Milkyspit's MC2 Thread (also Milky Tester) Part II

[Sigman]

...continued from here.

[milkyspit]

Update May 6, 2009

A number of MC2 units have shipped and I have enough parts to build a handful more. This is likely to be the end of the run using MC2 boards... after this, the next iteration of the project (if any!) will involve a different design, and I have no timeframe estimate for such an effort.

Translation: if you've wanted an MC2 unit but maybe been on the fence about it, I strongly advise you to get it NOW. Last call!


Here's a post from this morning with some additional information. See the post in its original context over here...

White-Array MC2 Units... Now Shipping!

Breakthrough! Yesterday I got a number of white-array MC2 units completed and SHIPPED. What a relief! They're fairly involved to build but I finally got a batch done. As of this writing, everybody who was waiting for one with the exception of GottaWearShades had their unit(s) shipped. As for GottaWearShades, I still need to complete his, and he has a balance due before I can ship, so seemed like that was the most logical one to wait on.

Here's a list update...

MC2 Commitments (a.k.a. "The List"):

W8HF: 1x (SHIPPED 20090223)
icestud: 1x (SHIPPED 20090223)
Alin10123: 3x (SHIPPED 20090328)
GottaWearShades: 1x Energizer Milky Lantern (SHIPPED 20090331)
Sgt. LED: 2x (SHIPPED 20090402)
Ramplit: 3x (SHIPPED 20090415)
Drywolf: 1x (SHIPPED 20090428)
Coyote223: 1x (using 4x Nichia GS) (SHIPPED 20090505)
sdeboy: 1x (using 4x Nichia GS) (SHIPPED 20090505)
SierraCharlie: 2x (using 4x Nichia GS) (SHIPPED 20090505)
Xflash: 1x (using 4x Nichia GS) (SHIPPED 20090505)
s4biturbo: 1x (using 4x Nichia GS) (SHIPPED 20090505)
GottaWearShades: 1x (using 4x Nichia GS) (PARTIAL PREPAY 20090104)
Moka: 1x? (NO RESPONSE from Moka)


Availability

As of this point I have 5x MC2 units (single white Nichia GS with Osram Orange) ready for immediate shipment, and enough parts on hand to build 8 more. Anyone wants one, let me know ASAP!

Update December 16, 2008

I'm out of boards to build more MC2 units... but have sufficient blank boards on hand to make 30 more units. Need a demand of at least 12 confirmed builds to cover the expense of having the boards populated. Lots of options, too, including some new ones... see Post #96 over here (I think) for more information, and please post your interest! I'd like to run these final 30 boards to put some closure to the MC2. (Down the road there might even be an MC3, though I haven't even prototyped such a thing yet, but do have some ideas as to what it would be.)

Happy Holidays everyone!


Original Post

Sigman, thanks for opening the new thread. When you have a moment, could you transfer ownership of the thread to me so I could copy pertinent info into the top post and keep it updated periodically? Thanks.

Availability? As of this post I'm down to exactly TWO built units of the MC2, and I'd just as soon keep these for my personal use... after building 150+ of these I only have the two left for me, and the whole project started as a quest for power outage lighting for our home!

Anyway, could always build more units... thing is, I would need to place an order for more boards, which would mean I'd need interest in perhaps 50-75 units to make it possible to order another batch of boards in the first place. I'm happy to do it, so please post here if you have interest, along with the number of units you would want. If we can get the numbers high enough, I'll build a new batch along with updated LEDs pursuant to whatever might be state of the art for MC2 use at this time. Many thanks!

[js]

Milky,

You only have TWO left? How did it come to that, my friend? You should have stashed away about a half a dozen of these just for yourself.

Ah well, I understand. This sort of thing happens to me all the time.

For the record, I have two MC2's and I love them! I've been wanting to do a review of the MC2, so maybe now is the time. It might possibly generate enough new interest to allow for another build run of these. But either way, this light deserves a nice review. It's a very functional, very ingenious and practical piece of work, milky. Bravo! and congratulations! Those of us who own MC2's thank you.

[TENMMIKE]

iv got one as well and in fact its in use as i type this (down to battery power at my house).you cannot find a better user of your used up 123's.....thanks milky!

[MURDOK72605]

New to the forum and well, everything. These are very efficient and I was fortunate enough to score a Cree P2 prototype. It works very well. I would not mind picking up an extra two especially if I could get one more Cree.

[Crenshaw]

I'd be in for one....
i think us newer members have yet to find this thread....

Crenshaw

[py702]

Hi Milky, I'd be interested in 2 if you do make another batch.

Paul

[gottawearshades]

Yeah, I'd like one, too.

[bluecrow76]

Count me in for 2.

[jufam44]

Did this project ever come to light, beyond the first run?

[milkyspit]

Did this project ever come to light, beyond the first run?

Uh... I've built something along the lines of 150 MC2 units to date. As of now I have no more parts on hand to build more! But if enough folks express interest I'll be able to have another batch of boards assembled and build more of these. Are you interested, and in how many?

[gottawearshades]

Are you interested, and in how many?

Make that two!

[milkyspit]

Make that two!

GWS, noted, thanks.

Some Minor Developments

I still don't have a new batch of boards, but recently HAVE been researching some of the newer 5mm, 8mm, and 10mm LEDs. In the next day or two I'll likely order at least a couple bunches of LEDs with an eye toward use in an MC2-like light (MC3 perhaps?) and/or some of my other mods, such as the A2 LEDectomy upgrades.

One LED in particular that shows some promise is the BestHongKong 5chip 100mA LED... on the face of things it doesn't seem to offer particularly great efficiency, but driven at lower levels it's likely to operate in the same efficiency ballpark as the Cree and Seoul emitters but with no need for focusing lenses or optics. Pricing is more reasonable, too. This part also can reportedly reach 15 lumens, which is exceptional brightness for something like the MC2.

Truth be told, with rewritten firmware the Acorn drivers I've been using for higher-powered work (Gotham, Boxter, CREEmator, etc.) could be pressed into service in a candle. I'd rather get more of the actual MC2 boards as they're a bit more convenient, but we'll see!

[Crenshaw]

and also waiting on a PM reply for an L1-CX...

Crenshaw

[gallagho]

I'll buy one if you make a new batch

Owen

[revs]

Sorry to bump this thread. I am a new member and just found this topic. You still thinking of making more? This would be great for my wife when she needs to test her blood sugar levels at night and not turn on the lamp. If you make more, count me in for 1. Thanks.

[Alin10123]

Thinking of picking up a few if you decide to have another go at these as well.

[nein166]

Not sure when Milkyspit will be ready to announce the next MC2 run so maybe I'm jumping the gun here. I think he's waiting on NEW LEDs.

During PF10 I gave Milky a DX 20mm White LED, with the stipulation he build it into a MC2. A few weeks ago I got a call that it was ready. So I shipped myself over to MilkyLabs to pick it up

Yeah I said 20mm, I've got this desire for oddball lights. And Milky was very accomodating to put it together. He also changed the 5mm amber to an orange 5mm which sits inside a notch carved out of the 20mm. There are some neat optical effects from this LED-in-LED arrangement.

I also snagged a MC2 built into a camping lantern running on 4xAA. You never know whats for sale till you ask. MilkyLabs is my favorite store.

On the left there is a MC2 with one of Milkyspit's special aspherical 10mm LEDs which I put in afterwards then filled under with epoxy. The amber in this one glows up through the epoxy into the 10mm.



AMBER - AMBER - ORANGE


Notice the ORANGE flair caused by positioning an LED-in-LED


LOW -2 step exposure


MEDIUM -2 step exposure


High -2 step exposure



Thanks again Milky these 2 new ones are all great and I use them daily. Hope you get to keep a few from this run.

