whats your setup?
 

hey! i have 8 shop lights, but i dont now how i should set up with tables or shelves and what not. so, what is your setup? any recommendations for me?

Do you have a light meter?

no. do i need one? where can i get one? and how much will it cost me?

Well. I did without one for several years. It can really help take the guess work out when setting up the growing areas as well as letting you know when your bulbs are weak and need to be changed out. You can find a good one for under $60.00. I got mine off of ebay 6 years ago.

gah! thats expensive! ill have to wait until i can find a good price on one. is it okay to go without one for the time being?

I grew and bloomed mine under lights for 6 years without one. If you list what plant types you have we can get you close to how far they need to be from the lights. Also when you say shop lights what type of fixture and bulb wattage are you dealing with?

i have 8 of these Lights of America 70W 4-Foot Fluorescent Shop Light (White) (8045E)

the end of the fixtures say

118 v. 60 hz. 70w

the bulbs are 34 watt

I have a wire shelf unit where I grow my seedlings and indoor orchids. Two standard shop lights fit under each shelf. 4 shelves gives me three lighted and the top one for displaying/enjoying bloomers. Pulling a hundred plants off a shelf to water can be a chore though. I would suggest trays so you can yank a whole tray at a time.

okay, thats what i was thinking about! they are on sale now too!! what kind of tray ware you thinking? can you really fit 100 orchids on one shelf? i dont have near that many yet. but i will soon :D

Use your camera for a light meter
 

You probably already have a light meter if you have a half-decent camera.
I don't meter ( I grow outdoors under trees/bushes. If the orchids turn too dark I pull them forward and if they yellow (or worse) I move them back towards shadier regions.
As I remember the relationship, it should work out like this, although someone better (and more current) at photography could probably explain and work out a better table for you.
Each f-stop change cuts the light in half. F-stops are f-16, f-8, f 4, etc
Set ISO speed on camera to 100 and take a shot - check the image data (or meter reading)
f/16 for 1/100 sec or equivalent is full sun
f/8 for 1/100 sec (or f/16 for 1/50th sec) is half shade