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So i dont have very good lighting. Just a cheap desk lamp from walmart..and my crafting is generally done at night and with only the overhead and that lamp my pictures all look washed out...
So i was doing some research and came across the Ott Lite..
My question is- does this Light reall improve the look of thing just because of the type of the lighting and is it worth the price??
Yes, the type of lighting really can make a difference in your crafting. Especially for matching up colors, etc.
I personally didn't want to spend the $$$ for an Ott light. I did some research and found that the type of light Ott's uses is daylight spectrum.
I found there are lots of inexpensive desk type and standing lamps that qualify to be called daylight spectrum. I was lucky to find a good one at Big Lots for a cheap price.
I would suggest googling daylight spectrum lamps and see what you can find if you want something less expensive than the Ott.
By the way, lots of folks just swear by their Ott lights, but I hardly ever get the "name brand" anything if I can find an inexpensive substitute.
Need to add, sometimes these lamps are called "full spectrum."
__________________ Bugga in OK
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Last edited by buggainok; 06-22-2012 at 05:17 PM..
HA! Bugga you are now gonna be my best friend!! lol. I can totally afford 18.00 a lot easier than i can 60.00! ..ok going to add this to my cart to save for later.. thanks so much!!
Michael's carries Ott lights and you can use a 40% off coupon and get the light at a very good price; they often have them 40% off without the coupon too.
As Buggainok mentions above, the daylight spectrum lamps are wonderful for matching colours perfectly. I've had my OTT lamp for 2-3 years and still haven't had to replace the globe. The Walmart lamp is certainly a lot cheaper than the OTT, but you might want to check how long its globes last to consider its overall running cost. If you need to replace its globes frequently, it might be cheaper to buy the OTT lamp for lower costs in the long run. If the Walmart lamp globes last as long as an OTT lamp globe, then the Walmart lamp is certainly a bargain. ;-) :-)
I have two spectrum lights. I have a desktop OTT light. My DH bought it for me years ago for my needlework. It has a magnifier which is just a luxury when working with certain stitches. I love that lamp. The bulb has not been replaced in almost a decade.
I also have a really nice floor stand light from Big Lots. That was a gift for me years ago too. Bulb has not gone out on that either. My cats think it's a jungle gym so they have knocked it over a million times and nothing has ever broke.
I do love my spectrum lights. I agree generic is just as good as name brand. Sometimes you can find an amazing deal on name brand.
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I have the rechargeable desktop one that you can either plug in or run off the battery. It has been worth it's weight in gold at certain poorly lit crops. I've had it for about 4 years and the battery is still going strong. It came from Jo-Ann's during a 50% off sale. If it ever quit, I would definitely get another one.
oh wow....well ya'll have definitely given me a lot to think about!- i remember the year before last M's had the ott lites on their black friday sale for like half price and there was also a coupon for an extra 25% off of the black friday sale items..so maybe i can get the same type of deal this year...:/ hmmm....so many things i want- so little money story of my life!!
Have you checked into just buying an Ott replacement bulb for the lamp you already have?
I had a clamp on craft light with a long flexible arm that's easy to raise up and down and move side to side to get it where I wanted it. I liked the style of the light, but wanted an Ott-type light and just replaced the regular bulb with an Ott bulb that I got on sale for about $8.
I believe that the light itself had a note that the bulb shouldn't exceed 60 watts, which is the equivalent of an 15-watt Ott light. I am very happy with how it works and it wasn't nearly as expensive as buying the whole new light.
I got one more than five years ago, and it's still going strong. It really does make a difference. I stamp in my dining room, so I got a decorative ott floor lamp. I'm pretty sure it was 60% off at joann's. I got my husband a knockoff on amazon, and he loves it too.
Funny I saw this tonight. I am working on my stamp room, and had to get a floor lamp. Found a nice black floor lamp at Walmart for 13.00, and got a daylight lightbulb. It works great. I got an OTT light with the magnifier as a task light on my desk. I just put it together, and it is great. It is small and not "hot", which is what I need as I hate heat. I got mine off Amazon with free shipping. I think as long as you have the daylight bulbs you will be ok.
oh..i never thought of just changing the bulb *smacks self on the forhead* DUH! lol so do i just look for one that says "daylight bulb"
the heat is one of my biggest issues too..i can sit at the table and craft for hours and by the time im done and go to switch off the lamp and its so hot i have to wrap my hands in something even to just touch the knob...
I've had my Ott desk lamp for about 10 years and my floor lamp for 15 or more. I did have to replace the bulb in the floor lamp once. The quality of Ott lights is spectacular and totally worth the cost. I bought mine during 50% sales. Definitely recommend!
Had to replace an Ott light bulb recently after 7 yrs of use. Didn't know the bulbs now have the regular screw in base. Had to go on line to buy my replacement which is the push-in type. Buying online was cheaper than buying at a local sewing/quilt shop-their price was $33.00!
Wish the Ott Lite company would sell adapters because the push/pull style makes me nervous. If anyone is going to break/shatter a bulb while replacing it, it will be me!
Love my Ott lights. Have several floor lamps and several table top styles so I can craft at different places around the house.
I have 2 Ott lights and love them both. One is a floor lamp that I have had for well over 6 years. The other is a desk light that I have had about 3-4 years. I have not had to change a bulb on either yet. Couldn't craft without them.
I love my Ott Light. I have the task lamp and it's at least 10 years old. I've only replaced the bulb twice. My mother has an degenerative eye disease and uses Ott Lights every day. She has one in the kitchen, one in the living room, one in her sewing room and one in her bedroom. She just picked up another one on clearance at Hobby Lobby this weekend. She wanted a floor lamp for her bedroom. She's also has the portable light that she carries when she travels.
Don't waste your money on the table lamp from Walmart! I got one of these for my daughter to take to college but she had a built in desk lamp so I decided to use it on my desk. It lasted about six weeks and then the plastic piece that holds the lamp part broke. I found an Ott desk lamp for $20 at Tueday Morning which is far superior to the Walmart one. I should have known better, I have an Ott floor lamp that I have had for 10 + years that I love!
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Have you checked into just buying an Ott replacement bulb for the lamp you already have?
I had a clamp on craft light with a long flexible arm that's easy to raise up and down and move side to side to get it where I wanted it. I liked the style of the light, but wanted an Ott-type light and just replaced the regular bulb with an Ott bulb that I got on sale for about $8.
I believe that the light itself had a note that the bulb shouldn't exceed 60 watts, which is the equivalent of an 15-watt Ott light. I am very happy with how it works and it wasn't nearly as expensive as buying the whole new light.
I have a cheap walmart lamp fitted with a CFL Ott Lite bulb I got at Joann's for 50% off. It's been going strong for about 2 years!
Both "daylight" bulbs and halogen bulbs will provide a "CRI= color rendering index" of 100 - meaning the same as if outdoors to allow good color matching .....if you have a regular lamp, you may want to try one of these type for little money.
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I love my OTT lights. They are awesome. They are especially nice for painting 3D objects. I actually put 2-3 OTT lights around my work area to get rid of shadows and I can still paint 3D ceramic pieces when it is dark out and get good coverage!
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I've had my Ott desk lamp for about 10 years and my floor lamp for 15 or more. I did have to replace the bulb in the floor lamp once. The quality of Ott lights is spectacular and totally worth the cost. I bought mine during 50% sales. Definitely recommend!
Some years ago I found a floor model beside the dumpster and adopted it. Had no idea what it was til a friend told me.I figure the owner didn't want to buy the expensive replacement bulb, but I did, and that's almost 10 years ago now. Works wonderful. Best investment for the serious crafter.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. A.E.
Ott Lite??
