Light for radial arm drill

We are trying to find a led light that we can mount on a radial arm drill. Preferably with a magnetic base so we can reposition it as needed.I have looked on amazon for one but not sure if they will work some reviews say magnet not strong enough. Is there anyone that has this type of light that they use and works well for this application? Please let me know what the light is so we can try it dont want to buy a light and it ends up not working. Thank for any info you can give us.

I figured out decades ago that a permanent magnet base, whether for a lamp or other use, is inconvenient around a machine shop that cuts steel. Indicator bases with an on-off magnet are a much better choice. Perhaps you can figure out how to attach a lamp to such a base.

Larry

I'll agree permanent magnets in a shop with steel chips is a pain.

I had the same issue with my vertical bandsaw.
I found a swivel head flashlight with a strong magnetic base that works well.


Most of the auto parts stores and the box stores sell a version.
(3) AAA batteries that last a while.

How about a Halo, ring, umbrella LED light mounted to the quill. Many are 12 volt so you need a transformer.
Bill D

I have also had problems with magnetic base lamps attracting swarf. The problem is that they are readily available where others are not. I solved the problem by putting the base in a baggie before I stick it on the mill. When it gets covered with cutting oil and swarf I just take the bag off and throw it in the trash and put on a fresh one.

mjk said:

I'll agree permanent magnets in a shop with steel chips is a pain.

I had the same issue with my vertical bandsaw.
I found a swivel head flashlight with a strong magnetic base that works well.


Most of the auto parts stores and the box stores sell a version.
(3) AAA batteries that last a while.View attachment 318050

Click to expand...

i use rechargeable 18650s.

Some (including mine) radial drills have a coolant pipe, comes down the side adjustable with a clamp.

I would get a 120 vac LED lamp and weld up some bracket to engage that.

Shirley there is some bolts around on that machine that you could replace with a longer one, and make some brackets from 1/8" x 1" HR.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1000-Lumen-Portable-LED-Work-Light-K40106/307397524

Remove the (2) bulky orange feet, and bolt on your custom bracket there, retaining the swivel features.

tye-wrap the wires close to the head, to keep them from the wrapping chips.

"i use rechargeable 18650s."

Our local grocery store has 20 pks of Kodak and Duracell AAA & AA frequently on sale for less than $3.00.

I hate weak battery magnetic lamps. Get a Snakeclamp.com lamp put in a powerful LED bulb and you can finally see what you are doing.

I use one like this on my standard drill press:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-M...rce=shoppingads&locale=en-US#product-overview

Rather than an incandescent lamp I use a screw in LED. I have a similar one on each lathe

I wanted better lights on my mill. It came with a single, goose neck lamp that was aimed the wrong way to start and was too stiff to turn 180 degrees to re-position it as needed. I even tried tying it with cord, but that did not work well.

I purchased two different styles of LED lamps from WalMart. One style had desk type bases and goose-neck stems with round, disk shaped heads. They were good because they provided a wider light source which was not as harsh as the OEM lamp. I removed the goose necks from those bases.

I then took a couple of the single gang, switch style, steel electric boxes with one piece construction and round corners and mounted the lamps on them (one on the bottom and one on the end). I wanted maximum versatility in controlling the lights so I also moved the toggle switches from the desk bases to the switch boxes so I could turn them on and off individually.

The original low voltage cords were shortened so that I would not have long wires hanging in the work area. Electrical style grommets were used where these wires passed into the boxes and they were tied inside for good strain relief.

The switches boxes were closed with flat steel cover plates that had no holes and painted with a color that matched my mill . I added neo magnets to that cover with epoxy and they were done.

That was for two side lights. Three way lighting is very good for seeing details so I wanted a third light in the rear. For that rear light I choose a strip style LED lamp (imitation of a single fluorescent tube) about 10 or 12 inches long, also from WalMart and shortened it's 115V cord. It also has it's own on/off switch on the cord which I kept. It came with some clip mounts that had screw holes but again I attached neo magnets with epoxy.

The two side lights are held against the sides of my mill's head and the strip light is on the rear, bottom edge of that casting. Any of them can be re-positioned, but with the goose necks I can usually position them as needed while the bases stay in the same locations.

Finally, I used another switch style, steel electric box to mount a combination light switch and single outlet. It is wired so that the switch controls the outlet. A three way adapter in that single outlet holds the two wall-wart transformers for the side lights and the single AC plug for the rear one. So I normally just need to turn on the one switch to have light. The individual switches are only for controlling the light pattern when needed.

That final single gang switch box has a larger (two gang size) steel cover plate on it's rear which was drilled to fit existing holes the single gang box and with additional holes outboard of it which mount to the mill's head using the original tapped holes for the original single goose neck lamp. This switch box and cover were also painted in a matching color so it looks "factory". I was able to use the original wiring to that OEM lamp to bring power into this box and power all three lights. So there is no extra cord dangling where it can get into trouble.

