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

[calipsoii]

Guys, it's only been 2 weeks. I know everyone's excited but saying that something is shaping up to be a "major letdown" simply because The_Guy hasn't replied here in 2 weeks is ridiculous.

People have lives outside this hobby. He could be spending time with his family on a vacation (if he has one, he's mysterious that way) or working on his taxes or 100 other things that have a higher priority.

Good things take time, especially when it's just 1 guy working on it in his spare time on his own money.

[AlphaZen]

Easy guys. Don't let the fear take hold.

[smokelaw1]

Another vote for calm here. In my time as a flashaholic, I've taken part in a number of "idea to fruition" flashlights. Some involved a partial prepay. Some involved hundreds of dollars. Some failed miserably and took my cash with them. Some led to truly remarkeable lights. While I do not have any knowledge here aside from his participation in this thread, I will say that in my opinion, and based purely on "feel" nothing here smells like the type of production that is going to putter out. Are there things that COULD stop this light from becoming a reality, sure. Could it feil to live up to the immense hype that we've all (myself very much included) built around it? Sure. But I'm just saying that based purely on my gut, this light, and The Guy behind it, don't give off any of the signals or signs of trouble. So let's let TGMNN enjoy his time off (vacation? Work? Alien abduction?) and look forward to the updates upon his return.

Man the torpedoes!

[emu124]

Guys, it's only been 2 weeks. I know everyone's excited but saying that something is shaping up to be a "major letdown" simply because The_Guy hasn't replied here in 2 weeks is ridiculous.

People have lives outside this hobby. He could be spending time with his family on a vacation (if he has one, he's mysterious that way) or working on his taxes or 100 other things that have a higher priority.

Good things take time, especially when it's just 1 guy working on it in his spare time on his own money.

+1
exactly what I was about to post

[Cataract]

He took our ideas, made a few working models and flew off with them after destroying any traces of it (including the ingeneers and machinists), robbing us of our ideas... NOT!

He's certainly on vacation OR keeping the ultimate last details to secrecy until he surprises us with a final working design even better than we imagined. I hope it's both.

I have a good intuition and I just know that I will own at least 2 torpedoes, including one in copper/high CRI that I will still use and love 10 years from now after it turned old penny dark (unless it's a brass version, in which case I might polish it a few times a year)

[Got Lumens?]

He took our ideas, made a few working models and flew off with them after destroying any traces of it (including the ingeneers and machinists), robbing us of our ideas... NOT!

+1
A little patience. He may also be working with the Ti stocks that he said he was getting plus he is also working on the Core Ti all at the same time. Yup he is probably swimming up to his neck in work, his family, and these flashlights too.
GL

[127.0.0.1]

Guys, it's only been 2 weeks. I know everyone's excited but saying that something is shaping up to be a "major letdown" simply because The_Guy hasn't replied here in 2 weeks is ridiculous.

People have lives outside this hobby. He could be spending time with his family on a vacation (if he has one, he's mysterious that way) or working on his taxes or 100 other things that have a higher priority.

Good things take time, especially when it's just 1 guy working on it in his spare time on his own money.

You think a big corporate juggernaut like Matchbox Heavy Industries is just one guy ? LOLOL

[Danielsan]

maybe he is using the time to build and test Topedos secretly and after some weeks or months he will post here again and tell us that the torpedos are ready and waiting for paypal I dont believe he is making a "Q50"

[DBCstm]

Perhaps his woman made him take a break from this development to get a chance to bring his stress levels down. Tahiti? White beaches? Umbrella drinks? Plenty of time in the beachside hut with a gentle breeze and some candles....just sayin!

[Got Lumens?]

You think a big corporate juggernaut like Matchbox Heavy Industries is just one guy ? LOLOL

I'm sure that Matchbox Heavy Industries already has the Torpedo completed and are holding it in a top secret lab, in an undisclosed underground mountain bunker location, and it's all that corporate redtape to finally get it publically released, just like congress trying to pass a bill .

