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Lighting a garage... Was: Re: Heating Garage

To: shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Lighting a garage... Was: Re: Heating Garage
From: bob bownes <rbownes@neworks.net>
Date: Fri, 08 Jan 1999 10:41:22 -0500

>> Absolutely - which is why I put up the white melamine.
>

Wonderful stuff. I've built two 'war rooms' for work this way. We did the
walls and had the conference table surfaced with it. Walls worked better
than the table...

And the first time I wrote on the glass window in my office with a white
board marker I thought my boss was going to croak...

>One thing about lighting: don't waste your money on those four-foot 
>twin-tube specials always on sale at Menards, etc. They're cheap, 
>but you get what you pay for, which ain't much. Very little light and 
>it's blue to boot. Go for the eight foot 75 or 90 watt commercial 
>lights. More expensive, but worth it.
>

Big problem to keep in mind here in the part of the world where it is cold
(if you are only going to heat your shop when you are out there) is that
fluorescents don't work too well when it is really cold. And trying to fire
up the 8 footers when it is really cold is hell on the ballasts. Plan on
replacing them regularly or keep the place warm.

On the other hand, the 600 watt halogen work lights are cheap. I bought two
of them (the outdoor type) and mounted them over the work bay in the
garage. Really great for lighting up the engine bay. But leaves some sharp
shadows, which can be an issue.

On the heat note, I spent about an hour on the phone with a fellow club
racer who is also an HVAC contractor. He tells me that a brand new gas
furnace can be had in the 'scratch & dent' bin @ the supply store for $300
or so. Looks like that is going to be the way I go for my garage. And Soon.

iii




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