?

[Doug Dawson]

While this post focuses on a task that is not specifically woodworking, the results should shed light on woodshop issues and solutions.

In Winter we spend some hours doing jigsaw puzzles. The puzzle pieces are shiny and reflections were making it hard to see them. This made me look at the lighting we were using, a combination of 4 foot fluorescent and round bulbs. I hit on two improvements;

1. Polarized glasses cut the glare about in half, a significant improvement, but since my only polarized glasses are sunglasses they required even more light. I thought about getting a special pair of glasses but first went on to plan B.

B. Only one light source above my head and slightly behind does not reflect glare at me. I installed a 4 foot LED fixture and it works great. But a puzzle requires a lot of space and moving around is necessary, especially for older eyes that can only focus over a narrow range. When moving around the table hunting pieces and when someone else joins the fun it is less great.

III. Take a batch of similar pieces on a plastic board to another location for subassembly.

Still looking for better answers.

Go to a 3d movie and keep the glasses? The theaters have an interest in keeping the visible picture bright, so the losses may not be so bad.

[Jerome Stanek]

I bounce the light off the ceiling