Here's my reply to the CPF'ers and here's a transcript in case CPF is down again, as usual.
As of now, I stand by my reply. Maybe later I will feel different. I'm not angry at them, I'm angry for decieving myself that I am good at component mods. (not cosmetic, but component). Cosmetics, I do ok on.
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After the initial shock of seeing my light up here, I have taken some time to evaluate everything.
First off, I still believe that it was wrong to not let me know it was going to be put up for everyone too see, but that's my opinion only.
Being Objective is best and easiest when it's someone else's work you are evaluating, not when it's your own.
After seeing this, I decided that my work is a "hack job". Plain and simple. Oh, I would say that the "cosmetics" are done very well. I will say that's an objective statement. The bezel, tailcap and other cosmetic treatments are fine.
The treatment of the components is where the hack job is. It stinks, plain and simple. Now, if I look at it as constructive criticism, then I should look to improve it. Did I do my best? Can I do better? Answer is, Yes and No. I cannot do better than what is there, Considering the use of only hand tools such as a hacksaw and files.
The only way to improve is to use machined parts. The Correct way to do it is machined parts. When it comes to heatsinks, emitters and drivers, it requires machine parts to do it RIGHT. Plain and simple truth, we all know it.
I do not have the tools to do that, so I cobble stock parts that don't fit and make them fit. Is that OK?? For myself Only, yes it is. For my OWN use, yes it's ok. Is it OK to go and sell something like that to someone else? Well, we get to what a person believes don't we. The Truth? NO, Hell NO. It shouldn't ever be sold to someone else that way! That is the stark reality of the situation. I never should have sold stuff like this to anyone else. For my own use, that's fine, but not for resale.
I could have purchased components for anywhere from $35 - to $55, but the part of me that you don't know is that I am a BLF'er to begin with and Budget is budget. I tried to do it where I could afford to make it in the first place and sell it where someone else could afford to buy it.
That was a mistake and I see it clearly now.
So, what's the answer, now that I see what I already knew deep down? Stop doing component mods. That's the simple truth of it. If I cannot (and I cannot), do the mods correctly, with proper results that are reliable and that last, then I (neither I nor anyone else), should be doing mods. That is the real answer. We don't want to face the truth, but it bites us in the butt when we ignore it.
It's possible that I may finish the "cosmetics" on several hosts I have, but at this point, none of them will recieve any components. I may sell the empty hosts which I have done cosmetic mods to, but I will not be selling finished lights here, unless I can make them properly, with reliability. I cannot buy the proper tools (lathe, drill press, grinder, etc), to do proper mods and I am not willing to buy components like machined heatsinks and raise the price to where the vendors here already sell them for. First of all, they are experienced and they know how to and secondly it does not fit in my "budget".
Thanks for listening and hopefully understanding,
Justin