[Bimmerboy]

Perhaps he's been through the desert on an anonymous horse?

[flashflood]

Perhaps he's been through the desert on an anonymous horse?

I see what you did there.

Of course, now I can't get that song out of my head!

Ok, back at you: don't think about blinking. Or swallowing. Or breathing. You definitely don't need to yawn right now. It's a small world, after all.

[DBCstm]

Hilarious bimmerboy, hilarious! I'm betting he feels much better now that he's out of the rain.

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hi team
Thanks for your patience & faith.
I was away, under water (metaphorically), battling against time, slaying dragons, crossing deserts and all of the above.

I'm back with a vengeance to get some torpedoing going and the guys at the lab never sleep (at least not on my shift).

More posting to come tomorrow.
CoreTi is very close (heading over to post there now).

Tgwnn
P.S. So glad to be back


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Got Lumens?]

P.S. So glad to be back

Hi Guy,
Good news
GL

PS I don't think you actually left, and You have been in our thoughts almost everyday. Thank You for your dedication and hard work to bring this dream come true.

[the_guy_with_no_name]

ahhh....

I can't wait till tomorrow.
I need to make up for my cpf'lessness.

After lots of testing on the last proto,
body wise, its pretty much all there but the fine details and working of the circuit driver still need to be refined, though I should say the last version (of the circuit/driver) was more compact than the previous and looked to me a more robust pcb design in general.

Im waiting on the exact timing for the next Torpedo proto's but I've confirmed we have received some XM-L 4500K samples so the next batch of proto's will include 4500K, 5000K and 6500K bins so we can get some good comparison beamshots of the different tints.

The Ti Bar stock has also arrived at the workshop so there will be a Ti proto in the next batch and still waiting on delivery of some copper which Im hoping will make it into the next batch too.

Once the final proto is confirmed,tested and I give the final launch sequence & clearance, the expected timing to make the initial couple hundred units is 35-45 days (after final approval), depending on how quickly we can take stock of all the necessary components.

Here's a quick comparison photo with the Torpedo 10250 version, Preon PO-SS, Ramble (Thanks GL)


Kudos to 4x7's, the Preon is truly tiny for a AAA.

Will be back to my regular posting regime as of today!

Thanks again for your patience,
tgwnn

P.S. I may have also mentioned previously but I have submitted a driverless design for a Micro XM-L, multi-mode version light to the lab.

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hi Guy,
Good news
GL

PS I don't think you actually left, and You have been in our thoughts almost everyday. Thank You for your dedication and hard work to bring this dream come true.

Thanks GL,

I still need to re-read posts to double check I didn't miss any questions, but will be running 2x hard towards the finish line from here onwards.


A really big thanks to everyone for hanging in there and so much faith.

Just to let you all know, that after having easily spent more than 1000 hours on this, and multiple times that in monetary amounts to get this far, there is not the slightest chance of giving up. For the most part, we are there, but I just need to be sure its robust, and not something that will break with the slightest drop or sudden encounter with your wall.

tgwnn

p.s. If I ever get a horse, I know what Im gonna call it
p.p.s. Soooo good to be back

[Bigmac_79]

Thanks for the update! The Torpedo is looking good.

[Cataract]

Welcome back from the dark ages! (or at least that`s where its sounds like you have been)

(...)still waiting on delivery of some copper which Im hoping will make it into the next batch too.(...)

WOOHOO!

(...)p.s. If I ever get a horse, I know what Im gonna call it

Anonymhorse?

[calipsoii]

and still waiting on delivery of some copper which Im hoping will make it into the next batch too.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure if you were going to entertain this option, but you have my full attention now.

