Drill or mill ring light

[sploo]

In a thread in the metalworking forum I detailed some repairs and upgrades to a Mini Mill. I've been making do with a little flexible arm LED light, but it's not ideal, so decided to install something better. The solution is just as useful for a drill press; hence I'm posting this in the general projects forum...

I bought some 12V car ring lights from Amazon "Qasim 1 pair of LED COB Angel Eyes Halo Rings with Plastic Cover 80MM 3.15'' White 63SMD for Car Motor DRL Headlight Fog Light DC 12V" (Qasim 1 pair of LED COB Angel Eyes Halo Rings with Plastic Cover 80MM 3.15'' White 63SMD for Car Motor DRL Headlight Fog Light DC 12V : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive). These are the 80mm version, as the 68mm internal diameter is right for my application.

To that I added a 12V 1A power supply with a 5.5x2.1mm jack plug. The light takes less than 200mA, so it's plenty.

I also bought an inline switch to allow easy control of the power (LitaElek 2pcs DC 12V Inline Switch Cable On/Off Rocker Switch DC Jack 5.5mmx2.1mm Male to Female Connector to Connect Flexible LED Strip Flex LED Tape Ribbon Light CCTV Camera to Power Supply Adapter : Amazon.co.uk: Lighting)

The male plug was removed from the switch, and a few minute's work with a soldering iron and heat shrink tubing gets me this:

The light has a sticky backing, so was easy to put on the underside of the mill. The switch was also attached with some double sided tape:

With and without, using the same camera settings:

I also added a second to my drill press. The long quill travel means the light is shadowed a bit at the point of drilling if the quill is lowered, but it's definitely better than nothing:

 

[deema]

Looks a really good solution. I will be copying you.

 

[Rorschach]

I did this on my drill press but had a problem with the chuck causing shadows and negating the point of the light.

The solution was a much wider ring light so it cast the light from a wide enough angle to counteract the chuck shadows.

 

[sploo]

I did this on my drill press but had a problem with the chuck causing shadows and negating the point of the light.

The solution was a much wider ring light so it cast the light from a wide enough angle to counteract the chuck shadows.

Yea, I've noticed the same - at least when the quill is fully lowered. A wider light would likely help; though even this light is way better than the small LED lamp I had before, so it's a step in the right direction.

 

[Rorschach]

Yea, I've noticed the same - at least when the quill is fully lowered. A wider light would likely help; though even this light is way better than the small LED lamp I had before, so it's a step in the right direction.

Yes mine seemed fine at first, but when I actually used it for drill anything it became very annoying. Luckily the new light solves that problem perfectly, zero shadows even when the drill bit makes contact with the work.

I used a 6" (I think, might be 7", I am not at the shop today) camera ring light designed for youtubers etc. USB powered, variable colour and brightness, £5 on amazon.

 

[Gerry]

Why not fasten the light to the quill so it moves down with the chuck?

Gerry

 

[sploo]

Could do. I'd probably need to rig up either a "curly" cable or some sort of spring/elastic system to keep the power cord safely out of the way when the quill was raised.

 

[Rorschach]

Why not fasten the light to the quill so it moves down with the chuck?

Gerry

Mine does move with the chuck.