ON SALE! Fraz Labs QTC flashlights (3rd run now available version 1.1)
:thumbsup:Update: Holiday sale! I have 10 units left - and to clear them (and get some cash flow for my upcoming 123/18350 QTC light project that will start production soon, I will be offering these lights at $125 for the light and $150 for the combo package.
Update: 3rd run (9/19/2013)
I've made the design a bit easier to assemble, so now I can offer this light in greater quantity. This is version 1.1 of the original 26650 light including the logo for Fraz Labs on the tail end. I will be offering 30 of these non-battery-crush QTC 26650 lights with the original price of $140 for just the light and $165 for the combo with battery and charger. Shipping is included for US transactions. For international, PM me (it should be around $15 extra). This new design also includes slightly better heat sinking, a copper XM-L2 PCB LED (neutral tint 4750k-5000k, an easier turn, and I have tried to continue to minimalize the design by getting rid of the exposed screws on the engine (pics below). I will keep a list at the bottom for purchases.
Pics follow:
Update: 2nd run
I've finally caught up on the original run of 10 and I'm offering a run of 10 more non-battery-crush QTC flashlights for sale. Now with a combo package option at the bottom. Also there is a list of instructions for the light at the bottom. Info on the light follows:
Around 4 years ago, I decided to design a light that went the opposite direction of most current technology. I wanted less bells and whistles, no strobe. Simple, rugged, reliable, and compact.
So I came up with this design. It is a very minimal, QTC-based, 26650 flashlight using an XM-L neutral. I eliminated all the parts I possibly could to try and reduce failure bottlenecks. It only has 2 solder points (on the LED pads), the LED sits firmly on the heat sink attached by machine screws. No printed circuit board to fail. And a very simple user interface...simply twist to brighten.
I also wanted to eliminate as many pieces of the traditional flashlight body as I could, so this only has 3. The engine, bezel, and body. It only has 2 moving pieces, which are the body and bezel. The light is very overbuilt and feels heavy for its size. The light is short for a 26650-based light at 3.89", and it is 1.72" wide at its widest point. I measured the current draw at between 3 and 4 amps at the light's highest level (direct drive at full), depending on which battery you use. I recommend a safe chemistry or protected cell. The light can reach lows that are hard to detect and can slowly drain the battery. The light is in the 'off' position when the lip of the body is outside of the bezel lip.
I documented some of the development process over in the Homemade flashlights section here at: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...C-flashlight-from-scratch-(non-battery-crush). These lights use an engine I designed completely around QTC, using pistons, to try to maximize the potential of the material. The light comes in matte and regular HAIII finish as seen here (5 of each):
Update: Here is a quality control test of one of the lights I'm about to ship to demonstrate the operation:
Here are a couple flashlight torture tests you may not have seen....high-impact testing:
Also, dozer test...
The light is tested underwater to 70 feet (the deepest I could lower it into the lake nearby...as it is only 70 feet deep). Here is a pic of the light 10 feet under:
Previous prototypes have survived drops of 50+ feet onto concrete. It should be very impact-resistant with so few breakable parts. Also the battery has double springs and a protective rubber wafer on the positive and negative ends.
I don't have a sphere to measure the brightness, but it seems very bright at full. Here is a picture of the light illuminating the underside of the I-430 bridge near the Arkansas river. In bounce tests, it is as bright or brighter than my ANSI 800+ lumen lights:
As I explained earlier in my development thread, it is a pretty unique system. As you can see from the pictures below, it is a (patent pending) piston system that makes contact with the lip of the battery tube, which allows the light to use double springs and completely eliminate shearing forces. This is what makes the light non-battery-crush. There is no pressure on the battery (other than the 2 springs). The functional parts of the engine are actually around the optic, which allows the light to have such a short length. The optic system is set into the heat sink itself, which allows the heat to dissipate pretty rapidly through the body of the light. The outside of the light only has two points where water can enter. The optic, and the battery tube. Both are sealed very tight - when the engine is threaded in, the final turn creates a tight seal from the lip of the bezel around the edges of the optic. The battery tube has a very thick o-ring that holds up well to heavy use. The pistons themselves are designed to protect the QTC and keep it in place. They work very well to eliminate the flickering and artifacts that are common with QTC lights. The pistons are also designed to go into direct-drive as a fail-safe at full compression (in case of QTC failure). Here are the pics of the internals on my well-used EDC:
New engine design 9/19:
The engine, as you can see, is removable. And the battery tube doesn't have a tailcap - I liked the idea of eliminating an unneeded water-entry point.
Here is a pic of the 3 pieces of the light before assembly. It gives a good idea of the simplicity:
These lights are machined and HAIII anodized at a machine shop here in Arkansas.
Please let me know if you have any questions. The price is $140, (info on combo package below) including shipping for United States. I can ship international as well, but will have to check prices.
Thanks!
