LightSward
Flashlight Enthusiast
I apologize, but one of my photo hosts has unreliable and unstable links, (Facebook based), and this caused a large amount of my photos to vanish over he last few days. Apologize, but with all the photos I posted I'm not able to update all them do to a variety reasons, mostly time.
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SNEAK PREVIEW: Rotating 24 inch homemade LightSward with 100 watt HID.
Click the Image for Video
Rotating beam shots from the 24 inch LightSward searchlight
This video shows the 24 inch homemade LightSward rotating on it's new gear box.
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:twothumbs
At the same time I was completing the 24 inch reflector, I installed a 35 watt HID from a fog lamp, into my old incandescent Cyclops. This made it appear much brighter with a much thinner better focused beam. It has a much longer run time now, (it is about one third the brightness as the 24 inch reflector with the 100 watt HID. NOTE: I plan on changing to a 400 watt HID, budget permitting.)
There seems to be some 'threshold' that is achieved at some point, that allows the beam to become bright enough to be seen easily for some distance more than a few blocks. The original Cyclops is on the verge of doing this, but not quite. The 35 watt HID modifications seemed to have done the trick...perhaps the bluer light color and the much more focused and brighter beam crosses this line into an easily seen beam.
The 24" reflector homemade light is bright enough to easily cross the "beam threshold" and to be seen for a dozen blocks or so. The large reflector (24" homemade Using (TRIM BRITE) Chrome Brite@ Metallic Tape came in 3" x 60" strips, ...it looks like it reflects at least 75% of the light), it took several pakages to complete the 24" reflector.) allows me to make some mistakes that a smaller one would be less forgiving of. I can experiment with many different household bulbs...including a tin can sized CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light bulb), which surprisingly with the 24" reflector, makes a pretty nice flood/spot light for lighting part of a ballpark, basketball court or play field for night time sports. I really intend to use it to periodically paint the sky with a beam of light or light a distant hillside when out enjoying the night. The 24" reflector, (LightSward), battery pack and ballast hopefully won't weigh too much.
The Cyclops 35 watt HID modification was actually achieved while watching Late Night Comedy shows. (When finished It looked 3 times brighter and had a much tighter Hot Spot and last at least twice as long on a battery charge as the original 100 watt incan., bulb.)
For me, the best way to find the focal point, after the standard geometric and mathematical calculations and measurements, is to build a "Delta Focusing Plate", or often just using spacers and washers, is, (to verify focus point sometimes, I first carefully hold the operating bulb base with pliers in one hand and steady the reflector with the other hand, and gently move the the bulb in and out and back and forth a little, to find the sweet focus spot on a wall a hundred feet or so away. Then I memorize the exact spot of the bulb base relative to the bottom mounting area of the reflector. I have someone photograph this if needed. I can usually measure and confirm the exact focus spot using a laser as well. From this I can then design very good bulb positioning hardware, sometimes with the aid of Auto CAD).
I did successfully design and build, rather easily, a 24" parabolic reflector for about $35.00 plus time...and I used a slowly spinning 'screed' shaped like a deep parabola to apply the final surface of Dry Wall Joint Compound on fiberglass and Styrofoam framed reflector. I used this design to harness as much light from a standard HID Home Depot Metal Halide Lamp 100 watts, as I can. I get a very well focused brilliant beam that goes out several miles and the beam can be seen for about one and a half to two miles especially when the light beam is moved across the sky.
At the same time I was building the 24" reflector, I modified an incandescent [Supposed 15 million candlepower (what is it really?)], Cyclops with a 35 watt HID fog light. I removed the bulb and ballast from the fog light...and lucked out on the focus with a home made sheet metal washer I made from scrap metal, and some banding wire. Very tightly focused beam compared to the original Cyclops and much brighter too.
As mentioned earlier, the 24 inch parabolic reflector was designed and built completely from scratch, using rigid foam insulation, fiberglass, dry wall compound and chrome tape. I was very impressed with the tightly focused beam I get using a 100 watt regular metal halide pulse ignited 1/2" arc discharge bulb. I intend to dramatically increase the wattage when budget allows. Currently This light can operate on battery power and auto as well as household current. Currently when I aim the beam into the sky at a 45 degree angle, I can drive two miles and see the beam in the night sky. Hopefully some not so sharp, low quality photos and beam shots will show the modified "Cyclops" and the homemade 24" reflector searchlight. I need a better night camera.
I took more beam shots of the 35 watt HID modified Cyclops, simply because it is much easier to pose the beam for photos. The 24" homemade reflector LightSward is still temporarily sitting on a box.
I am very satisfied with the results of both lights. I got many of the ideas from "CandlePowerForum" Once I finish the 24" assembly and can manipulate the light more easily, I will get better beam shots. I'm excited to see what happens when I install a 400 watt HID.
LightSward :welcome:
The totally from scratch, homemade 24" parabolic reflector on temporary stand, (cardboard box), next to the modified, HID added, Cyclops
24 inch reflector is chrome tape finished and ready for first test. 2bc
First test run of 24 inch parabolic reflector. 2bc
The lower spot is the modified 35 watt HID Cyclops, (Cyclops was originally 100 watt incandescent), compared with the upper Homemade 24 inch reflector (LightSward) light beam spot. Both lights are about 30 feet away from wall. The picture frame around carpet is 36 inches tall!
The HID modified Cyclops and 24 inch homemade reflector amongst others. 2bc
:twothumbs
Searchlights at 45 degree angle from horizon and aimed overhead towards camera. The New brighter 24" homemade reflector, with 100 watt metal halide short pulse arc tube, is on our (viewers) left and modified 35 watt HID Cyclops on our right.
The two Light beams compete with the street light. The bright beam on our (viewers) right is 24" Homemade reflector ("LightSward") and the beam blazing to our left is the modified HID Cyclops
Tree is 200 feet away
The Hot Spot from the modified 35 watt HID Cyclops is actually smaller than shown, (Camera easily overexposes). I need a better camera
The Modified 35 watt HID Cyclops beam competes with street light
Beam Shot of Modified 35 watt HID Cyclops on the left versus the much brighter New Homemade 24" LightSward beam
Cyclops HID warming up to full brightness
Beam from 35 watt HID modified Cyclops paints the night sky
Beam is easily seen for a mile or more in the night sky. When lights are moved or rotated back and forth, the beams can easily be seen almost two miles. Once I get a better camera, I can photograph the beams from a mile or so. I plan to upgrade the 24" LightSward from a 100 watt metal Halide to a 400 watt metal halide (pulse ignition with 1/2" arc discharge tube). The partial purpose of the large 24" reflector was to allow experimentation of using ordinary household light bulbs etc., for fun!
I will get better beam shots when I have access to a better night camera.:naughty:
Last edited by LightSward; Today at 09:27 PM. Reason: clarifications
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I'm usually computer literate, but sometimes I end up duplicating an effort when I am frustrated 
:whoopin:
