table light

[Fred]

I want to make a new light for my 8 ft. table. My current light is a 3 bulb bar light. It gives off too much light for the room and not enough light for the table. I want to light the table not the room. I'm thinking about useing a 4ft flourescent hung over the table in a wooden shade. My questions are, Is 4ft. long enough? How deep should the shade be? Am I, as my wife would say, a damned old cheap assed fool who should just go buy one? Thanks in advance.
Justin Nuder

 

[Nineballggs]

Justin..........sounds to me like you have acrylic or plastic ..or glass shades on your light .....If so change the shades on the fixture to metal......Brass or chrome or black.........The light will ONLY go down to the table....not throughout the room ............also your fixture may be too high........lowering it will also focus the light on just the table .....good luck............G

also you can put larger bulbs in the fixture than it calls for

 

[Fred]

I'll try different shades. The ones I have are stained glass.
Thanks
Justin Nuder

 

[SlateHumper]

bright idea

Hi Fred. I would suggest at least one 8' 2 bulb florescent fixture. Florescent lighting really lights up a table much better than incandescent lighting. The only drawback is florescent can fade the cloth faster if the table is not covered when not in use and the light is left on