To anyone also wanting a copper Torpedo - I've been carrying a Maratac Cu on my keychain daily for 9 months now. My impressions:

• Copper is heavy as heck. I really can't overstate this. It weighs more than AA lights almost twice it's size.
• It dents *extremely* easily. I drop my keys weekly and every single drop puts a sizeable dent in my flashlight. Particularly concrete - it leaves little pockmarks on the surface. It's a very soft metal that doesn't absorb the force, it just deforms. Keep this in mind when you drop it on the control ring and it deforms and doesn't twist as nicely.
• The threads have a weird feel to them. The easiest way to describe it is "slippery sticky"- they're gritty like titanium while being slippery like brass. You have to give a bit of extra force to start them turning, then they turn very easily with occasional bits of stickiness. I clean them often and oil them with a good quality lube. I've tried different o-rings. Tolerances are good - not sloppy and not too tight. It's definitely the metal. I don't know how this will translate into a control ring.
• You will not get a green patina if you agitate the surface against a fabric pocket, your keys, or your hand - I promise. Maybe if it sits in water or on a shelf, but not while in use. What will happen is you will get polished surfaces with a dark red patina in the knurling. Any patina it builds up over a weekend of non-use will wear off on your hands in 20 minutes.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, I'm just relaying my honest opinions of the material as a flashlight body. I love copper and I will be buying a copper Torpedo. I'm even looking at getting a project of my own done in copper, so I have nothing against the metal. I just want to let you know my experiences in case anyone has seen the nice looking pictures but has never used a copper light.

By the way, it's good to have you back TGWNN.

[Draven451]

tgwnn,We knew you would be back soon with guns blazing and laser focused to complete this project! I did not realize how tiny the torpedo was until I saw your picture next to the PO. WOW I want one even more - one copper, ti and al

[jabe1]

Oooo copper.

I'm going to need to start checking in daily now, as this is what I've been hoping for.

[Got Lumens?]

I have to admit, I wasn't sure if you were going to entertain this option, but you have my full attention now.

To anyone also wanting a copper Torpedo - I've been carrying a Maratac Cu on my keychain daily for 9 months now. My impressions:

• Copper is heavy as heck. I really can't overstate this. It weighs more than AA lights almost twice it's size.
• It dents *extremely* easily. I drop my keys weekly and every single drop puts a sizeable dent in my flashlight. Particularly concrete - it leaves little pockmarks on the surface. It's a very soft metal that doesn't absorb the force, it just deforms. Keep this in mind when you drop it on the control ring and it deforms and doesn't twist as nicely.
• The threads have a weird feel to them. The easiest way to describe it is "slippery sticky"- they're gritty like titanium while being slippery like brass. You have to give a bit of extra force to start them turning, then they turn very easily with occasional bits of stickiness. I clean them often and oil them with a good quality lube. I've tried different o-rings. Tolerances are good - not sloppy and not too tight. It's definitely the metal. I don't know how this will translate into a control ring.
• You will not get a green patina if you agitate the surface against a fabric pocket, your keys, or your hand - I promise. Maybe if it sits in water or on a shelf, but not while in use. What will happen is you will get polished surfaces with a dark red patina in the knurling. Any patina it builds up over a weekend of non-use will wear off on your hands in 20 minutes.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, I'm just relaying my honest opinions of the material as a flashlight body. I love copper and I will be buying a copper Torpedo. I'm even looking at getting a project of my own done in copper, so I have nothing against the metal. I just want to let you know my experiences in case anyone has seen the nice looking pictures but has never used a copper light.

By the way, it's good to have you back TGWNN.

Calipsoii,
Thank You for your comments and valueable experiences with a copper flashlight! I have never owned one, but have worked extensively with it in my former career.

I would like to add that the control ring does not have to be Copper. It could be a copper body with a SS, Brass, or Titanium ring . But your input really does save some time in helping TGWNN design it.

