BLF Q8: Mini-review with X-Ray Image and Diffuser

I was staring at those screws for a while trying to figure out what I was look'n at, then saw your post, djozz - wow, think it's overall better, but threads in the copper MCPCB is a little strange to do - can't recall seeing that before.

Its interesting to also see the overlap in the threads and the amount the springs compress.

24 here today (which is –8 on the QLD temperature scale) and rain forecast for the next week. :frowning: Really want to get some outdoor beamshots and do some light painting with the Q8.

I think the threads are in the reflector, with the MCPCB squeezed in between shelf and reflector.

Ohh, could very well be. It's different for sure, but we actually wanted at least two reflector screws way back in the beginning, so if that's what they did, now we have 3 .

Hhmm, got a guy at work that rcv'd three of the new ones, but he's giving two away - think he still has two. I looked at one but not sure now - could have sworn I took the driver screws out, can't recall seeing those screws. Mine are still half way across the country somewhere, but should get one by Thursday.

If it is what it looks like, it surely proves that the Q8-team has no control whatsoever on what Thorfire is doing :party:

Well, as long as their changes do not mess up the Q8 I guess I can live with that :frowning:

Well the X-ray is most interesting.

IF what were the MCB fixing screws have now been re-purposed, turned around, and are now screwed into new threaded holes in the reflector, then I think I probably like it better than before. Though the screws could be a lot longer, with better thread engagement, the X-ray shows plenty more depth in the new holes in the reflector.

And, IF the assumptions are correct (insufficient resolution to see any threads) the central fixing screw is pretty much redundant

However this needs verifying with a teardown

Personally I have always considered that the central fixing screw is misconceived. Instead of just clamping the MCPCB against the reflector (and dishing it in the middle when over-tightened) it could have been arranged so that the head of the screw butted on the rear side of the shelf (with LED wires led through their own hole, or a “bridging piece” used to achieve the same effect).

The most important area for the MCPCB to be clamped against the shelf is directly beneath the LEDs. A properly configured central fixing screw butted against the rear of the shelf would achieve just this, force being applied from the screw to the reflector, through the emitter spacer rings, directly to where it is needed.

To be frank, no other screws required, except to locate the MCPCB in a symmetrical manner, for cosmetic reasons.

Do Thorfire have anything recognisable as a change control process, or do they just make things up as they go along ?

Edit: for The Miller, please understand this is not a criticism of the BLF design, just my personal observation of how things could be done slightly differently, i.e. “more than one way to skin a cat”.

And it seems as if Thorfire have just come up with yet another one. Nothing could be worse than the one Tom E got, with far to short MCPCB securing screws, and insufficiently (or not at-all) threaded holes in the shelf.

Did I miss something about the reflector being distorted on the Q8 from the central screw?

Think he means distorting the MCPCB, which does happen. On a couple of the 1st 500 Q8's, the reflectro screw was super tight and the MCPCB was bulging up in the middle - easy to tell when sanding the backside. I took a big punch, gave it a couple good hits from the top in the middle and it actually did flatten it out - proven by flat surface sanding.

Yes Tom, that’s what I meant. A great big over-tightened central screw that does nothing at all useful. The only thing holding the MCPCB tight against the shelf were the other two small MCPCB fixing screws, which in at least one of yours, weren’t even doing that. The only thing pressing anything together would have been the bezel/lens/O-ring.

Edit: take a careful look at the X-ray, It may be that you can see the MCPCB being dished by the central screw, though to be fair it looks so gross and obvious that I must surely be mis-interpreting it.

Edit: and take a look at the lovely fit of the threading from the tube to the head. And contrast that with the crappiness of the tail cap threads.

Beautiful radiography by the way, forgot to say that, really nice and useful. Hospital or industrial ?

Medical x-ray unit, imaged during system “testing”. Required about x6 more exposure than an 18650 tube light (55kVp/30mAs).

As it’s still raining here in Brisbane, preventing outdoor beamshots, I thought I’d get an indoor beamshot instead!

Nice pic!

^ Thanks. A few more photos coming soon…

I have to admit that when I was comparing the Q8 against the L6 indoors (for white wall beamshots) I was a bit underwealmed. Yes, it is brighter, but not by a huge degree. However after using the Q8 outdoors I was amazed with the Q8’s ability to turn night into day, and such a nice neutral tint too! It’s great to have so many lumens in a light that doesn’t take up half my camera bag!!

I would like to know where did you get your VTC6 button tops….

From Aussie eBay seller supersports600. I don’t know if he ships internationally. http://stores.ebay.com.au/supersports600

Tom has the NarsilM v1.2 BETA cooking and it will have a modus with momentary on.
Maybe it’s usefull for light painting?
:slight_smile:
And Toykeeper said she will have Andúril for the Q8 .

Nice review.

I was being a bit picky complaining about lack of momentary in the Q8 as it isn’t really a tactical light. However having momentary as an option for Narsil would be great, especially for 18650 tube lights. I probably should contribute to the Narsil thread.

Hi StephenK
Thanks for the review

The X-Ray sure provides a different insight (like what I did there?)

I wouldn’t put it past you not having a spare CT scanner lying around - look forward to that review!!!

Ha, I do have a CT scanner, but can’t justify the radiation use. The x-ray images are taken during routine tests, so have to x-ray something.