Ok guys so I have done some calculations trying to figure out exactly how the dimensions of the reflector would work.
This isn’t a ray trace and it will not show how one reflector might perform better than another (based on size of LED and distance from LED to reflector curface)
But what it can do is show you how tall or wide you might want your reflector, and the distance from the LED to the closest point on the reflector (making this bigger will reduce corona around the hotspot for a more collimated beam)
Here are the equations you can input to desmos calculator (you can copy paste these right in, one box each):
y=s\cdot x^2-\frac{.25}{s}
y=x\frac{.5}{s}
y=x-\frac{.5}{s}
s=0.03 (for this one you will want to click the number at the end of the slider and set it to 0 <= s <= 0.2 step=0.005)
y=0
–60 < x < 60 (diameter that you want your reflector to be, in this case 120mm) (you can also just do lines like in the image if you want to see better)
Now what you can do is move the S slider back and forth to change the size of the reflector.
You will see that the reflector is sitting slightly below y=0, this is because the LED will be centered at (0,0) and anything below y=0 will not be used at all by the LED, since the LED cannot project light behind it.
Changing S will adjust the shape to be deeper or shallower, and you can see the height of the reflector is from y=0 to the point where the parabola intersects the vertical X lines we put in.
In the screenshot I took, the reflector is 100mm deep, 120mm diameter, and it has almost 34mm opening at the bottom. Green and blue lines are unnecessary but they show that the 45 degree tangent is always on the line y=0, so no matter how big or small your make your reflector it will always be focused at the LED at 0,0. Getting the height is really easy then, since you start at y=0 and measure upwards.
Another way you can use this set of equations is by setting y=the height you want your reflector to be, and adjust S to see the diameter (where the parabola intersects the y line) and that will show you the shpae of the reflector, how much of it is being used, etc. Remember the part of the parabola below y=0 will never be used for reflecting light, so it is just dead space.
Hopefully this helps someone design their own reflector or something
I must admit, I kinda agree with some on the design. I did wonder why everyone ‘raved’ about it so much, yes the renders quality is very impressive - he/she is very talented, but it’s it basically is an L6, if we add more fins it will be an L6! (or the daddy of, nothing wrong with the L6 design - but this is a bit too similar for me)
I think we got a bit carried away with that ‘quality of render’, rather than discuss what design/features etc are wanted/needed, then making some preliminary sketches (simple line drawings, not renders) - after that , maybe voting on a ‘design’ by one of the guys who are up for it/are good at this sort of thing :) Not go over the top btw, it’s not a competition maybe just choose 3 people to do the ‘design’ challenge, all to the same specs/sizes obviously.
Just an idea.
Oh, and btw I must just re suggest an idea from an earlier post - could we please try to work in another tripod mount hole at the back somewhere? it’s not for a tripod…. it will allow that little cheap adapter (from my post earlier) to screw in an enable many thousands of different shoulder straps (from cameras etc), which would also be very strong.
Most of the issues early on were the design changes were not just cosmetic but functional (such as changing the cell layout). So we could not actually focus on the cosmetic design. I always knew that some revisions would be needed but a lot of them can’t be finalized until we pick a manufacture and reflector so it was no hurry to worry about them before other issues.
I’m to much of a noon…at this point…but is it so hard to find a reflector or a reflector manufacturer how can make wath we need?
I bet Simon at Convoy know…but do we know simon. Maybe he can guide us in the right direction? And if some of you laughing at this post…consider that first sentence one more time. Lol
Well it is a kolourpaint hack and slice work, unfortunately not a render would be a lot of work making it into one.
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I do care, but comparing the current render to the first, I can more then just live with it, the flat area and the shape of that area (and at the tripod mount) is enough to give it a bit of Q8 family resemblance. What I mean with “no point in arguing about preferences” is not that I do not care about the GT looks. I do not care about the L6 looks since I use it for its beam and accepted that i do not like how it looks before I ordered it. But seeing the L6 come together, having great liking for J-Dub74 and liking Simon and seeing lots of people being excited about it gives it a certain charm and beauty that goes beyond my personal preference
Of course the GT is different, and there is another flow here compared to the Q8.
With the Q8 Djozz made a photoshop changing a SRK and I took that and crudely made it and we discussed a lot here on BLF, after that we kept on explaining to Thorfire what I saw in my head and what I tried to draw, the result is exactly what I wanted in my head. But that is a lot of “me, my, and I’s” so now TA really likes the L6, lots of people do and 5ar came with a render heavily L6 influenced. I did get the more Q8 like section in switch/tripod mount section so happy.
Of course I would have loved to see the anti roll cut outs to be the same shape as the Q8 cut outs are. But it is not my project, it is ours
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COOL!
I added your whole post to post 5 (now dedicated to the reflector, thanks!
Common guy, we have 8*18650 here, add a peltiler to it
Jk, i dont want a short time running reseach torch
This render above i dont like it, it looks weak, if i drop it, probably it will dent, and damage the reflector
The button is still too big, it’s not finished yet.
Just wanted to share what i have thus far.
It’s better to let some pictures speak than to let me speak… :confounded:
It’s not done yet.
Head needs some features.
For the rest there is no reason to assume this will be weaker than the other one.
There is some space between the reflector and the head, of course.
I see what you mean though.
I MUCH prefer the Q8 style grip (kerling?) and I also much prefer the more aggressive design of the ordinal CAD personally but I could live with this smoother version if that is what people wanted.
It just looks wimpy in comparison. but thats just my opinion.
I have no idea what dimensions it actually will end up being, they haven’t sourced a reflector yet.
Also I’m pretty sure they will be buying a bulk order from some place that already premakes reflectors, not ordering a custom electroformed reflector from optiforms/phoenix because that will likely cost as much as the flashlight itself.
But those equations are a great way of figuring out the shape based on just height and width, which is all that some places tell you in the specs of a reflector.
Also good for designing a decent reflector for your flashlight if you can afford to get a custom one made It does look pretty similar to a C8 in proportion though, maybe a bit shallower.
I do take into account what you all say though.
But maybe i should have waited until it’s kind of finished.
It’s ‘knurling’ apparently. (i always thought it was knurdling).
No, it doesn’t look wimpy, but the head as is now looks a bit easy to dent.
It will be a challenge to get some features on there with my means, but it will both add some strength and prevent rolling.
It looks western in design. European / American.
Purposeful, cool and not too noisy.
…at least, that’s the idea.
