Last year, I picked up a "Patriot" led light for rod wrapping. It looked like the perfect light, but after using it for a short while found that it just did not put out enough light to make me happy for wrapping.

I was currently using a Halogen Swing arm light that worked well, but at times found that the light reflector was of a size that tended to get into my vision path.

I was recently working on a large order so needed a lot of wrapping time. With the heat from the Halogen light - I decided to try the LED light again, which is very cool compared to the Halogen light. I have the light about 6 inches from my wrapping hand to give me very bright light in the wrapping area.

Again, I found that the LED light - while bright was not bright enough to make me happy. A few years ago, I picked up a bunch of 60 led flat lights that were being sold as Auto dome light replacement bulbs. I pulled the lights out of the storage drawer and wired up one of the lights and connected it to the underside of the reflector. Again, very good, but not good enough. I happened to have one more of the flat lights, so I added that one as well. Finally, I have the amount of light that I consider adequate for my wrapping with no heat build up, and a nice thin - 3/8th of an inch flat reflector, so no reflector to get in my line of vision.

I know that lots of folks wrap with much less light and do excellent work. However, as time changes, one needs more light for fine detail work like rod wrapping.

So, the form factor of the flat cool LED lights can work very well for an excellent rod building aid.

Take care

Last spring, I bought a doughnut style florescent, swing arm lamp with a magnifying lens, at Harbor Freight.
It was only about $25.00, so I was fairly skeptical about such a cheap unit standing up.
However, the clamp is strong, the springs don't sag, there's a flap to keep dust off the lens and I find that it works very well.

Gary,
Many years ago, when I first started wrapping, I had a couple of this style magnifying lights. I had used it for other assembly work, but I found that for the rod wrapping tasks that the frame and lens holder was always getting in my way for wrapping.

I know that many folks use this style light very well. It just didn't work for myself.

Be safe

Thanks for the info Roger. I currently use a combination of a large fluorescent shop lights and a flexible desk lamp. Together they provide enough light, but lack of stability as well as the heat from the flexible lamp which has burned the back of my hand all too many times I keep looking for a solution. I will look into your solution.

Mike Blomme

I use the same lamp as Gary except I've modified mine to slide along the wrapper & found it to be one of the best investments I've made for rod building .Before I purchased the lamp I used a digital microscope & laptop.With the picture blown up to X 200 where the A thread looked like rope .I now don't have to use this for the wrap. However I still use it for packing the threads any gaps show up like a creek running around the blank .

Regards Baz

Bundeena
NSW Australia

I have 5 clamp on desk lamps plus three-3 bulb track light mounted high on the walls. Recently switched all to leds, now have more light than before with traditional spots. Downside, maybe, desk lamps throw off no heat, thus can't help speed up epoxy wrap curing time.

Get an Ott light they make desk top models and clamp type. Plus it gives a natural light spectrum which is nice to see what the real color is of the thread you are wrapping. LED lights have very different kelvin light levels depending on the manufacturer.

Dave

Also if you are using any type of fluorescent lighting, switch your lamps to 6500K T8 lamps. You may need to change out the ballast in the fixture to a T8 if not already. These are the lamps that are used in automotive spray booths they also give a natural bright light.

Dave