PhotonFest 2, NJ area get together

[richpalm]

I figured placing a foe sale light in front of us is like putting a loaded needle in front of a heroin addict.

McGizmo: YES!! Wanna see a McLux PR head.

Kart: Got the G4 and it's something... I did a writeup in the review section.

UFO: No problem if you need transportation.

Nascar: Hope you can make it.... Mapquest can put you miles out of your way though. Got me good and lost a couple times.


I'm flat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif now so don't know if deals wil be happening for me or not.

 

[KartRacer31]

Rich - I just read your G4 review. Now I really want to see it in person! PS - I like your ideas for a mod of that light, a 1watt/5watt version woud be outrageous!

 

[milkyspit]

McGizmo, YES! YES! Muahhahahahahaaaaa!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif (twitches uncontrollably)

Please send along anything you care to show the group and/or tempt us to buy, along with prices, instructions on what is and isn't for sale, description of what we're looking at, etc. It might make things easiest if you send them directly to me since I'll be hosting the event... that way nobody needs to worry about lugging your stuff along with the infinite number of lights they're already carrying. Besides, ufokillerz has to travel through Penn Station in NYC, and we don't want the poor guy arrested for carrying deadly weapons. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I'll email you my contact info. I think I speak for all us poor souls who live too far away from you in saying, THANKS! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

All, while it's an anticlimactic way to follow that McGizmo post, I just got my PRIZE for naming Quickbeam's light measurement milk carton units ("QUPS"), a Streamlight TwinTask 1L! Naturally I'll have it at the event for all to see. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Also got a SL TL-2 LED since that one seemed conspicuously absent last time. Plus I've "retuned" a few of my lights for more pleasing output, heh heh. They're now "quarry tuned!" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

For now, a teaser photo. Who are these mysterious little lights?

 

[KartRacer31]

Scott I think your trying to entice me with that picture, Is that Mr. Blue in the middle? I think I see your cut down Mini Mag (Mini-Me-Mag) as well.

PS I'm bringing cash and stuff for dealing. I'm sure we'll be able to make a deal or two.

BTW, how do you like the SL TL-2 LED? I'd ask to see beam shots compared to Mr. Blue and SF L4, but think I just as soon see them in action in person on Nov. 1st!

PS -BobG just PM'd me, it looks good for him comming to PF2 as well. I think he'll be PM'ing you for directions.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I will also have some of my McGizmo modified toys with me at the meet.

 

[ufokillerz]

hey i wouldnt mind having mcgizmo's deadly weapons on me, i would probably be tempted to buy them =) and since i have the perfect hosts for them also, i have a total of 8 Surefire L4's in my possession at the moment =)

 

[McGizmo]

Milkyspit,

I received your E-mail and it does make sense to send the stuff to you. I'll see what I can come up with and let you know.

- Don

 

[Willmore]

I think I'll be able to make it. I'm down by Trenton, so I'll probably take a liesurely drive up 202. Shouldn't take more than an hour or so. I can bring a few thousand T1 Red LEDs if anyone needs them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif PM me.

 

[KartRacer31]

Willmore - Glad you'll be able to make it. Care to tease us with any of the lights you can bring?

 

[milkyspit]

Willmore, hopefully you're monitoring this thread? If so, please speak up. I suggest you bring some of those LEDs along with you, and it's likely that someone will have interest. Plus they're bound to be good trade bait, which you might need once you see some of the goodies that are bound to be here! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif You can probably fit dozens of the little fellows in a film canister, right? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BTW, glad to hear you can make it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

All, PLEASE FORGIVE ME IN ADVANCE if I run low on proper seating or we experience some other minor gaffe on the day of the fest! If it makes anyone feel better, I'll be the first one to sit on the floor. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

For repeat attendees, this time we'll get the parking situation worked out a little better. We've had 20 or more people here for summer picnics and parked all the vehicles without blocking anyone! So it can be done. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

For the uninitiated, this is shaping up to be one part social mixer, one part flashlight show-and-tell, one part swap meet, and one part EXTREME testing the Milkyspit way! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Featuring such favorites as the "black hole," the "proving ground," the QUARRY, and some new twists to be revealed when you arrive, heh heh. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

Don't get in front of that ufokillerz guy, either, or he's liable to blind you. He'll be the guy that looks like a photon. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Kart, yessir! That's meant to entice. Well, not really. I happened to pull an all-nighter last night (wasn't tired until 7am! oops.) and snapped some photos to send to Rothrandir. You know, that type of photo is like porn to the poor kid. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

Have you ever considered making some headlights for your, er, kart? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[milkyspit]

Some Feelers

1. Anyone want to split a Surefire 123 cell buy? They ship free if the order's large enough. Maybe I could place an order before the end of this week and have it here for the fest? Happy to have 'em toss any other goods you want into the order, too, as long as it wouldn't delay shipment. Please post your interest here soon! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

