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Need Lighting advice!!


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My dear hubby has been researching the best way to create a lighting system for me so that I can see better when quilting on Millie. He's come up with a great idea to create a light bar for me, so I wanted to know what your opinions were on the best type of lighting to use (LED, Halogen, Incandescent). He says that Halogen would throw off to much heat especially since my room doesn't have high ceilings and is 13 X 15 in size I think (Millie is on a 12 ft. frame and fits nicely with plenty of room on three sides). He thinks incandescent wouldn't be bright enough so that leaves LED. My main concern is the LEDs throwing off a glare making it difficult to see where I have or haven't stitched. I wear glasses and the lighting in my room makes it difficult for me to see sometimes especially if the thread blends really well with the fabric.  I can't use the light bar from APQS because of my ceiling fan/ceiling height so that's out unfortunately. What type of lighting do you use over your long arm machine? Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas.

Happy Quilting,

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I don't have a light directly over my machine, but I have 3 Phillips Hue lights around it (a table lamp, a flexible floor lamp, and a flexible table lamp). They're the ones that you can use all colours with, and I can adjust and play with the light until I get the visibility I need. All 3 can be the same colour, or they can be different colours as well. That combined with the light on the machine itself works wonderfully, but it also isn't terribly bright (I think they max out at 60 or 75 watt equivalent.)

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Carmen;

Myself, I would go with LED lights.  While the initial cost is somewhat higher the efficiency and heat throw off will be better.  Before you hubby build the light bar, I might suggest having him hold a few of the considered LED lights and see what works for you.  What works for me or others, may not be to your liking.  While I have a George, I could see a LED light strip with magnets stuck to a roller bar illuminating my work area.  It would be easy to move, and direct the light where I want it as my quilting needs change.  I could also see a light bar with either long strip lights or possibly adjustable can lights that I could move as my lighting opinions change.  I would suggest whatever your hubby builds that it be adjustable, because I believe your opinions of what is best will change over time as you become accustomed to your Millie.  Flexibility is the key to.....

Cagey

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MY husband retrofitted my 2005 Mille with LED lights like the newer models plus created a new, smaller light bar similar to the old one with LED's. I too, wear glasses and have no glare. I love the LED's. There is alot of information on the internet for configuring. Go for it!

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Carmen:  I don't know about your ceiling height, but I have installed track lights both over my Ult 2, and in our quilting studio.  I started with halogens for both applications, but because of heat, have gone to LED's.  They have served me/us well.  Lots of light, and almost no heat.  I used PAR 30's over my machine, and PAR 38's for general illumination (actually the general is pretty much set up as task lighting-one of the great characteristics of track lighting).  The track over my machine is mounted on 1.5" square tubing, which spans my room and is mounted on the end walls.  The mounts are about 6.5' above the floor.  Maybe this will help you and your husband out.  Good luck.  Jim  

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Carmen, I know some members have posted that they like side lighting when they are quilting, and others like less, rather than more, light.  Here are some threads I found about going this route:

 

Hope this helps!

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  • 4 years later...
On 7/12/2017 at 3:18 AM, stitchin cricket said:

My dear hubby has been researching the best way to create a lighting system for me so that I can see better when quilting on Millie. He's come up with a great idea to create a light bar for me, so I wanted to know what your opinions were on the best type of lighting to use (LED, Halogen, Incandescent). He says that Halogen would throw off to much heat especially since my room doesn't have high ceilings and is 13 X 15 in size I think (Millie is on a 12 ft. frame and fits nicely with plenty of room on three sides). He thinks incandescent wouldn't be bright enough so that leaves LED. My main concern is the LEDs throwing off a glare making it difficult to see where I have or haven't stitched. I wear glasses and the lighting in my room makes it difficult for me to see sometimes especially if the thread blends really well with the fabric.  I can't use the light bar from APQS because of my ceiling fan/ceiling height so that's out unfortunately. What type of lighting do you use over your long arm machine? Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas about  philips hue vs wiz

Happy Quilting,

As far as lighting is concerned, I used Philips hue very closely.  If I were doing it today, I would use LED fixtures rather than fluorescents since Philips lights are plugged into a wireless switched outlet near the quilt advance switches.  you can also consider wiz lights

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