FW3A
F Fritz
W Works/Werke
3 triple
A Aluminium

A compact, ergonomic, feature-packed EDC-style light.

Current status (2019-01-29): Production samples have started to arrive. Reviews of these samples are here:

• Maukka’s results: full review, initial notes
• ToyKeeper’s results: pictures, initial notes
• Bluzie’s results: on TLF

Current status (2019-01-28): Production samples begin to arrive tomorrow for testing/review. Production should start within days, if things go well.

• Emitters are XP-L HI 3D (~4875K) and LH351D 4000K 90CRI (tint bin TBD).
• Estimated price is $36 for XP-L HI, or $30 for LH351D.
• LH351D may happen a few weeks after XP-L HI, due to lead time in sourcing parts.
• Anodizing is dark grey.
• Unanodized bare aluminum might happen later, but this isn’t determined yet.

To sign up: Post in this thread. When it’s available to buy, you’ll get a private message on BLF.

Most recent pic (production sample, photographed by Maukka, click to see full review):

A word of warning for BLF specials:
The BLF part is done by BLFers who do it in their spare time, despite they may seem professionals and the work they do is at professional level, BLF is not our full time job. So give us a break and relax if thing are not going as fast as you want.
Nothing is sure so expect waiting:
- Waiting for news and updates.
- Waiting for the project to come to fruition.
- Waiting till the result can finally be ordered.
- And then waiting for arrival at your home, shipping from China can take a long time.
So relax, enjoy the many other facets of BLF while you wait and remember:
It is done when it is done

Computer renders of the light:
Original design in bare aluminum:

Updated design with bead-blasted surface and light grey anodizing:

The production model is expected to be like this second picture, only in dark grey.

The FW3A is a collaboration between TLF (Germany) and BLF (global). Fritz15 made a small triple flashlight on his lathe. TLF reacted very positively and at first a small hand made batch would be pursued. But this elegant design screams for a wider audience, so it became something bigger.

An unusual feature is the electronic tail switch. This allows the light to do much fancier things than a clicky switch, yet retains the ergonomic benefits of a clicky tail switch.

Team

• Fritz15: Design
• Tommy TLF: General TLF communication
• DEL: Driver
• Tom E: Firmware (originally), driver
• ToyKeeper: Firmware / UI, BLF gardening
• The Miller: General BLF communication
• pepinfaxera: Interest list management
• MRsDNF: Early prototyping
• Neal: Retail service, coordination with Lumintop
• Lumintop: Manufacturing

The FW3A

Small elegant EDC triple flashlight designed by Fritz15

• Runs on a single 18650 battery.
• 92.5 × 25.5 mm: Unusually small for an 18650 light — about the size of a SK-68 (1xAA).
• Battery size: 18mm x 65mm (66mm maximum). Protected cells won’t fit.
• Tail e-switch.
• Wide range from ~0.3 lm to ~3000 lm.
• Regulated output up to ~1000 lm.
• Fancy yet easy UI.
• Nice clip firmly attached.
• Good ergonomics.

It’s meant to be a good all-around EDC light, something to be used heavily.

Second prototype:

First prototype:

Size reference:

Size and color reference (the production model is dark grey, in the center):

Looks

The original plan was clear anodized aluminum complete with the original machining marks, but after three rounds of prototypes this did not happen. The attempts did not turn out as desired. So, based on forum feedback, the plan is to do dark grey anodizing instead. It is also possible that a bare unanodized version could be made later, but this remains to be determined.

No marking/logo for a clean look

Custom-designed stainless steel clip

Machined steel button on the tail:

Pricing

Target $30 including shipping, manufacturer can decide own pricing afterwards.
Maybe $36 if XP-L HI emitters are used.
Not fixed yet!

Emitters

3 pieces 3535 footprint
XP-L HI 3D (~4875K), or Samsung LH351D 4000K 90CRI
LEDs mounted on DTP triple star

Internals

Integrated LED shelf for good thermal dissipation.

Driver retainer ring.

Threads square or trapezoidal (not triangular) for connection head and body

Electronic switch in tail with stainless steel button

Double tube to connect the electronic switch to the driver

Optics

Triple TIR optics http://www.carclo-optics.com/optic-10511 , easily replaced with other common models if desired.
Glass AR coated lens 23.0 mm x 1.5 mm (original spec was 2.25mm thick)

Protective

O-rings at lens, bezel, both ends of body tube, clip (to keep it from spinning), and inner tube (to isolate it from the outer tube). Button uses rubber boot internally to block water ingress, with metal cap on the outside. Set of spare O-rings in box.

