USL Focusing Lens - let's talk

Thanks to another kind CPFer who posted this link to Anchor Optical Surplus, I may have a suitable candidate for the USL 52mm Focusing Lens.

First number with A is SKU, second number is diameter, third number is focal length and fourth is grade. 1 is preferred.

http://www.anchoroptics.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=16&start=426#

AX74695 51.1 81 1 - $11.50

51.1mm diameter - too small?

Or

http://www.anchoroptics.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=17&start=1301
AX77235 52 293 1 - $11.00

I'm not too familiar with this but I'd guess you want as long a focal length as possible to get maximum throw.

Perhaps even a condenser lens but mounting a pair inside the USL could prove troublesome.

http://www.anchoroptics.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=34



Basically, the focusing lens will turn the USL into a flamethrowing monster

You guys are scaring me!!!


Bill

bwaites said:

You guys are scaring me!!!


Bill

Click to expand...

:nana: chicken :nana:

Someone buy a few and help us check it out. I'm international so it's harder for me to get them.

That is scary! It is rather inexpensive, though, and should be given a try.
Start a fire at 2'? (!). This light is starting to look more like a real light-saber, ala Star Wars! Somebody, call Guiness!

And the new marhmellow vido... cooking a marshmellow at 300 yards.

It is capable of starting a wad of newspaper on fire at 2" inside of 15 seconds! (= dangerous!) We're talkin' 100+ Watts of incan from a 2d Gaglight formfactor for ~9 minutes. (I know! ) Where it fits into the grand flashaholic scenario, I'm not sure I know, but I have (or shortly will have) mine!

Larry

OMG! Scarry!

AHA! Both incandescent gods have now said "scary". I must find a way to get my hands on these lenses. Any volunteers for international relay shipping? I only need a couple :devil:

I just ordered an AX74695 and an AX77235, Kevin. After I check 'em out myownself, I'll send 'em on their way to you, if you'll kindly PM your addy.

I've had a very sneaky cat trying to mess with the birds around my feeders. So far, he's eluded a low-power air pistol. I bet he can't do that with photons rushing at him, thogh! :sick2:

Codeman said:

I just ordered an AX74695 and an AX77235, Kevin. After I check 'em out myownself, I'll send 'em on their way to you, if you'll kindly PM your addy.

I've had a very sneaky cat trying to mess with the birds around my feeders. So far, he's eluded a low-power air pistol. I bet he can't do that with photons rushing at him, thogh! :sick2:

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll let you know if I need them. A kind CPF'er has helped me get one lens so far, so I will wait for that.

Hmm.. I am having visions of barbecued cat at 300 feet?

And bwaites in the background wailing "What about the RESPONSIBLE part?!?!

KevinL said:

...
And bwaites in the background wailing "What about the RESPONSIBLE part?!?!

Click to expand...

What responsible part?!?!? :duck:

The 74695 will fit as long as the Borafloat is removed. Regardless of orentation, though, it increased the spot's diameter quite a bit.

The 77235 is too thick to allow the bezel to be re-attached. It also didn't decreased the spot's diameter, regardless of it's orientation.

Oh, well, it was worth a try!

BTW - Both added some artifacts to the beam, but didn't appear to color it any.

How about the 76798, it;s got a pretty long focal length, the longest of all the 51-52mm balls...

Plano-Convex would be best, the double I think would focus the light beam at a certain distance only. Like say 5feet out, shorter or longer than that it would be blurry... But good if you want to build a fixed focal length burner to put stuff under! I'm thinking for hotwire use, these would have to be positioned out far enough to where the donut of the reflector no longer exsists. So that's out pretty far from the flashlight. A different type of reflector could help shorten the focal length, but probably would still have to be longer. Perhaps a fresnel lens would be better suited?

Codeman, so does the 74695 fit in the bezel of the mag and stays secure, or does the bulb help hold it up? Is the lens asphyrical or less steep?
One of these would be interesting in my cyan 2D mag. hmmmm :thinking:

I don't know about 76798 - I didn't get one.

The 74695 is about 1/4" thick at its center, so it doesn't come close to the bulb. It actually fits very well - just doesn't give the results we were hoping for. Snugs up against the reflector and the o-ring fully engages. No rattling at all. BTW - the edge is about the same effective thickness as the Borafloat. At first, I left the Borafloat in, but that prevents the threads from engaging. Of course, the Borafloat wasn't needed to start with - I was just seeing if it would fit. With a reflector of the right shape, whatever that may be, this one could be interesting.

The 77235 is probably a bit over 1/4" thick. If it had worked, duct tape would be needed to hold the bezel on. It seems to be of almost uniform thickness, though it's described as a double-convex.