ElectronGuru
Flashaholic
Welcome to Oveready / TorchLAB. Please posts questions here on subjects that do not already have a dedicated thread or are to small and/or broad for a new thread.
Here are some of the more frequent (FAQ):
Who are these guys and what's with all the names?
We are a partnership of 3 guys, operating under 3 umbrellas:
Oveready / ElectronGuru / Dan - planning, sales, assembly, etc.
TorchLAB / Moddoo / Tom - mechanical engineering, production, etc.
LuxRC / Serge - electrical engineering, etc
Also on our team is Craig, who handles machining and Sarah, AKA FlashlightWidow, handles shipping and customer care (the Oh Drat! patrol).
Are custom bored bodies thinner than factory cut bodies?
We cut SF bodies to an inside diameter of 18.65m (coincidence with 18650). This is thinner than the original SF bore and thicker than most '18mm ready' setups, which are often cut to 19mm. Counterintuitively, we would expect shops making a light from scratch that needed to be larger on the inside to also make it larger on the outside, but these same shops also have to deliver compatibility with SF tailcaps. This means that 18, 18.65, and 19 cut bodies are all the same outside diameter, so each increase in inside diameter is accompanied by a decrease in thickness in the walls of the body. So in practice, custom bored SF bodies (and Moddoolar bodies which we cut to the same inside diameter) are thicker/stronger than most bodies made for 18mm cells (which are cut to 19mm for cell maximum compatibility).
Is your HA any good?
Hard anodize (type III) comes in a variety of thickness, resulting in a variety of durabilities. The closer you get to maximum thickness (20 mils), the more difficult and expensive the process. Doing it right requires special training and equipment. Our HA is produced by a shop that does nothing but industrial HA, all day long. The thicker it gets, the darker it gets, so even looking at the color of a finish can tell you its durability:
What's with all the stock outs?
We are a small operation. Much of what we create is experimental, with no known demand and little to no sales history. To keep risk and costs down, everything is made in relatively small batches. When something sells out, it may have taken weeks, months or years to do so. Some sells out, never to be requested again. Others sell out, creating ripples of activity.
We prioritize new production based on current demand (which can change) but may lack the capacity to produce multiple items at the same time. So even when something is seen in advance to be running out, replacements take longer to arrive.
In general, items without finishes (like solid brass) and do not require assembly take the least time. Multi part items with finishes (HA/TiAlN) and that require assembly and testing (especially LED/engines), take the most time.
Why don't you ship every day of the week?
The people who pull, pack, and ship every order are the same folks who are buying parts, putting them together, and managing inventory. Even starting a shipping run takes up hours, hours that can be spent preparing more of our best products and more new products. Shipping three days a week (usually MWF) concentrates our shipping efforts, allowing us to spend more of our time, making more of the stuff you love.
Why don't you accept deposits/prepayments?
Deposits sound like a very easy and effective idea. Accept money for something before its ready to ship, invest the money into the product, then deliver first to those willing to take the risk early. If life were predictable, this would work well. But the world is full of unknowns and surprises. Production delays, quality variances, cost overruns, design changes.
All deposits do is trade the uncertainty of missing out for the uncertainty of delays and lost money. CPF history is littered with builders who took customer money and ended up not delivering finished product. They are seldom heard from again.
All OR/TL items are provided on a first come, first serve basis. If something goes wrong during production, we alone bear the risk, hassle, and expense. For the best shot at new items, please subscribe to our email list.
Why don't you make clips out of Ti?
We prefer making clips out of stainless steel because ti is more expensive, slows production (unless you use a grade that doesn't hold its shape) and takes more time to produce each clip. In return, its usually 2 grams for SS vs 1 gram for Ti, so the main benefit ends up being bragging rights, something we don't pursuit.
Why don't you have a phone number?
We do everything ourselves and lack the resources to operate in real time, being available during specific hours of each day. Email allows us to work any hour, any day, shifting time and priorities to keep up with needs. Tracking is also enhanced, providing history on every issue and conversation - all in one place.
Why are your prices so [low]?
Raising prices would solve many issues (including those above). It would reduce demand so stock lasted longer, we would allow us to make larger quantities of parts, we could hire people to do the work for us. We could invest more into production, development, and growth. It would also mean less of what we make ending up in the hands of those who need it most. We have a passion for making the best lighting tools possible and want those tools to be put to the best uses possible - helping you.
The alternative to achieving all this (at the same or even lower price points) is off-shoring our production. While appealing for various reasons, it would also mean longer production cycles (slower changes/updates), increased design (IP) theft, design/production issues (including lower quality control), and most importantly, would not be in keeping with our own values.
Why doesn't a $50 Peak look as polished as a $50, imported light?
Its not possible to make a custom light in the US for $50. Peak only can because flashlights are a secondary business. The area that pays the bills is their machine shop. Flashlight parts, then, are made by people and on machines that are largely already paid for. This keeps costs down, but it also means there isn't enough time or money to make extra parts, hand inspect every facet for imperfections, in anything comparable to the army of production and inspection assistants that $50 per unit will buy overseas. What there is enough time for is cutting a light out of solid stainless steel, ready to bang into your keys all day, every day, for years - without fail.
Here are some of the more frequent (FAQ):
Who are these guys and what's with all the names?
