Let there be light

My garage has several overhead lights and they provide nice light. However, they don't always work that well when working under the car or in the wheel wells. I'm new to this whole garage thing; what do you guys do for lighting? Any advice appreciated; links to suggested products especially appreciated.

I do the Johnny Cash method: Burning Ring of Fire.

Especially nice in the winter.

But in all seriousness, I've seen a few garages that have florescent lights mounted just above the baseboards (with a mesh cover so they don't get broken easily) to provide floor-level light while working under cars.

I worked in one, and honestly I was kind of annoyed with the light shining in from the outside. Like working under a car in a dark garage with bright sunlight coming in one end. Can't see a damn thing if you look that way.

Best suggestion - one of those little LEDs lights with a forehead strap. Seriously. They look stupid but work great.

Led drop light. Won't burn you and its rechargeable http://m.ebay.com/itm/390573255201

It will help if your walls are painted white or a light color, you'll get a little more reflectivity from the overhead lights.

what are these "walls" you speak of?

As much light as you can afford - I've got 12 ft ceilings in mine and I dropped mine 2 feet and they have reflective housings to spread out the light and I'm only running 4 double T5 fixtures and it's enough. For underneath the car in the winter I use droplights. Also helps if your walls and ceilings are white...

Duct tape one of these upside down to an old creeper.

No, really.

[Img]http://www.inddist.com/sites/inddist.com/files/styles/large/public/ProBuilt%20LED%20Flood%20Light2.jpg

I use something like this but not an led version. Super super bright.

Stupid image formatting almost never works on my phone

Irish44j-- Are those baby jars for nuts and bolts? How are they held on?

octavious wrote: Irish44j-- Are those baby jars for nuts and bolts? How are they held on?

You screw the lid of the jar to a board, then the lid is never lost and the jar hangs by the lid.

I've been considering getting a 120v LED rope light. Should be flexible enough to shove up into the vehicle or let it lay on the floor beneath the car. I'm not sure if it's strong enough to run over with a creeper without breaking it, though...

failboat wrote: [Img]http://www.inddist.com/sites/inddist.com/files/styles/large/public/ProBuilt%20LED%20Flood%20Light2.jpg I use something like this but not an led version. Super super bright. Stupid image formatting almost never works on my phone

There ya' go!

Someone on this forum, I want to say their username was "RadCapz" but I can't find it, used flourescent lights in the corners of the roof tilted at a diagonal angle to help get more light on the sides and underneath the car.

For working under the car get an LED bar light. Safe, low energy, light and compact.

GameboyRMH wrote: Someone on this forum, I want to say their username was "RadCapz" but I can't find it, used flourescent lights in the corners of the roof tilted at a diagonal angle to help get more light on the sides and underneath the car. For working under the car get an LED bar light. Safe, low energy, light and compact.

plus juan for the LED lightbar...I have one of these from Stanley brand:

Very good rechargeable light. Magnet base is strong enough to hold it horizontally - works great using the magnet to hold it on the underside of a raised hood. Gets several hours out of a charge (low and high setting). Caribiner is a nice option as well. Sturdy enough that dropping it onto the concrete floor, then dropping a heavy MAF adapter onto it wont hurt it (but will hurt the MAF - ask me how I know).

Great light, would use again!

GameboyRMH wrote: Someone on this forum, I want to say their username was "RadCapz" but I can't find it, used flourescent lights in the corners of the roof tilted at a diagonal angle to help get more light on the sides and underneath the car. For working under the car get an LED bar light. Safe, low energy, light and compact.

I did use fluorescent lights on an angle and they have worked out well. In my old shop I had 4 bulb 4' fixtures made for drop ceilings mounted to the wall that were great to give light under cars as long as they had the diffuser plastic lens and weren't mounted too close to the floor which will give the blinding/shodow effects mentioned above. My current favorite work light is the Underhood light by central which also comes with a hood hanger bar.

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