This has been in use for about ten months now and provides both more light and easier adjustment of the lights.

And with the lights mounted on the head and no flood coolant system, I have had NO problems with chips collecting on the magnets. With flood coolant I guess you could recess the magnets in the covers on the switch boxes so the chips could not get to them. Or just screw them to the head.

I am looking at the same problem on a radial drill, it would be ideal to mount to the drill head, but on my drill, it is hard to find a mounting spot, that wont interfere.

donie said:

I am looking at the same problem on a radial drill, it would be ideal to mount to the drill head, but on my drill, it is hard to find a mounting spot, that wont interfere.

Click to expand...

I recall seeing a European radial drill that had a bulb inside the head, and a flush glass
lens pointing straight down, very close to the spindle.

That's why I suggested some of those "flat panel" LED worklights, if you took all the bracketry
off of them I think they are about 1" thick.

I will have to look into that! I do have a couple of those flat work lights.
The radial drills have a big shadow under them for sure.

I do think digger doug has came up with the most practical solution. There are differences in radial drill heads, but there seems to be a good spot behind the spindle, where a simple bracket could be made for the flat LED worklight to slip in to.
The flat LED worklights I have, use 6 AA batteries ,have high and low, and really long life on a set of batteries.
Eliminating the power cord is a big plus with the movements a radial drill has.
After dark, I will attach at least one of these lights, and produce a photo, maybe showing how effective.

digger doug said:

I recall seeing a European radial drill that had a bulb inside the head, and a flush glass
lens pointing straight down, very close to the spindle.

Click to expand...

1950's predated LED, but yes. My Alzmetall AB5/S has an angled cavity in the head casting wired and socketed for an incandescent - could use an LED, present day.

I use two of these, simply clamped one to each side of the opening, instead:

Realspace LED Gooseneck Lamp 22 12 H Black - Office Depot

Sometimes one WANTS a bit of shadow or a different light-source direction, Pull them down, and they are magical for setting up - quite often more demanding than making the holes.

Now and then I rob one for some other use, so the cost isn't really all that onerous.

Wire to the head is only 12V IIRC, so no shock hazard if one gets caught or cut.

digger dougs LED work lamps are very doable, and put out plenty of light!
The best part is the unit is tucked away, out of the way.

in this un retouched, and never before seen photo of a radial drill in a drive way, at night using a Husky LED work light attached under the drill head, generously lighting up the work table. Also on the table is a second Husky brand work light, to show just what I am using.

it just spanks!

donie said:

digger dougs LED work lamps are very doable, and put out plenty of light!
The best part is the unit is tucked away, out of the way.

in this un retouched, and never before seen photo of a radial drill in a drive way, at night using a Husky LED work light attached under the drill head, generously lighting up the work table. Also on the table is a second Husky brand work light, to show just what I am using.

it just spanks!

Click to expand...

So clear that s**t off the table.

Drag yer most comfy doggie bed up on it.

Curl up with a "Batman" comic book and a beer.

Enjoy the night air!

You ain't such a bad-ass, after all!

donie said:

digger dougs LED work lamps are very doable, and put out plenty of light!
The best part is the unit is tucked away, out of the way.

in this un retouched, and never before seen photo of a radial drill in a drive way, at night using a Husky LED work light attached under the drill head, generously lighting up the work table. Also on the table is a second Husky brand work light, to show just what I am using.

it just spanks!

Click to expand...

That pix shows allot. I would have thought you would need qty (2) of them, one on each side
of the spindle to eliminate shadows.

Looks like (1) will work well.

digger doug said:

That pix shows allot. I would have thought you would need qty (2) of them, one on each side
of the spindle to eliminate shadows.

Looks like (1) will work well.

Click to expand...

.........annnnnnd you are WORLD FAMOUS, now!


"digger dougs LED work lamps" !!!

The brand of the "lamps". Not just the advice or suggestion.

Edison got rich. Even though we actually USED the Tungsten filament invented by more than one OTHER researcher!

Incandescent light bulb - Wikipedia

LED development wasn't just "one guy", either.

Why not YOU?

thermite said:

.........annnnnnd you are WORLD FAMOUS, now!


"digger dougs LED work lamps" !!!

The brand of the "lamps". Not just the advice or suggestion.

Edison got rich. Even though we actually USED the Tungsten filament invented by more than one OTHER researcher!

Incandescent light bulb - Wikipedia

LED development wasn't just "one guy", either.

Why not YOU?

Click to expand...

How many radial drills left in the world ?

They are fading fast, while I still designed a few radial drill fixtures 10 years ago,
CNC machines are quickly putting an end to their niche.