Dealing with light has been a constant struggle in my workshop. It has no windows, and so no natural light at all. I’ve gone through several different lighting setups, and finally gotten to the point were I am happy.

Three things made for a usable setup.

First, flower style led lights in the cieling. I first heard about these when Bill Carter got one for his shed and raved about it. They are bright, insanely bright. I got two, put one on each end of my little workshop, and I could flood the place with light. As a general lighting solution, These are the bees knees. I rarely turn both on. Sometimes you want raking light to spot scratches. But… shadows exist. I found that when sawing, the saw, my own body, or something else would interfere, and I was still squinting into the dark to see what I was doing.

The second part of the puzzle was an led head lamp. I already had a head lamp, but it produced a sort of a spot light effect that was not that useful. I spotted the one I use now being sold very cheaply and ordered it on a whim. Its a wide band of leds, and throws a very broad bright field of light. Its light, its USB chargable, and lasts for hours on a charge. If I have it on, there is light were I am looking. For sawing in particular, it is a godsend.

The last part of the puzzle …. some reading glasses. This year age caught up with me. Around march I was trying and failing to read some tiny instructions for one of the kids toys. I had to use my phone to take a picture and zoom to make them out. Oddly small I thought. A few weeks later it happened again, and then again. The reality of the situation struck me. My eyes are not what they once were. I picked up some cheap Aldi reading glasses, and found I could read the tiny print just fine with them. I also brought them into the workshop to try them when dovetailing. Suddenly knife lines I have struggled to make out were crystal clear. I do not wear them for general work, but when it comes to fine detail, I break them out pretty regularly now. I keep a few cheap pairs on the bench. My favorites are cheap, foldable, and come with a nice little pouch to protect them. If you are struggling to see the details in your work, or even make out the line you are cutting to, perhapps its time to pick up a cheap pair and see if they make a difference.

Flower bulb

The “flower” Led bulbs I put in my workshop. This one is a bayonet, you can get screw in ones just fine. The “petals” can be tilted up at an angle to get light were you want it. I got mine from Amazon.

Headlamp

The LED headlamp. It has several modes of brightness, its light, and it is quick to charge. I do not know how long it will last, but at 5 euro, it has already earned its keep. I got mine here. I got the one with the single row of LEDs. It provides plenty of light.

Reading Glasses

My favoured pair of cheap reading glasses. They fold up small, the case keeps the workshop dust off them when not in use, and at a fiver a pair, I do not get upset if I trash them. I got mine here