Best Amazon Lamp for Watchmaking

[jdrichard]

Looking for advice. What would you recommend as a good lamp for watchmaking. The desk lamp I currently have produces lots of glare.

[rodabod]

I know it’s not answering your question, but I use a filament style LED bulb for spot lamps like that and have it set above my head such that there is no glare. I frost the bulbs with paint as they are only available in clear glass. It also helps if the light can bounce off the wall which it will not do if it’s black. Ideally you want diffused light to avoid shadows. 

[wls1971]

I maybe missing out but I have spent my entire 48 years on earth without buying a single product from Amazon, why must it be a Amazon lamp ? 

I bought two led strip lights from Lidl ( this is a shop that isn't Amazon ) the lights have a dual setting one that gives a slightly warm light and one that gives a cool balanced light.

http://offers.kd2.org/en/au/aldi/pdXxV/

They are usually available twice a year in store.

[jdrichard]

3 hours ago, wls1971 said:

I maybe missing out but I have spent my entire 48 years on earth without buying a single product from Amazon, why must it be a Amazon lamp ? 

I bought two led strip lights from Lidl ( this is a shop that isn't Amazon ) the lights have a dual setting one that gives a slightly warm light and one that gives a cool balanced light.

http://offers.kd2.org/en/au/aldi/pdXxV/

They are usually available twice a year in store.

Thanks, I will check it out. Amazon is just convenient.

[Tudor]

I have a 4-foot LED shop light over my bench. I bought two, figuring I’d need one (or two) above and one on each side but I haven’t even opened the second box yet. 

Note my walls are painted white. 

Probably at Amazon but mine came from Home Depot. 

[nickelsilver]

If you want the best, the industry standard is Waldmann, the Taneo model would be the one for a watch bench. If you want cheaper, then that general style is what you want.

 

https://www.amazon.com/WALDMANN-LIGHTING-112576000-00562055-Mounted-Luminaire/dp/B00QXF7LKS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=waldmann+taneo&qid=1604903390&sr=8-1

[oldhippy]

I used to have a tube free standing lamp for watch making and a green surface under glass. Long tube lights all around the walls and on the ceiling. You don't want a lamp that gives off heat or a yellowish glow it needs to white. I would have thought a good watch suppliers such as here https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/lamps would be one of the best places. Amazon is no longer the cheapest place to shop I have found them to be quite expensive for some items. 

[jdrichard]

4 hours ago, oldhippy said:

I used to have a tube free standing lamp for watch making and a green surface under glass. Long tube lights all around the walls and on the ceiling. You don't want a lamp that gives off heat or a yellowish glow it needs to white. I would have thought a good watch suppliers such as here https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/lamps would be one of the best places. Amazon is no longer the cheapest place to shop I have found them to be quite expensive for some items. 

I’ll have a look. Problem with cousins it the import that they are now nailing me with.

[jdrichard]

6 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

If you want the best, the industry standard is Waldmann, the Taneo model would be the one for a watch bench. If you want cheaper, then that general style is what you want.

 

https://www.amazon.com/WALDMANN-LIGHTING-112576000-00562055-Mounted-Luminaire/dp/B00QXF7LKS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=waldmann+taneo&qid=1604903390&sr=8-1

Found one on Amazon that looks like it could work so ordered it but will be going to Home Depot to see if they have a similar product.

[jdrichard]

11 hours ago, Tudor said:

I have a 4-foot LED shop light over my bench. I bought two, figuring I’d need one (or two) above and one on each side but I haven’t even opened the second box yet. 

Note my walls are painted white. 

Probably at Amazon but mine came from Home Depot. 

Off to Home Depot today for a little Recce 

[jdrichard]

15 hours ago, rodabod said:

I know it’s not answering your question, but I use a filament style LED bulb for spot lamps like that and have it set above my head such that there is no glare. I frost the bulbs with paint as they are only available in clear glass. It also helps if the light can bounce off the wall which it will not do if it’s black. Ideally you want diffused light to avoid shadows. 

That is god advice for sure.

