Need some help with Diffuser Material

[Acree]

I'm trying to make a flashlight with a more of a flood light than a spot light effect. I'll be using Luxeon 3 Watt Stars.

I was wondering if anyone here can tell me where I can find a diffuser material with the same pattern and density as what is used in this headlight. I think it would offer the best amount of light scatter for me.

http://clearcorners.com/products/nissan/350zx3/h_lamp2w/MT0_01.jpg

-Acree

PS. BTW, first time I've stumbled upon these forums, and I think I've found heaven. :huh:

 

[Kestrel]

There is some reasonably popular stick-on adhesive diffusion film that might be just the ticket, I had some on a light I owned until recently - it stays on very well but is also easily removable. I'd actually like to get some more of that. Someone here will probably post with a pointer to where to get it.
BTW, :welcome:

PS. BTW, first time I've stumbled upon these forums, and I think I've found heaven. :huh:

Just hold on to your wallet. (psst, PayPal is easier...)

 

[qwertyydude]

Oh that diamond pattern diffuser material is quite a bit more common than you think. It's fluorescent light diffuser panel.

 

[socom1970]

You can find the diffuser film at flashlightlens.com. I bought some in a 5x8 inch(I think?) sheet from them. It works very well. Already used some on four lights. Creates a wonderful beam pattern free of artifacts with nice, big hotspot that nicely blends to spill as you get further out from the beams center point. Absolutely worth it. :thumbsup:

 

[Acree]

Oh that diamond pattern diffuser material is quite a bit more common than you think. It's fluorescent light diffuser panel.

Actually the material is no where close to the fluorescent diffuser. Trust me. I've been to all of the local home improvement stores and ran through they're entire inventory. The material in the headlight is a square pattern and much more densely packed. The fluorescent diffuser is more of a diamond pattern.

-Acree

 

[flasherByNight]

Alot of people use the Glad Press n' Seal
http://www.glad.com/plasticwrap/pressnseal.php

not the diamond pattern...but thought I'd throw it out there

 

[Kestrel]

You can find the diffuser film at flashlightlens.com. I bought some in a 5x8 inch(I think?) sheet from them. It works very well. Already used some on four lights. Creates a wonderful beam pattern free of artifacts with nice, big hotspot that nicely blends to spill as you get further out from the beams center point. Absolutely worth it. :thumbsup:

I just checked it out at their site (here's the product link, BTW). A 8.5" x 6" sheet (51 square inches) lists for $10, but unfortunately it's out of stock. Would anybody be able to slip ~four square inches of their stash into a small letter envelope and send it to me in exchange for a small PP/gift donation?

(For research purposes, of course. - I would be happy to post before & after beamshots in this thread with my (rather ringy) Fenix LD01.)

BTW when I had a light that had this stuff on it, my impression was that it was pretty durable.

 

[flasherByNight]

I just checked it out at their site (here's the product link, BTW). A 8.5" x 6" sheet (51 square inches) lists for $10, but unfortunately it's out of stock.

You could try requesting a sample...

*edit nvm, I guess if the product is 8.5x6, the sample size would be like a 1/2x1/2 anyhow lol

 

[GregWormald]

Some of the best diffusers I have made for my lights are cut from the frosted parts of thin soft CD/DVD cases. The ones I found have both 'heavy' and 'light' sections that both work well, depending on the amount of diffusion required.

If you cut them the right size with two or three little 'ears' on the circle, they will sit right on top of the lens with the ears clipping into the O-ring channel.

Greg

 

[LumenHound]

something else you may want to look at is the inexspensive clear shelf lining film that is sold at most dollar stores and hardware stores.
The clear isn't actually clear. It looks that way but it's actually a very light matte finish and I think it's worth looking into.
This may sound hard edged but do you know the difference between "light frost", "Frost", "Satin", Semi-Satin", ?

If your hard up for material i could send you some at no cost to you.
Just don't say I ever sucumbed to a good pay it forward deed.

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

You might consider the diffuser material being sold at this thread over at The MarketPlace.

 

[yellow]

1st: use actual led like Cree XP-G (newest), or Cree XR-E or Seoul P4 --> all of them roughly DOUBLE the output than the Lux III

2nd: use a reflector/optic giving You a wider beam --> again considerably better output than with additional light stealing materials
(if You already have focusing devices which absolutely have to be used (even when there are much better ones available at same cost) then change their position. With a bit of raise/down to the optimal position, the beam will also spread)

3rd: use actual led: double the output, half the heat, at same current than outdated ones

 

[Vesper]

Office supply stores have plastic sheets (portfolios, sheet protectors and such) that can be cut to fit. They don't stick on but will work w/ some lens setups.

 

[Kestrel]

OK, I finally set up my Fenix LD01 with diffusion film. While it's not a night & day difference, I did get a smoother overall beam and a slightly more diffuse hotspot.
(My LD01 is the earlier 'XRE-Q5' version, which is somewhat more 'ringy' than the current 'R2' version.)

Note the somewhat more-diffuse hotspot in the last photo on the right, plus (more importantly) the less-pronounced outer ring features that are shown near the flashlight itself - these rings just outside of the 'spill' have always bothered me for indoor usage.

 

[gcbryan]

Here are the issues I have found with diffusion...you have to either leave it on as a semi-permanent solution in which case you usually lose all or most of your throw or if it's a snap-on on solution usually it's almost opaque and you lose most of the lumens.

The latter case is where you snap an aspirin battle cap on to your lens. It works well as a reading light or to hang from the insider of your tent. This is where you don't care if it's killing most of the lumen output.

The former case (as is described in posts above) is where you want a very diffused light source for inside work and don't care at all about having a hotspot.

It would be nice to design a diffuser that diffused the center portion of the lens (spill) for artifacts and left the portion of the outer edges undiffused that contribute to the hotspot and then have the diffusion effect continue again on the very outer edges of the hotspot.

So you would not effect throw or most of the hotspot at all. You would improve beam quality and blend the very outer edge of the hotspot.

I've experimented with this but it's hard to do (when using a reflector that is). If you are using an aspheric rather than a reflector it's easier to do as the location of the beam is more predictable (it's in the center of the lens).

Has anyone ever tried hairspray in selected areas? I haven't but I have tried (successfully) using translucent Scotch "Magic" tape on aspheric lens. You simply leave the center of the lens clean and put tape on the rest. This way you diffuse everything but the hotspot.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has tried anything similar and especially if anyone has used hairspray on the back of the lens to try to selectively control the diffused areas.

 

[UberLumens]

easy and decent

-translucent water bottle caps

-various shower curtains (lotta choices)

-sand the lens(or a spare)

non perfect but work