Light -- More light

[GailInNM]

"Speed Scotty. We need more speed."
Or something like that from Star Trek.

As any one with macular degeneration knows the cry is really for more light. Like many of us, I started out with a 60 watt incandescent bulb in a swing arm fixture to light the cutting tool area of my machine tools. Now I am to the point that I would have to look at the light bulb to tell if it is on. From there I progressed to two light fixtures with 75 watt bulbs. One of the side "benefits" of AMD is the loss of color vision and all the red light in incandescent bulbsdoes no good. From there I progressed to 6500 degree K CFL in increasing wattage as time went on. Helped a lot but by the time I reached 27 watt, 200 watt incandescent equivelent, and was still having problems I knew I had to look for a new approach.

Currently I am doing well using 16 watt bright white LED narrow beam spotlight bulbs in each fixture. I bought them from LED Wholesalers.com through Amazon. The lens is reasonably easy to clean of cutting fluid and they give me a concentrated light right at the cutting tool. The only real problems with them are they take about a second to come on, not a problem but irritating, and they are heavy. I had to replace the clamping bolts in my fixtures with some stronger bolts and nuts. Stronger springs would help also, but l only had the necessary springs for one fixture. Even without the stronger springs they work OK with the clamp bolts tightened up. But, I will replace the rest of the springs when I find some that are suitable.

Gail in NM

 

[Generatorgus]

Hi Gail, I have an accidentally broken LED in my flex work light on one side of my mill and a halogen on the other.
The LED is a fairly low wattage/output , but lacking it's really thin frosted glass it is almost as bright as the halogen, more like your spots, but way cheaper.
In addition, a 4' double tube flour. and a 500 watt halogen at clg. level. and backup with a little LED flashlight at lathe, mill and workbench.
I don't have macular degeneration, just old tired eyes. Good luck.

The LEDs also fit a standard socket and are don't weigh much.
GUS

 

[steamboat willie]

My eyes are dim, I cannot see, I've been in the shed since half past three...
I too have trouble seeing clearly, and I want to share something that I didn't invent, but have copied with great benefit.
I was having trouble with seeing the milling cutter . Put lights onto the job from both sides - double shadow.
Then, on this Forum I saw that someone had had the BRILLIANT (sorry about the pun...) idea of installing a ring led light as used in motor car lights (think Audi) around the quill. I bought two ring led lights (delivered) from China for $2 and used an old 12v ex-computer transformer (as there is bugger all current to worry about). I used double sided tape to secure the ring light around the shaft at the bottom of the quill. This means that when the light is on there is 360 degrees of light and NO BLOODY SHADOW!!!! It works brilliantly and is rather economical to boot.
Not my idea, but well worth passing on for the greater good.
Cheers!
Bill.

 

[chucketn]

Willie, do you have a link or other info on the LED Rings?

Chuck

 

[Mosey]

I installed a ring light around my mill spindle, and to my chagrin, the only shadow is directly under the spindle! So, the cutting is obscured. No good, back to the little LED task lights from Ikea at $16.00 each.
Mosey

 

[Ogaryd]

Check the new price at IKEA, $9.99 Each, I have about 10 of them around the shop. For that price you can't beat them.

Gary

 

[steamboat willie]

Hi Chuchetn!
Thanks for reading my post! I tried to copy an eBay listing for pasting here but it wouldn't let me, so, type in "12v LED ring lights" into your eBay search bar, and several of these items should appear. As I mentioned, they are terribly expensive ($4-5 for 2!!!!) out of China. I used a 12v power supply from something that must have died at some time in the past (I don't tend to throw much away unfortunately) which works perfectly as led's have such a low current rating.
Let me know how you get on, and don't hesitate if I can help you further!
Cheers!
Bill.

 

[steamboat willie]

Mosey - can you fit a ring led of bigger diameter to overcome the problem of light not getting to where you need it? Possibly even an inner ring and an outer ring might do the job.
Bill.

 

[RonGinger]

I have a grizz G0704 which has a rectangular head casting. I bought one of the strips of LEDs, something like 10 feet of them for about $15. I cut two strips and used double stick tape to apply them under the bottom edge of the head casting. I also used an old wall wart power supply. They work great- lots of bright white light right on the work area.

 

[Mosey]

Mosey - can you fit a ring led of bigger diameter to overcome the problem of light not getting to where you need it? Possibly even an inner ring and an outer ring might do the job.
Bill.

Bill,
Thanks for the idea, sold the Clausing for an Aciera. Problem solved, LOL.
Mosey

 

[GLCarlson]

Willie, do you have a link or other info on the LED Rings?

Chuck

See the latest issue of Digital Machinist! And pardon my blushes.

 

[gld]

I put 4 of these: http://www.dx.com/p/115152 on my mill and they light up the work area very well. No shadows.

 

[GailInNM]

Like most I have been concentrating on getting rid of shadows on the work piece while machining. That is great for milling to a line and similar operations.

Now, I have lost almost all the vision in one eye and that means no depth perception. Touching off of a mill cutter or trying to hit a punch mark with a drill has been coming more difficult. Standing in front of the drill press I can hit left-right no problem but may be off a 1/4 inch in the Y direction. Get X lined up, move head over to line up the Y axis and move part. Then go back to X axis and see how far I have move off it when adjusting the Y. Then repeat. Slow going.

So, I have found shadows can be good. I have a single point source light behind the tool shining at about a 45 degree angle. Turn off the side lighting. Then I have a nice clear shadow of the tool on the work piece. As I lower the tool I can see the shadow and the tool tip converge and can adjust both axis at the same time so the convergence is at the desired location. Much faster and more accurate. For me,it works well for both drilling and touching off milling cutters.

Gail in NM