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OTT light vs. Balanced Spectrum Lamp



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 6th 04, 01:46 AM
Margaret
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Default OTT light vs. Balanced Spectrum Lamp

Hi folks,

I'm thrilled to finally be in a position to purchase a new lamp for my
stitching nest and am having a difficult time deciding which of the different
"natural daylight" lamps to buy. I just completed a google search and re-read
a number of posts about the OTT light vs. the Dazor vs. GE Reveal bulbs and I'm
more confused than ever before.

I saw in Sunday's PARADE Magazine that a company called FirstStreet (formerly
TechnoScout) is selling a Balanced Spectrum floor lamp for $59.95. I did a
comparison of this lamp with the OTT light ($169.95) and they are very similar.

I have a few questions:

Is anyone using the Balanced Spectrum floor lamp? What is your experience with
it? There is a BIG difference in the price of these lamps....is there a BIG
difference in the quality? What does the OTT light offer that a lesser priced
lamp might not?

I welcome any and all opinions.

Thank you very much.
Margaret in Illinois
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  #2  
Old July 6th 04, 11:39 AM
F.James Cripwell
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Default

Margaret ) writes:
Hi folks,
(snip)
I have a few questions:

Is anyone using the Balanced Spectrum floor lamp? What is your experience with
it? There is a BIG difference in the price of these lamps....is there a BIG
difference in the quality? What does the OTT light offer that a lesser priced
lamp might not?

I welcome any and all opinions.

Thank you very much.
Margaret in Illinois



Let me try some basic physics. When we are stitching, and want to
see, for example, where the proper hole is to put the needle, what we
basically require is lots of light, whose quality is not that important.
However, the colour of the thread we are using looks different in
different lights. The usual standard is "natural light", something like
the light from a window facing north in the northern hemisphere.
So if all you want to do is to be able to distinguish one colour from
another, any old sort of bright light is satisfactory. If you are a
designer, and it matters what the colours look like in natural light, then
you need one of the fancy, expensive lights whose output matches natural
light. Personally, I just buy lamps that give off lots of light, and are
as cheap as possible. HTH.
--
Jim Cripwell.
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of one's life, any
time that is spent in stitching.
Adapted from a sign on The Cobb, Lyme Regis, England.
  #3  
Old July 6th 04, 12:33 PM
Tia Mary-remove nekoluvr to reply
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Default

From: ojunk (Margaret)

.... What does the OTT light offer that a lesser priced
lamp might not? .....


Jim gave a good description of the reasons for using a full spectrum light
as opposed to a high wattage light. I use an Ott light and a floor lamp with 3
separate sockets with the GE Reveal lights AND a regular table lamp! I sit in
a rather dark corner of the room and I am in my mid- 50's with poor eye-sight
so I need more light of a higher intensity than the "average bear".
I don't really need the full spectrum type of light of the Ott light BUT I
DO need that fancy-schmany, super-dooper, nifty little magnifyer that is an
attachment for it AND the fact that the whole thing fits snugly and securely
under my recliner. I can get the whole thing to sit directly over my stitching
too and that's the best part! The floor lamp is behind me on the right and
the table lamp is on the left but the Ott light -- and the magnifyer -- I move
around to where I need it.
I looked at many other types of similar types of floor lamps before I bought
the Ott. So many people recommended different ones from the office supply
places that I just had to do some shopping around. For me, bottom line was
that magnifyer that attached directly to the light AND the fact that I could
use my Joann's coupons on both of the lamp and the magnifyer -- just had to do
it at different times. I was lucky -- I bought mine when Joann's still offered
50% off coupons, not the cheap 40% off ones they offer now!
I guess I have to go along with Jim on this subject. Unless there is some
reason you specifically need "full spectrum" lighting when you STITCH, you
don't need one of the expensive lights! If you need something like a specific
physical attribute of one of the $$ lights -- like the attached magnifyer of
the Ott light -- that's a whole 'nuther story! If it's bright light you need,
determine how bright and go from there.
I read an artical online (can't remember where) about lighting needs as you
get older. It said you need more light AND from different sources as you age.
I find that I need light from at least 2 different directions -- 3 is better --
and it needs to be BRIGHT light! Keep all of this in mind as you look for a
new light for your stitching needs :-)! CiaoMeow ^;;^
..

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ Queen of Kitties
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their
WHISKERS!!
Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!
Online Photos at
http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary
  #4  
Old July 6th 04, 03:32 PM
BDS2pds
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I have lots of lights and my favorite is the OTT because it does not make me
hot.
  #5  
Old July 8th 04, 04:15 AM
Fred
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Ditto!!! I just use a couple of 35w halogen lamps. One for the top side and
one for the bottom side. Just place them at a comfortable distance. The heat
from them won't prevent hot flashes but it shouldn't make them worse
either - I think.

I would say that a designer or maybe a model stitcher might be the only ones
who needs a balanced spectrum light. Having said that, most LNS I frequent
have a balanced spectrum light which is used to light up the situation when
a customer comes in and wants to purchase a skein of floss that matches 3"
of floss they have saved since 1950.

Fred
http://www.stitchaway.com

W.I.P. - "Fiddler on the Roof".
W.I.L., "Romantic Venice",
"Ocean Princess", "Southwest Charm",
"Rainbow Trail", "Indian Pottery", "One Earth",
"Spirit of the Full Moon"
and "+?", "+?", "+?".

"F.James Cripwell" wrote in message
...
Margaret ) writes:
Hi folks,
(snip)
I have a few questions:

Is anyone using the Balanced Spectrum floor lamp? What is your

experience with
it? There is a BIG difference in the price of these lamps....is there a

BIG
difference in the quality? What does the OTT light offer that a lesser

priced
lamp might not?

I welcome any and all opinions.

Thank you very much.
Margaret in Illinois



Let me try some basic physics. When we are stitching, and want to
see, for example, where the proper hole is to put the needle, what we
basically require is lots of light, whose quality is not that important.
However, the colour of the thread we are using looks different in
different lights. The usual standard is "natural light", something like
the light from a window facing north in the northern hemisphere.
So if all you want to do is to be able to distinguish one colour from
another, any old sort of bright light is satisfactory. If you are a
designer, and it matters what the colours look like in natural light, then
you need one of the fancy, expensive lights whose output matches natural
light. Personally, I just buy lamps that give off lots of light, and are
as cheap as possible. HTH.
--
Jim Cripwell.
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of one's life, any
time that is spent in stitching.
Adapted from a sign on The Cobb, Lyme Regis, England.




 




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