My third ground-up build.
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Tidra
Enlightened
Very CUTE,...
In my experience I realise that if you have mounted brighter light on the bar than one on the helmet, the light from the helmet is not so usable, because brightness of the bar mounted light is much greater and closer to your eyes than the light from your helmet mounted light.
LP
I.
In my experience I realise that if you have mounted brighter light on the bar than one on the helmet, the light from the helmet is not so usable, because brightness of the bar mounted light is much greater and closer to your eyes than the light from your helmet mounted light.
LP
I.
I agree. It sorta get's swallowed up in it all, doesn't it?
This project was built for an individual who backed out of buying it after he decided to spend his money on something else. Upsetting fo sho.
The cool thing though is that this light is plenty for a leisurely jaunt in the woods. I wouldn't shred the gnar with it, but just general "bonking around" in the bush...it's a very adequate beam. If you see it right after my 1100 lumen version...it appears fairly inadequate indeed, but when your eyes adjust back...it's plenty for the minimalist. There are alot of dudes out there ballin' 120 lumen flashlights on their helmets and doing just fine...this grossly outperforms those and has such a small footprint...it's cra-Z. The battery is so small too (2x RCR's) and still lasts over 1.5hrs.
I'm happy with it. I probably will try to sell it to one of those guys ballin the Fenix on the helmet though. I'm going to make myself a double-barrel Regina setup for a tad more "punch".
If I can't get rid of this one...I can still mount it on the bars easy as pie with the battery strapped to the stem and throw the punchy one on the helmet.
This project was built for an individual who backed out of buying it after he decided to spend his money on something else. Upsetting fo sho.
The cool thing though is that this light is plenty for a leisurely jaunt in the woods. I wouldn't shred the gnar with it, but just general "bonking around" in the bush...it's a very adequate beam. If you see it right after my 1100 lumen version...it appears fairly inadequate indeed, but when your eyes adjust back...it's plenty for the minimalist. There are alot of dudes out there ballin' 120 lumen flashlights on their helmets and doing just fine...this grossly outperforms those and has such a small footprint...it's cra-Z. The battery is so small too (2x RCR's) and still lasts over 1.5hrs.
I'm happy with it. I probably will try to sell it to one of those guys ballin the Fenix on the helmet though. I'm going to make myself a double-barrel Regina setup for a tad more "punch".
If I can't get rid of this one...I can still mount it on the bars easy as pie with the battery strapped to the stem and throw the punchy one on the helmet.
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Tidra
Enlightened
How much would you like for those beauty, I could ask some people,...
Is there any regulation of output included?
LP
I.
Is there any regulation of output included?
LP
I.
Well...I'm "trying" to get $150. The driver/MCPCB/emitter board alone is $53 shipped. Throw in the cost of optics, lens, O-ring, snap rings, screws, aluminum, anodize service, Soshine cells, connectors, charger...plus shipping.
I'm really hoping to break even on it. I really enjoyed the build and pretty-much did it for experience...not profit.
Either way...it's a tiny little light for the 350lm that it burns...and the battery is equally micro. (2x RCR's...~1.5hrs+)
Lemme know if anyone's interested. I'd sure like to see it go to a good home so I can order some more parts and keep building...I'm enjoying the build process so much!:laughing:
I'm really hoping to break even on it. I really enjoyed the build and pretty-much did it for experience...not profit.
Either way...it's a tiny little light for the 350lm that it burns...and the battery is equally micro. (2x RCR's...~1.5hrs+)
Lemme know if anyone's interested. I'd sure like to see it go to a good home so I can order some more parts and keep building...I'm enjoying the build process so much!:laughing:
There have been questions about the size of the light, battery, driver location, and whether or not it's moded.
I'll post some more comparison pic's for size tonight with the dipped battery. 7.4v with a "plug-n-play" smart charger. There's a picture of the lamp head in posts above with a USD quarter. (It's really stinkin' small) The housing is 22.2mm across.
The driver is integrated into the MCPCB. Here's a .pdf of the datasheet. It's single mode due to the micro-size of the components. He's working on moded versions.
The light was designed to be weatherproof. The connection that attaches the battery to the light is a Dean connector. It's used on alot of R/C app's. I had a Trailtech connector on there, but it was just too big and looked out of place on such a small light.
There's an inline switch between the battery and lamp head.
As I mentioned...I'll post more pic's tonight after work.
I'll post some more comparison pic's for size tonight with the dipped battery. 7.4v with a "plug-n-play" smart charger. There's a picture of the lamp head in posts above with a USD quarter. (It's really stinkin' small) The housing is 22.2mm across.
