Shop Lighting

[Rob Wilson]

I'm setting up shop lighting now.

Debating using shoplights vs strip lighting - with T8 bulbs in either case. Seems like the strip lights would spread out the light over a greater area, and fixtures look more substantial. Shop lights a little easier to install and no "lost light" to the ceiling. Your opinions welcome.

BTW, bought 2 "shop light" fixtures to try out a few locations - instructions said to install bulbs and plug in before mounting - and return to store if it didn't work. Lo and behold, it didn't work - nothing like doing the QC yourself!

[Barry O'Mahony]

Seems like the strip lights would spread out the light over a greater area

Yep, and it's not an illusion. For long, continous lines of lighting, the intensity drops away linearly with the distance, as opposed to point sources like light bulbs or short tubes, where the intensity drops away with the square of the distance. That's why strip lights are a good idea for ceiling-mounted lighting; even down at bench level, the light level is still pretty bright.

[lou sansone]

I use a combination of lights :
A. 4 foot industrial lights with reflectors that allow some light to be directed up wards,

B. 3 - 250 watt low bay Metal Halide lights

C. Several incandescent bulbs in 16" white reflectors

4.Some explosion proof fixtures with 100 watt bulbs

5. A couple of spot lights in certain areas

works good for me

lou

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

The only thing I'll add is that you should put in more lights than you think you need. As we get older (I'm told ) out eyesight goes, so if you put in what you need now, in 10 years or so, you may be installing more lights. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be putting those lights up now, than when I'm 10 years older

Cheers!

[Mike Cutler]

The only thing I'll add is that you should put in more lights than you think you need. As we get older (I'm told ) out eyesight goes, so if you put in what you need now, in 10 years or so, you may be installing more lights. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be putting those lights up now, than when I'm 10 years older

Cheers!

I have to drag a mini desk light light spot around with me most of the time for extra lighting. Sure am glad that I put 115 receptacles next to every 220 receptacle.
Shop lighting for me is 5, 150 watt halogens, and a bunch of incandescants.
I thought about going the flourescent tube route, but decided to use the same type of lighting in the shop, as found in a home. It helps me to see how something will actually look in the house when finished.
I also found that if you were agreeable to closeout fixtures, from an actual lighting store, you could beat the pants off the Borg stores for price and quality. You also walked out of the store with All of the necessary parts.

[tod evans]

rob, it sounds as though lou has close to optimal indoor lighting, my shop is height challanged so metal halides are out. i have primarly 4 tube 4` commercial fixtures with some indoor spots. i also have a few salvaged 8` 2-tube fixtures.....far from optimal in the winter or at night...02 tod

[Chris Damm]

I've got 9 two bulb 8' t12 fixtures in my 25'x25' shop. It worked out to about twice the recomended light but to my "older" eyes, it is perfect. No eye strain, no shadows, and no need for task lighting! I also have 4 100w incandesant bulbs for short trips to just get a tool. All my older buddies are impressed with how well lit the shop is. My shop is also painted a semi gloss white and you would not believe the difference that makes!

[Alan Turner]

On the recommendation of a lighting designer, I went with 8' fixtures, with 4, 4' t-8's, in pairs, end to end (in each fixture), and then put these end to end. They are 8' high, on 8' centers, arranged perpendicular to the benches. There is plenty of light at bench height for most every need. I went with a 10% pierced white reflector to give a better look to the shop, but this was just aesthetics.

The new shop lighting is shown on the home page and studio pages of Philadelphia Furniture Workshop website. Just posted them.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

My approach is the most sophisticated I have ever encountered. ;-)

I add light when I want more light. Slowly over the years I have increased my light usage.

My preferred lighting is the 4' double full ballast shop fixtures sold in the BORG for about $15 to $20 a pop.
Reason: I can leave them on 24-7 and not worry about the electrical bill.

Of course it won't hurt to have a couple of those time honored "north facing windows."

[Tyler Howell]

[quote=Rob Wilson]I'm setting up shop lighting now.

Debating using shoplights vs strip lighting - with T8 bulbs in either case. Seems like the strip lights would spread out the light over a greater area,

Please define strip lighting

[Jim O'Dell]

I used the T-8 strip lights, but built my own reflectors. Todd, my shop is height challanged also, so I recessed the lights up into the ceiling joists, with the "reflectors" goin from the bottom of the 2 ceiling joists that mad up the bay for the light. I think that they will work well for my situation. If interested, see post #54 on this thread for a picture. Post #53 tells what material I used for the reflectors. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...adow+creations
Good luck, Rob! I agonized over the placement and quantity of lights for a long time. Jim.

[Bill Lewis]

My basement 32' x 17' shop uses 9 4 foot, 4 bulb troffers (HD Best, electronic ballast) in a drop ceiling. It's perfect, plenty of light with no need for spot or task lighting. I followed the guildlines set forth in an article printed in either a Fine Homebuilding, or Fine WW'ing mag (I belive the author is a member here) I subscribe to both.

Stu, as you get older you do need more light, I only recently hit the age that this happens. It was like someone turned off the lights on me. When I was following the guidlines from the article, I followed the one for the older age bracket, even though it hadn't hit yet. I'm glad I did.

[Matt Meiser]

I went to a local lighting supply place and had them design my lighting, which was a free service. They recommended 8' high output fixtures which have been great and start at low temperatures no problem. The fixtures were expensive, but worth it. For my finishing booth, I bought 3 4' fixtures which aren't enough. When we replace the track lighting in our kitchen, I'm going to put them in the booth for additional lighting.

[Rob Wilson]

[quote=Tyler Howell]

I'm setting up shop lighting now.

Please define strip lighting

Tyler, here are a couple of pics - strip light (solid mounting to ceiling, no reflector) and shop light (suspended from chains, needs minimum of 3" between ceiling and fixture, and has reflector).

[Jamie Buxton]

I've had shops equipped with fluorescents. I've bought the best bulbs I could find -- that is, high CRI (color rendering index). The results have been unsatisfactory: the wood color isn't right. It is washed out and green. Twice in the past 15 years I've tried to convince myself to live with that ugliness, and eventually replaced the fluorescents with halogen floods.