There can never be too much light

To make, one must see

Today’s story is on illumination. ~JRC

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Better lighting - what a bright idea. Image by Mehedi Hasan via Unsplash.

First, let me clarify one thing: this essay's title is misleading. Yes, there can be too much light. For example, in welding. If you don't shield your eyes from the arc, bad things happen. The same is true for staring into the sun. Lasers - ditto. But for "regular" activities that don't involve retina-searing intensity, the more visible light, the better.

Never is this more true than in the shop.

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Shop lighting is essential to good design. We need to see what we are doing to do a job well. Without it, we might as well be making with our eyes closed.

It's amazing how much shadow a thin ruler casts. Discerning where the instrument ends and the work begins is impossible in bad lighting. The same is true for eyeing up symmetry. Often, we rely on our “eye” to find the middle, center, or balance in a design. With inadequate lighting, such perceptions skew, and errors ensue.

As challenging - the "lost pit of dark storage." You know what I mean - those spaces, drawers, and crevices where we can't adequately see well enough to know what's in there. These are the dimly lit corners of our shops where good tools go to hide.

A well-lived-in space has hordes of good stuff unused, if only because one can't readily see what’s at their disposal.

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Poor lighting wasn't always the issue it is for me today. My former “youthful” eyes could somehow pierce the darkness. But as I've aged, so too have my peeps, and more and more these days, I suffer in the dark.

Addressing the fate dealt by time, I've worked on brightening up my shop. But despite adding lights seemingly everywhere - six 4' overheads, two desk lamps on the bench, and a wall-mounted bulb - I still have several dark spots that befuddle my aging eyes.

Lots of good stuff hidden in the dark.

I know there’s something in there I need - but who wants to stick their hand into a dark hole?

So this last week, I decided to address a few remaining poorly lit recesses using modern LED strip lights. And the result certainly shines.

LED strip lights are cheap and easy to install.

LED lights come in various styles, colors, and sizes, but these 12-volt bright white ones are common and easy to use. They can be cut to length and have an adhesive tape backing, making them a flash to install almost anywhere.

Some soldering is required, but it’s not difficult.

It does take some minor soldering to attach the power supply, but you can also get strips pre-wired - ready to plug and glow - making them easier than, well, easier than screwing in a light bulb. I wanted my LEDs wired to the overhead lights (they're on a single switch), so I made it a little bit more involved.

Power for the new lights - attached to the old lights.

I rigged up a handy box with an outlet in line with the overheads. The 12-volt power converter plugs in here, and the line goes straight down to the shelves where I mounted the strips.

Let there be light! (The lens flare was a happy accident in this pic.)

Installed, the two strips brighten up the main storage area for my hand tools, flammables storage, and related accessories. I was surprised at how well they worked.

Now, this brightens my day!

Not so scary, after all.

I see tools.

After installing the new LED lights, and seeing how much better I could see everything, I questioned to myself, “why didn’t I do this sooner?” It’s funny how we get used to adversity. And fumble around for so long without addressing it.

Now, if I could only find a way to brighten up those dark corners in my mind.

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Until next time.

JRC