VARI-NEEDLE Ver. 2 -- Can You Guess What This Is?

MR Bulk

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The Vari-Needle II mod was built tonight using the Hi-Lo Switch Brinkmann Legend 2D. See pics and report in latest post at the end...


Or better yet, just guess what new upcoming mod will be incorporating this (and no, it's not going to be called the "Bionic Racoon" neither -- the Racoon Needle mebbe):

fb3dc307.jpg



Hint -- the initials "vn" have a lot to do with this.
 

gadgetnut

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Ummm...Could it be a homemade double switch for a flashlight with Incan/LED such as the Streamlight TT series?
 

MR Bulk

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

And get "Dominatrix rubber bra" out of your mind-gutter, too...
 

MR Bulk

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Dang, you guys are quick, I posted the rubber bra comment just about right after I put this up!
 

PaulW

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

I think that one switch is for on/off and the other one is for bright/dim. I'm setting up something like that on a Mag incandescent mod. The reason I think that's what Mr Bulk is doing is because I got the idea for mine from some things he said a while back.

Paul

EDIT: Oh yeah, vn is Vari-Needle. If I win the prize, please tell me how to make these switches waterproof. My bright/dim switch is an automotive switch from RS. It can handle the 4 amps, but the wind whistles through it.
 

MR Bulk

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

PaulW, this is a BUILT and MANUFACTURED light that is already water - er - resistant. Come to think of it, actually it does look and feel waterproof (for $100+ bucks shipped to me, it had Better be). Just waiting for a 5W mod...

More details when I complete the mod. And yes, it comes as a complete system and is fully rechargeable...(but is not the MagCharger as you might think -- hey, it's got Two switches!).
 

PaulW

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Man! Charlie, you are some kinda nasty tease. I suppose that's fair -- I guessed wrong, and now I gotta wait. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Paul
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Charlie,
I tested this product in the Fall of 2001. None of my staff then liked it. The dual switch apparently takes some getting use to. I wonder if Brinkmann sells many of these. Seems like a well crafted product. My troops then preferred the Magcharger and Ultrastinger. I returned the 2 that we purchased.
 

McGizmo

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Uh Charlie,

Is it a Brinkman? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

- Don
 

kubolaw

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

It can only be the belt of power for the newest Kamen Rider. When I was a kid, they were up to Kamen Rider V3, so by now I guess they're up to VN. I always wanted one of those belts!

...

{E1C23371-7C93-442A-A685-6A7787FF8DD8}.jpg


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

MR Bulk

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Kogatana, I do not like it in its present form either (yellow, yellow beam fraught with artifacts). But it will take 9V perfectly and direct drive a 5W at either a full six or seven or eight thousand lux, or dim down to -- who knows? Gotta make one first...but yes, construction is solid and meticulous.

Don, yes.

Kubolaw, no.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

webley445

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

OMG!! I didn't think anyone else knew that show!! I saw the #1 when I was a kid. Sorry, off topic.
 

McGizmo

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

Charlie,

I needed Mr. Dot's help on the identity but I can guess on my own about the Vari-Needle. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I look forward to your transformation of this host!

- Don

Oops, I mean Mr. Underscore /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Shark

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Re: Can You Guess What This Is?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif Hmmmmmm Flashaholic candy.
 

MR Bulk

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Vari-Needle Ver. 2 - Pics

Finally got a 5W HD inside the big Brinkmann 2D dual-switch light, and out popped the VN2 (Vari-Needle II). Here's the light next to an EL Blaster VI (w/resistance long removed):

fb35018f.jpg



A look down the VN2's business end:

fb2deddf.jpg



A look down the business end of both lights:

fb2deddb.jpg



The Brinkmann reflector is smaller, shallower, and not in the same league as a Maglite reflector, so a pedestal had to be built with the Luxeon's negative grounding tab cinched under a threaded hole with 4-40 screw in the side of the pedestal (not done yet in the pic, Arctic Alumina was still setting up):

fb2dedd5.jpg



And finally the beamshots, first with the VN2 switched on Low (VN2 on left):

fb2dedd7.jpg



And then on high:

fb2dede0.jpg



Although there was a rather large, dim corona around the VN2's hoptspot which I would have had to back up across the room to capture on camera, it should still be noted that there was not much change in brightness between the two switch settings. This is because the original Brinkmann's dual-switch setup has its resistance set to handle 4.5V, not the 9V it has to channel now, and thus almost all the power still makes it through. But the switch unit capsule is comprised of two cast plastic halves held together by a couple of snap tabs. It would be just a matter of prying it open and replacing the existing resistor with something a little heftier if lower light output was required of the dimmer button, but being this was an experiment on two-stage light output feasibility using a premanufactured light host, I did not bother. Besides, the thought of a bunch of springs and other parts flying out when the switch capsule was opened was rather daunting.


Took the lux readings next:

EL Blaster VI (Direct Drive w/resistors removed) - 2860 lux

Vari-Needle II - 2240 lux on Low, 3160 lux on High


The head of the VN2 is too small to accept a Mag reflector, and no doubt the lux readings would approach the 6000-8000 lux ranges of the Space Needle II if such a substitution could be made.

So on this light, the "dimmer" switch can be thought of as just a battery life extender, while still producing nearly the same photon output to the naked eye.
 

Rothrandir

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Re: Vari-Needle Ver. 2 - Pics

very nice!

is there any way of fitting a mag reflector in do you think?

how does this reflector perform compared to a pelican m6 reflector?

i really like the dual-switch! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
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