2. If we'll be doing a little swap-n-buy this time, does it make sense for people to post the things they intend to bring for trading and/or their "wish lists" as far as what they'd like to get? Maybe it would help people get a sense of where our collective interests lie, and make for better trading. Someone, anyone... please post away! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

3. Anyone got some of those inexpensive 2-mile or 5-mile range walkie talkies that Motorola, Uniden, and many others sell? I'm toying with the idea of buying a pair for family use. If you've got 'em and could bring 'em along, I'd sure appreciate the opportunity to try them out around here! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

4. What about a GPS for the walk to the quarry or to give driving directions while driving? I've NEVER gotten to play with any of those nifty handheld units that are currently on the market. Pretty please? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

5. Anything else? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[this_is_nascar]

Can someone E-Mail me the directions again ([email protected]). If you could, keep in mind that I'm coming from South Jersey and would be using major highways like RT-295, the NJ Turnpike, RT-130, RT-38, RT-70 or RT-73, so if you can give me directions via one of those routes, that would be great. Given a preference, RT-295 would be ideal for me. Thanks.

 

[milkyspit]

(I sent Nascar the directions.)

Anyone got some ideas for a nice, rugged little shoulder bag suitable for carrying several flashlights back to the quarry... preferably something not too expensive? Last time I tried the backpack thing, but the lights clink around too much in the backpack because they all fall to the bottom and just sit there on top of one another. Ideas, folks? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Kart, (subtle enticement campaign continues) did a little light meter work last night, heh heh. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Surefire L4 (according to FlashlightReviews.com) clocked 580 lux. Mr. Blue on a pair of NiMH cells clocked 658 lux. Yes, the L4 is mostly a flood-style light, but still, it's a 5-watter with reflector against a 1-watter with standard NX05 optics!

 

[ufokillerz]

interesting my L4 clocked in at 1450 lux, McL4 at 2200lux, McLux PR head with R2H at 4400lux, and McLux Pr head X3t at 3200 lux. i double and tripled check my readings as well on a meterman lm631 at 40 inches (~1 meter) readings are atleast that much, i dont recall the exact number they stopped off at.

McL4 batteries have 20 minutes or so of use on them, other batteries are nearly brand new.

edit: redid the McL4 test with the battery in the McLux Pr Head with R2H and it hit ~2800, i believe 2910 was max.

 

[milkyspit]

Ufokillerz, that's pretty strange. I don't doubt your technique (if anything, the distance you used should have given LOWER readings!), but maybe one of our meters is measuring a little low or high? I actually took Quickbeam's published result of 580 lux for the L4, but just last night I got the 658 lux reading on Mr. Blue myself. I will say that my LGI came in lower than anticipated (around 450 lux), so perhaps my meter is just measuring everything low. Better contact them before the warranty expires! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Can you bring your LM631 with you to PF2? It'd be great to compare the two meters side-by-side. Any problems in mine would be obvious like that! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

The one thing sounding strange on your measurements is that X3T reading of 3200 lux. According to Hotbeam, MR-X typically tests between 10,000 and 12,000 lux, so 3200 lux sounds low! Is the McLux optic/reflector really THAT bad? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

And how the heck do you get 4400 lux out of the same head with a R2H instead of X3T? That just doesn't make any sense. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif

Well, sounds like my Mr. Blue 658 lux reading is, if anything, erroneously low! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ufokillerz]

the R2H is a 1 watt and 1 watts always show higher lux readings then 5 watts =) especially with the same size reflectors. Its because of the way the DIE reflects off the reflector, the 5 watts are 4 dies in a 2x2 formation.

My Space Needle 2 only does 7800lux or so, its a W2 Rank
thats comparable to the reading that Mr.Bulk quoted me on before sending it out.

will bring my lm631

the McLux Pr head is a small reflector that is faceted, you can't expect too much from a faceted and small reflector. The Maglite mods have a deeper and wider reflector and hence will always do better then smaller reflectors even if the smaller light has a PREMIUM LED.


Peak HOLD doesnt work too well with my meterman.

 

[ufokillerz]

bad news!! i just tried to measure the lux reading of my Mini-HID it started out at around 3000 climbed to 12000lux pretty quick, then kept going towards 18000, then error =\ it couldnt handle it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[milkyspit]

Ufo, stinks to be you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[milkyspit]

All, anyone got any Fraen low profile optics (the ones that fit in a MiniMag) they could bring along? I'd love to buy or trade for at least one, but even if I could just drop it into a couple lights to see how it compares to NX05, that would be terrific!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[KartRacer31]

ufokillerz - Man you have a sweet collection of lights (L4 clocked in at 1450 lux, McL4 at 2200lux, McLux PR head with R2H at 4400lux, and McLux Pr head X3t at 3200 lux) can you bring them to the get together, I'd love to check them out. Also, previously you mentioned having 8 SF L4's. You do know the offical unwritten rule of Luxeon lights right? ...thou shall not possess more than 5 SF L4's at any one time! You better give me one or two of them before you get in any kind of trouble. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif