Need ideas to moving forward in our hobby

well I need your help/advice...

I have reach a stalemate/plateau/wall in our flashlights hoppy. I have tinkered enough with Dx lights, P60 modules and switch mods, but

I feel ahead in me is the big quad die mag mods but...
- I have currently little money to spent. (my wished for build has a budget of $250)
- I feel I need real machinery (benchtop lathe) to work on advanced mods..(i.e. making 14mm baoard sockes for D26 modules)

So I am searching for alternate ways forward...
One idea is start making lights out of toys and home found things (like a pepper grinder)

any other things to do?
TNX, Kostas

Mod the real cheapies.
It's one thing to turn medium-quality DX cheapies into good flashlights, but it's entirely another to turn dollar-store pieces of crap into something you'd actually want to use. I find that an interesting challenge.

See this old post of mine as an example.

Also, why is this in the cafe instead of the general flashlight board?

thanks for the lead....

it posted in the cafe cos I understand that anything that does not have to do with a flashlight itself goes here (I know for experience having similar threads of min relocated)

What about attaching lights into everyday items?
Eg: Walking sticks, wallets, etc

kosPap said:

I feel ahead in me is the big quad die mag mods but...
- I have currently little money to spent. (my wished for build has a budget of $250)

TNX, Kostas

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Colored EMT tubing is hard to find but cheap proto types can be made from regular EMT.
3/4 inch has an ID of 21 mm so an 18650 will fit and rattle a little but it does allow wires to sneak past.
A 2X 18650 light with a single P7 and lens could be a starting point. The lens removes the need for a lens to protect the reflector and some of them have snap on diffusers.
The batteries could be wired in parallel with little problem, could be direct drive with a simple external on/off switch.
Two, three (triangle) or four(diamond) could be tied together. I have the feeling that only one would need a dimming circuit so finding a switching option to allow this would be of interest. A linear version of the EagleTac M2 might handle this. Low to high on one then 2, 3, and 4 would come on full tilt.

Gaffer tape (many colors and GID available) could hold it all together during development.

If you want to do more expensive mods a tip would be to plan it extremely well and start acquiring the parts over time, the emitters being the last (to get the latest bin). My experience is that the longer you work on a project the more satisfying it might be. A lot of what you want might be available second hand on different forums.

Save up your money and buy a custom flashlight. :shrug: A McGizmo Aluminum PD would be a great start, and they can be had for reasonable prices on BST nowadays.
:thumbsup: john

any other things to do

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I always have a pile of goofy LED projects on the back burner, but not enough time or resources to do them. I can pass on a few of them though:

One thing I've been wanting to build is a back firing narrow angle hand spot. Quad and bigger emitters like the Bridgelux present a lot of optical challenges for a long throw, but I'd like to try the classic arc light solution. This being to mount the emitter in front of a narrow angle reflector and bounce the light mirror style into a focused beam. Common halogen pin spots do this, but they are absurdly underpowered. My idea is to strip the front glass and bulb from a pin spot bulb leaving the reflector, and arm it with some 2000+ lumen monster like the Bridgelux mounted firing into the reflector. Matter of fact, I saw plastic versions of these same reflectors at Home Depot the other day in their yard light section. Heat sinking will be a challenge, but this can be fixed by using narrow alu rod.

StefanFS said:

If you want to do more expensive mods a tip would be to plan it extremely well and start acquiring the parts over time, the emitters being the last (to get the latest bin). My experience is that the longer you work on a project the more satisfying it might be. A lot of what you want might be available second hand on different forums.

Click to expand...

indeed....I bite mysled for noit getting the McC2s switches when they were available...And seems the sma ewill happen with derwictels driver...

When I had money available for this I amnaged to grab a FM D26 sunlight...(then i spent more bucks for a new host & batts).

But I do stockpile on dx parts and seems I have enough crappy 3V drivers and Crere P4 left from other projects to start putting them in "funny" things...

jch79 said:

Save up your money and buy a custom flashlight. :shrug: A McGizmo Aluminum PD would be a great start, and they can be had for reasonable prices on BST nowadays.
:thumbsup: john

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but that would take all the fun out!!!!

all the best, kostas

kosPap said:

but that would take all the fun out!!!!

Click to expand...

Maybe, but after seeing a McGizmo for the first time, it made me want to learn how to design and make flashlights. I don't have the means to do the "making" part, but I had a blast learning CAD and drawing up a flashlight design that could potentially get made if I had the desire. :shrug:

Either way, good luck and have fun! :wave:

:thumbsup: john

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=552834

If your budget is 250 and you save for an extra couple of months.. you can save up for a benchtop lathe.

(Time limit) + (Money available) = Budget (for people who can't use money that doesn't exist)

So for you (Add more time) + (Money saved) = Bigger budget.

thanks for the suggestions...

but you did not see I am not from the US...but we do get axcellent used German and Chech bechtop machinery starting from 700 euros...but this 9plus tools and bech construction) is a paycheck for someone that is unemployed for months