I have 3 1/2″ clearance between a drywall ceiling and a metal AC duct above in a hallway. Suggestions on canned lighting or other fixtures that will work in that minimal clearance space? The small Home Depot cans need 4 3/4″ clearance. I didn’t want to put fixtures in that space that drop below ceiling height, but I may have to. How about a 1 1/4″ thick trim piece that looks decent? Thanks in advance.
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I don't know fer sure BUT..last week I ALMOST creamed one with a nail from the cedar shingles on the roof..it was TITE to the underside of the roof deck..these were halo's.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I'll just do it>
Tim,
That's pretty tight, but lets assume you have no insulation and can use the little cans. I'd consider designing some kind of donut shaped "washer" to paint and shim out the 1 1/4" you need. Maybe just use a cutoff from a 2x10, make a template from possibly a drywall bucket to run a router around, could cut the hole with it and add a decorative edge.
How many do you need? Make a production run like this, wouldn't take you long.
As an alternative, depending on how much light you need, some of the puck lights may work out well. I'm sitting under a couple of them right now, surface mounted and about an inch and an eighth lower than the shelf they are mounted on.
Edited 1/4/2005 6:11 pm ET by Mad Dog
I just bought some real low ones, not low voltage either.
If you email me I will get back to you with the brand if you want. Their outside in the truck right now.
Lottsa $$ though.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
Thanks to all for the input. Shimming the outside with a "donut" sounds good. I'll bake it up out of a double layer of 3/4 mdf and try routing a roman ogee edge.
that looks like an old work can. I think you need 5 1/2" minimum to manuver the can into place.
Pictures attached of the almost finished project. Just needs paint to match ceiling. The outer ring of mdf is only 11'' diameter. The picture makes it look larger than it is.
Thanks to all who offered advice.
Looks good. So, you just cut out donuts of MDF and then used a bearing tipped router bit to go around the circumference?Matt
Rough cut a circle out of mdf using a jigsaw just outside a 5 1/2" radius line. Then used a circle cutting jig made out of hardboard (my Dad called it "masonite", does anyone else?) to trim the edge with a 1/4" straight cut bit. Last pass around the disc was with a small bearing guided roman ogee bit.
All the cut edges are a little bumpy, but it's going on a knockdown textured ceiling so I didn't care. The detail oriented person would want to sand down the sides of the disc smooth before ogee pass.
Tim