The driver is integrated into the MCPCB. Here's a .pdf of the datasheet. It's single mode due to the micro-size of the components. He's working on moded versions.
The light was designed to be weatherproof. The connection that attaches the battery to the light is a Dean connector. It's used on alot of R/C app's. I had a Trailtech connector on there, but it was just too big and looked out of place on such a small light.
There's an inline switch between the battery and lamp head.
As I mentioned...I'll post more pic's tonight after work.
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Christexan
Enlightened
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2006
- Messages
- 224
Reminds me of my prototype I built back in 2007 (pictures below hopefully), this is a Cree XR-E P4 (or Q2, don't remember which now, bought both around the same time), STUFFED into a hex bar (very similar to your current design), but this was much smaller. This is still my "go-to" helmet light, weighs next-to-nothing without the mount.
This is using the Polymer Optics hexagonal optics, and I sized the bar just larger than the optics (forgetting to take into account the holders, I hoped I wouldn't need those... they do, or they are impossible to align)....
Bottom line, this was a rough prototype (zero measuring done, mounted in a mill and went to work) so it was a bit too short and small to fit the electronics (simple AMC7135 700mA regulator board) so that's what you see "wrapped" in red externally (I wrap the cable around the mount to "strain relief" it, it's been through some heavy trails and tree-snags and keeps working, but definitely NOT rainproof.
Actually milled it out in about 4 hours on a manual mill, although getting the internal "hex" corners was challenging without breaking an 1/8" milling bit. Lighthead is actually sealed (silicone around the lens/front, and cable exit) but the controller is just wrapped in electrical tape.
Uses a Deans Micro connector which has been great.
I intentionally extended the lens out the front (but more than desired) as it gives great side-spill for when I use it as a road light (more than I do off-road).
Hopefully the pics will come through, haven't tried this method before (I used to host my own website which made it easier).
Oh, wall-thickness around the lens is roughly a fingernail (not even a thumbnail)... about 1/10mm.
The light-head "mounts" to the base via a zip tie which when pulled tightly sits in grooves on both parts (I couldn't get it out just now even prying with a screwdriver, had to cut the tie, but I've got thousands of them, LOL), and the light-head mount vertically pivots, not nearly as nice as the one you are making here though, I just slapped flat piece of aluminum to 2 slightly milled (to fit inside each other) u-channel I had handy and popped in a couple of "rivet pivots". Works great though, but ugly.
It is EXACTLY 1 "American Quarter" long. No noticeable heat problems (while riding, otherwise when standing still it gets pretty warm pretty quickly), it's only running 700mA, and when strapped to the aluminum base has quite a bit of thermal path (but when not mounted, I don't keep it on long), the LED is actually soldered to a copper baseplate which fits inside the light-head and is arctic-alumina'd to the base to spread the heat further from the LED quickly.
This is using the Polymer Optics hexagonal optics, and I sized the bar just larger than the optics (forgetting to take into account the holders, I hoped I wouldn't need those... they do, or they are impossible to align)....
Bottom line, this was a rough prototype (zero measuring done, mounted in a mill and went to work) so it was a bit too short and small to fit the electronics (simple AMC7135 700mA regulator board) so that's what you see "wrapped" in red externally (I wrap the cable around the mount to "strain relief" it, it's been through some heavy trails and tree-snags and keeps working, but definitely NOT rainproof.
Actually milled it out in about 4 hours on a manual mill, although getting the internal "hex" corners was challenging without breaking an 1/8" milling bit. Lighthead is actually sealed (silicone around the lens/front, and cable exit) but the controller is just wrapped in electrical tape.
Uses a Deans Micro connector which has been great.
I intentionally extended the lens out the front (but more than desired) as it gives great side-spill for when I use it as a road light (more than I do off-road).
Hopefully the pics will come through, haven't tried this method before (I used to host my own website which made it easier).
Oh, wall-thickness around the lens is roughly a fingernail (not even a thumbnail)... about 1/10mm.
The light-head "mounts" to the base via a zip tie which when pulled tightly sits in grooves on both parts (I couldn't get it out just now even prying with a screwdriver, had to cut the tie, but I've got thousands of them, LOL), and the light-head mount vertically pivots, not nearly as nice as the one you are making here though, I just slapped flat piece of aluminum to 2 slightly milled (to fit inside each other) u-channel I had handy and popped in a couple of "rivet pivots". Works great though, but ugly.