As far as the Patina effect, I totally agree. Any coating or finish applied to the copper to maintain that sheen of freshly cleaned metal would need to have flexability to allow for those dings and scratches. Copper is a wonderful metal. There are several grades available to use to create a light. Just like plumbing has different grades of piping, so does copper stock used to machine from. After Guy gets some protos with it, and some of his own experiences he will be able to persue a copper alloy that will inhibit many of the downfalls you have mentioned. I too would like to see one available to buy. Fingers crossed that any protos made will survive his high standards of quality .
GL

[calipsoii]

@Got Lumens

Hopefully I didn't come across as too negative, because I really do like copper and I'm looking forward to TGWNN (hopefully) offering it as an option. I just wanted to share my experiences both with him and everyone else since I've carried a solid copper AAA light extensively.

I should add one more thing - knurling doesn't hold up as well as metals like Alu or Ti. Getting rubbed against your other keychain tools flattens it down and smooths it out:

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Thanks for the update! The Torpedo is looking good.

Thanks Mac, and my pleasure of course!

Welcome back from the dark ages! (or at least that`s where its sounds like you have been)
WOOHOO!
Anonymhorse?

Very good to be back...

Was thinking THWNN, just that it might be hard to pronounce, would certainly give the race commentators a hard time.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure if you were going to entertain this option, but you have my full attention now.

To anyone also wanting a copper Torpedo - I've been carrying a Maratac Cu on my keychain daily for 9 months now. My impressions:

• Copper is heavy as heck. I really can't overstate this. It weighs more than AA lights almost twice it's size.
• It dents *extremely* easily. I drop my keys weekly and every single drop puts a sizeable dent in my flashlight. Particularly concrete - it leaves little pockmarks on the surface. It's a very soft metal that doesn't absorb the force, it just deforms. Keep this in mind when you drop it on the control ring and it deforms and doesn't twist as nicely.
• The threads have a weird feel to them. The easiest way to describe it is "slippery sticky"- they're gritty like titanium while being slippery like brass. You have to give a bit of extra force to start them turning, then they turn very easily with occasional bits of stickiness. I clean them often and oil them with a good quality lube. I've tried different o-rings. Tolerances are good - not sloppy and not too tight. It's definitely the metal. I don't know how this will translate into a control ring.
• You will not get a green patina if you agitate the surface against a fabric pocket, your keys, or your hand - I promise. Maybe if it sits in water or on a shelf, but not while in use. What will happen is you will get polished surfaces with a dark red patina in the knurling. Any patina it builds up over a weekend of non-use will wear off on your hands in 20 minutes.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, I'm just relaying my honest opinions of the material as a flashlight body. I love copper and I will be buying a copper Torpedo. I'm even looking at getting a project of my own done in copper, so I have nothing against the metal. I just want to let you know my experiences in case anyone has seen the nice looking pictures but has never used a copper light.

By the way, it's good to have you back TGWNN.

Thanks calipsoli,
Really appreciate the detail of "what to expect".
Not sure that copper is for everyone but as it wont be needing anodizing, Im certainly happy to accomodate.
Silver looks to be the only step up from copper in terms of heat dissipation and conductivity (oh and price too).

tgwnn,We knew you would be back soon with guns blazing and laser focused to complete this project! I did not realize how tiny the torpedo was until I saw your picture next to the PO. WOW I want one even more - one copper, ti and al

Hi Draven,

The 10250 version is indeed very compact.
The big difference to the PO is that the broad beam pattern easily fills a room of 250sq ft.
I am impressed with the PO's small size and Im working on something smaller than that also

Oooo copper.
I'm going to need to start checking in daily now, as this is what I've been hoping for.

Hi Jabe,

Thanks. Do stay tuned

Calipsoii,
Thank You for your comments and valueable experiences with a copper flashlight! I have never owned one, but have worked extensively with it in my former career.

I would like to add that the control ring does not have to be Copper. It could be a copper body with a SS, Brass, or Titanium ring . But your input really does save some time in helping TGWNN design it.