[smokelaw1]

I think we talked about these when we were on the phone for the Obfuscatior build, Scott, but I can't recall.

I am in for two!

[milkyspit]

Special Build: SIX UNITS WITH NICHIA GS, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!

Folks, I've been slowly gathering the necessary bits to build a handful more Milky Candles, and as of this moment I've got exactly SIX built, available to all, first to grab them, gets them! These six are particularly special in that I've mounted some handpicked Nichia GS LEDs (rank W, color bin C0)... these are easily the brightest and most efficient 5mm LEDs released to date. Another special aspect of this half-dozen units: I individually tested the voltage requirements of each LED in each unit and am recalibrating the firmware specifically to this batch's operational characteristics... what that means in real-world terms is longer runtimes before the units drop out of regulation and POSSIBLY (no guarantees, but hopeful) these might be the first and to date, only MC2 ever made capable of operating the white LED on a SINGLE 123 primary cell... all previous units would only operate in white when running with TWO 123 cells. Many LEDs lost their lives to give us this feature... well no, not really, but I did reject a fair number of LEDs that didn't make the grade for this little build... only the best made the cut... and since I don't have any more Nichia GS for these units at present, the 6 on hand are the ONLY ones for now with Nichia GS.

First come, first served. Get 'em while they're hot! Let me know if you'd like any... send PM to me here or on CPF Marketplace, or email me at...

Cost would be $59 per unit, plus shipping... rough estimate on the shipping assuming an uninsured package, would be a flat rate for the whole package of $5 to USA (Priority Mail) and $29 international (Express Mail International, a.k.a. EMS, with full tracking).

I know you guys have been looking for these for a while, now, finally, is your chance! I'll be making more at some point but cannot guarantee they'll have the Nichia GS in them. Get 'em while they're hot!



If it's a convenience, I'll post my Paypal info here, with a little anti-spam-robot measure in place... if you send payment immediately, please note your CPF username and make sure I get your mailing address... and please, note here that you grabbed one, or two, or however many, for everyone's benefit...

Cash (Preferred): ppcash ///AT/// QuarryRun %%%DOT%%% com
Credit Card: ppcard ///AT/// QuarryRun %%%DOT%%% com





Hope this helps. This project has been an ongoing labor of love and I hope it's helped some folks. IMHO, these are the best Milky Candles completed to date.

[HoopleHead]

for 1 in white please!

[milkyspit]

for 1 in white please!

Thanks Hoople!

One note: they're all in white... AND amber... every unit has both LEDs, I just wanted to show a variety in the group photo. Guess that didn't work out so well!

Anyway, many thanks.

Five MC2-Nichia GS units left.

[HoopleHead]

thanks, yeah reading comprehension was low, just took the key parts. even cooler!

[MarNav1]

I'll take one Scott, pending PM. Thanks. PM sent!

[milkyspit]

I'll take one Scott, pending PM. Thanks. PM sent!

Marnav, PM replied... and you've got one! Thank you my friend.

FOUR more MC2 with Nichia GS as of this post.

[openbolt1]

Hello Scott!

I have been waiting for one of these...I would like one please.
PayPal to follow. Wooo - Whoooo! PM sent..

Gary



"Cost would be $59 per unit, plus shipping... rough estimate on the shipping assuming an uninsured package, would be a flat rate for the whole package of $5 to USA (Priority Mail)"

[gottawearshades]

I'll take one!

Paypal coming your way.

Huzzah!

[Crenshaw]

wow, i would like one, but all out of funds... i guess ill wait for the next ones, im not exactly crazy about the GS anyway.

Crenshaw

[StrayLight]

If there's one left, I'll take it.

PM sent.

EDIT: Hope I'm not jumping the gun, but Paypal sent for one MC2.

[smokelaw1]

Damn, just got your PM, Scott.
I sent PP for 2 units and shipping...let me know if I am too late!

Now...how would these operate with 1 cell? Spacer required?