Cheap And Effective Tool Lights

Great idea on the Angel Eyes, Pete.

A photographer friend gave me a fluorescent macro ring light that was a close fit for the shaft of my HF mini mill. I had to make an adapter collar for a good fit, but the light was perfect for that little mill. Unfortunately, it quit working after about a year and I don't know if it was the bulb or something else. I've been unsuccessful finding a replacement bulb.

I think mills are uniquely difficult to light — at least for my eyes. I have several 48" shop lights in my shop and for the most part they make great working light for all the other tools, but the mill presents problems because no matter how broad the light sources, its broad head casts shadows on the business spot.
 
I had one of those fluorescent ring lights... it was originally intended to go on a low-power microscope. The tube was soldered in place, so it didn't seem likely that it was supposed to be replaced. When it stopped working I tossed the whole thing. Maybe a mistake, but I've already got a houseful of stuff I've been saving "just-in-case".

The Angel Eyes come in a variety of sizes -- probably limited to the various size headlights that you find on cars, but I'm not sure about that. I'll be getting at least one for the mill, and maybe another for the drill press. LEDs are notoriously resistant to shock and vibration, and ought to be able to tolerate anything a home-shop mill can put out.

My main trouble comes from poor accommodation -- I had dual-focus lens implants done a few years ago, and while I can count the hairs on a fly's butt from across the room, I need bright light to focus on close-in things, or else I need to wear 1.5 or 2.0x reading glasses. It's a good inducement to wear my (corrective) safety glasses, anyway.
 
I require glasses to see, but even with bi-focals I still struggle up close. My up close gets further away every year. Unfortunately, reading glasses only work in addition to my regular glasses, and two pairs of glasses on my face has never worked for me. The exception is 2x lenses in my welding hood. Those work great — much better than having to tilt my head back to see through the bifocals.

The older I get, the brighter my lights need to be.
 
PeteH said:
and while I can count the hairs on a fly's butt from across the room, I need bright light to focus on close-in things, or else I need to wear 1.5 or 2.0x reading glasses.
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I'm sorry but that almost made me spit my coffee at the screen :) Could be a useful trait to have though??

I like having multiple lights, ideally from different directions, so that they cast multiple shadows but those shadows aren't very dark (if that makes sense). That helps me a lot with visually finding the edge (or center) of things.
 
I have two of the lights from the first post and love them. have had no issue with flicker and the clamps hold well. Of course I do not have the clamped right to the machines. they are clamped to shelves above them. I got mine at Staples. One is almost two years old the other 1-1/2 years.
Mark
 
I bought one of those stainless steel Lowes lights,but my wife commandeered it for a sewing light. So,I'm out of luck.:) But,it has kept working for several months.

Not all their lights work as well,though. I have bought 3 of their floor lamps,that you touch to get on-off and 3 stages of brightness. Trouble is,when the 3 way bulb burns out,the lamp stops working. I still have one left,but it could blow out at any time. I enjoyed just touching them to control them,as I didn't have to get up from my recliner to reach a switch. But,I don't enjoy losing $45.00 every time a lightbulb blows out.
 
PeteH said:
I've got a couple of the Ikea Jansjo clamp lights in our bedroom, and the switch one of them started to get wonky after only about a month. One of these days I'll haul it over to Ikea for a replacement. The clamp-type sell for about $15, but they've got a disk-base style that's only $10, which I've been using as desk-lamps etc.

WRT ring lights... go on FleaBay and look for "Angel Eyes" -- all sorts of LED halos for headlamps, mostly 12VDC powered. Some pretty cheap, too.
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I had that problem Poped it apart was an easey fix
 
I use these little lights everywhere. They are really bright, batteries last a long time, and the magnetic swivel base makes them incredibly versatile! I gave them to everyone on my Christmas list. They're in everything I can think of to put them in.. airplane, cars, boat, garage, kitchen, etc... You won't be disappointed, I don't think. I'm not!

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