Inspection light

In message , Peter smith writes

I have a couple of LED headband torches I bought in case I got benighted on a country walk. It never happened, but I use them for doing jobs in dark corners with both hands free. I don't know if one would give you enough light, but they're cheap as chips from ALDI.

And the bulbs don't blow when you tap them.

buy yourself a luxeon led torch off ebay, I use them all the time, they go up to about 7w which is staggeringly bright, I mainly use the type with cr123a batteries , and of course rechargeables from ebay. must be a luxeon led. until you try one you won't believe the light output, even useful in full daylight for inspecting pads through the wheel.

Those high intensity LED headband jobbies.

Peter smith wrote on 31/08/2009 :

For £10 a couple of years ago I bought a rechargeable LED one, with mains and car chargers. It was about the size/shape of three ciggy packets laid flat end to end, with one face covered in LED's. Worked great until the dog took a liking to it. It also had the hook and magnet dubry. I'm looking for another to replace it.

Talking of inspection lights, the Draper 44004 looks a neat idea. Anyone tried one?

It's a half inch extension bar with built in LED that shines through the socket.

Very cool idea!

My thoughts is it would be near useless. Until you've found the nut to put it on to. Then you don't need a light...

You want good soft light for working - not a spot.

Isn't that the point? You use it to home in on a nut that'd be hard to see without it. Once the socket's in place, the light's done its job.

I use an LED head torch, but all too often a hose or engine part manages to leave a shadow where I'm trying to see.

Well yes - but finding the nut with a point source of light is hard work compared to general illumination.

Absolutely. It's the same thing. May be useful for inspecting things, though. But surely if you're working on a car you have mains available so can provide decent lighting? Excepting roadside repairs, of course.

Or when it's raining or when I CBA to unreel metres of extension cable for a five minute job or when the vehicle's parked halfway down my drive, etc. I'm not suggesting that these LEDs are the perfect solution, but there are times when they can come in handy.

You're going to work on a car in the rain and dark? ;-)

Oh, I can see that. But most are just gimmiks. Like laser guides on saws etc.

Sometimes it's either that or going to work on a bus!

Ah - thought you always had several working spares. ;-)

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Puncture?

They are not only useful for working on cars, but in lots of domestic dark corners.

Well that is the theory! In practice, the more cars I have, the longer the list of minor (or major) outstanding jobs.

Somehow I doubt if I'm the only one in this position.