Nicely done, Colin. Once the copper tubing develops a little patina, the light is going to look like it was always part of the machine.
I have seen the light (2)
Hi there fraternity.
Just a short extension to my previous post where I attempted to light up my life with some led spots over some of my machines.
This time it was the grinders turn. I use it quite a lot and it’s a good servant so decided to give it a treat. It’s a 3phase 415volt machine with 12-inch wheels, but suffers from a lack of overhead lighting.
I think the photos show the procedures. There was a small taping on the top of the casing that originally supported a small shelf, so bored it out and tapped it to 1/2-inch BSP. this allowed me to screw in a stand pipe directly into the casing. The reason being it would give me the earth route I required. The stand pipe is from a bottom entry we cistern used to accommodate a FOV. Sometimes referred to incorrectly as a ballcock. I also installed the lid of an electrical isolator box to act as a shelf.
I didn’t see the point of fitting two lights so soldered a brass screw into a piece of 15mm copper pipe that would allow the light to swivel either way.
Protected the cable through the hole in the pipe with heat shrink.
Next problem was an electrical supply. Again, same problem as last time, this machine had no neutral, only phase, phase, phase and earth. I wanted the light to come on as the grinder was switched on so. live connected to one of the phases on the switch wire to motor, bringing it on with the motor, and ran in new neutral to the machine.
I know sometimes some people use an earth point if no neutral available, but apart from being against the IEE regs it can cause problems if you have an RCD on your consumer unit (residual current device) which detects leak to earth it can inadvertently trip the device. So, based on that I ran a neutral.
Cost £8.
Nice to look at, No.
Works Yes.
Colin
Scotland
Just a short extension to my previous post where I attempted to light up my life with some led spots over some of my machines.
This time it was the grinders turn. I use it quite a lot and it’s a good servant so decided to give it a treat. It’s a 3phase 415volt machine with 12-inch wheels, but suffers from a lack of overhead lighting.
I think the photos show the procedures. There was a small taping on the top of the casing that originally supported a small shelf, so bored it out and tapped it to 1/2-inch BSP. this allowed me to screw in a stand pipe directly into the casing. The reason being it would give me the earth route I required. The stand pipe is from a bottom entry we cistern used to accommodate a FOV. Sometimes referred to incorrectly as a ballcock. I also installed the lid of an electrical isolator box to act as a shelf.
I didn’t see the point of fitting two lights so soldered a brass screw into a piece of 15mm copper pipe that would allow the light to swivel either way.
Protected the cable through the hole in the pipe with heat shrink.
Next problem was an electrical supply. Again, same problem as last time, this machine had no neutral, only phase, phase, phase and earth. I wanted the light to come on as the grinder was switched on so. live connected to one of the phases on the switch wire to motor, bringing it on with the motor, and ran in new neutral to the machine.
I know sometimes some people use an earth point if no neutral available, but apart from being against the IEE regs it can cause problems if you have an RCD on your consumer unit (residual current device) which detects leak to earth it can inadvertently trip the device. So, based on that I ran a neutral.
Cost £8.
Nice to look at, No.
Works Yes.
Colin
Scotland
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LED spots over a tool really make it easier to work with it. I have lights on both my large and smaller band saws. Pix attached. Both lights started as $12 goose neck lights one from a store, the other, longer from a thrift shop. Found a 50 watt equivilent LED spot light. Bracket on one was salvaged from my old drill press, the other is set into an electrical box. Put a switch into the larger saw's box. Simple to do, but classy results.
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Some people are highly sensitive to the blue spectrum and don't react well. All LEDs start with a lot of blue light, but they coat the emitter to block it. Cheaper bulbs eventually burn throught the coating and get far bluer over time. My research showed that CREE and Philips are considered the premium brands at this time, with coatings that don't deteriorate. I have noticed no blue shift so far in my home and shops.
All my lighting is LED now, all about 2800 to 3000 K, or "warm white".
Blue light has been found to interfere with sleep, for example, looking at an LED backlight computer or TV screen. The brain treats blue light as a "wake up, it's daytime, get going!" signal. Lots of research on that. I think that might be part of the sensitivity issue. In cheap bulbs, the power supply may cause a little flicker, which the brain treats as a danger signal when it occurs in the peripheral areas of the retina--this triggers a chemical stress response that over time is destructive to the involved tissues.
The picture shows the spectrum of both 3,000 and 5-6 K lights. You can clearly see the difference. For film, video or photographic purposes, the 5 to 6 K lights are preferred since they match daylight's spectrum. I personally find the blue-white LEDs unpleasant.
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I think containing the metal dust would be more of a concern.. Those sparks are almost
microscopic and unless there is flammable vapors near the source you don't need to be to
concerned. Once you have it set up, put a paper towel on the bench directly under the grinder.
Try to grind something hard enough to set the paper towel on fire. Betcha can't.
I think you would need to do some really hard and continuous grinding for it to be a concern.
You of course wouldn't want to grind with piles of sawdust under your bench.
....what Paul said about nooks and crannies would be advisable.
How large is the grinder and where is it going to be mounted? Mounting location would make containment of sparks and residue easier. I'm thinking the end of a bench top.
microscopic and unless there is flammable vapors near the source you don't need to be to
concerned. Once you have it set up, put a paper towel on the bench directly under the grinder.
Try to grind something hard enough to set the paper towel on fire. Betcha can't.
I think you would need to do some really hard and continuous grinding for it to be a concern.
You of course wouldn't want to grind with piles of sawdust under your bench.
....what Paul said about nooks and crannies would be advisable.
How large is the grinder and where is it going to be mounted? Mounting location would make containment of sparks and residue easier. I'm thinking the end of a bench top.
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