Lights

[Smitty]

Here are pics of my new saw and my old one. I have been cutting and I still am not satisfied with the lights on the new one. I have  Dewalt’s light and one if my many LED sewing machine lights on it. My problem is caused by the arm moving up and down in the light and making it seem to be flashing. It hasn’t made me make mistakes yet but it makes concentration more difficult. I have lowered them about as far as i can which helps. Does anyone have any advice for me?

That box with a bag on it contains a blower I took from a microwave oven. It catches what comes off the right side from the saw’s blower. It’s pretty effective. I don’t catch what comes out the bottom. 

[fredfret]

Maybe use a flat dark paint on the reflective part. 

[jerry1939]

I use 2 lights, neither are mounted on the saw.  A circular fluorescent above and a LED bulb in a clamp on reflector above & on the right.  Works really well for me.

jerry

[Smitty]

Maybe I just need brighter lights. I thought I might read that others are bothered by the movement and reflection. I didn’t think that the Dewalt light was very bright. I will be working on it and let you know what works for me. 

[neal560sl]

I too am bothered by the reflection or shadows of the arm movements.  At times I have to actually stop cutting as it mess' with my eyes enough that I actually see two lines when cutting.  I stop for a few minutes then go back and all is well. It drives me crazy.  I think what happens with me is I focus on the shadow movement, then can't stop focusing on it.

Edited January 9, 2019 by neal560sl

[Scrappile]

You could go with this type of lamp.  Good light and magnification for us old persons.  Both of your lights look like they are attached to your saws.  If so, I think that would telegraph any vibration to the light and actually increase the vibration at the light.  Either get a light with a longer articulating arm that be attach somewhere other than on the saw or build a stand to attach your light to.  I have read several bad comments about the DeWalt light that come with the saw. 

 

[ike]

I agree with Scrappile I did away with all the other lights for the one with the magnifier which I bought at Mardars store for about $40. had to replace the bulb a couple years ago for $6 and us old fellows. uses the magnifier you don't get any reflection from it

[Rockytime]

I have the same light Scrappile is showing. It is clamped to a bench next to my saw. The 5X magnification is too strong for me but the led light is perfect. Agreed, a light attached to the saw will vibrate and drive your eyes crazy.

[nrscroller]

Hi

Try Joanns Fabrics and look at the ott light, they make a great magnifier lamp. Watch for sales on it.

Good luck

Bill

[spirithorse]

My first thought was that there is too much light.
In reality, you do not need a lot of light to see the line you want to cut
and if you direct a little light shining almost directly at the front of the
blade you can see the line you want to cut and you can see the blade
going into that line.

I have extremely bad eye-sight and have found that the direction of the light
onto the work piece is my main concern. 

Good luck and God Bless! Spirithorse

[daytonsawman]

It looks like your light needs to be lower to the side on an angle. Thats how I have mine and it stops the shadow flicker. I have changed my bulb to an led and increased the wattage.There is no heat problem with the led. Hope this helps

Edited January 20, 2019 by daytonsawman

[Ivan Nikolaev]

 

I used an LED lamp for which I made a wooden yoke and hinges from thin plywood and attached it directly to the casing.
There is a flicker of vibration, but if you turn on the main light in the room, but the flicker disappears.
The main thing is to direct the beam of this lamp exactly to the saw.

[Phantom Scroller]

On 1/9/2019 at 4:10 PM, Scrappile said:

You could go with this type of lamp.  Good light and magnification for us old persons.  Both of your lights look like they are attached to your saws.  If so, I think that would telegraph any vibration to the light and actually increase the vibration at the light.  Either get a light with a longer articulating arm that be attach somewhere other than on the saw or build a stand to attach your light to.  I have read several bad comments about the DeWalt light that come with the saw. 

 

I've got one of those on the floor the cast vice snapped in half don't know how to fix it yet still thinking can you hear the cogs turning Roly

[Scrappile]

Simple.  Mine did not break, but I wanted a way to move the lamp to a couple different spots and didn't want to clamp and un-clamp the vice thing all the time.  I took a scrap of wood, drilled a hole in it that a piece of 1/2" copper tubing would fit in and in my case bolted it to the cabinet.  It could just as easily be clamped on with a c-clamp.

 

[Sycamore67]

The Ottlites with the circular lights work well for me.  Mine came with a 3X and 5X lens.  The 3X works great for my eyes and 5X is too much.  The quality of the Ottlite glass lens are very good with little distortion.  Mine is not mounted to the saw.

My light is a few years older with a fluorescent bulb and works well but newer ones with the multiple LED bulbs are better.

[kmmcrafts]

5 hours ago, Sycamore67 said:

The Ottlites with the circular lights work well for me.  Mine came with a 3X and 5X lens.  The 3X works great for my eyes and 5X is too much.  The quality of the Ottlite glass lens are very good with little distortion.  Mine is not mounted to the saw.

My light is a few years older with a fluorescent bulb and works well but newer ones with the multiple LED bulbs are better.

All my lights had the Florescent bulbs too but they now have LED replacements.. I've replaced all but one of mine and I sure can see a difference in light quality... Just know that some bulbs come with a fixed pin block where it doesn't move and the angle doesn't match up very well with my light.. lucky only bought one like that.. the others I bought off ebay ( actually a better light output ) and the pin block is adjustable so you can get the perfect angle needed for the plug.. I'll post a link to the bulb from eBay in case anyone might be interested in replacing theirs..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-inch-Circline-T9-Daylight-6000K-LED-Relamp-Fluorescent-FC8T9-Bulb/222261066257?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[Sycamore67]

Great suggestion for reaching the fluorescent light with LED.  I will look into it.

[Smitty]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a solution that came in the mail today. The LEDs are kind of dim but the other lights make up for it. The magnifier is just right for me. I did some cutting on some scraps and eye strain is all but gone. Here’s a picture 

[amazingkevin]

I'm happiest with 150 watt or more 10 " from the work in progress

[Rolf]

LED ring light is what I have no heat generated and excellent natural light .