<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Size15s:
Kinda Blue Peter...
....................
Good Luck!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Al, at least explain to the Americans what Blue Peter is - they probably think it's something rude !
Anyway, months of wasted research later:
I've been trying to cover/diminish the wide lamp aperture of the Mag-Lite reflector, using polished washers and crumpled Mylar among other things.
So far, the results are, ahem, ummm, inconclusive.
Really, I'd say I noticed very little beam improvement. I'd like to believe that there was perhaps a 0.1 Lumen increase in output.
I've also tried *improving* the reflector, by spraying a "Chrome finish" paint directly onto 1,600 grade (very fine) wet and dry paper, and cutting it into a cone shape to line the reflector.
It didn't work too well either ......
It does even out the beam, making the Mag-Lite 3D a wide angle light. Reach is so much diminished, it definitely becomes close-up light only.
The rings are almost totally removed, but unfortunately, so was a fair proportion of the light given out. The dark spot in the centre is virtually reduced to nil. There remains a small irregular hotspot, which is marked by spirals, maybe from the filament, or the ribbed lamp-holder retainer.
The focusing ability is also practically removed, probably because although the paper cone will form a neat circle cross-section "across" the reflector, it does not conform to the parabolic curve of the reflector "lengthways".
The paper is too stiff to form a curve.
I suppose the next step is to try some way of dusting the reflector with Aluminium powder, so keeping the parabolic shape, while introducing some diffusing properties.
Anyway, for what it's worth, the experiments showed that the Mag reflector is a piece of ... well, certainly improvable ......
I don't think that the chrome paint was much good. And it has shown that an "orange peel" reflector would be a great improvement.
I wanted to get some "Ulbricht Sphere paint". This "photometer paint.......... with a reflection coefficient of ~ 0.97" is only sold in 2 kg amounts, at a price of ~$277.
And it is only rated to 80 degrees C, and has a 1 month shelf-life.
Anyone want to do a group buy
Or, anyone have an idea where fine Aluminium powder can be obtained - a chemical supply company charges enormous amounts for the stuff.
Would anyone know if Aluminium fingerprint powder is shiny or dull ...... in say a film can sized amount, posted to the UK - any LEO's reading this ??
lightlover
