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

[the_guy_with_no_name]

TGWNN, you are definitely doing this right. Press on, take the setbacks in stride. Steady as she goes. I've been watching from the beginning and have yet to see a misstep.

Hi RCantor,

Thanks for the vote of confidence :mecry:


Well here is a minor embarrassment but (beyond identity) I'm all for transparency....

It seems in some parts of the world, copper can be spelled b.r.a.s.s

So it appears on confirmation today that there is a brass torpedo on the way.
I guess it will be the one and the only brass torpedo made.

The production version of copper will use the copper spelt c.o.p.p.e.r.

I was just at a supply shop last week admiring some beautiful chunks of raw copper!
Its a very fine looking element in big blocks!

For this version, just hoping the circuit/driver is on track
Brass is nice but it is less thermally conductive then aluminum, closer to titanium.

tgwnn

 

[Orange Sunnyboy]

Hey, if you need someone to take that Brass model off your hands I'd be happy to help . Keep up the good work Got a kick out of the coffee line in the subscriber update.

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hey, if you need someone to take that Brass model off your hands I'd be happy to help . Keep up the good work Got a kick out of the coffee line in the subscriber update.

Hi OrangeSunnyboy,

Welcome and thanks for posting.

The updates....
like an exquisite meal, they take hours to prepare and just minutes to devour

I feel extremely fortunate that most everyone here see's the bright side of things

tgwnn

p.s. its the little things that make a difference

 

[taratata]

...
I feel extremely fortunate that most everyone here see's the bright side of things

tgwnn

p.s. its the little things that make a difference

Hi tgwnn,

You have initiated this project this way, explaining all the process and keeping us informed of each step you've done...

I see the thing like you, the goal is to make a flashlight that respond to the specs you've decided, because you've thought about them, taking in account some remarks the CPFers could have make here in this thread.

I like this kind of project, leading to achieve a very good product that covers the need it was created for.

All the cost to me is ... time, and i prefer wait that purchase a not-so-far finished product

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Hi tgwnn,

You have initiated this project this way, explaining all the process and keeping us informed of each step you've done...

I see the thing like you, the goal is to make a flashlight that respond to the specs you've decided, because you've thought about them, taking in account some remarks the CPFers could have make here in this thread.

I like this kind of project, leading to achieve a very good product that covers the need it was created for.

All the cost to me is ... time, and i prefer wait that purchase a not-so-far finished product

Hi taratata,

Thanks for posting.

At the time of post #1, I did (somewhat naively perhaps) imagine I would send a picture and some specs away, with a perfect flashlight prototype being delivered the following month.
Its possible too that I may have found development partners better equipped to work on the current products and though its taken some time to calibrate with them on communication, they have proven to be extremely dedicated, willing to go the extra 1000 miles, and patient with trying several renditions and tweaks along the way, and it seems they too are enjoying the challenge in creating something beyond a plain, vanilla tool as is their usual chore, but rather taking part in something that is part tool, part art, part dream and mostly just to be created for the pleasure of creating something that stretches boundaries and reel the limits of impossible in just a little closer.

When the day finally arrives, perhaps we shall all be enlightened with appreciation of all the time, effort, thoughts and discussions that began with a simple "what do you think of" type of post, with only a faint and ambiguous idea of what it might look like, and with the help and support of everyone here, taken all the way to a working beauty...

In the way you might hold an antique and ponder who, what, where it may have been, when your torpedo's finally arrive, you can come back here and read the whole story again (or not)

tgwnn

p.s. sorry, its a little flashasophical

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Torpedo Impressions:

I met a friend whom I told the MBI Torpedo story to and then when I proceeded to show him the Torpedo case, he asked me how to turn it on?
He thought the case was the flashlight, with light emanating from the tail end.

tgwnn

 

[calipsoii]

To be honest TGWNN, I think that brass Torpedo looks pretty good - I hope you won't completely dismiss it as an option. Maybe a special brass run in the future?

I keep a copper Maratac on my keychain and a brass Peak in that same keychain pocket. The Maratac is slowly having it's knurling smooshed down and rubbed off. It's starting to show a few dents here and there from being dropped. It's very slowly getting a patina, but it's kind of a deep red rather than the green that most people are after.

The brass Peak on the other hand is holding up like a champ. The Lexan lens has a few scratches from my keys but other than that it looks just like the day I got it. The knurling is crisp and defined. The patina is a nice dark color with bright highlights from where it's been used.

Plus, brass-on-brass makes for some of the smoothest twisting action I've ever experienced.

You'll have to let us know what you think of the brass one when it arrives and how it compares to the (future) copper prototype.

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

To be honest TGWNN, I think that brass Torpedo looks pretty good - I hope you won't completely dismiss it as an option. Maybe a special brass run in the future?

I keep a copper Maratac on my keychain and a brass Peak in that same keychain pocket. The Maratac is slowly having it's knurling smooshed down and rubbed off. It's starting to show a few dents here and there from being dropped. It's very slowly getting a patina, but it's kind of a deep red rather than the green that most people are after.

The brass Peak on the other hand is holding up like a champ. The Lexan lens has a few scratches from my keys but other than that it looks just like the day I got it. The knurling is crisp and defined. The patina is a nice dark color with bright highlights from where it's been used.

Plus, brass-on-brass makes for some of the smoothest twisting action I've ever experienced.

You'll have to let us know what you think of the brass one when it arrives and how it compares to the (future) copper prototype.

Hi calipsoli,

Thanks, thats a great photo!!

