Hi! Just ordered Rey's pineapple mini brass yesterday, and now i read a review of the pineapple brass that it is just brass coated... Does that mean it is just regular metal with a coat of brass? It's not really a brass flashlight? The reviewer wrote that it will not patina as easily because it is just brass coated..
Reylight brass only brass coated?
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jon_slider
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where?
WalkIntoTheLight
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Mine seems like solid brass.
"Made of solid copper -titanium-brass bar."
This is from the Reylight website description of the Pinapple Mini AAA. I have one in copper; very nice little light.
This is from the Reylight website description of the Pinapple Mini AAA. I have one in copper; very nice little light.
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First of all: Brass plated, not coated.
Brass is regular metal, it is a alloy of zinc and copper (mostly). Brass is a bit more expensive to buy for manufacturers, do to its high copper content. Copper is expensive. However; brass is actually easier and more inexpensive to machine compared to steel or aluminium. Steel also takes longer to machine. Time = Money. Depending on the item, these costs might equal out. I personally far prefer working with brass compared to working with steel. And working with Aluminium and especially titanium is just horrible.
Aluminum is the preferred choice for flashlights mostly due to its low weight, low electrical resistance, high thermal conductivity and resistance to oxidation. Brass is significantly heavier then aluminium, or even steel for that matter. Brass is both a worse conductor of electricity and a worse conductor of heat compared to aluminium. Bronze is even worse. Brass will also easily tarnish. As long as both alloys of brass are equal, a brass plated item will tarnish just the same as one made of solid brass.
Back to your question (sorry).
You are reffering to this review?
https://zeroair.org/2019/03/01/reylight-pineapple-updated-flashlight-review/
I believe the reviewer was pointing out that the light is coated with a protective film that will keep the brass from tarnishing. Not brass plated. At no point was suggested that the flashlight was not made of brass. Is very much is. At least thats what I gather from it.
Coating the brass with a protective film to keep it from tarnishing is also a very common thing in later clock movements (1960s and later). Sadly this protective coating starts to peel-off after the first cleaning in an ultrasonic bath, and then a poor watchmaker has to peel it all off. It leaves the movement looking quite unappealing at the end of it. Sometimes they are also spray-painted. This is/was also done to watch movements. Best to just leave it un-coated.
Brass is regular metal, it is a alloy of zinc and copper (mostly). Brass is a bit more expensive to buy for manufacturers, do to its high copper content. Copper is expensive. However; brass is actually easier and more inexpensive to machine compared to steel or aluminium. Steel also takes longer to machine. Time = Money. Depending on the item, these costs might equal out. I personally far prefer working with brass compared to working with steel. And working with Aluminium and especially titanium is just horrible.
Aluminum is the preferred choice for flashlights mostly due to its low weight, low electrical resistance, high thermal conductivity and resistance to oxidation. Brass is significantly heavier then aluminium, or even steel for that matter. Brass is both a worse conductor of electricity and a worse conductor of heat compared to aluminium. Bronze is even worse. Brass will also easily tarnish. As long as both alloys of brass are equal, a brass plated item will tarnish just the same as one made of solid brass.
Back to your question (sorry).
You are reffering to this review?
https://zeroair.org/2019/03/01/reylight-pineapple-updated-flashlight-review/
I believe the reviewer was pointing out that the light is coated with a protective film that will keep the brass from tarnishing. Not brass plated. At no point was suggested that the flashlight was not made of brass. Is very much is. At least thats what I gather from it.
Coating the brass with a protective film to keep it from tarnishing is also a very common thing in later clock movements (1960s and later). Sadly this protective coating starts to peel-off after the first cleaning in an ultrasonic bath, and then a poor watchmaker has to peel it all off. It leaves the movement looking quite unappealing at the end of it. Sometimes they are also spray-painted. This is/was also done to watch movements. Best to just leave it un-coated.
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Ive mailed with Ray, and he says its raw brass. He also said the reviewer may have meant it has a clear coating to prevent patina and keep it shiny, but its raw brass as Rays says. He makes quality flashlights, thats for sure, still waiting for my pineapple mini to arrive (i live in Norway)
Couple days ago, I received my package (via DHL Express)
from Rey Ye, of a Brass Pineapple (with 3000°K Cree XPL emitter)
- and -
a Brass Mini-Pineapple (with Nichia 219C emitter).
Both are ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ! ! !
:twothumbs
_
from Rey Ye, of a Brass Pineapple (with 3000°K Cree XPL emitter)
- and -
a Brass Mini-Pineapple (with Nichia 219C emitter).
Both are ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ! ! !
:twothumbs
_
From everything I have read and personally experienced, brass is actually a better conductor of electricity than aluminum but you are right that it conducts heat worse than aluminum.
