Advise on working area lighting?

Judith Billig · #1 2010-01-11, 3:47pm

My torching area is too dark. I wasn't even aware how dark it is until I visited a fellow lampworker's studio. Wow, what a difference!

My challenge is that I'm torching against the wall, and have an overhead ventilation hood that gives a huge shadow from the lights on the ceiling (which are in any way approx. 1.5 meters behind me, so I'm additionally casting my own shadow onto the torch area).

I did add a desk lamp, but that's just too little to make a difference.

Here's a photo of my working area. It's old and my set up changed, but the arrangement of torch, hood & light are still the same.

Any ideas how I could significantly improve the lighting situation? Thanks!

Hayley · #2 2010-01-11, 3:54pm

Judith - we have a similar set up with the overhead hood (ours is wider to accommodate two torches) and we even have baffles on three sides. I actually love how dark it is for I can judge the glow of the silver glass much better to strike and restrike. We do clip on a light right on the front of the hood to flip on to check colors. You may consider doing that - adding clipped on lights.

Having gotten used to our "cave," I usually have a bit of trouble adjusting to very bright studios when I teach! lol!

J&M · #3 2010-01-11, 4:11pm

Hello Judith,

I have one very similar to yours with a pair of fluorescents underneath. I have a clip-on light such as Haley mentioned also. (It's not shown here however)

Jack

J&M · #4 2010-01-11, 4:19pm

Here's the clip-on light I use.

Hope this helps!

Jack

Elizabeth Beads · #5 2010-01-11, 4:52pm

How about a standing OTT lamp? Now what I want is your red chair!

Judith Billig · #6 2010-01-11, 6:03pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by erose

How about a standing OTT lamp? Now what I want is your red chair!

That red chair doesn't live here anymore

It was actually crap. Got it from Ikea and it worked only for 5 or 6 months. It would always fall down to the lowest position.

Now I have a fabulous office chair from Staples. Which stays where I want it, and which slides properly across the floor.

Judith Billig · #7 2010-01-11, 6:05pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by J&M

Here's the clip-on light I use.

Hope this helps!

Jack

Thanks for the image Jack. I don't think that would work for me, because the hood starts fairly close above my head. I would have these clip ons basically left and right side of my ears. At least I wouldn't get cold ears, right.

Maybe I could clip them onto the left and right side of the hood though.
Did you clip them onto the metal of the hood? Just thinking about how thin the metal is and whether it would create vibrations.

Judith Billig · #8 2010-01-11, 6:06pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by J&M

Hello Judith,

I have one very similar to yours with a pair of fluorescents underneath. I have a clip-on light such as Haley mentioned also. (It's not shown here however)

Jack

Jack, that inbuild fluorescent light looks fabulous. Was that already fitted to the hood or did you modify the hood to accomodate the lights?

J&M · #9 2010-01-11, 6:38pm

I had our HVA/C guy install it when he put in the vent. system. He said it was a very easy thing to do. The light comes on when I turn on the ventilation system.

The clip-on lamp is right on the hood. You can basically clip it anywhere it will hold on to.

Jack

J&M · #10 2010-01-11, 7:06pm

Here's another angle a bit closer of the clip-on. They have a pretty strong grip, so I haven't had any problems with it slipping or falling. I believe they're about $5 a piece... if THAT much at Home Depot, Walmart, Ace, Target, etc.

Good luck with it,
Jack

Bellagirl · #11 2010-01-11, 10:25pm

This is the style of halogen shop lights I use, everyone who visits & lampworks raves about how good the lightening is. I love that I don't have shadows!

I had a ventilation overhead also and hung one of these lights as close to hood as I could. They have an angle adapter at top (to direct light)and also easy to change height via chain & S hook.

I bought mine from home improvement store, but more difficult to find now & some I have ordered online. Good luck! If you have trouble finding some PM me & I can look up my brand name etc.

Jolene

http://doitbest.com/Work+Lights-Coop...sku-533254.dib

Judith Billig · #12 2010-01-12, 12:35am

Jack, thanks for the close-up. I see now how you fixed it and I think it could work if I clamp those down on the left and right side of the hood instead of the front. And that would be a very cost effective solution.

