Task Master V2 (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.

Yuji is the world's premier High CRI LED company. That's all they do and they take it seriously. You'll find Yuji LEDs in the most premium cinema and photography lighting on earth. But (and this is a big but) Yuji is an LED company...not a product company. Normally you have to take the LED chips they make and then design your entire product around it...but they released a flood light bulb! I don't ask why, I just take action. Did I mention it's focusable? Call it the poor man's brightness control. Need it brighter? Focus narrow. Need it dimmer? Focus wide. You can also change the distance to the object to achieve the same effect. Please note the 5000K bulb has a lot more output. 3000K is easier on your eyes. Consider these factors for your application.

When to choose (3000K) 1) You know you like it, you know you want it
2) Desirable for spaces you might occupy before bedtime; promotes sleep
3) Slightly lower brightness than the 5000K bulb.
When to choose (5000K)
1) You know you like it, you know you want it
2) Desirable for daytime work spaces; promotes alertness
3) Slightly higher brightness than the 3000K bulb.

Where to begin. First of all, the printer I'm using is all kinds of proprietary and prints in a material that is 2-4x stronger than the next strongest commercially available FDM material. That means it's good enough to make usable parts, not reasonable approximations. The bulb shroud, base, and base cap are all 3D printed on our Formlabs Fuse1 SLS in Nylon 12. This industrial nylon is strong, chemical resistant, and should provide a lifetime of service. The main thing I love about this project is it's a tour-de-force in modern design an manufacturing tools. All of the components are designed in CAD with Fusion 360 and those parts are printed directly from the 3D model. Everything else is purchased. Finally, it's all assembled by hand. In another sense, this project is about what I didn't do. And that is spending days programming parts for the CNC and then machining huge (for me) chunks of aluminum for 3 separate parts. The technology available to me was the difference between launching this product at a reasonable price...and never getting around to it. The entire project was about two weeks from a concept in my head to a finished product ready for action. Normally this kind of product development can take 6 months to a year. We live in amazing times.

95+ CRI and your choice of bulb * 3000K (warm) @ 1040 lumens
* 5000K (cool) @ 1380 lumens
* Focusable from 10* to 60*

Loc-Line (the black segments) are commonly used in machine tool coolant systems and other industrial applications. The material is chemically resistant to petroleum products, coolants, and most common chemicals. It's quite expensive but it will take whatever you can throw at it. This also means you can change the length of the neck if you have basic wiring skills.

I've used a massive 2.5" cup magnet (236 lbs holding force) and a non-marring rubber boot that protects painted surfaces. This is also a great reason to 3D print this out of plastic. Tools should never ruin other tools.

While the Task light itself is fully sealed against liquid and dust intrusion, the bulb itself is not. The cord grip & strain relief are made in Germany. The switch boot is made by APM Hexseal (USA) and is one of the most expensive components on the light.

I use a genuine Honeywell toggle switch that should provide a lifetime of crisp service.

This is a full-ceramic E26 bulb socket with brass fittings. Yeah, plastic would have been cheaper, but that's not how I do.

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.