The GatLight is born (formerly known as Gatling Light)

[PrebKlok]

Not sure if this has been asked before, anyway I couldn't find it. What software do you use for designing and rendering the light? I really like your images. I have just bought a mini lathe, and could need a good program to make some sketches and previews before I start turning.

 

[mobile1]

Not sure if this has been asked before, anyway I couldn't find it. What software do you use for designing and rendering the light? I really like your images. I have just bought a mini lathe, and could need a good program to make some sketches and previews before I start turning.

PrebKlok Solidworks was used to design the light and Photoworks to render it. Its probably too expensive and a bit complicated to just do some sketches. However Andrewwyn is using another CAD program which is more affordable and much simpler to use. However I can't remember what it is called. He has a thread going on here "The Nano's are coming..." or something like this, just ask him.

 

[andrewwynn]

for quick and dirty modeling it's impossible to beat 'sketchup' http://www.sketchup.com it's not cheap but there is a demo you can play with. you can also use http://emachineshop.com but only for one part at at time.

-awr

 

[XFlash]

PM Sent.

 

[mobile1]

The spare units I have had are all gone.

Everyone interested in a 2nd production run light, please send an email to mobile1 aat gmx.ch so I can contact you with costs and delivery times, when I open sign up for the 2nd run - after the first run has been delivered

In a couple of days I'll post images of a real R123 version (with a glow painted battery)

 

[Dr_Joe]

I learned the hard way, after "chopping" down a Fraen LP. I didn't know how to do it, so I ground and polished the sides (not the top). I polished the sides nicely (no scratches, toothpaste finish, etc.) While trying to understand why things didn't look like they were supposed (beam wise), I stumbled upon that info.

If you milled (?) a thin groove around the edge of one of the "disks", you could fill it with GID powder mixed with clear epoxy. It might be a lot of work if you plan on doing a lot, though. hmmm... Tritium vials seem to be popular these days if you want to do the GID "thing". Or maybe mill a depression on the round piece on the tailcap and fill that with GID+epoxy?

How about a tritium vial in every other, or every third rod ?
I have an Orb "RAW" with 4 tritium vials arranged at 90 degrees around the circumference of the battery tube. No matter how it's put down you can usually catch 1 or 2 of them very easily in the dark. :naughty:

 

[mobile1]

Glow Paint: The groove is probably too much work, the tritium vials could be interesting, however don't know much about it (is this tritium solid or powder or liquid?). An epoxy mixed with powder inside this vials would probably be stronger. Or just a thick glas or plastic tube filled with glow powder. We have to look into that. The question would be how to mount these glow powder bars, since the bars are tabbed on each side. We can't do it for the first run since there is already enough work involved to get them all going. (however since the bars are modular, I dont see a reason why bars can't be exchanged later if we offer such an option).

Regarding coating the optics, it doesnt work - finally tested it. It pretty much renders the optic useless - however the glow paint glows like crazy - which defenitely wants me to do something with glow paint in the front... We'll keep working on finding a way to add some glow paint around the reflector... I'll check with my production guy to see what he thinks about the options you guys mentioned.... (however don't expect it in the first run).

Thanks for the great suggestions!!

 

[Archangel]

Have you verified that water doesn't destroy the optical properties of the optic? (smirk) Boy do i dislike using nearly the same word in a sentence.

 

[mobile1]

Archangel: Well the optics probably doesnt work that well under water - however it probably wont be as bad since the contact medium (water) is transparent). However even though the light will probably be 100-200ft waterproof, it isnt intended to be a real dive light, for that its way too small I think. The main goal is more that you can drop it into a bowl of wather and see people's amazement. That you dont have to worry about rain, or accidentially dropping it into water...
And if you want to use it as a backup for diving, it will still produce enough light (for example even with the glow paint on there was still sufficient illumination)

I'll test it in water and see, the optics might even work under water, since the material of the optic is more dense then water.

 

[andrewwynn]

glow paint on the rods would be a cool mod for an end user.. mix up glow dust in epoxy and dip the rods (cover the threads first).. trim the drips off the ends and re assemble.

tritium vials at typically $12 each would get pricy to try to use them not to mention how to install... the rods won't turn to the same place on each rod so you'd have to cut the grooves after assembled etc... def. not a 'simple' procedure.

