Task Master V2 (Ultra-High CRI)

Introducing: the Task Master If you work up close, you already know that task lighting is incredibly important. It helps you work more quickly, more accurately, and with less fatigue. A task light has been on my "to do" list since 2013. I know, about time, but my to-do list is pretty long. The stars finally aligned and gave me everything I needed to make a boss task light for myself, and now I want to share it with you. I finally got an industrial 3D printer and it's a perfect tool for this job.

The main reason I never got around to making a task light was the disproportionate effort and mind boggling expense of machining it out of metal. Machined parts would make the retail price astronomical. Even if you'd pay the price, my CNC machines are running production all the time and there is rarely a moment to squeeze in something like this...something that takes days to set up and run the multiple parts required.

The more I print, the more I think 3D printing is really the future. Printing allows me to use design geometries that are impossible to machine. It also lets me make revisions on the fly since I'm just printing the parts I need on demand. With CNC it's more efficient to run larger batches of parts that need to be sold or scrapped if there are design changes. I'm constantly tweaking my printed parts. Most of those changes are to ease assembly and part processing, but that makes my life a lot easier (happier) and you get the same great performance.

1. Splash resistance: The light should be splash resistant, but it's not waterproof or submersible. The bulb itself has no environmental sealing, and the base cap o-ring is only meant to keep liquids from seeping in from the gap. I opted for a sealed switch boot and cord grip to keep out common sources of contamination: sweaty, wet, or oily hands and various shop fluids that might drip down the cord and enter the base of the light.
2. The Magnet: no, not a typo. It hold's 236 lbs. The magnet is covered with a rubber boot to prevent scratching and liquid ingress. To remove the task light from a magnetic surface you MUST rock the base sideways. There is no physical way to just pull it directly off of a surface.
3. Loc-Line: if you bend the moving segments too far they can disconnect. If you've ever used loc-line you already know this. Be mindful not to bend the segments beyond their intended range, and also use two hands when positioning the light.
4. Positioning: There are limits on how far you can move the head a way from the base. The head is quite heavy because of the (necessary) heat sink, and if you extend the neck too far it can droop. When mounting, you have to work within the physical limits. This is true with many "gooseneck" style lamps. This is not a defect...it's basic physics.
5. 90 Degree Head: This is a functional configuration even though it looks goofy. You can remove the 90 degree segment and reassemble the light if you wish.
6. Heat: the bulb gets quite hot, but has plenty of cooling. The bulb shroud is designed as a handle, heat shield, and also cradles the base of the bulb to eliminate strain on the fragile bulb-to-socket connection.