Your Woodworking Workshop: Lighting and Clearance
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Lighting and clearance are both important for safe and productive woodworking.
Here is a list of common woodworking tools and suggested lighting and clearance to get the most out of them.
General Lighting Tips
- Use 2 watts of incandescent or 3/4 watts of fluorescent light per square foot.
- Natural, northern light gives you the best idea of how your stains, finishes, and wood grains look. Remember that your workshop will not be the finished woodworking project's "natural" environment.
- Use movable lights (desk lamps are low-budget) or clamp-on lights to highlight areas whenever additional light is required.
Table saw blade, Image by Patrick Fitzgerald
Table Saw
- Light from above, to the left and behind the blade
- Needs enough clearance along the sides to accommodate long boards
- Optimal location is in the center of your workshop
Band saw on display, Image by Jomegat
Band Saw
- Light from above, to the right of the blade
- Clearance needed on three sides (not throat), 4 feet recommended
- Can be placed along a wall
Router table
Router Table
- Light from front and both sides
- No clearance needed behind table, can be located along a wall
- Allow 6 feet of clearance along the front and sides while in use
Drill press in operation, Image by lhoon
Drill Press
- Light bit from above (you can use a clamp-on light if necessary)
- Allow 3 feet of clearance on both sides
- Can be backed up to a wall
European-style woodworking workbench
Workbench
- Light from above
- Focus additional lighting on vises
- Clearance depends on how you are using the workbench
- Allow 3 feet of clearance around vises
- You can place your workbench against a wall if you do not need to be able to work along all four sides
