Anybody using Inline Fabrication or KMS UFO lights on a press?

I've got a Dillon 550B and first generation XL650 that I would like to improve the lighting on.

Looking for first hand advice or if you use another product feel free to share.

Thanks,
Jay

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Goal Life Member
Traveling Man

Being somewhat hard-of-seeing I wasn't getting enough light from the little LED's...look cool and all but I needed more light .
Home Depot HDX 150 watt , clamp on adjustable head shop light ,
8 1/2" diameter alumnim reflector , 150 watt incandescent flood or spot lamp and that did the trick.
$8.97 and they make a larger one with a 300 watt lamp .
Clamped on a shelf above my press ...it throws all the light I need and I can adjust the head or clamp it in another spot to light up whatever press or lube sizer I'm using .
I know it's low tech but it's bright low tech and moveable .
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

+1 on above. The cute little strip lights only put out "cute little light!" If your loading area is too dark you need good area lighting! I placed a 4' shop light above the bench at the ceiling and one about 6' behind me when at the bench, they light up the room and I can see when loading on my 550b , T-7 or Rock Crusher Supreme. These are LED shop lights from Manard's and put off very little heat. I hooked them into a pull chain light. Cost: Shop light on sale $15 each and about $8 for screw in adapter and two 3 to 2 prong adapters. I can see elsewhere in the room in the back of30" shelves with componets stored on them

Ivan

I use a small round LED light that fits in the hole in the middle of the tool head on my RL 550B. I think I got it from inline fabrication. It works very well for allowing me to look into the cases and visually check the powder level in each one.

Do they still make those tensor lights? I think they were popular in the sixties. Small footprint, flexible neck and lots of light. I think the bulbs were automotive tail lights.

My workshop has the usual two tube fluorescent shop lights ceiling mounted overhead at about 10/11'. One quit cold, needed a new ballast. The replacement ballast was more than a new hanging shop light of the LED type. I replaced the bad with the new hanging at 8' and am I impressed. I resolved to start replacing the others one by whenever I get the time and energy.

I then went to my reloading room and replaced the two tube fluorescent that is mounted about 1' behind my head position and 4' above me. I really like the quality of the light from the new LED 4' fixture. It has improved the quality of time and effort to reload.

I use the UFO light, and have been very pleased. I installed one of the LED tube lights above my wife’s hobby table, and I’m amazed at the light. I plan to install one in my reloading room, too.

I’ve got some of the clamp lights overhead on an exposed beam and attached to the shelf next to the reloading bench. Between those and the overhead light I’ve got light coming in from about every angle.

I wear an LED headlamp quite often.

^^^^This...^^^^^^

I bought one of those lights that fit in the hole of tool head and was disappointed. I have started using the lights with a heavy base and flexible head shafts.

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I have the Inline setup on my LNL which is good but would go with the KMS UFO if I was to do it again.

Good thread! So good I just ordered a KMS UFO LT for my Lee Classic Turret. Thanks for making me aware of them.

I didn't see the FAQs so I used their web site to send them a question this evening. Figured I'd hear back tomorrow or in a couple days. They replied within minutes! Who does that?

I have some nice fluorescent lights above my bench, but they leave the Dillon's "action zone" in the shadow. Then on the web I saw lights that drop in the toolhead central hole. Brilliant me, I dropped a small maglite with a tie wrap around it in the hole. It was fairly bright, but too much of a spot right in the center, not in the cases.

So, I bought a KMS UFO setup. I'm quite pleased. It gives plenty of brightness and good coverage with even illumination. It's a little tricky to install on the 550C because the press clearances are snug. Don't be too quick to stick down the light strips. Scope out the installation first and then place the strips carefully. Otherwise, you may have some interference.

All in all, it was a great add to the press!

I have same setup. Got mine from MidwayUSA on birthday pricing several years ago. Got the vertical strips also for frame and had all the light I needed with single "skylight". Took the verticals back. I did add a larger mechanics mirror to look instantly look down into case for powder level while sitting in front of 550b.

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Steve
The Lounge Rant Master

A lot of good info. I think I will replace my two 4' fluorescents in my workroom with LED's.

I will do the overhead lights first and see if I need the others after that.

Then maybe the UFO's on the presses.

Thanks for the input so far.

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Goal Life Member
Traveling Man

I did that last year. I had an ancient four foot fluorescent shop light over my reloading bench, and the ballast went out. Not worth it to replace the ballast, so I bought a four foot Daylight 5000 lumen LED shop light. What a huge improvement. But still looking forward to getting the UFO LED I ordered last night.

