Fuzzywuzzies
Enlightened
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- Aug 18, 2019
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That’s a good suggestion. I might get some.
What is your, "give away to a stranger" light?
- Thread starter IMA SOL MAN
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IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm thinking I'll look at thrift stores, yard sales, and maybe auctions and see if I can pickup some lights for cheap. Anything that I don't want especially, I'll fix up a bit if it needs it, and put it in a box for giveaway, Keep one or two in the vehicle, and the rest in the house for power outage handouts. No need spending a lot of money for something to give away for charitable purposes. As far as the Golden Rule, you have to be your own judge on that. I'm sure some folks will have much higher standards than others. One man's junk, is another man's treasure, as they say. But, when you are in the dark, any light is better than none, yes?
LOL enjoy the search 🙂
In reality, you've been around the block almost as many years as I. Yet how many times have you been in a position that you felt the desire to give away a light? Especially to a stranger?
During an outage in my neighborhood, I brought a fistful of lights around to my immediate neighbors asking if they needed a light. They all had some. I offered, that if their batteries ran low, I could supply them.
One woman was challenged wanting to get into her house, because she didn't have a key. She always used the electric garage door opener to get in. She was particularly stressed because she needed to let her dog out. Fortunately her husband by way of phone, reminded her of a hidden key.
During another outage, I asked another neighbor if he had a light, and he said, "I think so"
it was nearly dusk, so he didn't need it immediately. I was about to visit a friend who had a whole house generator, because my house was getting warm, and I didn't have one at the time. As I prepared to leave, I gave my neighbor a 3 D cell lantern, and an auto on emergency power failure light. One that plugs into an outlet and comes on automatically.
With that power was restored. It was only out for about 4 hours. It was local, someone took out a utility pole.
IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
You do have a point. To answer your question, never.
I will, of course, mainly be looking for stuff (flashlights) for myself, but at yard sales and auctions one sometimes ends up with a whole box of stuff, of which you only really want one thing. So, now what do you do with all the rest of the stuff? Normally, you sell it, pitch it, or give it away. So that is what I have in mind.
My Dad loved driving around looking for garage sales. He called it "Treasure hunting". You're right, he'd get stuff for $0.25 each, or get a whole box of stuff for $3.
He'd get the biggest kick out of it.
Enjoy, and happy hunting!
He'd get the biggest kick out of it.
Enjoy, and happy hunting!
IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm glad that I triggered a happy memory of your dad for you. Mine went to auctions, instead, and dragged home all kinds of schtuff, which he filled the house, garage, Morton building and two small sheds full of. I have yet to go through it all. Found some nice old flashlights, and a spot light that had been mounted on something. Maybe someday I'll post pics.
It's pretty simple for me.
I have fairly high confidence that the lights I carry / use are gonna work when I push the button. I hope that if someone hands me a light when I'm in need, they're also reasonably confident that it's gonna work. If I hand anyone a light to borrow / use, or to keep when they are in need of one, I want to have high confidence that it will work when they push the button.
Strangers aside, I can also say that all the lights I have given to friends / family (not the prime topic here) have been the same type of lights which I have personally used myself with what I consider to be satisfactory results.
I once bought / used a light I thought was up to my standards, for a while. I ordered 6 more to give to others. Before the time I was to give those away, I decided they were not acceptable for me. Those 6 lights are still sitting in my closet in the box they came in, as I will not give them to anyone. They will be disposed of.
Dave_H
Flashlight Enthusiast
Sometimes thrift stores like Value Village bundle a bunch of items into a bag, for a low enough price. They may contain items I don't want (which are given away or returned to one of these outlets, never thrown out). Sometimes I get little 3AAA showerhead 5mm or even COB lights. These normally don't cost more than a few dollars brand new.
I sometimes see them retail at extreme markdown and pick one or two up, usually to give away, even back to thrift shops.
I concur that sometimes any light is better than none, and (lack of) extreme quality usually is not going to make a difference in most cases; except perhaps cases involving large amounts of water.
Dave
On a non-light aspect, I have a small collection of HP calculators picked up in small items bags for only a few bucks (minus other items in the bag). Just got an HP10bII+ financial calculator, excellent quality/condition but so many financial/statistical functions I will likely never use (but has trig/scientific functions as well).
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The HP 12-C has since 2008 been running an HP Nut CPU emulation on an ARM CPU because HP couldn't get the old chips (which had gone through a few redesigns already) made anymore. Yet another CPU change was done, to a different ARM model, in 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-12C
I guess mine would be a just a regular old Mini Maglite. In it's original form it gives plenty of light to the uninitiated, it's fairly easy to carry, and it doesn't cost a lot (the last one I bought was on sale for $5😳...yeah, I bought a few). Then I let them choose their path; stay on the dull, low light level, right-out-of-the-package road, or wander onto the much more exciting path of modifications, drop-ins, different UIs and the rest of the whole world of high power lighting instruments😂
The old Blue Pill vs Red Pill choice.
newts
Newly Enlightened
A few years ago I got into Convoy S2 lights so I have a bunch of parts and lights. I have given a few away at some of the flashlight meetups to n00bs. "the first hit is free"
Considering their prices, it feels like it too!
I'm joking. Got my very first Convoy ever, a couple of days ago. T3 titanium model. Absolutely love it! Fantastic value for the money.
newts
Newly Enlightened
I still like the S2 and I still have a the UV in regular use. But I fell in love with the Emisar D2 for dual emitters and also much smaller to carry in my front pocket. The convoy was a little bulky at times.
"Is that an 18650 in your pocket or you just happy to see me?"
"Is that an 18650 in your pocket or you just happy to see me?"
I have few lights I’m willing to part with these days. That said, I used to always have a couple spare Hardware store Dorcy’s. Those left years ago. Now it’s likely to be a cute little AAA Olight of some kind. Or a spare headlamp, like the milquetoast Princeton Tec in my F250.
I usually have a few “extra “ AAA lights around that I can give away.
Thrunite, Olight, Sofirn, ITP when they were around, or one of the BLF single mode Nichias they did group buys for.
I like to give lights that can be easily daily carried, and almost all of the current small lights are capable of at least 100 lumens; more than enough for general tasks.
Thrunite, Olight, Sofirn, ITP when they were around, or one of the BLF single mode Nichias they did group buys for.
I like to give lights that can be easily daily carried, and almost all of the current small lights are capable of at least 100 lumens; more than enough for general tasks.
Great idea - I usually keep a few reflective vests in the car that I give away to invisible pedestrians (if I see them) but a light would also be helpful.
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