Semi-Temporary Lighting for Shop Office/Layout Table

[catalytic]

The 'office' side room & layout table in my workshop currently has no overhead lighting and is too dark. The space is leased, so I need to limit destruction/construction when installing new lighting -- a few screws/drywall anchors in the ceiling are fine, but wiring will be a cord running over the ceiling and down to the nearest power outlet.

- The ceiling is 9ft high, and the space is 12' x 14'. I really only care that the layout table on one side is well-lit.
- I don't really care about power use/efficiency
- I hate working under lights that flicker (i.e. old school iridescent lighting = no-go)
- White / warm white lighting spectrum preferred

Can anyone recommend a good semi-temporary lighting solution for this application?

 

[Random Guy]

2 bulb T8 shop light. Expect to spend $15-20 on the fixture, and another $6-7 on a pair of lamps for it. Modern electronic fluorescent systems don't flicker, start instantly (though if not used regularly it'll take a minute or two to run up to max brightness), and are silent. Lamps are readily available in all sorts of color temperatures, from warm white to cool daylight. Since you said you prefer warmer light, I'd get 3000K or 3500K lamps. Color temperature is measured in Kelvins, the lower the number, the warmer the light. Incandescent is ~2700K, cool white fluorescent is 4100K, direct sunlight is ~5000K, indirect daylight is ~6500K. Hope that helps.

 

[RickP]

^^^ This.

Also, if you end up needing to use 2 fixtures, you can mount a power strip on the ceiling for the 2 plugs.