HDS Systems #23

[gottawearshades]

So I've been wanting a McGizmo for a while now but didn't want redundancy in my collection so I went with a Mule on a 1x123 pak. It will be my first mule and didn't really know what to expect so I figured I would just take the reflector assembly off of my rotary and turn it on and see what I think and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed not having a defined hotspot but rather just a wall of beautiful light from my NB45.

This got me to thinking how to go about "muling"? my rotary since I really enjoy the user interface. First, I thought about just popping off reflector assembly but it is attached to the bezel and lens. This leads me to thinking I need to modify the reflector to not reflect. How would I do this appropriately? I was surprised that there wasn't an aftermarket mule reflector assembly out there.

If you need a mule in a hurry, just unscrew the bezel of your HDS. If it takes the reflector with it (most of mine do), you've got yourself an improvised mule for close work.

 

[JP031716]

Good call. That's what I've been doing until the Mule anrrives. After looking at it, a whole new head assembly would have to be designed to achieve the desired mule with the existing head setup.

 

[desert.snake]

So I've been wanting a McGizmo for a while now but didn't want redundancy in my collection so I went with a Mule on a 1x123 pak. It will be my first mule and didn't really know what to expect so I figured I would just take the reflector assembly off of my rotary and turn it on and see what I think and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed not having a defined hotspot but rather just a wall of beautiful light from my NB45.

This got me to thinking how to go about "muling"? my rotary since I really enjoy the user interface. First, I thought about just popping off reflector assembly but it is attached to the bezel and lens. This leads me to thinking I need to modify the reflector to not reflect. How would I do this appropriately? I was surprised that there wasn't an aftermarket mule reflector assembly out there.

The HDS had diffusing reflectors (very small run), a normal reflector is coated with some kind of diffusing substance. The beam shape is essentially the same as the Mule, maybe a slightly narrower beam, but it's perfect up close. I was a fool to give mine a blue glow-in-the-night one and sold after, because I wanted a green one, and finding green ones turned out to be almost impossible

HDS Firefly 100% Diffuse GITD Reflector

The last of the special GITD diffuse reflectors are here. The HDS Firefly. This gives a great diffuse beam (nearly as good as the old white diffuse reflector). There is no "hot spot" in the center at all. A new process was developed to make these. It's even worse than the others. This is by...

www.candlepowerforums.com

and here are a couple of photos of the rays

Sold/Expired - HDS GD Clicky + HDS Diffuse reflector

Both SOLD Two separate items here for sale… 1. HDS Golden Dragon Clicky. This is the 140 lumen, blue sticker version. ACME threads. As the photos below show, it has been carried and used. I would like a very fair $85 for this. Would also like to keep the shipping CONUS ONLY. 2. HDS White...

www.candlepowerforums.com

Someone here achieved a similar effect by sandblasting a standard reflector, or matte painting it, or both

I think it would be possible to order a cone made of this material that fits into the reflector, but it would be insanely expensive

Spectralon® Diffuse Reflectance Material - Reflectance Materials

Spectralon Reflectance Material gives the highest diffuse reflectance of any known material or coating over the UV-VIS-NIR region of the spectrum.

www.labsphere.com

There is also paint based on barium sulfate. The price is huge, but if you buy it together for 20-30 people, then buying 0.5 liters will be enough for a large number of reflectors. Or it is better to buy 2 kg of pure barium sulfate for several people together, and as Hogo mentioned, using optically transparent epoxy resin to achieve the desired effect

Barium Sulfate (BaSO4) (98.5% Purity 0.31 micron CAS:7727-43-7)

NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Barium sulfate is a remarkable substance that has many applications. Most recently, and excitingly, as an additive to achieve very white-looking paint that also reflects heat (i.e., infrared light), plus ultraviolet, radio waves, etc., potentially bringing cooling...

ssoc.ca

Oh, I see 375 grams for $30!!

I don't really care about glow in the dark, I just need a good Mule

 

[LEDphile]

I think it would be possible to order a cone made of this material that fits into the reflector, but it would be insanely expensive

Spectralon® Diffuse Reflectance Material - Reflectance Materials

Spectralon Reflectance Material gives the highest diffuse reflectance of any known material or coating over the UV-VIS-NIR region of the spectrum.

www.labsphere.com

There is also paint based on barium sulfate. The price is huge, but if you buy it together for 20-30 people, then buying 0.5 liters will be enough for a large number of reflectors. Or it is better to buy 2 kg of pure barium sulfate for several people together, and as Hogo mentioned, using optically transparent epoxy resin to achieve the desired effect

Barium Sulfate (BaSO4) (98.5% Purity 0.31 micron CAS:7727-43-7)

NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Barium sulfate is a remarkable substance that has many applications. Most recently, and excitingly, as an additive to achieve very white-looking paint that also reflects heat (i.e., infrared light), plus ultraviolet, radio waves, etc., potentially bringing cooling...

ssoc.ca

Oh, I see 375 grams for $30!!