Well, seeings we now have brass on hand, if there is demand.....(you know the rest).
It will give me something to test my newly acquired diamond polish on, which kind of makes me want to strip all my flashlights (almost all) down to bare metal, and then polish them to mirror finish.

I will post more pics once its here.
Brass of course does not rust (though it tarnishes) and is perfect for amphibious missions.

tgwnn

 

[Draven451]

Ahhhh brass! Very nice! I love my brass peak vesuvius. I would be in for a ti, copper and brass torpedo

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Ahhhh brass! Very nice! I love my brass peak vesuvius. I would be in for a ti, copper and brass torpedo

Thanks Draven,

I shall report in, soon as its here!

tgwnn

 

[Burgess]

Add me to the growing list of people
who think Brass would be Sweet ! ! !

:kiss:


Since i will be using my Torpedo strictly with L92 Energizers,
heat-transfer capability won't be a problem.

Please don't rule out Brass so quickly.


Good Luck !


BTW . . . .

When this Torpedo project is FINISHED,
it would make a great 90-minute Documentary for Discovery Channel !

Been a very fascinating, eye-opening experience for all of us.

:goodjob:
_

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Add me to the growing list of people
who think Brass would be Sweet ! ! !

:kiss:


Since i will be using my Torpedo strictly with L92 Energizers,
heat-transfer capability won't be a problem.

Please don't rule out Brass so quickly.


Good Luck !


BTW . . . .

When this Torpedo project is FINISHED,
it would make a great 90-minute Documentary for Discovery Channel !

Been a very fascinating, eye-opening experience for all of us.

:goodjob:
_

Hi Burgess,

Thank you.

A Documentary would be cool but 80 minutes might be images of people waiting, 10 minutes of cool stuff


And some good news...

The Brass Projectile has arrived!

The mode changing is much better but still some modest UI funkiness,
that aside, this one is VERY BRIGHT!

According to my integrating mini photo shoot thing, over 30% brighter!!

Now this is the kind of light I meant.
In the 10250 form factor, I have to say it is efffing awesome!!!

(and we aint done yet...)

Currently dealing with the end of the myan calendar phenomenon and a whole load of other things, but I will post some photo's of this micro monster later

tgwnn

 

[smokelaw1]

Oh yeah....now we're getting somewhere! (not that we weren't somewhere earlier, now we are the somewhere that is much closer to the somewhere that is THERE!)

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Oh yeah....now we're getting somewhere! (not that we weren't somewhere earlier, now we are the somewhere that is much closer to the somewhere that is THERE!)

Thanks smokelaw,

eneloops performed very nicely too.

some photos shortly....
tgwnn

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Ahoy,
Below: Torpedo's on fire!

Below: Brass Torpedo / Original Torpedo

Lux Bounce Comparison (very rough)

Below: MBI Torpedo Brass + Eneloop on mode 4 (high)

Below: Preon running on lithium AAA on high
lumens, shlumens the preon is a nice little light!

Below:
Rambler/Skillhunt on high

oh and I forgot to photograph the logo/serial engraved...

tgwnn

p.s. apologies, these were taken with my crappy camera

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Below: Torpedo Serial Designation

Below: Torpedo Logo (centered opposite the serial)

Below: Torpedo Tubes Designation (X2:10440, X1:10250)

Sincere apologies for the poor photos but thought you might be happier to get these slightly blurry ones now, than wait a few days.

Tgwnn

 

[the_guy_with_no_name]

Selector ring function

Definitely a lot more stable now.

There seems to be no more skipping of modes, but there is still a little funkiness.

Sometimes, after rotating past high, nothing happens (which is how its meant to be) and sometimes, the modes start stepping down.

Also, it seems from the "off" position, you can switch on in either direction, which is not a bad thing.

In high (mode 4) sometimes (rarely) if you rotate a few turns beyond the point you switched into mode 4, there is no change (thats good), but then when you rotate in the opposite direction, nothing happens either (like its frozen in mode 4).
Sometimes, this also happens from the off position (stuck in off) again rarely.

I discovered that when this happens, if you do a quick left/right or right/left (the way you might change modes on a twisty with a quick off-on action) then its goes back to normal.

It only seems to happen when rotating crazily off and on and then several turns beyond off.

From a cold start (having been off for more than a few seconds) the Torpedo selector ring is responsive and turns on correctly each time.

Also, I did seem to get trapped somewhere between modes 3 & 4 once (before learning the off-on trick), and could not get back to off.
Luckily, I had a CoreTi proto handy and was able to switch it off using the CoreTi as the switching mechanism (magnets).

The knurling on the brass feels far more defined than the Alum protos.

Trying to be objective,
as a flashaholic, if I had the choice of possessing one on the understanding that it was an experimental light, the way it is now, I would say yes. Its stable enough for edc at the moment and for the size/brightness, gonna be hard to beat and as a collectible, very nice.

Not quite ready for mainstream yet as the mode selection has to be closer to 99.99%. Right now I'd say its in the range of 90%~93%.

Planning to complete initial testing asap so I can send the feedback to the circuit team.

tgwnn

 

[Draven451]

The photos will keep us satiated for now
That brass looks mighty fine!
I like the serial numbers and the torpedo name on the light.

Everyday I look forward to reading new developments.



Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

 

[Tixx]

Very nice! Are adjustable bodies still coming with these?

 

[melty]

Nice photos! It's fun to see this project progress!

Is that really a rough 300 lumens being produced with a AAA Eneloop?