When I went to Lowe's the other day to get my window the guy in the lighting department stopped me all excited and pointed to a shop light they had just got in this week and to my surprise they were exactly what I was looking for and had asked him about almost 6 months ago. They are 4ft, 2 light vaportite (T8 bulbs) sold by utilitech. They are wet location listed with a gasketed clear acrylic diffuser that resist, dirt, bugs and moisture, instant on Electronic Ballast with 0 F startup and man are they easy on the eyes. All this for $69.

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T8, are these high output, or very high output lamps?

These things are amazing. T8 fluorescent tubes have a tri-phosphor coating that allows for high color rendition (86 CRI). The high color rendering makes it easier for people to see true colors and it creates a more pleasing and comfortable environment and for me that has to measure, mark and cut this is a lot less tiring. Plus these fluorescent tubes are suppose to save up to 50 percent on energy bills and last for over six years because they operate at only 32 watts.

Sound good for indoor apps. too. I was thinking they might be the commercial VHO/high wattage type used in stores, etc. But for task lighting in the shop, or multiple-tube kitchen or other architectural lighting the T8's 86 CRI sounds great.

Here's a 32W T8 FLUORESCENT 5000K with a 98CRI ($16 ea.)! 32W T8 FLUORESCENT 5000K 98CRI

For your larger shop lighting needs, there are some good CRI numbers on some of the HID lighting.
4200K Metal Halide CRI 85
5400K Metal Halide CRI 93

I will have to check those light out. they are about $100 cheaper than these
lights Full Spectrum Solutions that you linked on my shop blog. I figured 4 of those would light up my shop, which is 1800 sq. ft.

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2007 Tundra, Limited DC, 4X4,5.7L
NAV, TRD,TOW
Xlerator Exhaust
aFe Stage 2 CAI
Desert Sand Mica

I was going to get those, but after I got to thinking about my ceiling height I decided that a 4 light system would be a little much and if I could find a 2 light T8 system, I could then divide the light and intensity more evenly around the shop. With these as you said they're $100 cheaper so you could by two, 2 light fixtures and still be money ahead not to mention the fact that they have a sealed diffuser. I'll get the Lowe's code later today off of one of the boxes just in case they don't have them at your store so they can order them.

I have 4 up right now in my shop 20X40 and it's nice and bright. Since I'll be working in there mostly at night doing a lot of detail work I'm going to double the numbers of lights to 8 or maybe even 12.

But one of the 6 tube light fixtures from your link is only $214, bulbs included, and at least at one time PG&E offered a $100 rebate per fixture. And the lumen per watt of the BlueMax is impressive. Probably need a fairly high ceiling to use a single point source though, so two of the 4 lamp fixtures might be better.

damn i bet that works great working in the wood shop

I could use the # of the light fixture as the closest Lowe's or Home Depot is nearly 200 miles away, so i would have to order.
I have fairly high ceilings, I would mount them at 12' at the bottom of the trusses, and could go as high 14'-16'.
I was also thinking of putting some other(cheaper) lights on the walls over my sink and bench area.
PG&E is putting in the new transformer Friday, so I will have power and will be able to start working on the interior.

__________________
2007 Tundra, Limited DC, 4X4,5.7L
NAV, TRD,TOW
Xlerator Exhaust
aFe Stage 2 CAI
Desert Sand Mica

Item #86124
SKU 37949 33783
Model PVTP240R8

If when you talk to them they need more info just let me know.

I'm also going to install some track lighting around certain benches and pieces of equipment to help get rid of shadows and highlight the work surface where needed. That's the one thing I learned when I set up the garage and that was you can never have too many lights, just install lots of switches so they don't have to be on all the time.