The BLF DIY Forum First Annual Scratch made light contest - CONTEST IS DONE - WINNERS are Announced! in the OP

I'd love to be in this one but I have too much going on right now to complete in a week. Can't wait to see the entries that turn up in this! 8)

Sounds like fun. I should be able to whip up something.

Ok then, I'm in, for the one without machinery. I will have a hard time not using the electrix sander though....

Well, good news then; it doesn’t start until the end of next week, and runs for three weeks :wink:

I’m pondering but I don’t see me taking part, although I do have a mule light idea brewing that’s been in the “I wonder” stage for a while.

One tip for people worrying about parts, you could aways strip a light as a donor then order the parts to replace, ie a c8 or p60 would be easy to replace the parts you borrow till the post man does the medical resup.

Well that’ll teach me to read things better. I will have to think this one out some more. I’ve had an idea tossing around in my head for some time now. looks like I need to seriously consider it as feasable. :wink:

You have the month of June, from what I posted and if that is not enough (I see it might not be), I will push it to the middle of July if people need the time to complete. I want it to be fair for people. Not everyone does this stuff in a day or two like me. I’m pretty anal about that, but I know it takes time for others, as they have a real life, LOL.

One question for the panel: (spoiler alert! stop reading here if you don’t want to know anything about my top secret project!)

If I’m doing a multi emitter light, does a single power tool battery pack with multiple cells inside meet the definition of “multi-cell”?

(I could step down to a single emitter, but that’d mean stealing parts from other lights that actually work.)

Thanks!

Rules!

Who needs them?

The best comment I ever heard about the game of cricket. (Which I believe has lots and lots of rules) was from an American visitor who had just had the game explained to them: "It's got rules, why spoil it with rules?"

No life, I just can’t seem to stay with the kiss philosophy. That plus very little time actually at home tends to make my builds more like multi episode documentaries than saturday matinees. I’m lucky if I can get one part made in a weekend but I’ll spend the time leading up to this to think about logistics.

Will we need to post a verbal design plan or will “your guess is as good as mine what I’m doing” be the order of the day?

I think a balance should be kept between enough time and lack of urgency

Hey ruffles, a pack is almost by definition multicell so I would think a pack might be considered like a multicell carrier(AAA for example)fwiw.

It works for me. Multiple cells are multiple cells.

All you need to do is make a thread of your build, like you normally do. Photos and descriptions. How much you write is up to you, as well as how clear you make it. All the judges have to go by, is your photos and what you write.

You just introduced doubt into one of the ideas I had for an early build now that I was going to begin modding. In the first post I would have called it as clearly not qualifying but now….

It’s portable in the sense of it’s small, light, and easy to take along. The idea is more along the the lines of a small emergency light. Small, light and portable enough to carry along in a pack camping. I suppose it could be held in the hand to point forward while moving but it would be awkward. It’s more of a multifuel LED lantern than flashlight or headlamp. If that doesn’t work I have an idea that would make it more of a forward pointing pack strap light.

Just want to confirm which way I am looking at since it affects a couple parts choices.

You know, it gets into gray areas. A lantern is a portable light. You take it with you for camping. Usually, they have some kind of handle, so they can be carried.

I would think a lantern is ok.

Hey OL,

Man this is a terrific idea. Count me in!!

Put me down for the machine made category.

Does an LED array count as a multi-emitter?

Like this? Yes it would.

Hi OL, could you possibly include another category; multi-cell single emitter?

Go on, I know you love your eneloops :slight_smile:

I recommend lumping this in with one of the other two categories (either multi emitter or single emitter). I’m not sure it should be it’s own category, might have a low turnout.