Tight beam diameter light needed...not thrower

[heckboy]

Hello all. Currently I'm using a L2D Rebel 100 in my workplace. I'd like a light with a much tighter spot than the L2D, even tighter than my L1. The purpose of this light is to illuminate specific components of automated machinery and to point out specific components to others. I find the L2D brightness on high to be just fine but the beam is large even at 24" that it is too large to highlight a precise location. Something with a flashlight/laser pointer combo might be optimum if it wasn't too clumsy to use. A light with a real fine spot 1" in diameter with no spill at 24" would also be well suited. A light that takes both primaries as well as rechargables is ideal and I have no preference in the cell size. What do you all think? I'm also open to custom lights to get this done...

Thanks,
HB

 

[woodrow]

I think there is a light called the Fisher space light that might do something like that.

 

[magic_elf]

or the inova x1.

 

[Mr Happy]

or the inova x1.

I bought the Inova X1 recently and IMHO it has a soft wide beam with no spot.

A light which might suit is the River Rock 2AA 1.5W Nichia Jupiter from Target. This has a strongly focusing lens on the front and produces a tight narrow spot with a sharp edge, almost like a stage spot. Here's what the beam pattern looks like at about 5 ft:

The spot is about 11 inches in diameter at that distance. At 24 inches the spot is 4 1/2 inches across.

 

[magic_elf]

Oh my bad, i guess i was thinking of the old style x1 which has a lens at the front.
The new ones have reflectors which produces that wider softer beam.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

You might want to reconsider a laser (or light/laser combo). They're ideally suited for pointing at stuff. Alternatively, you could get a really bright flashlight and cover most of the front, leaving a small hole for light to exit through.

 

[Icebreak]

Jupiter AA from Target is the best I've seen at this task straight out of the box. It's regulated. A copy of this light used to be on Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com

Surefire KL3 is about 5 1/2 inches at 2 feet.

Alternatively, you could get a really bright flashlight and cover most of the front, leaving a small hole for light to exit through.

It's counter intuitive but most, not all, but most flashlights develop the spot fairly high in the reflector with the rays that make up the majority of the spot emitting from the outer most portions of the circumferences of the window (lens). Covering these outer portions kills most of the spot.

For aspheric lenses or Surefire TIR optics almost all the rays from all points of emission from the window are directed to create the spot. If an opaque covering with a hole in it is used to cover the outer portions of the window the spot is dimmed.

However, when using a clear collimating optic like Fraen or Cree, the central portions of the window can be covered resulting in an almost spot only beam albeit with some diminishing of intensity of the spot.

With a Cree, a 15mm circular object will work. Decreasing the size of the object increases the size and intensity of the spot. Cutting out an appropriately sized circular piece of aluminum tape and centrally locating it on the window will affect the beam to become a 3.5 inch spot at 2 feet.

 

[heckboy]

Very interesting. I had not yet considered exactly how the beam is focused based on emitter type. I can do a little experimenting tomorrow and let you know the results.

That Fisher space beam looks like it's a little on the dim side for my usage. :huh:

I use the light in rooms that are well lit, albeit with yellow light. The reason for the flashlight is that the yellow light seems to knock the contrast down to the point that it is often a bit of a strain to see fine details. So that's why I need pretty high output, like the L2D on high or turbo.

I like the idea of one of the Target lights (Jupiter or River Rock) since that will probably be a pretty economical solution.

Keep the ideas coming...

Thanks,
HB

 

[Stereodude]

Hello all. Currently I'm using a L2D Rebel 100 in my workplace. I'd like a light with a much tighter spot than the L2D, even tighter than my L1. The purpose of this light is to illuminate specific components of automated machinery and to point out specific components to others. I find the L2D brightness on high to be just fine but the beam is large even at 24" that it is too large to highlight a precise location. Something with a flashlight/laser pointer combo might be optimum if it wasn't too clumsy to use. A light with a real fine spot 1" in diameter with no spill at 24" would also be well suited. A light that takes both primaries as well as rechargables is ideal and I have no preference in the cell size. What do you all think? I'm also open to custom lights to get this done...

Thanks,
HB

Why don't you just get a laser pointer? Green is all the rage! :naughty:

 

[precisionworks]

1" in diameter with no spill at 24"

The Surefire E2L Cree has a spot beam, but not nearly as tight as you want. At 24", the spot is well defined, but 4" wide.

 

[heckboy]

I might wind up getting a laser pointer. Class I at most by the way. Those 534nm lasers are cool (they must be frequency doubled YAGs) but I imagine that they are also not class I lasers. Don't point them at your good eye.:duh2:

If I can trim the the beam down on my L2D or get a bright light with a small spot I get to solve both my problems (pointing and seeing) in one fell swoop.

Later,
HB

 

[Stereodude]

I might wind up getting a laser pointer. Class I at most by the way. Those 534nm lasers are cool (they must be frequency doubled YAGs) but I imagine that they are also not class I lasers. Don't point them at your good eye.:duh2:

I got one of these: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.91

 

[Marduke]

I might wind up getting a laser pointer. Class I at most by the way. Those 534nm lasers are cool (they must be frequency doubled YAGs) but I imagine that they are also not class I lasers. Don't point them at your good eye.:duh2:

If I can trim the the beam down on my L2D or get a bright light with a small spot I get to solve both my problems (pointing and seeing) in one fell swoop.

Later,
HB

Most laser pointers I know are Class 3a in the typical 5mW range

Might want to look here also:
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.911
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.910
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3262
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9630