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

Aha, i see.

You bring up an excellent point. However, according to Lumintop that is nickel electroplating. I guess it still retains machining marks and adds protection but without lockout, yes? Could be a compromise…

Nickel plating?
Really?
Nickel is usually ‘warm white’ -ish.
But you’re right.
Threads look coated to but can’t lock out.

I have another very well clear coated AAA light by the way, a silver Olight i3E.
Seems different from anodizing too.
It’s on there very good though, whatever it is.

After a closer look, the HLAAA is indeed slightly ‘warm white’ tinted, unlike the i3E, which almost looks like stainless steel.

You can mix metals and do varying amounts of polishing/sanding/etc to make it look anywhere from terrible to jewelry and everything in between.

It’s not sudden; it was decided months ago based on feedback here in this thread. After two rounds of prototypes, the surface still wasn’t right so we asked people what they’d like to do — the prototype’s light grey ano with seams, a traditional dark grey ano, or completely bare unanodized aluminum. About 80% wanted dark grey, so that’s what the plan is.

I was hoping more people would be interested in bare aluminum, but maybe that can happen later sometime.

The i3E has “PVD coating”.
PVD = Physical Vapor Deposition
Maybe chrome?

I thought bare aluminum was the bases from the beginning. I also like dark grey. If they later offer bare aluminum I will buy another.

Alright...

I removed my name calling in my earlier post.

Anyone that marked that post as rude can unmark it now.

EDIT: Originally I didn't think the post was all that bad, but my rudeness meter says otherwise.

I have learned my lesson and will try not to call people names in the future.

I like clear but a grey of some kind is great too. The feature set is still amazing, no matter what the finish is.

On the upside, converting an anodized aluminum light to bare aluminum is easy. Just give it a soak in Greased Lightning and you’re good to go. Want a more polished look? … no problem: pull out the fine sandpaper and metal polish.

I think you may have been given the run-around.

Anodising, or otherwise finishing metals, is not a new or mysterious process. And avoiding “seams” is pretty basic. Just indicative of pushing up the current and cramming the pieces into the tank to maximise throughput at the expense of quality.

Dying them dark grey, instead of light grey or clear, is just a cosmetic way of avoiding the root cause. Make it black, and call it “HA3” and nobody would know, or care (unless they have ever encountered real HA3, actually best done un-dyed and sealed differently)

If Lumintop just don’t know how, or care, to do it properly, in several ways, well that is sad, considering that that is what they signed up for. Even if they didn’t initially know how, they could have learned on this project.

This started off as having a fine machined surface finish, with clear anodising for protection. Bare metal, no ano, would also have been good. But we are where we are.

Count me in!

From the OP, in the beginning…

“For a lot of us mere mortals, seeing the cool things machinists make on their lathe is just a dream.
Hence the finish of the FW3A will be clear anodizing, no sanding/beadblasting before anodization.
The idea is to give all the chance to have a light looking like it came of a lathe with the protection of anodizing.
(surface finish details are still being worked out though)”

From what I remember from the GT thread, Lumintop does not do the anodizing in-house. Their parts are sent out to a nearby company that specializes in anodizing.

Here is a post of mine from 5 months ago. This was the problem they had with the light gray finish. (To refresh everyone’s memory):


The prototype gray looks fine to me except for the “seams” in the finish. I never noticed them on the earlier pics.


.

This post will probably be ignored, so…to the hell! I am writing it with all due respect for all the members, interested or not in the FW3A, and all the parts involved! And I hope you also see this as a point of view, agreeing with it or not! I also “have” to read yours even when I preferred not to …

I do understand that all the time that has passed since the beginning of this project is already long!
I do understand that all of us have different levels of comprehension, understanding and patience with this kind of situation!
I do understand that all of us have different expectations, specially when we compare the “then” and “now”!
I do understand that all of us would do different stuff in this kind of “holy grail” to make it our own grail!
I do understand that all of us have different types and levels of knowledge about making flashlights (hosts, drivers, switches, whatever! )!
I do understand that all of us have different opinions on how this should have been and should go from now on!
I do understand that all of us have the right of expressing those opinions and POV, as I’m doing now!
I do understand that “winter is coming” for some of us and that “when the night has come and the land is dark” we need a light!
I do understand that perfection on this project is something that doesn’t exist and would never exist!
I do understand that the members involved and the manufacturer could have learned things and make this process better!
I do understand that the members involved and the manufacturer could have learned things and make the final product splendid!
I do understand that many of us that have signed in for this project and flashlight are in some ways disappointed with…things!
I do understand that it is unfortunate and not having more possibilities to change it is, somehow, frustrating!
I do understand that due to all of this, we are tired of waiting and anxiously waiting for the FW3A to be produced/released!

BUT
I also understand that it is as it is, it will be what it will be, “it’s done when it’s done”, with the goods, the bads, the uglies, the “could have been this or could have been that”, the “I wanted it to be that way”, the ” Damn, I love it!!!“, the ”it worths waiting for it!“, the ”I could have bought other lights”, the…infinite possibilities of good and bad things we can say about a project that:

- was not conceived, projected, designed by us

- was not manufactured by us

  • was not made specifically for each one of us!!!

All this considered, and taking into high account all the contributions given here - except from those that constantly complain or bash - I do understand that this is a flashlight for those who want to accept it as it is/will be, whenever it comes out!!!

Those who don’t, with all due respect and knowing this is a free speech forum (thankfully!!!), please…stop complaining and saying the “All that could have been” stuff! It is boring and annoying, it adds nothing to the future of the project and certainly brings nothing good for those that have been waiting and mostly those that have been giving their time and effort throughout the time to make this possible!…

If you have a better project, make it to yourselves and let us know when it is march to be the “holiest grail of the flashlight world”, one of the biggest projects “from scratch” made by flashlight forums with more than 2000 people interested!!!

That’s all folks…

:arrow_right:

Those ‘seams’ are probably from the dye process.
At least, as far as i know, first it’s anodized and after that it’s dyed and / or fixated in boiling salt water.
(Dying would be done with salt water containing pigment, like how you would dye cotton basically).

But i didn’t realize prototype 2 was already pigmented.
This looked clear to me:


Looks nice though.
Wasn’t aware of the ‘months old’ decision to do it dark(er) grey.

Well said my friend, W_E_L_L SAID!! … :+1:

It’s funny how after people complaining there will be posts basically complaining about the complaining… :smiley: