shadowless task lighting

  The oil pot proceeds apace, but progress is boring because there's a lot of epoxy involved.

In the mean time, I have been pondering replacements for the big (68W actual, supposed to be 300W equivalent) CFL lamps I've been using in my shop as task lighting. They're kinda bright, but probably not 300W tungsten-equivalent bright, and they leak UV a LOT, and they pull 68W each, and they radiate in all directions instead of being directional.  They've been bugging me for a long time.

 I am determined to have more "shadowless" (or at least, reduced-shadow) lighting in my shop and garage, so I started by shopping for those "fan-blade" LED floods currently being shilled for garages and high bays.  I couldn't find what I wanted for a price I wanted to pay.  And they are not all that directional.

 It occurred to me I could probably home-brew something without much cost, if I got the parts I don't have (sockets, LED flood lamps) at work, with my employee discount.  Mount five or six large (PAR38) flood lights in a ring on a piece of plywood, mount two angle irons to the plywood facing forward to make balanced pivot points, make a simple hoop from steel strap to pick up the pivot points, fasten the hoop to the ceiling, and done.

 Using low-cost basic lamps, this would cost me less wattage - 55.5 watts for the unit I'm making now - and would yield 5,000 broad but directional lumens.  Almost no light would be wasted to the side.  The apparent size of the light source will be fifteen inches across which means if your arms is in the way - it's not really in the way.  If I make another one, it will be 24" across and have six or more lamps, roughly equivalent to a surgical theater light.

  I'm even considering a pivoting arm mounted to the ceiling (like they have in operating theaters) to hold one of these delights.

 I cut out a piece of plywood an hour ago then stopped for lunch, but depending on cash flow, I might have to buy the parts in stages.  I will check my costs when I head back to work tomorrow.  Although the store is only five minutes down the street, I'm far too comfortable right now to leave the house.