500 Lumen - AAA Flashlight (photos) - Work In Progress - Part 2

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hi everyone,

Quick update...
Massively hectic day yesterday at dayjob & arrive home late with a headache to match.
Put my head down for what was meant to be a few minutes but fell into a coma (aka. Deep Sleep) and awoke this morning, feeling much better thankfully.

Sorry bout that :bow:

More mails to be sent today along with more packages in the evening.

Tgwnn

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

You are human after all. I actually didn't think you slept....... Nothing better than a good night's sleep to put some kick back in your step.

 

[nbp]

Sleep all you want guy, my Torpedo is already in the mail. :naughty:

 

[jonwkng]

Sorry bout that :bow:

Hi Guy, I guess I can speak for the rest of the tribe that you should never have to apologize for catching up on sleep. Your MBI cybernetic enhancements can only do so much, but you're only human (right?)

I was going to quote something out of Blade Runner, but in the modern context... Overdriven emitters may be very bright, but it is often at the expense of durability. Please take care of yourself.

 

[Cataract]

Hey, Cataract... would you happen to be a redhead?

Nope, and there's no way I'll be mating with a male Unicorn (or even female for that matter) anytime soon! What we need is one of them garden gnomes, but a live one... Perhaps a little Unicorn dust could help bring one alive. Does anyone have a neighbor with a red-haired female garden gnome? And then I suspect we'll need a genetic engineer to splice some DNA together as I doubt they'd be compatible right off the bat. But then, red haired female garden gnomes are really hard to find, could be as hard as finding a female Leprechaun. If anyone catches a Leprechaun, ask him for a hair from his wife, mother or sister and give him a bit of the gold back in exchange if you have to!

While I'm thinking about it, Gnomes and Leprechauns can be a little pesky and Uni has his moments too... might make the Oompa Loompas seem quiet in comparison. Unless someone finds a red-haired fairy ready to part with one of her hair, we'll have to take it and hope for the best. Does anyone know how to contact Julia Roberts? Maybe someone is selling her hairbrush on E-Bay!

Hi everyone,

Quick update...
Massively hectic day yesterday at dayjob & arrive home late with a headache to match.
Put my head down for what was meant to be a few minutes but fell into a coma (aka. Deep Sleep) and awoke this morning, feeling much better thankfully.

Sorry bout that :bow:

More mails to be sent today along with more packages in the evening.

Tgwnn

No apologies necessary; you are giving more than we expected and your body needs it. We are glad you actually get some sleep through all this

 

[KDM]

Great quote from an old movie Roadhouse. "I'll get all the sleep I need when I'm dead". Even Superman has his limits, I tried to be him for to many years and it catches up with you. Get some rest, no apologizes necessary.

 

[jorn]

Yeeey, got my mail today

Sent from my LG-P880 using Tapatalk

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Thanks very much for the posts.
Feeling much better today :thumbsup:

Sent out some mails and more to follow this evening along with packages.

In the mail I've got some info & cautions with using li-ions.
Reason being the workshop let me know some days back about a possible issue, which I posted previously,
where using a li-ion seems to short some part of the circuit (must be due to some internal wire getting over crimped/bent at assembly).
After hearing about it, I tested every X again with li-ions to double check for it and weed out any with that issue and I only found 3 in total.

One of the first postal batch that went out, had that issue though and had a mail about a second one earlier today.
Fingers crossed that they are the last to be found with that issue but wanted to mention it.

You are human after all. I actually didn't think you slept....... Nothing better than a good night's sleep to put some kick back in your step.

Thanks ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond,
I love sleep
Just need more of it.

Sleep all you want guy, my Torpedo is already in the mail. :naughty:

Thanks nbp,
I'm fully charged and ready to rock'n'roll the rest of the week :thumbsup:

Hi Guy, I guess I can speak for the rest of the tribe that you should never have to apologize for catching up on sleep. Your MBI cybernetic enhancements can only do so much, but you're only human (right?)

I was going to quote something out of Blade Runner, but in the modern context... Overdriven emitters may be very bright, but it is often at the expense of durability. Please take care of yourself.

Thanks very much jonwkng,

I'll be looking fwd to the supercapacitors and graphene instant charge parts for my body.
Now that would be great. 1 min of sleep, good for 23hrs 59 min :twothumbs

Does anyone know how to contact Julia Roberts?

Let me check if she's bought a flashlight from me......

No apologies necessary; you are giving more than we expected and your body needs it. We are glad you actually get some sleep through all this

Thanks Cataract,
Still, I like to be as quick as possible. The train can only move as fast as the first carriage (unless there's a major crash of course and that aint good either)

Great quote from an old movie Roadhouse. "I'll get all the sleep I need when I'm dead". Even Superman has his limits, I tried to be him for to many years and it catches up with you. Get some rest, no apologizes necessary.

