I've read everything I can find on this and a few other woodworking boards on fluorescent lighting, and I'm about to pull the trigger on improving the lighting in my garage/shop.

What I have:
- 18x18 ft area that needs to be lit.
- 16 foot ceiling height - finished, and painted with off-white paint.
- Currently 1 (one) incadecent fixture, with a compact fluorescent bulb in it.
- Terrible lighting - my eyes get tired so fast out there in the evenings, especially if I try to read -anything-
- I do have one magnetic base task light with a 23 watt daylight compact fluorescent bulb in it. Nice task lighting, but a frustrating to always be moving it around, and not effective for anything more than working at a single tool.

What I need:
- Better general lighting - cheap but functional.

Questions:
1) Does anyone have the FWW article that could look up with my specs, how many 32w T8s I'd need? It's no longer up for download on the FWW site as far as I can tell.

2) I don't like to be cheap, but I'd rather not spend a lot as I'm going to be moving in a few years. My plan is to run multiple cheap t8 fixtures 4 ft 2 bulb (Walmart ones seem to have a decent rep for what they are.) - 6 perhaps? Hang them close to the ceiling as to not be obtrusive, and plug them all into a power strip that will plug into a replacement incadecent fixture that has a grounded outlet on it. Price: $100 with 5000k or 6500k 86 CRI bulbs.

Or, go with 8ft 4 bulb fixtures, 3 would be about $200 with bulbs and cut down extension cords to wire them in. Downside - trying to manipulate those fiixtures to a 16ft height by myself without dying in the process (1 12ft step ladder). I do NOT relish the idea of hardwiring on that ceiling, so I'm trying to KISS. Advantage - cleaner install (flush and less cords running around)

4ft 4 bulb fixtures - 4 of them, 1 in each quadrant, again cleanest install, 33% more light, about $250-300 with bulbs, and a tough time lugging those things up to the ceiling to mount.

I don't think I'd be able to get friends to help, as no one else owns a tall step and it's not worth it to hire an electrician. So right now the first option seems the best, though ugliest (it's in my -garage- though), and easy to pull down in a few years when I move, if the new buyer has any grief with it. Oh, and I should be able to easily sink eye bolts into the ceiling and hang the lights safely by myself.

Anything I'm missing? I took a wild guess at the number of bulbs needed to get adequate lighting at 50-100 foot candles (12 bulbs at 2800 lumens per bulb over 324 sq feet, but no idea how to factor in the height).

Thanks for putting up with the rambling, as well as your input!

Best,
Christopher