We are a partnership of 3 guys, operating under 3 umbrellas:
Oveready / ElectronGuru / Dan - planning, sales, assembly, etc.
TorchLAB / Moddoo / Tom - mechanical engineering, production, etc.
LuxRC / Serge - electrical engineering, etc
Also on our team is Craig, who handles machining and Sarah, AKA FlashlightWidow, handles shipping and customer care (the Oh Drat! patrol).
Are custom bored bodies thinner than factory cut bodies?
We cut SF bodies to an inside diameter of 18.65m (coincidence with 18650). This is thinner than the original SF bore and thicker than most '18mm ready' setups, which are often cut to 19mm. Counterintuitively, we would expect shops making a light from scratch that needed to be larger on the inside to also make it larger on the outside, but these same shops also have to deliver compatibility with SF tailcaps. This means that 18, 18.65, and 19 cut bodies are all the same outside diameter, so each increase in inside diameter is accompanied by a decrease in thickness in the walls of the body. So in practice, custom bored SF bodies (and Moddoolar bodies which we cut to the same inside diameter) are thicker/stronger than most bodies made for 18mm cells (which are cut to 19mm for cell maximum compatibility).
Is your HA any good?
Hard anodize (type III) comes in a variety of thickness, resulting in a variety of durabilities. The closer you get to maximum thickness (20 mils), the more difficult and expensive the process. Doing it right requires special training and equipment. Our HA is produced by a shop that does nothing but industrial HA, all day long. The thicker it gets, the darker it gets, so even looking at the color of a finish can tell you its durability:
.0005 < - typical type II (including silver)
.0006
.0007 < - limit for ha light colors
.0008
.0009
.0010
.0011
.0012 < - limit for ha dark colors (other than black)
.0013
.0014
.0015
.0016
.0017
.0018
.0019
.0020 < - OVEREADY spec
What's with all the stock outs?
We are a small operation. Much of what we create is experimental, with no known demand and little to no sales history. To keep risk and costs down, everything is made in relatively small batches. When something sells out, it may have taken weeks, months or years to do so. Some sells out, never to be requested again. Others sell out, creating ripples of activity.
We prioritize new production based on current demand (which can change) but may lack the capacity to produce multiple items at the same time. So even when something is seen in advance to be running out, replacements take longer to arrive.
In general, items without finishes (like solid brass) and do not require assembly take the least time. Multi part items with finishes (HA/TiAlN) and that require assembly and testing (especially LED/engines), take the most time.
Why don't you ship every day of the week?
The people who pull, pack, and ship every order are the same folks who are buying parts, putting them together, and managing inventory. Even starting a shipping run takes up hours, hours that can be spent preparing more of our best products and more new products. Shipping three days a week (usually MWF) concentrates our shipping efforts, allowing us to spend more of our time, making more of the stuff you love.
Why don't you accept deposits/prepayments?
Deposits sound like a very easy and effective idea. Accept money for something before its ready to ship, invest the money into the product, then deliver first to those willing to take the risk early. If life were predictable, this would work well. But the world is full of unknowns and surprises. Production delays, quality variances, cost overruns, design changes.
All deposits do is trade the uncertainty of missing out for the uncertainty of delays and lost money. CPF history is littered with builders who took customer money and ended up not delivering finished product. They are seldom heard from again.
All OR/TL items are provided on a first come, first serve basis. If something goes wrong during production, we alone bear the risk, hassle, and expense. For the best shot at new items, please subscribe to our email list.
Why don't you make clips out of Ti?
We prefer making clips out of stainless steel because ti is more expensive, slows production (unless you use a grade that doesn't hold its shape) and takes more time to produce each clip. In return, its usually 2 grams for SS vs 1 gram for Ti, so the main benefit ends up being bragging rights, something we don't pursuit.
Why don't you have a phone number?
We do everything ourselves and lack the resources to operate in real time, being available during specific hours of each day. Email allows us to work any hour, any day, shifting time and priorities to keep up with needs. Tracking is also enhanced, providing history on every issue and conversation - all in one place.
Why are your prices so [low]?
Raising prices would solve many issues (including those above). It would reduce demand so stock lasted longer, we would allow us to make larger quantities of parts, we could hire people to do the work for us. We could invest more into production, development, and growth. It would also mean less of what we make ending up in the hands of those who need it most. We have a passion for making the best lighting tools possible and want those tools to be put to the best uses possible - helping you.
The alternative to achieving all this (at the same or even lower price points) is off-shoring our production. While appealing for various reasons, it would also mean longer production cycles (slower changes/updates), increased design (IP) theft, design/production issues (including lower quality control), and most importantly, would not be in keeping with our own values.
Why doesn't a $50 Peak look as polished as a $50, imported light?
Its not possible to make a custom light in the US for $50. Peak only can because flashlights are a secondary business. The area that pays the bills is their machine shop. Flashlight parts, then, are made by people and on machines that are largely already paid for. This keeps costs down, but it also means there isn't enough time or money to make extra parts, hand inspect every facet for imperfections, in anything comparable to the army of production and inspection assistants that $50 per unit will buy overseas. What there is enough time for is cutting a light out of solid stainless steel, ready to bang into your keys all day, every day, for years - without fail.
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