FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

Interested in 1, thanks.

Interested in 2, thanks

Wow lots of updating to do :wink:

The design looks very appealing, though a FET driver looks like an odd choice to me with very little mass to absorb the waste heat of direct drive.

Hence the driver has 8 7135 chips for a max regulated 2,8A output
This means giggle away on turbo whenever you want to smile or impress people yet use it as EDC on regulated modes to keep the heat in check and have long runtimes.

Triple boards are being flowed with several LEDs for testing and we will report about lumens on several mA input values.

Please: 1

+2500 lumen OTF (Cree 3*XP-G3 NW)
20 AWG
LEDs mounted on DTP triple star
94.8 x 25.5 mm size “1 * 18650”

“WOW effect”

I know I have no place to comment here. The design is finished, tested, and decided on. Buyers will buy and everyone else will not, and that’s okay. But, I have to offer just one piece of unsolicited opinion, because it’s sometimes just who I am. :smiling_imp:

The valley between the head and tail could use a little softening. If those square-cut shoulders were cut to a double-radius (an S shape) instead of hard 90 degree plunges, it would look a bit more friendly. I imagine it would also feel more friendly, holding it in hand. Since these are being turned on a lathe, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be a huge change for the work-flow.

Anyway, like I said, don’t listen to me. This is not my project. I have no say. Carry on! :innocent:

Yes good point David
The is aimed to have the look like it came from a lathe but surely manufacturer will use a machine capable of smooth chamfered edges.
Fritz, comments?

No worries, we are always happy to receive some input! When designing the light I thought about different ways to shape the body and there are a few reasons why I went for the way it is now. Similar to your suggestions I actually considered to make the body round like for example the Lux-RC FL33. But since there are no other round shapes on the light I dismissed this idea. I could have added some more round shapes (at the tailcap or the bezel) but then it would have been a quite different design and that just wasn’t what I was going for. I also considered to make a chamfered transition but firstly I didn’t want it to look too much like an HDS light and secondly I really wanted the design to be as simple and basic as possible without adding too much weight. And so I ended up with those straight lugs.

I don’t think the straight lugs look too aggressive or change how the light feels in the hand. With those close ups I always forget how small the light actually is. So here have another close up :person_facepalming: but with my hand included…

But if more people feel that way we can of course talk about changing it.

Thanks Fritz! Yeah, the light looks a lot less aggressive from that angle! It must have been the lighting in the other picture makes the lines look harder than they actually are. :+1:

Wow nice pic
Gonna add it in the OP!

I’m interested in one.

I want one :smiley:

Wow, it sure gives us some perspective… this light is really compact !
And I like that sanded finish, I hope the final model will be exactly the same as in this pic !

That does look like a great design. Lots of function in such a small package. The clip will make it even more functional and easy to stash on your person.

It looks close to the size of my Zebralights. I initially thought it was going to be more along the lines of an Astrolux S1, but the shorter length will be great.

Yeah its almost a 18650 light in 16340 size!

I second the idea of engraving. It was done for the $7 BLF 348, so I’m sure cost is not an issue. There can be the choice of engraved and non-engraved versions like the BLF 348.

Light looks great, put me down for one! Thanks.

In for one!

Laser engraving
Does that conduct electricity?
Like the idea of printing the below text on the inner tube:
FW3A
Design Fritz
TLF BLF cooperation
Goog.le short link TLF topic
Goog.le short link BLF topic
Goog.le short link to Narsil manual
Goog.le short link to BLF li ion safety 101 topic

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But it cannot conduct or be higher then the rest of the tube (or maybe it would prevent the inner tube from falling out in which case it has a function as well.