Lighting Up My Life

[Logan Novice]

My little Grizzly mill (G8689) is surrounded with lighting but very little of it gets where I need it to go. I found a thread somewhere (probably on this forum) about installing "halo" lighting. Figured it was worth a try.
Got two 12/24 volt "halo" (angel eyes) lights on Amazon for about $13 along with a pair of DC 12 volt LED transformers for about the same price (they come two for the price of one and now I have to figure out what to do with the extra set) and charged forward.
A bit of wire cutting and soldering, drilling three small holes in the back of the plastic controls box along with a simple clip to hold it in place at the front and a couple of dabs of Clear RTV and presto, my life is illuminated. Huge difference for very little investment.
The two white wires entering the up near the top of the control box are soldered to the leads for the mill's pilot lamp so no extra wiring was necessary.

 

[SLK001]

Ebay has microscope ring lights that run off 110V for about $25 - no external power supply needed. Here's one.

 

[hman]

@Logan Novice - You might want to run a strip of dark or opaque tape around the periphery of your halo lights, just to keep direct light out of your eyes. I did this with some copper foil tape I had hanging around. Aluminum heating duct tape is also opaque and easy to use.

 

[C-Bag]

Ebay has microscope ring lights that run off 110V for about $25 - no external power supply needed. Here's one.


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That is so cool! Never bumped into those before. I would have tried this out when I had to replace my last angel eyes if I’d known.

 

[darkzero]

That is so cool! Never bumped into those before. I would have tried this out when I had to replace my last angel eyes if I’d known.

Me personally I'd stick with the angel eyes. Tormach offered something similar & I thought was a great idea so I bought one. Turned out the thing was bulky & in my case it prevented the use of an Indicol style indicator holder although I rarely use one. Plus the SMD or COB LEDs used in angel eyes have so much better light output than the old school T1 & T1-3/4 LEDs. The Tormach one I received had horrible light output. Wasn't that bright & the tint was slightly purple.

I was really unhappy with that Tormach & returned it. But mainly I didn't like how bulky it was. Went with an angel eye instead. Used a 24VAC to 12VDC converter & connected to my stock lamp's circuit, mounted the on/off switch in an empty hole on the head. No need to plug into a 110V outlet. Power cuts off when when I cut power to the mill so most of the time I just leave the spindle light switch on.

 

[C-Bag]

Me personally I'd stick with the angel eyes.

Yup, all really good points and I can see especially the extra bulk I’d be DOA too. I actually went with double angel eyes. one inside the other so it’s really nice and bright. I bought some more of the little sewing machine lights that are all over now and the new ones are just like you mention. Not as bright or it’s that bluish tint. They work ok, but I won’t be buying them again.