My MFT is in an area of my workshop where the overhead lights are almost 10' above the floor and can't go lower without being in the path of the garage door when it's open. Actually, even worse, if I'm working with the garage door open, the door blocks the overhead lights completely. I've tried various methods to attache work lights to various points around the shop but always end up with light in all the wrong places.

What I think would work for me is a light mounted on a post which I could quickly attach to the extrusions of the MFT with a gooseneck or scissor mechanism to allow me to move the light around over the work surface to where it's needed.

Has anyone done something like this that can share the makes/models of the lights and mounting mechanisms they used? I'm sure I could make a post which attaches to the MFT but I'm hoping to just buy the rest.

Thanks, Mark

I hung barn door tracks under and across my 9' overhead door to hang my Yakima box and canoe from and used boat winches to be able to drop onto my 4 Runner.  You could do the same to hang lights.

I use this dog/plate set-up from Lee Valley.  I purchased as one unit a while back.  I see they're now sold separately.  I couple these with Dr. Prepare LED work lights with magnetic bases.

That Lee Valley plate and post combo looks really useful so ordered them. I'll try it with my current light which included a magnetic base but I've been using the clamp instead. If that turns out to not be high enough to get light in the right places, I'll look into that Dr. Prepare light. Thanks for the lead!

coming soon

I 3d-printed a connector between the lamp post and the table.

Good idea! That's a pretty fancy lamp for a workshop!

I knew I had seen these before but it took me way too long to find them...

Lamp Bushing

I built my own light that clamps to the MFT. The design for this light was stolen (with pride) from Adam Savage's Tested YouTube channel (Adam Savage's One Day Builds: New Workbench Lights!). All the parts were sourced from Amazon and are listed on the Tested YouTube site. These lights have a battery backup and have adjustable color balance.

I built my own light that clamps to the MFT. The design for this light was stolen (with pride) from Adam Savage's Tested YouTube channel (Adam Savage's One Day Builds: New Workbench Lights!).
All the parts were sourced from Amazon and are listed on the Tested YouTube site. These lights have a battery backup and have adjustable color balance.

Another good idea! Thanks

This light kit mounts to interior side of garage door.

https://garagedoorlighting.com/photo-gallery/

I put 4 of these in the ceiling of my 829 sq ft shop w 10' walls lights it up like dayiight

https://www.amazon.com/Sunco-Lighting-Replacement-Waterproof-Commercial/dp/B0849RDZ4S/ref=pd_rhf_ee_s_rp_c_2_2/135-4931308-1314324?pd_rd_w=01A53&pf_rd_p=45475782-eccf-4008-8965-5a4bab0ca086&pf_rd_r=ZVGH6JDKR1BH7MYA043P&pd_rd_r=44c999fb-5909-4dc4-93e8-99dda8787cea&pd_rd_wg=XtT4l&pd_rd_i=B0849RDZ4S&psc=1

This light kit mounts to interior side of garage door.

https://garagedoorlighting.com/photo-gallery/

That's a neat idea for your use but, honestly, my doors aren't raised that often. I'm still pursuing lighting just for my MFT work area.

Quote from: dupe on January 15, 2022, 07:44 AM

This light kit mounts to interior side of garage door.

https://garagedoorlighting.com/photo-gallery/

That's a neat idea for your use but, honestly, my doors aren't raised that often. I'm still pursuing lighting just for my MFT work area.

Could work if your table is in front of the closed  door.

I use this light with the bushing insert to an MFT 20mm hole.  Works great and I like the magnifier.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/home/lighting/worklights/76037-led-magnifying-bench-lamp?item=17J3030

Just to clarify I didnt put the LED on the "tracks" where I live we have these large braces that run horizontally for hurricane protection.  Thats what I stuck the tape to otherwise just stick them to the door like the kit.  What I did looks very similar to the kit but you can buy the parts much cheaper.  I did use the waterproof lights even though they dont "need" to be water proof but they have a nice thick protective rubber layer over them.  This helps protect from getting hit or something. I did this many years ago since I had a few rolls of the LED tape from another project and was trying to find a use for them.

I wanted to be able to use the lights when the door is opened or closed and didnt want to have a cord reel hanging. So I just ran some extension cord along the tracks and left a plug end near the fully open/closed position.  I mounted the LED driver directly to the upper right corner of the door and put a short pigtail on it that could reach either of the 2 plugs.  This does require me to manually plug it in if needed but I have lots of light normally so its not very often I use them.  But when the door is open it blocks a good amount of light and when finishing it provides a good source of low angle light with the door down.

In case you want the automatic version the switch they use is is called a Dakota magnum shooter they are about 20 bucks. You will need to fashion your own bracket to hold it but it looks like you will save yourself a nice down payment towards some festool stuff.

DAKOTA MAGNUM SHOOTER

1. Just to clarify I didnt put the LED on the "tracks" where I live we have these large braces that run horizontally for hurricane protection.  Thats what I stuck the tape to otherwise just stick them to the door like the kit.  What I did looks very similar to the kit but you can buy the parts much cheaper. 

2. I did use the waterproof lights even though they dont "need" to be water proof but they have a nice thick protective rubber layer over them.  This helps protect from getting hit or something. I did this many years ago since I had a few rolls of the LED tape from another project and was trying to find a use for them.

3. I wanted to be able to use the lights when the door is opened or closed and didnt want to have a cord reel hanging. So I just ran some extension cord along the tracks and left a plug end near the fully open/closed position.  I mounted the LED driver directly to the upper right corner of the door and put a short pigtail on it that could reach either of the 2 plugs.  This does require me to manually plug it in if needed but I have lots of light normally so its not very often I use them.  But when the door is open it blocks a good amount of light and when finishing it provides a good source of low angle light with the door down.

4. In case you want the automatic version the switch they use is is called a Dakota magnum shooter they are about 20 bucks. You will need to fashion your own bracket to hold it but it looks like you will save yourself a nice down payment towards some festool stuff.

DAKOTA MAGNUM SHOOTER

1. I'd mount 2 LED strips on the radius of the garage door channel about 30º off of vertical. That way I'd be using the steel as a heat sink.




2. I've used waterproof LED's in the past and have had mixed results. I really had an issue with them retaining too much heat and burning the silicone covering.




3. I'd also like to be able to use the LED's whether the door is up or down. The garagedoorlighting.com group designed their solution for the California climate...the LED's work only when the garage door is open. Unfortunately, they locked themselves out of an additional 80% of the potential market.
I'd mount an electrical box nearby, mount the driver/drivers inside the box along with a remotely controlled switch that could be operated via a separate push button switch or my iPhone.  I'm a fan of the Insteon product line.




4. Thanks for the info on the Magnum Shooters, I haven't seen them before but they're worth looking into.