Sweet Mill lighting concept

[luge007]

I just thought I would share a Mill lighting concept I came up out of a need for better lighting, and out of odds and ends I had laying around.  I am SURE the idea is not original but I've never seen one like it, and it works very well.

On my little mill I have very little quill travel and the throat for parts is small, so milling anything bigger than a playing card is tight .  I am sure there are plenty of table top mill owners who can relate.  Anyway with such a tight work space, getting suitable light in there to see what is going on is tough, so I made this magnetic spindle light.  It is made up of 12vdc under counter LED lights intended for under counter kitchen cabinets that I had left over from a job.  I also had the lexan laying around, a 'wall wart' of the 12vdc variety, and a few of those rare earth magnets, so I cobbled it all together in an hour or so and this is the result.  It absolutely takes care of my lack of light while milling, so life is good.

Hopefully this concept will help someone else find a solution to their lighting woes,
M

[Luis Leon]

Very nice... love the ingenuity. Thanks for sharing.

[Rob M]

cool.. they have less fancy versions on ebay.. my issue is my dro on the quill is kinda in the way. I have a desk lamp ldc mounted to the column on a flexy shaft, but it not worthy if youre only working the other side of the vice.