Smooth thermal regulation to avoid overheating. However, turbo is a burst mode only, and the user should use it only for short periods instead of relying on thermal regulation to prevent heat damage. Full turbo is powerful enough to start fires in just a few seconds, especially when aimed at dark-colored materials.

Packaging

Cardboard with protective foam:

Quality Control

Lights made as specified and agreed upon.
Samples as specified and agreed upon for the team before the go is given for actual production.
All lights tested before shipping to spot and fix problems and avoid DOA. (turn on, ramp up and down, if not working properly factory fixes problems so all receive a good working light.)

TLF BLF cooperation

This light is a joint project between TLF and BLF.

For German speakers, use the TLF threads:

• Discussion
• Interest list

For English speakers, use this thread, right here on BLF.

FAQ

When will it be available?

• No idea, sorry. Was expecting it to be out during spring of 2018, but things seem to be delayed. Perhaps around the end of 2018 or beginning of 2019?

How can I get one? What is the ordering process and payment method?

• First, post in this thread to say how many you want. You’ll be added to the interest list. Then when it’s available to buy, a private message will be sent to you on BLF with further instructions. If you’re not on BLF very often, it helps if you have email notifications turned on for private messages.
• Ordering and payment: Not yet determined.

What emitters does it use?

• LH351D 4000K 90CRI or XP-L HI 3D (+$6)

Will there be a 18350 version / 18350 tube?

• No. The entire back half of the light would need to be redesigned/replaced.

Will there be an empty host version?

• Probably not. The only components which aren’t custom are the LEDs and optic.

How does the FW3A compare to the Emisar D4?

• FW3A advantages: Slightly smaller, lighter, nicer clip, metal tail switch, higher regulated modes, cheaper (probably), much fancier firmware.
• D4 advantages: Sturdier, more emitter/optic/host choices, rubber side switch, higher turbo modes, available from mid-2017, also comes in throwy D1/D1S flavors.

Old News

2018-11-28: Trying to get production started.

2018-09-17: Third (final?) prototypes arrived, waiting for test results from Fritz and Cawi.

2018-06-22: Second prototypes tested, emitter poll results collected, sending in feedback for host changes and emitter type(s). Only a few product details left to finish before production.

Poll (2018-06-08): Voting is open for emitter details: (results: the top choices were XP-L HI 3D and LH351D 4000K)

• Vote: Emitter type
• Vote: Color temperature

2018-06-08: Second prototypes arrived, many things are fixed, only a few things left to finish.

2018-06-03: Lumintop made a second prototype, hoping it’ll arrive soon for testing.

Poll (2018-04-19): What UI style do you want for muggle mode?
Results (2018-06-03): By popular choice, smooth ramp is now implemented for muggle mode.

1. Smooth ramp (Condorcet winner: wins contests with all other choices)
2. 3-mode Baton (loses to Smooth ramp by 66–36)
3. 1-mode (loses to Smooth ramp by 71–31, loses to 3-mode Baton by 63–31)
4. None (loses to Smooth ramp by 72–34, loses to 1-mode by 57–38)
5. 3-mode clicky (loses to Smooth ramp by 80–22, loses to None by 51–47)

2018-04-17: Waiting on Lumintop to make second set of prototypes based on feedback from first batch.

2018-02-22: “FW3A Team” account created, thread ownership changed, so now updates can be posted again.

2018-12-xx: The first round of LT prototypes arrived. Details are posted in the thread around that time, and also a little bit in the OP.

2017-11-ish: The Miller is taking some time away from BLF to deal with real-life matters. Tom E has also been too busy to be on BLF much. ToyKeeper is filling in for both… for Tom since 2017-11, and for The Miller since 2018-04.

2017-07-20: Exciting news!
http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1155360#comment-1155360
With the active support from Neal we finally found a new partner for our project and the progress is far enough to reveal the name: Lumintop

Change Log

2019-01-31: Added production sample pics, and links to reviews
2018-11-28: First post updated to reflect recent news.
2018-10-05: Current status updated. Not sure what the status is for the latest prototypes.
2018-06-22: Updated spec for optics and O-rings, added note about thermal regulation. Moved emitter type polls down to old news.
2018-06-08: Proto2 info added/updated.
2018-06-03: Updated FAQ, closed muggle mode poll, second prototype confirmed to exist (via potato pics), filled in some missing “old news”.
2018-04-24: Added newer model render with tapered tube.
2018-04-19: Muggle mode poll created.
2018-04-17: First post updated, small FAQ added.
2018-04-05: Moved interest list to its own first-page post.
2018-04-03: Added firmware/UI info to its own first-page post.
… (some team changes happened) …
06.05.2017: ordering of triples and optics for some testing
06.05.2017: revision of the driver draft with Tom and DEL
04.05.2017: publication of the project