Hi KDM,
Kinda was my philosophy for a long time, thing is it might end up killing you
so a bit of rest every now and again is a good thing.
Still like to think I can drive hard for at least a few days at time.

Yeeey, got my mail today

Sent from my LG-P880 using Tapatalk

Congrats Jorn and thank you for your patience.


...Plenty more to do this evening and it might take me until the weekend to finish all the shipping but thanks so much for hanging in there and of course, feel welcome to mail me if there's anything you want to check, seems weird or just say hi.

:wave:​

Tgwnn

 

[cnlson]

Great quote from an old movie Roadhouse. "I'll get all the sleep I need when I'm dead".

My favorite quote on sleep is "sleep is a weapon" I think it might have been from a Jason Bourne novel or something else by Robert Ludlum. It is very true. However, there is also, "no rest for the weary or the wicked, which are you?" (^o^)

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

My favorite quote on sleep is "sleep is a weapon" I think it might have been from a Jason Bourne novel or something else by Robert Ludlum. It is very true. However, there is also, "no rest for the weary or the wicked, which are you?" (^o^)

Hi cnlson,

That is an awesome quote "sleep is a weapon"!
Might have to make it my mantra.....
maybe just need to tack on
"sleep is a weapon, use it wisely"
to make sure I don't over embrace it

Tgwnn

 

[sassaquin]

Hi Tgwnn,
For well over two years, I have followed and participated in MBI Tribe's quest to help you bring the Torpedo to life. Watching the development of this innovative and extraordinary little light has been very enjoyable, humorous and a wonderful escape from the realities of life.

Now that my little Torpy is finally making the long journey from Japan to my home, I am experiencing mixed emotions. The excitement of finally owning this magical light is tempered by the sad news that my sister and only sibling has been recently diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at age 51. We are each other's best friend, live and own a home together and are as close as two sisters can be, so her diagnosis has hit me quite hard.

The arrival of my Torpy will be a much needed distraction and hopefully should bring me a little solace.

As promised, I will do my best to evaluate my Torpedo X and post feedback.

Congratulations on reaching another milestone and, as always, thank you for all that you do and allowing the Tribe to join in the MBI odyssey.

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hi Tgwnn,
For well over two years, I have followed and participated in MBI Tribe's quest to help you bring the Torpedo to life. Watching the development of this innovative and extraordinary little light has been very enjoyable, humorous and a wonderful escape from the realities of life.

Now that my little Torpy is finally making the long journey from Japan to my home, I am experiencing mixed emotions. The excitement of finally owning this magical light is tempered by the sad news that my sister and only sibling has been recently diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at age 51. We are each other's best friend, live and own a home together and are as close as two sisters can be, so her diagnosis has hit me quite hard.

The arrival of my Torpy will be a much needed distraction and hopefully should bring me a little solace.

As promised, I will do my best to evaluate my Torpedo X and post feedback.

Congratulations on reaching another milestone and, as always, thank you for all that you do and allowing the Tribe to join in the MBI odyssey.

Hi sassaquin,

Thanks very much for posting and this is perhaps the most challenging post to have to reply to in all the 2 &1/2 years.
Knowing how hard a disease cancer can be, its not an easy thing for anyone at anytime.
There are always rare exceptions though and just yesterday my wife was telling me about someone who'd been diagnosed with the same and 10yrs later is leading a mostly normal life.
Sending you and your sister lots of good wishes and positive thoughts and energy and if everyone here spends a few moments to channel the same her way, I hope we can somehow (by force or by will) tip the scales of heaven in her favor and that sis'saquin may too be one of the exceptions.

Whilst the Torpedo X is certainly now much closer to being the reality I first dreamed of for the Torpedo, there is still much to be worked out and new challenges along the way I'm sure but every day that we move it forward, I'm grateful to have perhaps what is the worlds most supportive tribe behind me and through thick n' thin, better or worse I'm behind you all too!

