I have a Clarke pillar drill from Machine Mart. It's a decent and useful tool that gives me good service.

There's just one problem - the lamp used to illuminate the table is a heavy-duty 60W 240v ES filament bulb, which is getting hard to find these days. Halfords have 240v bulbs for inspection lamps, but they're bayonet. The only ES bulbs they have are 12v.

So - does anyone know a source for the right bulbs, or have I got to start looking for a tough 240v LED bulb? The other economy bulbs (with the fluorescent tubes) won't survive the vibration.

BTW: I know that I could fit a 12v transformer into the lighting circuit, but I'm reluctant to hack the machine's wiring. I could also change the socket to bayonet - but it's in an inaccessible place in the drill's frame.

[Edited on 16/3/11 by David Jenkins]

Have you checked your nearest large tesco? I'm certain they had them.

Alternatively.. one of these jobbies? Edison Screw to Bayonet Cap Light Bulb Adapter ES to BC on eBay (end time 20-Mar-11 15:36:34 GMT)

ikea i think is where my mum used to buy them, but you'll struggle to get 60w bulbs anywhere now...

or how's a pack of 25 from screwfix?
click

[Edited on 16/3/11 by blakep82]

I've used 2 bulbs in 10 years - 25 bulbs might be a bit excessive!

I have found a few on-line suppliers so the situation isn't a total failure, but the P&P often costs more than the 2 bulbs I'm after (one for immediate use, 1 spare) or the supplier only offers them in minimum orders of 5.

That adaptor would put the bulb out of the frame, and into harm's way...



[Edited on 16/3/11 by David Jenkins]

light bulbs direct do them

quote:

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Originally posted by westf27
light bulbs direct do them

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Although most incandescent bulbs have been removed from sale, I'm pretty sure that rough service bulbs are not banned, so you should be able to get them somewhere.

Don't like using fluorescent tube type bulbs in pillar drills, this type of bulb throws little or no shadow and makes finding centre dots and the lilke damn hard. LED ones work if you use the ultra bright daylight LED's, in fact a my guys like these alot.

Try your local cef or newey's both should carry them as stock items.

Failing that try clark's parts department, they sent me stuff for my lathe at very minimal cost.

RS will only sell packs of 10 but at 89p a lamp it should give you a few years usage for the same price as eBay

Although I also have a Clark pillar drill that should be fitted with a lamp I have never bothered, I just overkilled on the main lighting
My workshop is now like a summers day even in the depths of winter.

Roger

A LED bulb is probably the ideal solution - almost cold, and reasonably resistant to vibration, but I'm not prepared to pay over £30 for a direct equivalent. A cheaper LED bulb is going to require the replacement of the socket and re-wiring, which I'm trying to avoid.

The low-energy fluorescent equivalent is going to be fragile under vibration, and also any fluorescent is bad illumination for moving machinery - it can work like a strobe light and make things look like they're stationary.

At the moment I'm using an old Anglepoise lamp fixed to the wall, but that shines in from the side and isn't as good as the original lamp, which lives just behind the chuck.

There is a Newey's in Ipswich, so I'll have to visit...

Good ol' Newey & Eyre! 3 bulbs ordered this morning, collect on Monday (didn't have them on the shelf today). £1.32 each. They'll probably last until either the machine dies, or I do!

B&Q were charging just under £6 for 2, for an equivalent with a bayonet end cap.

[Edited on 18/3/11 by David Jenkins]

4/6/8/10 white leds wired up in paris as in bridge rectifier and a couple of drop resistors.... cheap as chips.

I'm gearing up to replace the halogen work lamp with LEDs .... will get round to it one day ......

I've bought screw in LED bulbs on ebay for a light on our stairs. It's a 240 volt E27 fitting and cost 99p with £2.19 post from Honk Gonk and took under a week to arrive.