For diffuse reflectors, you can get high reflectivity (>97%) white sheet materials from a couple of vendors, and it's pretty reasonably priced. Typically, it's die-cut or thermoformed, depending on the geometry required. A few examples from a vendor that also can do the forming: https://www.ingemanncomponents.com/category/reflectors/

 

[Kid9P]

Can anyone decode what’s written on my Panda's board? Thanks!

Just swapped the stock bezel for a smooth titanium trit slotted bezel 😍

 

[jon_slider]

what's written on my Panda's board?

dont know the code,
LED looks like XP-G3:

a smooth titanium trit slotted bezel

looks very nice!, and it probably cut the bezel weight by 10 grams, congrats!

 

[Kid9P]

Thanks, yes it’s an NLT. I just wondered what the writing meant. Thanks!

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

All HDS lights that have been shipping now have all electronics made in house. We are moving to making more things in house so we are not dependent on the whims of other companies and the delays that that can create. It will also allow us to make changes and improvements on the fly.

 

[thaugen]

This is such great news! Thank you for this update and for all your great work!

 

[Rossymeister]

So how long can we expect the rubber tailcap buttons to last? My oldest hds light is 10 years old now. I know rubber deteriorates and gets brittle with age.

 

[jon_slider]

o how long can we expect the rubber tailcap buttons to last?

I dont know, but, I sent a couple of 14 year old rotary tails to Henry, for button replacements, and he did the job and reshipped within 3 days of receiving the package.

He did not charge me anything, even though I would have been happy to pay. He did not even let me pay for return postage.

The buttons were not damaged and did not necessarily need replacing, but they had a slight bulge that made tailstanding a bit wobbly, so I just wanted new buttons so they would be flush and allow tailstanding better.

 

[Rossymeister]

Okay cool. Ive got 3-4 clickys that im planning on keeping, im just curious how everything is gonna hold up after another 10-15 years.

Hopefully I hold up that long.

 

[tech25]

The clicky buttons are user replaceable. Only the rotaries have to be sent in.

 

[Rossymeister]

Are any of yall stocking up on spare parts? Especially on lights that you never plan to sell?

 

[Jeff S.]

Yeah, rumors of the discontinuation of the clicky lead me to order some extra flat and raised buttons, as well as an entire tailcap.

And no better spare part than a whole light, so maybe I’ll have to get another just in case.

 

[John_Galt]

All HDS lights that have been shipping now have all electronics made in house. We are moving to making more things in house so we are not dependent on the whims of other companies and the delays that that can create. It will also allow us to make changes and improvements on the fly.View attachment 74243

I already know the answer is likely still No, but I still would like to ask. If henry is looking to redesign around new cell formats, is there any reason he could not redesign the driver with a fet/dd mode? I love my hds lights, and love the output regulation, but it is nice to have a turbo mode available, that and the toughness of these lights is a huge selling point for me, but it does limit their utility in some use. A tactical light with a turbo mode programmable as the high would be extremely useful for weaponlight useage, as most tac lights are not run for extended periods, they're flashed on and off in momentary use for target identification. The primary driver circuit could still be programmed at either a time or temp based input to kick back to high and begin the ramp down as the cell can no longer provide enough current. It's a big change in design, but I think it would be welcome to a wider group of buyers, especially in an 18650/21700 format.

 

[muichimon]

I finally got my hands on a SPECIAL METAL RUN. My first impression is that I was surprised at the weight of this little light. It is heavier than the elzetta bravo. The texture and weight of the brass make this HDS rotary very special. It is interesting that the brass NB45 is slightly more rose-colored than my NB45. I don't know if it's because of the bezel color or the LED specifications, but I prefer the reddish tint, so I like that too.

My HDSs are getting together and there should be more.

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

To answer your question, yes. That is the plan.
This was my morning though… which isn’t to say as a tactical light, some extra lumens is nice to have along with extra ammo!
I carry a 200 lumen High Noon at work. I have on several occasions used the strobe function to signal a medivac chopper in the Arizona wilderness… at high noon, in order to help them locate us and the improvised landing zone. Each time I do it, I ask the pilot if a. He could see it, and b. If it was helpful. I get the same response each time… "yes" and "yes". Just like this morning. The pilot said the on board paramedic pointed out the strobe and thus the landing zone. Apparently, there was another white truck 1/2 a mile away and the ambulance was hidden under some trees and was difficult to see from the air in the valley we were at.

 

[tech25]

HDS and Xshears! Great pairing. That’s what I carry at work.

 

[John_Galt]

Oh man, is that excellent news! LEDs have proven themselves durable enough to be able to handle DD/fet drivers for years, in hosts with way less mass and poorer thermal pathways. Even if the rest of the drive circuit remains the same and highest regulated output is in the same 250-350 lumen range, emitter dependent, having a fet circuit really just opens up the market and long term upgradeability!