I asked TK to write code to use after my surgery, tried talking the surgeon into wiring up some Frankendale knobs for quick access to my main frame for TK to write the code for, if nothing more than to add on some RAM, but Nooooo, the surgeon didn’t even think it was funny! Here he was, bolting Titanium to my spine and he had no sense of humor. The nerve!
Prior to this last surgery I had two spinal column stimulators in place. The Boston Scientific unit had a proprietary remote control(my wife complained to the surgeon that the “mute” button did not work). To recharge the unit, the battery just had to be near the unit and held in place with a Velcro belt for 2 hours and then Good to go for two weeks. My other unit was a St Jude, and it used an IPOD 6 as a remote( so I can listen to my tunes at the same time). I was hoping to have David Chow perfect an optic implant from Four Sevens that was a
Modified QSM so I could use the IPOD to make strobe lights come out of my eyes, but again that darned proprietary software rule got in the way. Maybe ToyKeeper could write a modified version of Narsil that would allow a ramping effect so I could have Q8 beams out both eyes. I could show up in congress to get new laws passed…any arguing and I would light up my eyes with 14,000 Lumens and say “it is very clear, the ”eyes” have it….
Lol
I’ve tried to keep up with this thread, but I must have missed your modified tube. Can you point me in the right direction on where you posted this? Thanks.
After a quick hacking session inspired by a pumpkin post a short while back, I proudly present my pumpkin Q8:
As you might guess, a quick strobe is hard to catch on video so it looks somewhat better in person.
Pretty cool look'n pumpkin 
Happy Halloween!!
I just ordered qty 10 of these to cover two Q8's: https://www.mouser.com=XPLBWT-00-0000-000BV650E: XP-L2, V6, 5000K, 70+ CRI.
My best performing modded Q8 with stock LEDs does 7400 @start, 6800 @30 secs: SIRA20DP, 20 AWG bypasses, brass screws on the tail PCB, tinning/sanding contact surfaces.
Btw, the 2nd batch Q8's use shorter LED wires - pretty sure this is why I'm seeing better numbers from them consistently even after taking care of the driver and tail PCB mount contact surfaces. I believe Dale's 8,450 lumens head is using XP-L2 V6's from Kaidomain. I'll see if I can hit something in that range with the 5000K LEDs from Mouser.
For 8452.2 lumens, that's a meter reading of 245 at the x100 scale with a conversion factor of 34.5. With the 34.5 factor using a meter scale of x100, that means the resolution of the reading from the meter is in units of 34.5 lumens, so it can range roughly from 8435 to 8469. This is why I'm rounding lumens readings to 10 - there's just not enough resolution there.
I also ordered these: https://www.mouser.com/=L1V1-407003V500000 - the Luxeon V's, along with the 16 mm MCPCB's from Neven here. Not sure yet if I'll try a Q8 mod with them. It would mean ditching the incredible 2 mm thick big quad MCPCB and working out wiring, height (MCPCB 2mm vs. 1.5 mm), and LED centering issues. A better fit for those are in a SupFire L1 - bigger head, 5 LED's instead of 4, better suited for separate MCPCB's. I would think I could see 11,000 lumens from the L1 with that setup.
Is there a link for the brass screws that some of you are using for the tail PCB and driver
Yes links where mentioned.
On top of this page is a tab “search within thread”.
Thank you!!
Hello, I would like to bypass the springs, but I’ve only 22AWG wire here and it seems most of the time 20AWG is mentioned here.
Is it OK to use 22AWG or would I see (or more likely measure) a difference in brightness with 20AWG?
With bypassed original springs. is there still a reason to order the “Nickel-plated Battery 7mm(D) x 10mm(H) springs” from Kaidomain?
Thanks, and happy Halloween to all!
22 AWG might do a little bit less, probably not noticeable. Those springs are really hard to use 20 AWG in - I just wired them up last night using 22 AWG wires instead. They will stiffen up tension though, so better for taking a stiff hit and not breaking power.
I ordered from 2 other eBay China sources and both came in the same condition - soaked in oil and the heads have these weird breaks lines in them, almost like cracks - the bigger M3 and M4 screws didnt' have the cracks. They seem to hold up though. A good degreaser like ZEP works great at cleaning them up.
I ordered there because DB Customs mentioned this seller, but several messages later in the Q8 thread TOM E wrote that he was not happy with the screws from this seller:
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/39069/15348
I cancelled my first order and ordered again from “superiorsell2014”.
EDIT: It took me several minutes to find the messages (links), in the meantime TOM E was faster. 
Ohh - turns out the sellers that even charge more $$$ are selling the same exact screws - oily and the 2.5's have cracks in the heads. I feel a little bad bout it, but left negative feedback, then they offer a full refund if you change the feedback to positive - but actually, the seller is helpful in this regard, so my positive feedback is all bout the seller, not the product.
Yeah I can also report what looks like cracking from some of the brass screw sellers. The larger ones for the reflector seem to be fine. I just wiped all mine off heavily before using, wonder why the oil?
In my approximating shoebox I hit 7025~ turn on 6500~ 30sec on my Q8 first batch no swapped wires or fet, just spring bypasses and some TLC. I’ve been itching to swap the LEDs, but I think I will wait on a way to natively use the Luxeon Vs without scuffing up the nice stock Q8 mcpcb.
Can someone write all screw sizes for first batch and second batch (I believe there is difference)?
I just done spring bypass with 22AWG wires but I left in the small springs too.
My output was 5400 lumens. Now I got 6870 lumens.
Thank you.
Ok, so second batch is:
driver: M2.5x4mm *2
tail pcb: M2.5x5mm *4
reflector: M4x10mm *1
mcpcb: M2.5x10mm *2
someone please add first batch info