Well there's a height problem. The clone's reflectors are shorter in height and secured by a screw. Actually, the proto's reflectors are in a better proportion of width vs. height, as Dale has posted about in the GT thread - wonder if that's why the proto's wall beam pattern is so much cleaner, but also makes the proto's beam pattern tighter, less spill width. Outdoors though, the proto puts out a wall of light, though you can notice the spill is tighter than the clone's.
Also, as requested, the height of the bezel is shorter in the proto than the clone - the reflector/glass is further out than the clone - this could be creating less artifacts because less reflection off the bezel's - maybe that's why the reflector was made deeper.
interesting
hmm, this means a SRK reflector only works if stars are used ON TOP off the Q8 proto?
hmm, hmm, uh… don really know how to react more now, but this being BLF, surely others will do giving me handles to do so myself
I've been looking at the beam shots again and I have to admit that the new reflector does have a nice even transition to the hot spot. That is just as important as wide spill in a general purpose light. So it seems that it would be best to stick with the proto reflector.
I didn't take both lights completely apart to compare and can't recall, but I "think" the clone has a single screw in the middle, and the proto has a center hole in the MCPCB and 2 extra holes for wires, so in theory, might be able to try the clone's reflector in the proto but with no glass, or add a thick shim under the MCPCB to raise the height so could use the glass and bezel.
I guess this is why the shelf hole is so big - they were think'n of goin with a center screw initially.
Well, as long as we’re speculating…
I’ll go with what a previous poster posited: They probably are using a tube for this, not a solid bar, and the hole in the shelf is most likely the original tube ID.
Not sure if it shows well in a pic I took, but the hole gives full access to the 3 holes in the MCPCB - just wide enough, no more, no less. Maybe this one:
If we do want to make a point to them the reflector has to be changed to be secured down by 1 or 2 screws, then this could all change.
How is the reflector kept in place now? I would very much like to see it screwed down throw the shelf so that is clamps the MCPCB in the middle and really presses it down to give a good heat path.
Ahhh, well, it's the usual o-ring, glass, bezel compression thing to hold the reflector down - far from ideal, and must say a real PITA to re-assemble because the stupid o-ring is too small, and got to try like 10-20 times to get the glass down to force the o-ring to sit outside the reflector - yes, it doesn't sit on the top edge, and dunno if that's good or not. I gotta find a better way - this is driving me to drink, well, most things drive me to drink...
Perhaps we can convince (at least we can ask) Thorfire to use a u-shaped silicon ring around the lens, it is wonderful to work with those. In a distinct colour that has not been used by other manufacturers yet, yellow?
Wow two new members, welcome to BLF! Will update list later!
Honored you signed up for the Q8!
Argh yes we had such a nice idea, two screws holding th e reflector
Dutch: Haastige spoed is zelden goed
OE crudely translated “haste is rarely good”
Yep this needs addressing
It is almost funny, reflector, mounting and thickness of ledboard was not discussed and well not on oar now
Glad this is a proto not the end result.
Excellent! And welcome. I’m quite new and literally only joined to buy one of these. Now I have ~100 posts, and am on the list for the GT as well. :person_facepalming:
It certainly won’t be my first hand warmer, however.
Just the first designed by the BLF crew - I.E. top notch.