US-based supplier as an alternative to DX?

[Qoose]

I'm looking for some goodies in order to build this light that I have in mind. Right now it consists of drivers and LEDs off of DX. However, I would like them to get here sooner and I bet with an order this big, something will get messed up. Is there another supplier that has a stronger and faster track record than DX? Hopefully it will be based in the US, but as long as it's fast, and not twice the price of what DX will give, I'll buy from there. Any such stores that you guys would reccomend?

 

[Seiko]

Re: Another supplier for DX stuff

You can get
Fast
Cheap
Good
But never all three at once.

With DX you only get one.... Cheap.
No US based place I know of carries the selection of DX-KD.

 

[baterija]

Shiningbeam.com has a small selection of accessories that includes some of the same drivers and emitters on stars as DX at not too much more (although shipping isn't included it's reasonable). The selection is not as big but if it's what you want it will certainly be faster.

 

[kuksul08]

Mouser has Seoul LEDs for a reasonable price. Digikey has Cree LEDs and Ledil Lenses for a reasonable price, but not mounted on stars, and not the most current bins. Shining Beam is great I have ordered from them before.

 

[linterno]

Re: Another supplier for DX stuff

With DX you only get one.... Cheap.

Sorry, but I don't totally agree. I have good, inexpensive flashlights from DX and KD. I also have what said here at CFP to be good quality flashlights that have failed.

Bad quality from both companies is more a lottery than a must.

 

[Zeruel]

Re: Another supplier for DX stuff

Sorry, but I don't totally agree. I have good, inexpensive flashlights from DX and KD. I also have what said here at CFP to be good quality flashlights that have failed.

Bad quality from both companies is more a lottery than a must.

+1

And DX seems to have improved their delivery promptness for my recent orders. KD, well.....

 

[Illum]

Building a flashlight eh?
cool, is it a mod of an existing flashlight or are you building from the ground up?

Drivers
TaskLED.com [http://www.taskled.com/products.html]

• CCxW range of Constant current Drivers
• maxFlex2 Microcontroller based Driver
• Fatman Constant current Driver
• bFlex Microcontroller based Driver
• nFlex Microcontroller based Driver
• D2DIM Microcontroller based Driver
• CCHIPO Constant Current High Power Driver

LEDs
www.ledsupply.com/led-catalog.php

• CREE XR-E Stars: Neutral, Warm, Q4, Q5
• CREE XR-E Emitters: Q5, Neutral, Warm
• CREE MC-E [Star mounted, all series]
• Luxeon Stars: K2, K2 TFFC, I, III, V,
• Lamina Stars: Atlas, Titan
• Mounted Nichia LEDs: Jupiter [Io Moon], Rigel [Elara Moon]
• 5mm LEDs
• Luxeon Emitters: K2 TFFC
• Osram LEDs: [Golden Dragon] White, Blue, Green, IR
• Endor Star: [Rebels on stars, 1-3]

LED Optics
www.LEDsupply.com

• Luxeon® L2Optics & Optic Holders [Spot, Medium, Wide & Oval Illumination Patterns Available]
• Carclo® 20mm Cree® XR-E Star Optics [Spot, Medium, Wide & Oval Illumination Paterns Available]
• Carclo® 20mm Cree® MC-E Star Optics [Spot, Medium, Wide & Oval Illumination Patterns Available]
• Cree® Star Optic w/ Holder [Designed for Cree XLamp XRE Star LEDs]
• EndorStar Optic [Wide Illumination Pattern for the 3-Up EndorStar]
• Cree® L2Spot Base Module Optic & Lens System [6° Optic w/ Wide, Oval & Diffuser Lens]
• Luxeon K2® L2Spot Base Module Optic & Lens System [3° Optic w/ Wide, Oval & Diffuser Lens]
• L2Optic Sampling Kits [20mm and Spot Base Module Optic Kits]

Flashlight upgrades [Parameter: Terralux]
www.LEDsupply.com

• Ministar 30M [4-6 cell maglite]
• Ministar 2 Extreme [minimag]
• Ministar 2 for minimag
• Ministar 5 [2-3 cell maglites]
• ministar 5 [4-6 cell maglites]
• TLE-20

www.lighthound.com

• Ministar 2 for minimag
• TLE-5EX
• Ministar 5 [2-3 cell maglites]
• ministar 5 [4-6 cell maglites]
• TLE-20
• TLE-300 [4-6 cell]
• TLE300 MR [Mag charger]
• TLE-ST [SL Stinger]
• TLE-100 Maxcharger 3 [Mag Charger]
• TLE-100S StreamStar20X [Streamlight SL20X series]
• TLE-HP3 StreamStarHP [Streamlight HP series]
• Ministar 3 [3LED replacement for minimag]

Batteries
www.lighthound.com
[Parameter: AW Li-ion]

• 14500
• 14670
• 17500
• 17670
• 18500
• 18650
• 14630 [RCR123A]

[Parameter: CR123A]

• Streamlight
• Energizer
• Duracell
• Battery Station

This is just a few recommendations, lets not forget:
the Sandwich Shoppe
Thomas Distributing [Eneloops, NiMH]
Batteryjunction [ NiMH pack Chargers]
Batteryspace [Li-ion packs, Li-po packs][All sorts of chargers, including ones for Li-ion packs from 3.7V to 89V]
et al.

Theres alot of resources in the US alone...I've bought once from DX...that once is one time too many. So practically everything I have bought in relation to flashlights have been within US...drivers is a bit hard to fin d :thinking: , I think if I can't find it I'll buy parts and solder my own

 

[Tim B]

If you want some good not so expensive R2 drop-ins for the Surefire 6P and others that take the same sized drop-in then check out the Lumens Factory drop ins from Lighthound in Houston. I LOVE mine. I have several of these in my 6P's and they are about as bright as my Fenix TK-11 R2. Lumens Factory is in Hong Kong if I remember correctly but Lighthound is in Houston and I get what I order pretty quickly.

 

[Qoose]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Looks like I might go with DX with EMS shipping. Hopefully it will get here in one piece.

It's not quite a flashlight, although I plan to start playing around with that soon (lathes are fun!). Of course I'll will post when I get done, but for now it looks like it might be quite colorful.