[nickelsilver]

I agree with OldHippy that a light green work surface is best. Bergeon makes mats just for this that are green. Used to be able to buy a green linoleum type sheet that was for drafting boards that was perfect but I don't think anyone carries it anymore. The Bergeon used to come in a couple of types, a harder one and a softer one, I much prefer the softer one. The darker green "craft" boards aren't bad in hardness and texture but the green is too dark and all the printing on them is distracting.

[Tudor]

I just bought one. Try art supply stores.

Mine is 24X36...

[oldhippy]

If you can't get the green sheet a good substitute is green blotting paper.

[jdrichard]

24 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

If you can't get the green sheet a good substitute is green blotting paper.

Got a baking sheet

[Marc]

48 minutes ago, nickelsilver said:

The darker green "craft" boards aren't bad in hardness and texture but the green is too dark and all the printing on them is distracting.

I use an A3 (30x45cm) crafting mat which has the distracting printing on one side but is plain on the other. If it were a shade lighter in tone it would be perfect but as it is it's an excellent compromise as I picked it up for just a couple of quid.

For lighting I use 2 angle poise type flourescent fittings clamped to either side of my bench. They are fitted with 11W daylight tubes which provide a very even white illumination, and they only get warm in use so they can be as close to the work as needed without any risk of getting uncomfortable. Best of all they were dirt cheap as they were car boot pickups, in fact the bench mat, lighting, and all of the clear plastic storage at the back of the bench (I believe they are intended as makeup organisers) cost less than £15.

 

[watchweasol]

I have  craft mat and removed all the grid lines with isopropyl which lwaves a nice mat although as described a little darker than the genuine mats. but nice texture.

I have several lamps Anglepoise and one twin neon which is cool  and easy on the eye.

[nickelsilver]

56 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

If you can't get the green sheet a good substitute is green blotting paper.

I know guys who tape down a quarter sheet of green paper (on their green mat) in the business area of the bench each morning. Does help keep things clean and tidy.

[jdrichard]

Picked up a thin baking sheet of amazon and cut it to the size of my portable watchmakers desk. Is non-slip on the back and the right thickness.

[jdrichard]

59 minutes ago, Marc said:

I use an A3 (30x45cm) crafting mat which has the distracting printing on one side but is plain on the other. If it were a shade lighter in tone it would be perfect but as it is it's an excellent compromise as I picked it up for just a couple of quid.

For lighting I use 2 angle poise type flourescent fittings clamped to either side of my bench. They are fitted with 11W daylight tubes which provide a very even white illumination, and they only get warm in use so they can be as close to the work as needed without any risk of getting uncomfortable. Best of all they were dirt cheap as they were car boot pickups, in fact the bench mat, lighting, and all of the clear plastic storage at the back of the bench (I believe they are intended as makeup organisers) cost less than £15.

 

Just acquired an led hanging duel light tube and now looking for a reostat

[spectre6000]

What's so special about green for work mats?

[Tudor]

I think it's just the traditional anti-fatiguing color of the drafting table surface it was adopted from.

With true-white artificial light, or real daylight, the eyes don't hurt as much as say a bright white mat which can cause minor "snow-blindness" after staring at it intensely, with magnification, for several hours...

[AshF]

I got this desk mat from, wait for it, Amazon...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07PWFXCN6

It's absolutely amazing.  It's textured so that parts do go skidding and soft enough to work on without being too dentable.  Quite large also and looks easy to cut to shape.

For my lights I bought LED strip lights and stuck them in 4 rows as downlighters.  This creates a nice bright light without any hot spots.  They're also dimmable if needed.

[Tudor]

Envious of the neatness...

[fixermole]

For lighting, I've found a standard full-spectrum "daylight" LED bulb (100 W equivalent) in a clamp lamp to be sufficient for me.

I repurposed a drafting table I built years ago that has the green mechanical drafting vinyl cover, and it is excellent for watchworking and clockworking -- just the right rigidity and resilience, and easy to clean. Nickelsilver, they do indeed still make it; just search for "Borco" or "Vyco" in art supply or engineering supply listings.