As far as the Patina effect, I totally agree. Any coating or finish applied to the copper to maintain that sheen of freshly cleaned metal would need to have flexability to allow for those dings and scratches. Copper is a wonderful metal. There are several grades available to use to create a light. Just like plumbing has different grades of piping, so does copper stock used to machine from. After Guy gets some protos with it, and some of his own experiences he will be able to persue a copper alloy that will inhibit many of the downfalls you have mentioned. I too would like to see one available to buy. Fingers crossed that any protos made will survive his high standards of quality .
GL

GL, I have to admit, I wasn't too sure of the exact alloy/grade but opted for something on the pure side.
Hopefully that works.


tgwnn

[the_guy_with_no_name]

@Got Lumens

Hopefully I didn't come across as too negative, because I really do like copper and I'm looking forward to TGWNN (hopefully) offering it as an option. I just wanted to share my experiences both with him and everyone else since I've carried a solid copper AAA light extensively.

I should add one more thing - knurling doesn't hold up as well as metals like Alu or Ti. Getting rubbed against your other keychain tools flattens it down and smooths it out:

Great photo!

Will be interesting to see how much longer a Cu Torpedo could run on high before thermal step down kicks in.

tgwnn

[jabe1]

I think a Copper Torpedo with a Brass control ring would be optimal. The mix of Copper and Brass would give it a "steampunk" look.

Calipsoii, that Maratac looks fantastic with the wear and patina!

[Got Lumens?]

Thanks calipsoli,
Really appreciate the detail of "what to expect".
Not sure that copper is for everyone but as it wont be needing anodizing, Im certainly happy to accomodate.
Silver looks to be the only step up from copper in terms of heat dissipation and conductivity (oh and price too).

GL, I have to admit, I wasn't too sure of the exact alloy/grade but opted for something on the pure side.
Hopefully that works.

tgwnn

Hi Guy,
That's where we come in .
Other users input
I agree with everything Calipsoli has said and posted. Think of it like steak knives. One that is made from say Steel, versus one with stainless 308, versus one with stainless 35V. The cost of an alloy outweighs the cost of replacing worn out parts, or having them not look as you would like after a 6 month carry in a pocket. Proceed with what you have. The purer the copper, the more it will wear as Calipsori has said. Of course there are other factors also like heat dispersion that need to be calculated as well. Copper, unfortunately does not heat treat like other metals. So in order to get that wear resistant quality, more testing and evaluation of copper alloys would be desired. I'd like to claim some dibs on these early copper prototypes . They will definately be a collectors item.
GL

[the_guy_with_no_name]

I think a Copper Torpedo with a Brass control ring would be optimal. The mix of Copper and Brass would give it a "steampunk" look.

Calipsoii, that Maratac looks fantastic with the wear and patina!

Brass...
I'm going to have to buy a mine soon

Hi Guy,
That's where we come in .
Other users input
I agree with everything Calipsoli has said and posted. Think of it like steak knives. One that is made from say Steel, versus one with stainless 308, versus one with stainless 35V. The cost of an alloy outweighs the cost of replacing worn out parts, or having them not look as you would like after a 6 month carry in a pocket. Proceed with what you have. The purer the copper, the more it will wear as Calipsori has said. Of course there are other factors also like heat dispersion that need to be calculated as well. Copper, unfortunately does not heat treat like other metals. So in order to get that wear resistant quality, more testing and evaluation of copper alloys would be desired. I'd like to claim some dibs on these early copper prototypes . They will definately be a collectors item.
GL

Thanks for the feedback GL, much appreciated.

Got word back from the workshop,
expecting an updated driver proto in about 10days.

They are a little backed up on other machining work, so the Ti proto body is expected around May 10 (and if we get the copper in time, a copper proto)

tgwnn

[hazna]

I was away, under water (metaphorically), battling against time, slaying dragons, crossing deserts and all of the above.

Sounds like you were playing computer games :P

It takes time for R&D, testing and bringing something to the market. Take your time, don't rush it to the market with bugs... Patiently waiting for the final product