It is EXACTLY 1 "American Quarter" long. No noticeable heat problems (while riding, otherwise when standing still it gets pretty warm pretty quickly), it's only running 700mA, and when strapped to the aluminum base has quite a bit of thermal path (but when not mounted, I don't keep it on long), the LED is actually soldered to a copper baseplate which fits inside the light-head and is arctic-alumina'd to the base to spread the heat further from the LED quickly.
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Christexan
Enlightened
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2006
- Messages
- 224
Since the "hex-bar" secret is out now, and I have no time for production, I forgot to mention I really like your design, but really dislike that snap ring... since you seem to have the necessary tools and skills, why not bore a u-groove for an o-ring to sit tightly in front of the lens instead? (I can't imagine trying to safely remove the snap ring without scratching the lens <shudder>)
You could make it so the lens sits somewhat over the groove and the o-ring has to be "pushed" into the groove to work around the lens, but the lens is still behind the peak of the o-ring curve, which would seal the front a bit (splashproof anyhow), and would physically retain the lens, but wouldn't intrude into the actual visible area as much and could still be removed for "service" if needed. It's what I wanted to do if I'd had round lenses, but I haven't found matching hex-rings yet for the hex lenses!
Or another option would be a "custom" snap-ring made of something like nylon, that is used as a single-use option, fitted around the lens, without the "removal" tabs blocking it (just a simple flexible ring would flex enough to snap in, but wouldn't want to come out once in place without help (a pick or similar tool)
You could make it so the lens sits somewhat over the groove and the o-ring has to be "pushed" into the groove to work around the lens, but the lens is still behind the peak of the o-ring curve, which would seal the front a bit (splashproof anyhow), and would physically retain the lens, but wouldn't intrude into the actual visible area as much and could still be removed for "service" if needed. It's what I wanted to do if I'd had round lenses, but I haven't found matching hex-rings yet for the hex lenses!
Or another option would be a "custom" snap-ring made of something like nylon, that is used as a single-use option, fitted around the lens, without the "removal" tabs blocking it (just a simple flexible ring would flex enough to snap in, but wouldn't want to come out once in place without help (a pick or similar tool)
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You really don't see the snap ring eyelets in the beam. Heck...if you did...you could set it up to where the shadow would be aimed up and you wouldn't see it on the trail unless you were looking for attacking spider monkeys.
I like the nylon idea, but I haven't had any issues removing the snap ring 3 times now. I have filed the tips of my snap ring pliers to where they don't slip off, maybe that's why I haven't had any issues. I don't stick them all the way in to where they touch the lens.
My orig. idea was to order some retaining rings that have no eyelets and must be removed with a pick. I'm still considering that for aesthetic reasons.
I think you would really like the orig. hex light that I made if you don't like the snap rings. It incorporates a face cap:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3268.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3267.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3270.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3269.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3272.jpg
I like the nylon idea, but I haven't had any issues removing the snap ring 3 times now. I have filed the tips of my snap ring pliers to where they don't slip off, maybe that's why I haven't had any issues. I don't stick them all the way in to where they touch the lens.
My orig. idea was to order some retaining rings that have no eyelets and must be removed with a pick. I'm still considering that for aesthetic reasons.
I think you would really like the orig. hex light that I made if you don't like the snap rings. It incorporates a face cap:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3268.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3267.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3270.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3269.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/chelboed/Lights/IMG_3272.jpg
Christexan
Enlightened
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2006
- Messages
- 224
Yep, looks great, your milling is better than mine for sure, and re: snap ring, i figure it's probably not too much beam loss, more just the aesthetics I suppose (not that my rough proto is all that nice)... after I made that little hex one, I went back to working on triples (with faceplates, that solves so many issues really), but still use that little hex as my "go-to" helmet light for short or road rides. Bought a 2-ft bar of aluminum 5/8" hex (across the flats) 3 years ago, and I've used exactly 1", and have packs of lenses and LEDs, lack of free time really impedes the hobbies sometimes.
One day I'll be able to afford a milling machine...then I'll be unstoppable!:naughty:
I haven't gotten a ton of time lately either. I've got one complete housing ready to stuff. One more almost done...and 3 more for single XP-G/Regina to mix'n'match some sort of helmet mount double/triple setup.
Oh kids.
I haven't gotten a ton of time lately either. I've got one complete housing ready to stuff. One more almost done...and 3 more for single XP-G/Regina to mix'n'match some sort of helmet mount double/triple setup.
Oh kids.
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