Jolene - those ones are the exact lights that I saw in the collegue's studio. I tried to find them at Lowe's and Home Depot, but they didn't have them. And then it dawned on me that it doesn't make much sense with my big hood in the way.
I wasn't aware that they have an angle adapter, and just imagined that they would just cast a shadow onto the torching area. So that cold still work out, because I really think halogen is the way to go (or maybe a mix of both ... the clamp lights and the hanging halogens, fixed really close to the hood).

Thanks so much guys for all your input, I have now a much better idea about how I can improve things. I'll post an "after" picture once I got everything organized.

J&M · #13 2010-01-12, 12:37am

You're very welcome! Good luck and looking forward to some pics!!

Jack

Bellagirl · #14 2010-01-12, 7:46am

You are welcome Judith. I think both is a great idea!

Even though the lights are hard to find (probable need to order online), the bulbs are at Lowes/Home Depot & my lights have been in garage for 8 years and tolerate the temperature extremes well

Good luck!

RSimmons · #15 2010-01-12, 9:13am

I used to have some small halogen lights in the hood but I recently replaced them with 3 under-cabinet LED light sets. Low power use, bright white light and no extra heat generated. Got them at Lowes for $45.00.

Robert

Judith Billig · #16 2010-01-12, 11:57pm

Robert, that's interesting. So how/where did you fix these LED lights? Into the hood? On the front of the hood?

AKDesigns · #17 2010-01-13, 12:24am

We have a lighting stand with a tripod that I clip lights on to.

Judith Billig · #18 2010-01-13, 12:30am

Amy, doesn't that throw big shadows? I guess no, else you wouldn't do it LOL.
So is it a really high tripod? And what kind of light do you use - halogen? Thanks!

AKDesigns · #19 2010-01-13, 12:32am

Nope, no shadows. It's pretty much right over my back left shoulder. I think it just has a regular bulb in it. I could use even more light than I have. I can take a picture tomorrow to show you how it's set up.

Judith Billig · #20 2010-01-13, 12:33am

That would be great. Love to see all the pictures of the different work areas and how people solved the problem.

AKDesigns · #21 2010-01-13, 12:34am

The light stand is taller than me too. I think we actually used it as a stand for a banner for out show booth so it probably goes to 10 feet.

bead crazy · #22 2010-01-13, 12:39am

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSimmons

I used to have some small halogen lights in the hood but I recently replaced them with 3 under-cabinet LED light sets. Low power use, bright white light and no extra heat generated. Got them at Lowes for $45.00.

Robert

I have some small halogen light on the inside of my hood mine is a kitchen hood my DH put a new fan in so there was a spot at the front that he mounted them in. BUt they are coming out they get really hot on my hands as I am holding my mandrels and I want some like Jolenes. I have seen and torched by these lights and I can tell you they are as great as Jolene says.

RSimmons · #23 2010-01-13, 10:26am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarus Beads

Robert, that's interesting. So how/where did you fix these LED lights? Into the hood? On the front of the hood?

I glued some small wood blocks to the inside of the hood - one over the torch and one on each end (I've got a 50 inch Glasscraft hood), then attached the LED mounting brackets to the blocks with small screws. It really is a lot cooler - you get virtually no IR emission from the LEDs where you could just about cook under the halogens.

Robert

AKDesigns · #24 2010-01-13, 11:21am

My vent hood has a couple of small halogen lights. That along with the light on the pole and a the natural sunlight coming through all the windows is enough light for me. On cloudy days I could use another light. I don't torch at night but if I did I would definitely need another light.

cheng076 · #25 2010-01-13, 11:51am

My hood has a fluorescent shop light across the front inside the front of the hood and a halogen shop light at each end also inside the hood. The two types sort of balance colorwise and the fluorescent is great for checking marble roundness and for surface imperfections. The switch is right next to the vent switch. very easy to mount and out of the way; no glare. My bench is flat black hardiboard so I like the brightness of good light.
PJ

Firebrand Beads · #26 2010-01-14, 12:37pm

Goodwill swingarm desk lamp = 50 cents. good, old, made of metal.
halogen bulb with screw-base = 4.50 or so
dark where the fire is, bright where I want to see detail with just the quick swing of a lamp = priceless!