MM/Brinkmann 2AA Reflector and HD-Thanks to Lambda

After receiving my new Lambda Illuminator HD, I was so impressed with the beam quality that I had to put that sputtered reflector into mt SLGI - and it was VERY nice. Smaller hot spot than Fraen LP, with fairly soft edges fading into a very wide and even spread of usable sidespill. I would go as far as to say "SF-like"...VERY Nice work Kevin! This is indeed your best Illuminator yet!

So...I put the reflector back into my Illuminator HD, and started digging out some of those old MM's I had hiding around the house. I found a way to modify those MM reflectors to acheive essentially the same beam as Lambda's sputtered Illuminator reflector, and after some hesitation - I decided to share this info since the Illuminator HD is limited in availability. [EDITED 02/08/2004 10:20 pm - seems the Illuminator HD is now available again from Lambda's website!] PP sent, Kevin!

SO...here's what I did:

I don't have a lathe, but I do have a large chuck on my drill press. I put teflon tape between head and body of a very old MM to minimize any wobble. Took out lens & reflector and installed them with the reflector backwards, sticking out the bezel of the MM. Chucked the MM body into the drill press and started it spinning. Then I took a sanding drum in the Dremel and began cutting on the backside of the reflector until I had a hole large enough to easily pass over the dome of the HD. I didn't measure anything - just eye-balled it.

After carefully deburring all edges with a jewlers' file, I rinsed all debris from the reflective surface with water and dried it with compressed air. Then I proceded with the clear "sputtering' process (also Lambda's brainchild).

Since I don't have a light meter, I can't say with certainty that the smaller hotspot is "brighter" than with Fraen LP. I can, however say that it was easier to center than the Fraen, and I REALLY like the amount of sidespill this combo produces.

All credit goes to Lambda - whose innovative and impressive work inspired me to try it myself. Kevin, if you build more Illuminator HD's, I will definately buy another!

John

Great news!
Wonder if Kevin will make the reflectors available so we can test them out. There is an army of Brinkmann/minimags with sandwiches in them.

I've just received Lambda's Illuminator ProSeries w smooth reflector. I was stunned by the beam quality produced by its small reflector. Its hot spot is little bigger than Mclux PR w 3W but smaller than 5W. While the hot spot is bright, it does have similiar spill like Mclux PR.

I started to wonder why other 1 Watter like PT Impact XL requires such big reflector and Luxeon SE:-?

Lambda, it's real GREAT WORK.

Alan

Thanks guys, also glad to see you like the small reflector.

Illuminated, Thanks! Very creative use of the drill press. That's about how I do it in the lathe, only with a holding fixture and sharp parting tool. Once set, it reproduces the same focus pretty reliably.

BentHeadTX, if I grow a third arm or you can put 48 hours in a day, then maybe. Time is the one thing I don't have right now....

Alan, agree, small reflectors can be useful with Luxeons