-awr

 

[flashlight]

mobile1, tritium is a gas & comes in tiny glass vials. I believe it is mildly radioactive.

 

[HarryN]

Normally, TIR type optics work because of the difference in refractive index between the plastic and air. (nominally 1.4 / 1). Water has approximately the same RI as the clear polymers, so it might not be a viable situation.

 

[Dr_Joe]

............ not to mention how to install... the rods won't turn to the same place on each rod so you'd have to cut the grooves after assembled etc... def. not a 'simple' procedure.

-awr

Good point Andrew, I hadn't thought of that. How about the option in the future to exchange one or more rods with a hollow acrylic or lexan "rod" filled with two or three of the longer tritium vials. :thinking:

 

[greenlight]

I don't think the optic will work under water. The simplest solution is to add a plastic tube to seal off the optic. It should be sealed anyway, to keep off lint and junk. The tube could be painted with glow paint.

 

[mobile1]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Exposed optics vs. Throw under water: I think seeing the optics work looks very neat, and I would prefer this to having the light focus well under water.
However I'd do for future enhancements whatever the majority prefers. Lets wait until the first run gets delivered and see what people prefer. Having the exposed optics or more throw under water. The inside of the optics is completely sealed. If the outside gets dirty just remove the screws in the front, take out the optics, clean it and put it back together.

Tritium vials: I love the tritium vial idea and talked about it with my partner. So we would defenitely like to see what we can do in this regard. I'd see two options. As suggested one option would be to replace bars with these vials (if they are plastic, glas would be prone to break).
Or another probably even better option would be this. Right now we have a couple of mm space between the battery and the rods. Another option would be to have a cylinder where the walls contain this tritium. However this would depend on how thin this tritium layer can be.

Does anybody have a link where I can get some sample tritium vials, or maybe a manufacturer to check the cylinder idea... any help here would be greatly appreciated.

All I can find on the web is links to watches.

I just hope that carrying this tritium charged radioactivity emitting light in your pocket doesnt negatively impact future family luck

 

[flashlight]

mobile1, you could try checking with Merkava here for tritium vials.

 

[Dr_Joe]

Walter,

You wouldn't be able to "replace" a rod with a tritium vial because they are way too small, but you could replace one or more rods with lexan or acrylic hollow tubes with multiple tritium vials in them (you could even combine colors within one "rod" !). The vials themselves are glass, and as such will need some protection. Check with "Orb" I know he had a rather abundant supply in multiple colors (red, green, blue, white) and might be willing to send you a few for experimenting. I'd love to see some tritium on the GatLight ! If ever there was a light born for tritium, this is it !!

 

[mobile1]

Thanks for the links, pm, suggestions and help regarding these tritium vials... I spent 2 hours yesterday tracking down the source for these tritium vials to ask about a custom sleeve - I finally found it. It's even a company in Switzerland :-D
So first I'll see what their opinion is what can be done regarding a larger cylinder around the battery (between rods and battery). If this is too large or doenst work for some reason we'll look into other options. Adding a groove to the rods in order to slide in a vial would be an option. However any other light could add such a feature to the outside. If possible I would like to find a solution that illuminates the inside of the light - sort of like a self glowing battery - or a similar sleeve around the optics. So far glow paint is the closest. If a tritium cylinder around the battery could be done that would be pretty mindblowing, especially in RED or BLUE.
I also like the idea of lexan or acrylic rods containing htese vials... First I'll check on the cylinder idea. I'll keep you updated on what the company had to say regarding a tritium cylinder....

 

[Stillphoto]

I must say im pretty excited anticipating what the finished product will look like...what size are the rods again? i have a source for lexan/ translucent rods...figured i could go pick up a few and send em your way for experimentation.

 

[andrewwynn]

oh is that an interesting idea.. lexan rods .. you just gave me an idea... if you use solid lexan for the rods they could be illuminated by some tiny smt leds at the top and the whole rod would glow... it would take mere microamps to make them output the light of a tritium vial... keep up THAT kind of thinking!

There are mega big tritium vials.. they use them for permanent map lights for the military.. 50-60 yr lifespan because of how big the tritium tube is.. however it actually is enough you could harm yourself if it broke .. so they will only sell to the military and maybe law enforcement.

-awr