You...You Light Up My Lathe

Vaughn McMillan

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I've had a Moffatt lamp attached to the headstock of my lathe since I first set it up. It's been great, but it's not long enough to reach around a lot of larger pieces. I decided to build an articulating arm to mount the lamp on. I stole this idea from my buddy Philip Morris on another forum, but modified it a bit to elevate the horizontal arm enough to clear large pieces and my DC scoop.

Here is it folded up, and tucked in close to the headstock...

Articulating Light Arm - 16 800.jpg

...and partially extended...

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...and fully extended, beyond the end of the lathe bed...

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When it's stretched out all the way, it sags a bit, but I don't anticipate using it out there a lot. It will be handy, though, for times when I'm using the tail end of the lathe bed as a spare bench space for things like signing the bottoms of pieces and such. It'll also reach the Workmate I have set up behind the lathe, as well as the bandsaw to the left of the headstock.

The whole thing is mounted to the lathe with this. It's a 3/4" hardened steel bolt welded to a piece of solid 1" x 1" steel bar. Here's another pic...the old guy at a local machine shop did it for me in a couple of minutes, then refused to let me pay for it. Lock washers keep it in place, but I also drilled a detent hole in the bolt so I can use the spring pin for a little extra backup. (The bracket and spring pin were originally for mounting the wire safety cage that I've never attached to the lathe.)

Articulating Light Arm - 11 800.jpg

The vertical bar (the solid steel one) is tapped in the top end to accept a 7/16" hardened steel bolt. The threads go about 1 1/4" down into the end of the bar for strength. I've got bronze thrust bearings (look like washers to me) top and bottom to allow the horizontal arm to swivel without loosening the bolt.

Articulating Light Arm - 12 800.jpg

The horizontal arms are 12" long 1" square tube, and the joints are just 5/16" (I think) bolts with nylon washers between the pivot points and the tightening knobs. The nylon washers allow me to tighten things up so they don't move unless I want them to.

Articulating Light Arm - 06 800.jpg

The end piece has a stud bolted onto it to accept the quick-release swivel connection at the base of the Moffet lamp. (The stud is normally mounted on a bracket.)

Articulating Light Arm - 13 800.jpg

And another shot showing the base of the lamp attached...

Articulating Light Arm - 19 800.jpg

I have another Moffet lamp that's mounted on a non-swiveling magnetic base. I move it wherever is handy, but much of the time it lives stuck to the bottom of my hanging air filter.

Articulating Light Arm - 18 800.jpg

Between the two lamps, my lathe area is pretty well-lit now.
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great idea vaughn but in the last 3 pics all i could think off was those poor flat work tools just being neglected by you becasue of that big mustard rascal:) you even had some of the coverd up like a evacuated old house:D
 
Vaughn,
That is a bright idea!:D
I have a couple of spots mounted on the rafters of my shop that shine down on the lathe.. sometimes they get a little warm, but lights up my work... still have to have a flashlight handy for hollow forms so I can see inside them.

I have an articulated desk lamp over my mini lathe, but usually it's in the way... every time I get it set right, I bang it with my head and knock it out of alignment..
 
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Vaughn your arm looks great.:thumb: It is very functional and has a great amount of reach and movement. I wish every lathe manufacture would make these arms as standard equipment or at least as an optional accessory. I love the Moffat lamps I think they are the best lamp going for task lighting in the shop. Thanks for sharing It always helps to see how others tackle a common problem such as enough light.

Its funny as I have gotten older light has become more important. When I was 20 I could see by moonlight now its hard to see on an overcast day.:D

When I built my stand I also built an articulated arm that has a decent amount of reach. But it did mine so I could reach the arm over the bed so I had a light source when my headstock was swiveled for outboard turning. I have added another mounting bracket on mine for a second lamp since this photo was taken. At the time I built the arm the second lamp was planned but just wanted to get turning and I was also broke and did not want to spend the money.

Vaughn, again thanks for sharing such an enlightening idea. :)
 

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Okay! now I am upset!:) BLACK! on a mustard!!! Should I send you a can of mustard spray paint... :doh:

Well done even if you did use black paint! :rofl:
 
Vaughn,

You may remember that I posted a link to a similar lamp project on another forum. (the one I can not log onto anymore)

I think you commented on the project that I posted about.

After seeing your articulating lamp design -- I decided to copy it - especially the riser link... gets it up and out of the way.

I changed your desiged to use three 12" arms instead of four.

I am waiting on the lamp to arrived from woodcraft.. hope you do not hold a patten on the design... :)
 
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Paul, I borrowed the idea from another turner, so you might as well, too. ;) The one I copied had three arms instead of four, but without the riser. The hardest part for me was tapping the deep hole in the end of the riser, but I just took my time and used lots of thread cutting oil.

I gotta say after using it now for a few nights, I'm very happy with how it works. No more compromising on the location of the light. :)
 
Vaughn,

I did not use a solid bar for a riser but a heavier gauge square tube and welded a bolt in the hole -- seems to be very strong/solid.. This was a tube that I had in my junk metal pile... I had to buy the other arms at Lowe's.

Still waiting on the lamp to arrive...
 
Great addition, You can tell the age of the turner by the size of the bulb in his Lathe Light....:D I did a walk through St. Vincent DePaul (local Mission store) looking for Pinapple goodies for my Pineapple Princess (LOML) when I saw this gem, $2 and the bulb still works.... Lady says they get them quite often so I am going back for a Band Saw Light or Drill Press Light, Or a finishing Light. For these tired old eyes....

lathelamp.jpg
 
Lamp arrived today -- thank you Fed-ex.

Mounted and using it.. 2 questions. for Vaughn

1. Where did you get the large knobs (black)?

2. If I remember on another forum you mentioned the type of 100W bulb that you are using.. I am blocked and can not do a search for your post. Will you please share the name and where it can be purchased?

~~~~~~~~~~
My rig is not a pretty as yours.. but it is very functional.. and I really like the thing..

paul
 
Paul, the knobs came from Rockler. They were part of a t-track and hardware kit that I got for half price during a sale a year or so ago. I know my local mini-borg (Do-It Center) has them (or something similar) in the hardware section. They are in the little thin drawers where they have all the other oddball fasteners and pieces of hardware. The bulbs are GE Reveal bulbs. To me, it's a more natural light, and which particularly helps when I'm sanding.
 
Vaughn,
That is a bright idea!:D
I have a couple of spots mounted on the rafters of my shop that shine down on the lathe.. sometimes they get a little warm, but lights up my work... still have to have a flashlight handy for hollow forms so I can see inside them.

I have an articulated desk lamp over my mini lathe, but usually it's in the way... every time I get it set right, I bang it with my head and knock it out of alignment..

Sounds like a big head problem to me.

Just a few applications of articulated arm lights.
 

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