Those old shop lights must have some value to somebody. I put mine out by the highway with my trash, and a scrapper picked it up within an hour.

I have a nice 4' led over my press, and I stole someone's idea and wired a flashlight LED bulb to the right transformer, and slid the bulb into a rubber hose, then down the center hole of my 550B. Works great for me!

I updated my shop lighting last year with T5 fixtures, there are 3 double 4 footers and they are blazingly bright so additional lighting on my press isn't necessary.

I took the LED strip out of one of the Harbor Freight blue soap-bar
lights--the ones you get free, with a coupon--and bent a piece of
sheet metal, to grip the left side of the Dillon tool head.

With the LED glued to lower side of the sheet metal, it lights up the
powder measure and bullet seat dies---right where you need the light.
It's easy to look right down in each case and see the powder level.

Bend the sheet metal in a "C" shape, to grip the tool head, and it's
easy to remove & replace, as needed.

I have the KMS brand on my Lee turret press. They are so bright I use it as a night light for my reloading room. I like KMS a lot. They work well and are very bright.

While the pic is not mine, mine are that bright!

Living the Tech Life

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Improvise, Adapt, Overcome

I also recently added the KMS light to my Lee Classic turret press. This light makes a huge difference in my reloading process. It really illuminates the case and the powder volume is easy to see. I followed the installation instructions, but still needed to use a very thin piece of double sided tape to attach the light strip to the press

I'm running the Inline fab model on my 550 and so far, It's just fine.

I installed a nice LED "shop light" above my entire working station and that also helped a lot.

I received the KMS UFO light for my Lee Classic Turret. Followed the preparation instructions to the letter, but still had some difficulty getting the light to stick. I used some edge clamps to hold it on for a while, and so far it's holding. Other than not being impressed with the adhesive they use, it's fantastic. I can now see the powder level (4.5gr Unique) inside .38 Special cases, which I could not see before.

When I was at Summit Racing in Tallmadge Ohio picking up some stuff I saw they were having a 'managers sale' on their 4ft LED shop lights, $50 down to $25. Picked one up for above the garage workbench. Worked so well I picked up 2 more when I went back, still on sale. Mounted one above the reloading bench, fantastic. the 3rd one I'll probably put above the garages' other work bench.

My LGS put some of them in the shop. It really made a difference.I think there some in my future for my "man cave".

Well I put up two new LED's in the workroom 4000 lumens each.

I ordered a UFO for the 650 and an Inline Fabrication for the 550 last night. I'll see how they compare.

The overhead lights really make a difference. I put the old lights at the curb at 10:00 am and they were gone by noon.

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Goal Life Member
Traveling Man

Harbor Freight has their 5000 lumen Braun LED lights on sale just about every other week for $20. Lightweight, very bright and pretty sturdy...I hung one a little too low and the garage door caught it on the way up. It fell 10 ft., and other than a bent reflector, it survived. Had it been one of the 48” double fluorescents it replaced, I’d have a sizable cleanup. I’ve bought 4 already.
I’ve been looking at the UFO light for my Lee Turret and think I’m going to give it a try.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

Well the two 4000 LED shop lights are up. What a difference my older eyes are seeing better.

The KMS UFO came last night and I just installed it. It took less than ten minutes. The only thing I added was velcro to attach the switch to the base of the press. Just to keep it more secure.

The Inline light I ordered for my 550 hasn't come yet, probably Monday.

For some reason my new iPhone pics are not saving as jpegs they are HEIC? I can't post them.

I will try to figure that out and post pics after the Inline light comes.

Anyways it's like a night and day in my reloading room for cheap money. Best home improvement I've made for me in a while.

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Goal Life Member
Traveling Man

I installed the UFO lights on my Dillon 550 today and am very impressed.

Speaking from many years of experience! The best lighting SYSTEM is multiple lighting sources! In today's market the best lighting system is the LEDs! They give you more lumens/watt(you pay for Watts) and the fixtures are about the same price. Make sure you buy the LEDs with the high color temp(5000K is good- high in blue color). When mounting the 4' type fixtures do not mount any behind the user when sitting at the reloading bench, your body parts will produce a shadow over the reloading bench! The best is to mount a fixture on either side of the press perpendicular to the bench. This makes the "light umbrella" cross at the press. This will cancel most shadows. If you have a high ceiling use chains to lower the lighting system to about 7'-8' above the floor. If you are in a dark area(no walls for reflective light)or you have poor vision, you can put a third fixture in front of the other two forming a "u shaped" lighting source above your press(then you might need sunglasses)! The fixtures I have above my bench plug into each other so you will need only one outlet to supply you new system!
jcelect - short for JC Electric(retired)