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They also are excelent for drying joint compound pstches, and skim coats
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Skim-coating with joint compound covers texture, renews old drywall and plaster, and leaves smooth surfaces ready to paint.
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I hate the stands they come with. They are flimsy and the height adjustable ones usually put the light at a height that blinds me every time I turn in that direction. I use ones on equally flimsy and barely adequate bend metal tube low stands. and improvise a way to get it as high in the air as possible, one time screwed to a one by two sprung between ceiling and floor. Sorry, they all seem to be cheap and from China.
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Yeah, I'll go with the subthread. I make tea on mine. When it's working. If we need some reliable light, we use the $6 clamp fixtures with a 40w fridge bulb.
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>This subject is one I fought with for a while. I came close to starting a fire in a home. While on a short coffee break, an unattended halogen light ignited a section of base molding.> I then threw out my halogen lights. I now use incandesant bulbs. The fixures resemble commercial temporary lighting, with the exception of 3wire 12 gauge like an extension cord instead of romex. The sockets are molded in, and each 50' string accepts 7 150 watt bulbs. Each socket has a hole for hanging and a protective cage around the bulb. I understand this type of lighting is now code mandated in parts of the country for temporary lighting. > The light quality from this kind of string is far superior to any halogen outfit I have ever worked with. (against)? No more temporary blindness when you glance in the wrong direction. The light is much more uniform. You can illuminate an area much more evenly. They won't heat your workspace as much as halogens, and you will have to try hard to start a fire. I would never go back to halogens.
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Has any one out there found a reliable Halogen work-light?? All the models I have used are not very good at standing up to the rigors of the job-site. Stands come apart at the worst times. Bulbs fail in a fashion that welds the end of the bulb to the contact, rendering the unit useless. Are there bulbs out there that will stand up better? I am getting tired of cannibilzing several bad lights to get one that will work. Any adfvice will be appreciated. Thanx
*In regards to those lites, it seems you get what you pay for. Sometimes you can get more life dropping down the wattage of the bulb. But again, the cheap floppy bargain ones are crap. JustMHO.
*I buy the cheapo ones, without a stand. I fit them with some 1/2" ridgid conduit, and place the conduit in a plywood base. I stairstep the base to reduce weight. I find that you need about 3-5" of base height and about a 6' square base width, to avoid tipping. I also find that a couple different conduit heights are nice, because I often work in tight quarters, where a 4' or 6' height just wouldn't fit.
*Scooter,So you buy the 30 dollar ones put 10 dollars in material and probably 1.5 hours of labor in it (about 50) dollars. and for about 90 dollars you have what I just bought for 80 dollars. Buy the good ones and you wont regret it. The good ones also have high and low lights a gravity swithc and a gfi receptical built in.Rick Tuk
*Price doesn't mean a thing with these lights. Prices for them in my area are outrageous.No matter what brand name you buy, chances are Regent made the light housing and guts. They have a serious problem with the 500 watt bulbs because they get way too hot, and the bulbs are just plain junk.I started buying the 130 volt 300 watt bulbs, and have had extremely good luck with them. They burn longer, can take much more abuse, and cost a lot less.The lights Rich mentioned are wonderful, but here they cost about $130.00 here. I have an older model work light that had three adjustable legs. I was always changing bulbs, and sometimes even the fixtures because of the melt down when a bulb went out. I found a five leg light for $40.00, and bought it. I love it. It has a built in plug, built in switch, and can really take a beating. It's height is adjustable from very short to very tall. The five adjustable legs makes it extremely sturdy, and very difficult to tip over. I liked it so much, I went back and bought another one.Point is to keep looking until you find a good one. They seem to be making these lights for DIY'ers and homeowners a lot more than usual, so just keep your eyes open for a good, heavy duty model. Also use the 130 volt 300 watt bulbs and you'll have a lot better luck.Just my opinion...James DuHamel
*This is a little bit off topic, but I think still useful. Last fall, I was running some 1-in. sch. 40 pvc conduit in my basement. I needed to bend a few offsets. The halogen light was right beside me, so I slow-roasted the conduit over the light. It only took about a minute to heat the pvc to a point where it would accept the bend. Andy
*Andy, you probably have started a sub-thread here.The heat from a 500W halogen can be useful (warming up my Emglo during cold weather) or dangerous (one of mine burned through its own cord). I screwed up a paint job in a hallway (in my own home, thankfully) as I pulled a 500W halogen along the hall as I progressed. The rascal dried out the paint, leaving an awful texture on the lower part of the walls.Regards, Steve
*They also are excelent for drying joint compound pstches, and skim coats
*just a thought......You guys probably know this, but I'll say it anyway.When you change out the halogen bulbs, don't touch it with your fingers. Use a rag or something to hold the bulb.The theory is that the oil on your skin when transfered to the glass bulb will cause it to burn out faster. I have been doing this for a few years now, and I don't buy near as many new bulbs as I used to. It seems to be true. Maybe someone here can explain why.Just a thought,Ed. Williams
*Hey Ed,Glad to see ya back. I was getting worried about ya!The oil from your fingers superheats and weakens the glass. The glass cracks, and the bulb is history. They usually crack right around the porcelain end where the glass is thinnest. If you look carefully, you can actually see the spots where youtouch the bulb start smoking.James DuHamel
*James is right about using the lower wattage bulbs. When I got my first set I sent them out on a job one cold morning with an old carpenter. He had the idea to warm his glue. It took him a couple of hours to clean it up.Rick Tuk
*Along with not touching the bulbs, and dropping to 300w, I've found most bulbs burn out faster when not warmed up a little. Generaly on cold mornings when taken right out of the truck, bring them inside for a few minutes if possible and let them warm to room temp before throwing the power to 'em.
*I once worked for a building supplier who sold these lights. He tended to hunt bargains, so the same brand never showed up twice. All were "Made in China" (what isn't?), but some were better than others. My advice before buying the light is to try removing and replacing the lens for bulb removal. Half I've seen don't secure the lens sufficiently if the seal is properly in place. Now, picture yourself doing this outside, at or below freezing. You'll soon know whether to buy or pass.