-Fraz
Update:
For the new run, I will offer a combo package of the light, battery, charger, USB cable, and lanyard for $165 shipped in the U.S. (for international shipping, PM me for rates)
The original light by itself is still $140 shipped U.S. (PM for international rates)
Pic of the new combo:
Instructions for those that have received lights:
-The light works very much like a machine, requiring a small amount of maintenance on the moving parts (the o-ring on the body, and the area where the pistons meets the body lip occasionally need lubrication). I recommend using silicone-based lubricants on the light. Oil-based lubricants can work their way up the piston system and degrade the QTC, causing jumpiness or flickering.
-The light will get hot if left on high while not in hand (this is not recommended).
-I recommend safer-chemistry (26650 LiMnNi) or protected cells with this light.
-There is a tear-drop shaped area under the lip of the optic that looks like a bead of water - this is part of the optic.
-To be sure the light is off, make sure the lip of the body is unscrewed to slightly overlap the lip of the bezel. When they are even is when the pistons start to engage.
For the new run, my paypal info is [email protected]. Let me know matte or regular (and combo or no combo) and first
s get first choice. Please PM me with any additional questions.
3rd run:
1) sold
2) sold
3) sold
4) sold
5) sold
6) sold
7) sold
8) sold
9) sold
10) sold
11) sold
12) sold
13) sold
14) sold
15)sold
16) sold
17) sold
18) sold
19) sold
20) sold
21) sold
22) sold
23) sold
24) sold
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
New run:
preorders (will ship first)
-gparkes (shipped)
-BingoBongo (shipped)
-tofty (shipped)
Matte:
1) euroken (shipped)
2) LEDZeppelin (shipped)
3) vx000 (shipped)
4) dlmorgan999 (shipped)
5) Ratton (shipped)
-Chodes (shipped)
Regular
1) XFlash (shipped)
2) jojobos (shipped)
3) arewethereyetdad (shipped)
4) London Lad (shipped)
5) (shipped)
Status so far:
Donn Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/9
Bertrand Reg finish Paid Shipped 7/10
Hombreluhrs Reg finish Paid Shipped 7/10
nfetterly Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/10
GregM Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/10
Megatrowned Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/10
keeblerElf Reg finish Paid Shipped 7/10
Nbjly Reg finish Shipped 7/16
Zoran Matte finish Shipped 7/16
tanasit Matte finish Shipped 7/16
:thumbsup:Update: Holiday sale! I have 10 units left - and to clear them (and get some cash flow for my upcoming 123/18350 QTC light project that will start production soon, I will be offering these lights at $125 for the light and $150 for the combo package.
Update: 3rd run (9/19/2013)
I've made the design a bit easier to assemble, so now I can offer this light in greater quantity. This is version 1.1 of the original 26650 light including the logo for Fraz Labs on the tail end. I will be offering 30 of these non-battery-crush QTC 26650 lights with the original price of $140 for just the light and $165 for the combo with battery and charger. Shipping is included for US transactions. For international, PM me (it should be around $15 extra). This new design also includes slightly better heat sinking, a copper XM-L2 PCB LED (neutral tint 4750k-5000k, an easier turn, and I have tried to continue to minimalize the design by getting rid of the exposed screws on the engine (pics below). I will keep a list at the bottom for purchases.
Pics follow:
Update: 2nd run
I've finally caught up on the original run of 10 and I'm offering a run of 10 more non-battery-crush QTC flashlights for sale. Now with a combo package option at the bottom. Also there is a list of instructions for the light at the bottom. Info on the light follows:
Around 4 years ago, I decided to design a light that went the opposite direction of most current technology. I wanted less bells and whistles, no strobe. Simple, rugged, reliable, and compact.
So I came up with this design. It is a very minimal, QTC-based, 26650 flashlight using an XM-L neutral. I eliminated all the parts I possibly could to try and reduce failure bottlenecks. It only has 2 solder points (on the LED pads), the LED sits firmly on the heat sink attached by machine screws. No printed circuit board to fail. And a very simple user interface...simply twist to brighten.
I also wanted to eliminate as many pieces of the traditional flashlight body as I could, so this only has 3. The engine, bezel, and body. It only has 2 moving pieces, which are the body and bezel. The light is very overbuilt and feels heavy for its size. The light is short for a 26650-based light at 3.89", and it is 1.72" wide at its widest point. I measured the current draw at between 3 and 4 amps at the light's highest level (direct drive at full), depending on which battery you use. I recommend a safe chemistry or protected cell. The light can reach lows that are hard to detect and can slowly drain the battery. The light is in the 'off' position when the lip of the body is outside of the bezel lip.
I documented some of the development process over in the Homemade flashlights section here at: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...C-flashlight-from-scratch-(non-battery-crush). These lights use an engine I designed completely around QTC, using pistons, to try to maximize the potential of the material. The light comes in matte and regular HAIII finish as seen here (5 of each):
Update: Here is a quality control test of one of the lights I'm about to ship to demonstrate the operation:
Here are a couple flashlight torture tests you may not have seen....high-impact testing:
Also, dozer test...