Copper is a better conductor of both heat and electricity than either brass or aluminum.
Thermal conductivity:
1 - Copper
2 - Aluminum
3 - Brass
Electrical conductivity:
1 - Copper
2 - Brass
3 - Aluminum
You'll see more aluminum heatsinks but far far more brass or copper (usually coated) electrical cables, contacts and terminals. Of all the underground cable runs into electrical substations I have done, only one job specced alloy conductors. They were 33%-50% larger in cross sectional area to allow them to conduct the same current as the equivalent copper conductors.
It's all a bit hard to follow but to throw another spanner in the works, my aluminum Emisar D4 gets too-hot-to-hold faster than my copper and brass models but they take longer to cool down as they have a higher thermal mass which means they can absorb and hold onto heat better than aluminum.
Back on track, the brass offerings from Rey certainly are made from solid brass, much like the copper models he sells also being made of solid copper. I have a relatively cheap mecarmy copper keychain light and the way it oxidises leaves me wondering about its purity or the quality of copper used. I have no such worries with the Reylights.
Copper is a better conductor of both heat and electricity than either brass or aluminum.
Thermal conductivity:
1 - Copper
2 - Aluminum
3 - Brass
Electrical conductivity:
1 - Copper
2 - Brass
3 - Aluminum
You'll see more aluminum heatsinks but far far more brass or copper (usually coated) electrical cables, contacts and terminals. Of all the underground cable runs into electrical substations I have done, only one job specced alloy conductors. They were 33%-50% larger in cross sectional area to allow them to conduct the same current as the equivalent copper conductors.
It's all a bit hard to follow but to throw another spanner in the works, my aluminum Emisar D4 gets too-hot-to-hold faster than my copper and brass models but they take longer to cool down as they have a higher thermal mass which means they can absorb and hold onto heat better than aluminum.
Back on track, the brass offerings from Rey certainly are made from solid brass, much like the copper models he sells also being made of solid copper. I have a relatively cheap mecarmy copper keychain light and the way it oxidises leaves me wondering about its purity or the quality of copper used. I have no such worries with the Reylights.
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If it were down to the conductivity of metals as the primary factor for use in flashlights, we would make high-end flashlights out of silver, like they do for high-end audio cables. Considering the price of some of those lights, that would probably decrease the cost... Besides the price, silver is very soft, very heavy, and tarnishes quickly when handled (but I guess people are ok with that on copper, so...).
I think brass is good for smaller lights (AAA to 1x cr123), but I think for larger lights, aluminium is still hands-down the best material of choice because if its combination of weight, thermal/electrical property's, and corrosion resistance. Brass will always have to be plated or coated to prevent oxidation, and is far heavier then Alu. It is also a bit heavier then steel, which I think many dont realize.
I like the combination of Aluminium bodies together with solid brass heat sinks, due to their greater thermal mass. Malkoff comes to mind.
I think brass is good for smaller lights (AAA to 1x cr123), but I think for larger lights, aluminium is still hands-down the best material of choice because if its combination of weight, thermal/electrical property's, and corrosion resistance. Brass will always have to be plated or coated to prevent oxidation, and is far heavier then Alu. It is also a bit heavier then steel, which I think many dont realize.
I like the combination of Aluminium bodies together with solid brass heat sinks, due to their greater thermal mass. Malkoff comes to mind.
I have a copper pineapple. Heavy little fella. My biggest draw to brass and copper are the anti-microbial properties. Even before covid. A coworker once made the comment about how I kept holding my flashlight with my lips and all the germs I was putting in my mouth. After that I started acquiring many more brass/copper/bronze edc items. I've a brass pineapple mini (219b 4500k) on the way as well.
jon_slider
Flashlight Enthusiast
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there is a Lead concern with uncoated brass. So I prioritize uncoated copper over uncoated brass.
I agree aaa reylights are awesome for 10440 use, and the sw45k is by far my favorite LED, highly recommend it. Plus reylights have a Tritium slot! :candle:
"Some models of Ni-MH batteries have high internal resistance causing the low voltage protection to kick in on the light and turn it off. For that reason we recommend 10440 or alkaline."
I have heard of people using Eneloop successfully in a pineaple mini.. no personal experience.
I agree aaa reylights are awesome for 10440 use, and the sw45k is by far my favorite LED, highly recommend it. Plus reylights have a Tritium slot! :candle:
"Some models of Ni-MH batteries have high internal resistance causing the low voltage protection to kick in on the light and turn it off. For that reason we recommend 10440 or alkaline."
I have heard of people using Eneloop successfully in a pineaple mini.. no personal experience.
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