I'm finally building a proper garage that will have a dedicated wood shop. I'm pondering a good light set up over my stock vise. I'd like bright but soft light that isn't hard on the eyes. Any suggestions welcomed. I actually wear a little head lamp now to see into the nooks and crannys, I'd like to bypass that.

In mine, I put up 8 double bulb 4ft flourecents, four over each bay for general lighting.
Then I put up several sets of track lights to spot light what I'm working on. There's a set over the main work bench that can be swiveled toward the vices, the bench top, the lathe and the mill, depending on what I'm working on. In my assembly area area there is a set of Halogen track lights over that, and the same over my reloading bench. When I just need normal light the flourecants work great. When I'm doing detail work and need to see I just flip onthe required extras.

In addition to the track lights over the mill I also have a 150W halogen looking over my right shoulder, a 75w incandecant from high right and the track lights are comeing in from high behind left and center. I HATE shadows when working on the mill.

Most people aren't happy with flourescent lighting for a number of reasons so I can't recommend it for "task" lighting, it is fine however for general area lighting. Usually when working on items sufficient light with little shadowing and proper color rendering are the first things to look for. Typically an array of several (3-5 depending on the areas size) normal surface mount light fixtures with good color rendering bulbs in them like the "reveal" series you see at Homd Depot are a good bet. Depending upon ceiling type you may go with an array of can lights (recessed can lights) with good bulbs or even a strip of track lighting can be very handy, track lighting is one of my favorites because with ease you can add/move/ adjust/ subtract fixtures with ease for different tasks. Some track lighting comes with halogen bulbs which puts out a great bright clear light and some people like it and some don't you'll have to see for yourself.
Just remember an array of light is far better than one really bright one directly overhead, shadowing becomes a problem if your light isn't coming from several sources.
Good luck.

If you are blind old man like me, have many 4' florescent on the ceiling and magnifying or local lamps on the tools and benches.

I like to mount magnifying round florescent on the lathes.




And don't forget the headgear.

i use 8' VHO fixtures these give you 215 watts of flourescent light per unit. they also come on right away in the cold

I am a convert to the superiority of florescents. I bought an 8' "Hi Output" light and it is great. I need to buy 3 more but have not gotten around to it yet. Thye are a lot more expensive than the regular output flo's, but they are definitely worth it.

These lights are very bright and give an even light with minimal shadows. I hate working in a cave and do not when the big boy is flipped on.

I have never had good luck with T-8 (or whatever the small diameter tube bulbs are), electric balasts, and all of that newer stuff. They all died early deaths on me and I had to go back to the old fashioned types.

I also use the old double arm lights with a 100w bulb. I think they are called archatecht lights or soemthing. I hardly use this anymore now that I have the Hi Output flo over my main bench.

Butchloc-did you get the 8' VHO's at Menards? That may be what I am using. I can't remember the offical name of it, I just know which one to point at in the Menards' display.

I don't do gun work, but I use several porcelain sockets screwed to a white-painted piece of plywood loaded with those pigtail fluorescents, the 100 watt equivalents. I have them on each wall, mounted high and angled a bit down, and two on the ceiling.

very bright but not glaring, spreads an even light all around and eliminates shadows.

I suppose a bank of regular fluorescents mounted as I describe would be just as good.

a tip from the movie business- bouncing the light off a white surface spreads it more, eliminates hard shadows, and is easier on the eyes.

I use a big circular magnifier, also.

Thanks for the input, I'll put it to good use.