The Prometheus Task Master Mini is a compact high-CRI LED worklight with magnetic base and gooseneck-style adjustable arm.
There are two versions, one with a single head, and one with a dual head.
Both models feature a Soraa GU10 bulb that delivers 90+ CRI illumination at a 3000K (warm white) color temperature. The bulb delivers 600 lumens brightness.
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You can adjust the beam angle, thanks to the Soraa Snap System. The Snap System works with magnetic modifier attachments that can be used to create beam angles of 36°, 25°, or 10°.
According to Prometheus Lights, the Task Master Mini improves upon the original Task Master, with a “lightweight head [that] offers virtually unlimited positioning options.”
The adjustable arm features 3/4″ Loc-Line modular hose system segments for strength and resistance to common chemicals.
Each Task Master Mini has a “massively strong” magnetic base with rubber boot. The base and bulb socket are 3D printed in-house by Prometheus Lights.
Prometheus adds that the lights are not self-standing and must be attached to “something steel.” Off the top of my head, I think that the Panavise weighted base (~$30 at Amazon) might be suitable.
A toggle switch gives users quick on/off control.
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The 6-foot power cord is “custom made for this application.” It’s described as being “industrial grade with no expense spared,” with the cord strain relief (but not the bulb) sealed against liquid and dust intrusion.
The toggle switch – made by Honeywell – is sealed with a APM Hexseal boot.
At a distance of 1 foot, the Task Master Mini delivers from 13,000 (36°) to 75,000 (10°) lux. Prometheus Lights has a handy distance vs lux chart on their website.
It looks like the native beam angle is 10°, with magnetic modifiers used to achieve 25° and 36° beam angles.
The single and dual Task Master Mini lights operate on 110V AC.
Price: $295 for the single, $355 for the dual head model
No, I didn’t miss a decimal point somewhere; these are very expensive compact worklights.
The owner of the company wanted “a great LED task light,” but couldn’t find what he was looking for, and so he designed and built his own.
I’d say that these lights are for very demanding users who have deep pockets or specific needs that justify the expense.
Personally, I think this could serve as great DIY project inspiration.
Prometheus also has a small articulating arm accessory for use with their Beta AAA LED flashlights. It comes with a magnetic base, Loc-Line segments (likely 1/4″ system), and a brass fitting for connecting to Beta flashlights with QRV2 quick release end sockets.
The arm is 7″ long, not including the length of the flashlight.
Price: $35, $74 with a flashlight
Jared
Even with the thread title for preparation, the price surprised me. I realize this is probably a very small and niche company though, if they’re 3d printing components. It looks really cool, but I definitely don’t want a cord on a $300 light.
BigTimeTommy
$300 and it has 3d printed parts? Wow. They’d better be sintered metal and not plastic.
MM
When I had my machining business we had lights similar to these on most of our manual machine tools. These sound like a modernized version with a stronger magnet and better light. It’s good to hear that the power cord and the switch are high quality and sealed. Honestly they sound like they might be worth the money for a machinist. However what is also important–and unknown–is how well sealed the LED head is. Lights like this need to be able to withstand being splashed with coolant, cutting oil, chips/swarf, etc, so if the head isn’t well protected the rest of the lamp doesn’t matter.
Also, like BigTimeTommy wrote, 3d printed parts at this price point? I sure hope those are something special and not your average plastic parts.
Mike
Prometheus is a bespoke manufacturer. Jason gained famed in the EDC communities for the Alpha light and TI pens. At the time, he made everything by hand himself. Years later he bought 4/7 when O-Light devested the brand. Had not followed him, but nice to see him pop back up.
Mark M.
I respect the owner for trying to solve a problem and wish him success, but that’s an eye-watering price (and questionable value) when I get get a magnetic base “BBQ light” off Amazon that provides 90% of the same utility at <10% of the cost. And they can fail and I can buy more before I ever come close to that pricetag.
Koko The Talking Ape
Huh. I just got two flexible work lights for the tool library where I volunteer. $12 each. Chinese, and they need USB power, but they have adjustable intensity and color temp. They don’t give 600 lumens either, but they’re bright enough.
Incidentally, I think that Panavise weighted base is way overkill. To give that magnet a stable base, a cake pan would probably do. Weigh it down with stuff from your Coffee Can of Random Fasteners ™. For mounting on vertical surfaces, clamp or glue or nail down a steel mending plate or tie plate.
Philip+Proctor
That price is laughable.
Franco
It is expensive for sure, but I agree with MM. If it fulfills a need, like for a serious machinist, and holds up to what he said are unknowns, then it is well worth it…for those who need something they can count on, very bright, very adjustable.
Very niche market so profit/unit needs to be higher, that does not help, but those who like to buy once/cry once, will probably like this.
Franco
When I click on the Amazon links, you can see that there are literally hundreds of similar or alternative lights that can be had for less than a $100, even a large selection under $25.
