@hlKARlnoob Cost. 45% IACS Beryllium Copper, or even just pure copper, is very hard to machine. And therefore, is at a big premium. This is what he told me anyway, and I do believe him on the research I have done.
The engineers at the Chinese companies said to me the same thing: 38% IACS beryllium copper is just a a tiny bit more expensive than phosphor, but 45% IACS is much more expensive to machine, in exchange to being more mechanically weak in terms of springiness.
This is why BeCu 45%IACS springs are so expensive on IntlOutdoor compared to bronze springs on Kaidomain, even for a smaller spring. It is just because it is more expensive to machine.
@djozz, I am planning to make a group buy, yes. Not all of the springs made are for the group buy of course. I’m going to keep some of them to replace all of the springs in my lights, so about 20 pcs if I only make 200 pcs of them. Then I am keeping about the same amount for prototyping a product that I am currently engineering, so about 20 pcs.
The rest 150pcs I am probably going to sell in a GB at cost depending on the price they quote me, just so the BLF members can try them out, and see how really good they are.
Before that of course, I am going to do a similar test to yours in 2014, just a bit update :laughing:
I have done group buys locally before, but not on a global scale like BLF. So it is going to be a trial on how good I am on the topic.
TLDR: Going to keep about 50 springs for myself and a project, then going to sell them in a group buy if they are good enough. Otherwise, it is going to be part of my hobby money spent on 200 springs.