New Tying Light - Review.

[Crackaig 0]

A few weeks ago My OTT-LITE lamp bulb blew. I had a bit of a job finding a replacement. While looking I came across this lamp.

In the end I saved my pennies and got one. Its ideal for when I have to tie away from home, and a great backup for my desk lamp. You can read my full review here.

Cheers,

C.

[angelina sunhao 0]

do not understand

[SilverCreek 0]

It's an LED battery lamp rather than a fluorescent corded lamp.

 

[Crackaig 0]

Not only battery, USB & mains as well.

 

Cheers,

C.

[dazzyd 0]

Is it tall enough to use without standing it on something?

[feathers5 0]

A few weeks ago My OTT-LITE lamp bulb blew. I had a bit of a job finding a replacement. While looking I came across this lamp.

In the end I saved my pennies and got one. Its ideal for when I have to tie away from home, and a great backup for my desk lamp. You can read my full review here.

Cheers,

C.

Cool Craig. I have the old Ott Lite. Can you show a picture of the new light with a vise in it for comparison?

[Crackaig 0]

Here you go...

Cheers,

C.

[mikechell 0]

So, no. If you have a standard mounted vise, several inches above the table top, the light wouldn't be high enough.

[Crackaig 0]

True Mike, but why would anyone place a vice in such a bad ergonomic position?

Also, if you read the review, I mentioned that the light opens beyond horizontal, so it can be used with a pedestal mounted vice. Simply lift the head so that the light is just out of your eye line.

 

Cheers,

C.

[mikechell 0]

C.

Not arguing the point ... but I believe MOST recreational tiers have their vise on a pedestal base or a regular clamp. In recent photos, yours is the only one I've seen mounted on the drop clamp ... which I must add, looks pretty good.

Since my chair is high enough, I've not had a problem with the ergonomics of my vise.

 

I also am not arguing the effectiveness of the lamp. But I think a good modification would be for the upright section of the lamp to be extendable, to allow for higher positions.

 

Just observation, that's all.

[SILKHDH 0]

I'm no expert, but I have to agree with Mike. My first impression is that the light is not high enough to be placed over a pedestal vise.

At least not in my house. I see no room to be able to wrap material around a fly with out restrictions.

[flytire 0]

I guess that if you travel and tie flies that MIGHT be the light to take along

 

as for a permanent light for my tying bench its not going to be my first choice

 

as far as using the light with a pedestal vise, you are all assuming that the light head only goes to a horizontal position when it actually will go above the horizontal but at an upward angle. go to the ott light website to see the positions of the light

[flytire 0]

 

[Crackaig 0]

That photo illustrates my point. The lamp tilts up just as the one in that picture is tilted up. You can have it near vertical if you like. No mod needed just open it more. I've just measured it. Standing my light on my table I can achieve a height above the table of 34 cm without the LEDs showing in my eye line. How much height do you need? The large lamp I use on my bench is only 1cm higher at its highest. Maybe this shot will illustrate better. I don't have a pedestal, but my vice stem is in two pieces. If you use a pedestal you remove the lower piece, as I have done, to show the normal working height with a pedestal. Remember the vice is turned 90 degrees to the normal working position here. the clearance would be from the white Delrin bearing to the light, in a normal working position.

 

The height of your chair isn't the only factor. If your chair is higher you must have a higher table to get your knees under. If you don't you are sitting back from your vice and leaning forward.

 

Many years ago there was a discussion on this where various eminent tiers argued for different positions for valid fly tying reasons. One person argued for the lower position. Eventually he said, "I am not as good a tier as you, and probably never will be, but I am a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, I'm telling you the best position for this activity is..." After that I contacted him and discussed my method of measuring the height. As it uses the tiers body proportions to measure, it will always give you the correct height. Which in my case is about 10 cm above my knees. So no matter the height of the chair the table thickness and vice height would have to be less than that. Your measurement may be different, but if it is more than 50% I'd be surprised. (My ex wife is 15" shorter than me, but the variation for that measurement was less than 1/2")

 

Cheers,

C.

 

[mikechell 0]

I don't sit at the vise for more than a hour or so at a time. I like to have the fly within about 12 inches ... 30.5 cm ... from my eyes. This puts the focus point squarely in my "close-up" part of my glasses. Also puts the fly just a little below shoulder height, or about 12 to 15 inches ... 30.5 to 38 cm ... above my knees.

 

While this might not be "orthopaedically" correct, it's very comfortable for me for the time I am at the vise.