At the same time, if you go to his site, Prometheus, he has knives and other gear, but clearly his specialty is flashlights. The prices, especially for the size, are about as expensive as any I have seen.
But again, he is catering to people who need or want the “best”, or top of the line. It is all made with High grade Aluminum, Titanium, Carbon Fiber…I don’t see plastic or rubber or other cheaper material.
I didn’t have time to check everything but I am sure the emitters are top notch as well as all other components. If he were to use some kind of plastic, as the Bare Naked Ladies would say, it is probably “Dijon Plastic”.
Very niche market for those who want that kind of craft.
David Brock
The MiniTurbo light is well worth the cost and is in pocket everyday. If I lost it, I would order another on the same day. Have had surefires and such but the UI is so much better on his lights.
Mopar4wd
For that prices I hope that Honeywell Toggle switch is the sealed version ($30-60) not the regular version ($5-10) We used to build equipment for Navy boats with Honey Well sealed Mil spec 3 pole toggle switches. Great switch but they better be for the 60+ bucks they cost.
JR Ramos
It has some compelling features such as the changeable bulb and a/c power – 6′ is too short, though. Price is commensurate with Prometheus but yeah…you can certainly get very nice LED machine task lights these days for a fraction of this and some of them are actually very nice.
If you need a base, the cheapest 2.5lb barbell plate or even one of the cheapie jeweler’s 3″ or 4″ square plates would do fine and save a lot of coin over the Panavise base.
MM brings up an excellent point about liquid resistance and coolant splash – very important and is the death of many a pair of calipers and lights. I’m sure the bulbs this is designed for are sealed and the head would typically be pointed downward, but if the socket isn’t well sealed/protected then this might be a lot of money down the drain.
Don’t laugh at me but I found a certain model of the cheap-cheap “sewing machine” lights that use about 30 of the old school 5mm biaxial emitters for $12 on Amazon. Most of those use the cheap ugly cold/bluish emitters but there are some available with a fairly pleasing 5000K high CRI emitters – nice surprise. They use a thin delicate cord and the simplest base/connections, but the flex coil is decent and the magnet strong enough to hold its own even on the curved surface of a grinder or the thin steel of a drill press cover. These are absolutely not water resistant in any way, though and I’m not sure how they’d fare as a dedicated grinder/buffer light with lots of fine dust.
If you’re inclined to overspend on nice lighting and want cordless, the Freelux FML lights are extremely well done….$210 last I looked but they’re often unavailable until he does a new batch. Li-ion cells, good electronics and emitter choices as well as the optics. Very compact (impressively so). Beats the flex arms with clamps that will fit simple tube body flashlights but that’s a great option that you can do for $30-$40 or so (something like a Convoy S2+ with the emitter you like and the holdy bits).
David Brock
Post a link to your ” cheap-cheap “sewing machine” light” if you would.
JR Ramos
Well, it looks like the exact one isn’t available from the seller I got it from but they have a very similar one now….20 larger emitters rather than 30 but looks the same overall. The “high CRI” and lack of diffuser lens is what caught my eye with these. Thus far that silicone sleeve over the gooseneck coil seems to be doing its job well…holds position better and hasn’t gotten floppy despite a lot of bending and twisting. This one says it’s 6000K (which should be a very crisp white in a high CRI emitter….often with cheap emitters that temperature will start to look blueish or worse). Cord is about 4’…..from base to tip of the lamp shield is 12″. I’m a flashlight geek so I’ve become a bit of a snob when it comes to light quality…very happy with this, enough that I bought two extras. I find the high CRI especially useful at the drill press with metals and also on darker woods…does make colors look nicer but often that doesn’t really matter so much.
So…slight caveat in that I have not handled the product linked but it does look pretty much the same (same seller, and they don’t appear to be just another china vendor that has no clue what they’re selling and just copy/paste marketing photos/text).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FNGKNP3/ (currently $12.59, OBST Lighting brand, seller Wenlihing. Tons of lookalikes, most are kinda junk that I would not purchase myself)
David Brock
thanks.
carl
I am sure I would love it, and I’m familiar with Prometheus, but even then I did not anticipate that price.
I should have, I’ve seen how much small production fancy flashlights can go for.
Greg
I think I’d rather tackle Adam Savages LED Light DIY solution, with flexible arms too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL3uZ88vA_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UeghPJrUxE
David Brock
built one, like it. Hardest time was getting the wire/rod inside of the flex pipe to be the right stiffness so it would hold its shape but still be able to position it.
BigTimeTommy
Wait did this guy really slap his name on the NASA logo to sell as merch? Gee willickers I wish I could cash in on nerd culture consumerism like that.
I have a similar light made mostly from 3D printed parts. Pretty handy, about a buck worth of filament and an hour of time assembling.