Sending the light, all beams on turbo :bow:


Tgwnn

 

[slntdth93]

Torpedo X050 arrived in Canada.
Very well thought out product (and packaging) I must say

Small preliminary observations:
- The engraving on my sample is perfectly straight - I guess no off axis collectible lol
- I actually did not need the magnet in the head to use the MBI nukes
- Threads are well machined, but needed a bit of grease (twisting together now is a lot smoother with the addition of nyogel)
- UI quirk where if you start turning in one direction to reach level 1 or 2, then halfway turn the other way, will switch the direction to increase/decrease brightness
- The red anodizing is very cool, but the finish on the bezel is a bit rough where the threading is (or maybe that is the threading there)
- For the final torpedo, maybe a spare o-ring would be useful

 

[Cataract]

Hi sassaquin,

Thanks very much for posting and this is perhaps the most challenging post to have to reply to in all the 2 &1/2 years.
Knowing how hard a disease cancer can be, its not an easy thing for anyone at anytime.
There are always rare exceptions though and just yesterday my wife was telling me about someone who'd been diagnosed with the same and 10yrs later is leading a mostly normal life.
Sending you and your sister lots of good wishes and positive thoughts and energy and if everyone here spends a few moments to channel the same her way, I hope we can somehow (by force or by will) tip the scales of heaven in her favor and that sis'saquin may too be one of the exceptions.

Whilst the Torpedo X is certainly now much closer to being the reality I first dreamed of for the Torpedo, there is still much to be worked out and new challenges along the way I'm sure but every day that we move it forward, I'm grateful to have perhaps what is the worlds most supportive tribe behind me and through thick n' thin, better or worse I'm behind you all too!

Sending the light, all beams on turbo :bow:


Tgwnn

Impossible to say any better as I agree 100%. Amen :bow:

As words of encouragement, I can only add that I personally know 2 guys who had a whole lung removed and are still kicking hard years later. You wouldn't know unless they told you.

 

[fatbrad]

Guy,

my PayPal says I am in window 3, but I have not received a shipping notice. Have all the window 3's been sent?

Thanks,
Brad

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Guy,

my PayPal says I am in window 3, but I have not received a shipping notice. Have all the window 3's been sent?

Thanks,
Brad

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the post and checking in (and your patience of course)
Got you all packed and ready along with all the ones that needed some custom attention and will be going out this evening along with tracking info.
I have 3 other window 3's in there too.

Tgwnn

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Quick update:

Everything through till window 3 is ready for the PO shortly so anyone before then still waiting, you should have a mail later this evening. Now working through window 4.

Torpedo X050 arrived in Canada.
Very well thought out product (and packaging) I must say

Small preliminary observations:
- The engraving on my sample is perfectly straight - I guess no off axis collectible lol
- I actually did not need the magnet in the head to use the MBI nukes
- Threads are well machined, but needed a bit of grease (twisting together now is a lot smoother with the addition of nyogel)
- UI quirk where if you start turning in one direction to reach level 1 or 2, then halfway turn the other way, will switch the direction to increase/decrease brightness
- The red anodizing is very cool, but the finish on the bezel is a bit rough where the threading is (or maybe that is the threading there)
- For the final torpedo, maybe a spare o-ring would be useful

Thanks for the quick feedback slntdth93,

It seems it was only a few that were off axis or with weird sized numbers but knowing how pedantic I am about these things I think the workshop wanted to shock me heavily in advance so that the few would not seem so bad

There were a few I noticed with a slightly rougher finish on the head due to multiple pcb assembly retries.
Barely noticeable without close inspection and though normally I'd reject them, being so short on X Torps, I didn't think it warranted a few more months of waiting. Planning to get the production head perfect though of course.

Spare o-rings, yes definitely a good idea.
They are usually the default with all other MBI lights, just didn't make it into the beta.

...back to packing for now.

Tgwnn

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hooray, window 3s all done :sweat:
and a few window 4s too...

More to follow tomorrow and thank you again to everybody for your patience.

Unfortunately due to the many PCB re-installs, I'm most definitely going to be short of PCBs for window 5 but I'm working on making another batch of PCBs and hope to have an ETA for those by Monday at latest.

I've also been examining the PCB in detail as I had the workshop send me a bunch of the ones they killed.
Spoke to one of my trusted PCB fabricators today and exploring a few possible options using an even more flexible board structure or splitting the board into 3 separate parts and using a hard PCB.

The first is going to be the quickest as there is no change to the layout of components or size of the board, so will very likely just move on that first and consider a re design of the PCB layout for the production version which seems very possible IMHO.

I'm thinking I might set the damaged boards in epoxy and turn them into trophies (keychains).

Tgwnn

 

[BarryH]

Any chance of adding one more order to window 5? Unfortunately I missed out due to other distraction, and have been kicking myself everyday since...

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Any chance of adding one more order to window 5? Unfortunately I missed out due to other distraction, and have been kicking myself everyday since...

Hi BarryH,

Thanks for the post.

There's a small chance I may have just a few spare after making some more PCBs but can't promise just yet.
If you visit the Torpedo page on my website, then click the "Notify Me" button on that page, I can send you a mail if I have any spares.

I will be working hard towards the production version though so hopefully that's not too far away.

Tgwnn