The light is tested underwater to 70 feet (the deepest I could lower it into the lake nearby...as it is only 70 feet deep). Here is a pic of the light 10 feet under:
Previous prototypes have survived drops of 50+ feet onto concrete. It should be very impact-resistant with so few breakable parts. Also the battery has double springs and a protective rubber wafer on the positive and negative ends.
I don't have a sphere to measure the brightness, but it seems very bright at full. Here is a picture of the light illuminating the underside of the I-430 bridge near the Arkansas river. In bounce tests, it is as bright or brighter than my ANSI 800+ lumen lights:
As I explained earlier in my development thread, it is a pretty unique system. As you can see from the pictures below, it is a (patent pending) piston system that makes contact with the lip of the battery tube, which allows the light to use double springs and completely eliminate shearing forces. This is what makes the light non-battery-crush. There is no pressure on the battery (other than the 2 springs). The functional parts of the engine are actually around the optic, which allows the light to have such a short length. The optic system is set into the heat sink itself, which allows the heat to dissipate pretty rapidly through the body of the light. The outside of the light only has two points where water can enter. The optic, and the battery tube. Both are sealed very tight - when the engine is threaded in, the final turn creates a tight seal from the lip of the bezel around the edges of the optic. The battery tube has a very thick o-ring that holds up well to heavy use. The pistons themselves are designed to protect the QTC and keep it in place. They work very well to eliminate the flickering and artifacts that are common with QTC lights. The pistons are also designed to go into direct-drive as a fail-safe at full compression (in case of QTC failure). Here are the pics of the internals on my well-used EDC:
New engine design 9/19:
The engine, as you can see, is removable. And the battery tube doesn't have a tailcap - I liked the idea of eliminating an unneeded water-entry point.
Here is a pic of the 3 pieces of the light before assembly. It gives a good idea of the simplicity:
These lights are machined and HAIII anodized at a machine shop here in Arkansas.
Please let me know if you have any questions. The price is $140, (info on combo package below) including shipping for United States. I can ship international as well, but will have to check prices.
Thanks!
-Fraz
Update:
For the new run, I will offer a combo package of the light, battery, charger, USB cable, and lanyard for $165 shipped in the U.S. (for international shipping, PM me for rates)
The original light by itself is still $140 shipped U.S. (PM for international rates)
Pic of the new combo:
Instructions for those that have received lights:
-The light works very much like a machine, requiring a small amount of maintenance on the moving parts (the o-ring on the body, and the area where the pistons meets the body lip occasionally need lubrication). I recommend using silicone-based lubricants on the light. Oil-based lubricants can work their way up the piston system and degrade the QTC, causing jumpiness or flickering.
-The light will get hot if left on high while not in hand (this is not recommended).
-I recommend safer-chemistry (26650 LiMnNi) or protected cells with this light.
-There is a tear-drop shaped area under the lip of the optic that looks like a bead of water - this is part of the optic.
-To be sure the light is off, make sure the lip of the body is unscrewed to slightly overlap the lip of the bezel. When they are even is when the pistons start to engage.
For the new run, my paypal info is [email protected]. Let me know matte or regular (and combo or no combo) and first
s get first choice. Please PM me with any additional questions.3rd run:
1) sold
2) sold
3) sold
4) sold
5) sold
6) sold
7) sold
8) sold
9) sold
10) sold
11) sold
12) sold
13) sold
14) sold
15)sold
16) sold
17) sold
18) sold
19) sold
20) sold
21) sold
22) sold
23) sold
24) sold
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
New run:
preorders (will ship first)
-gparkes (shipped)
-BingoBongo (shipped)
-tofty (shipped)
Matte:
1) euroken (shipped)
2) LEDZeppelin (shipped)
3) vx000 (shipped)
4) dlmorgan999 (shipped)
5) Ratton (shipped)
-Chodes (shipped)
Regular
1) XFlash (shipped)
2) jojobos (shipped)
3) arewethereyetdad (shipped)
4) London Lad (shipped)
5) (shipped)
Status so far:
Donn Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/9
Bertrand Reg finish Paid Shipped 7/10
Hombreluhrs Reg finish Paid Shipped 7/10
nfetterly Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/10
GregM Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/10
Megatrowned Matte finish Paid Shipped 7/10
keeblerElf Reg finish Paid Shipped 7/10
Nbjly Reg finish Shipped 7/16
Zoran Matte finish Shipped 7/16
tanasit Matte finish Shipped 7/16
Last edited:
. They use a XM-L in neutral tint. I have not taken a drive current reading on them yet. They go from zero to direct drive (the fail-safe mode in case of QTC failure). I will take a measurement tomorrow and include that information as well. Please let me know if you have any more questions. PM sent.
