I have done a lot of reading and looking to find more information on what im doing and they are pretty much elipsodial reflector spot light without the reflector. There is a thread way way back here
Some lights use a double convex lens this could explain the lens configuration in the W30. It will be interesting to see what these W50 lens is.
Well um I scored these today are they a matching pair?
And a bonus
Couldnt believe it.
Nice.
They def need a recoating though…
At a guess the damage may have come from an exploding globe. Looks like it has had molten glass sprayed on them. Monday I will inquire about getting them resilvered there is a place that restores antique mirrors. I will see if the bloke who gave them to me and probably get a few of his restored aswell.
Do you know how these were used—was it related to flash photography or stage lights? Curious flat section, what’s that about?
Type # 12 - 4¼ - 25
Here’s my guesses:
12” diameter
4¼ depth or sag of the lens
25 focal length or radius of curvature
Im not exactly sure but I think you are close. By the markings and being of high quality I wouldmthink military lights of some sort. The bloke who gave them to me brought them from a bloke on stalkbook who just found them in the back of his shed.
There was another two like them and they were aluminium. Thats why I think maybe they were in the same light. For temporary landing lights or something. The date on most of them was 1940s but it is very hard to find information on them. Only problem is the more you look the more bargains you find.
This is one that I sold. Looks like a ceramic backing
This is the 250mm I kept and hopefully to be restored
Modified W30 next to a maxabeam.
Hey grin, which is which? And what did you modify on the W30? Did you take before and after measurements?
Thanks
Maxabeam is on the left. W30 is same cut one mentioned earlier. i made an adaptor to go in my lens jig. The configuration used primary lens 200mmD 400mmFL, secondary lens 150mmD 200mmFL. No measurements yet but I am working on a setup to take accurate measurements. Another W30 ordered for a lightstorm s90 clone so before I mod it I will take measurements for comparison.
What could be better than a searchlight mirror?
Two searchlight mirrors.
Is it a newer version?
Exactly the same numbers the condition is not as good. This one came from a government research place in sydney the old bloke said it was originally in the searchlight but they were long gone. They must have been a standard light brought in during the second world war. It will be interesting to see if anymore turn up.
Well I have taken a different approach to designing lens lights and now before I try to build it out of alloy this way will give me exact measurements. So i have been playing with W30s and some new lens, i have this combination which was a calculated guess. It is a 75mmx75mmfl condensor and 150mmx600mmfl primary or objective lens. the actual length is still too long for a torch so I need to experiment to shorten it. My apologies for not having measurements but very soon when Im confident they are accurate enough to use.
From my measurements the stock W30 runs at 2.6amp the driver in this W30 runs at 3amp with resistor swap from R025 to R010. my tests point to the laser diode being able to handle 3.5amp and you would be stupid to take my word for it. Does anyone know if W30 has a linear driver?
Was doing overtime tonight and I had K30GT and a MF01S on me so took some beam shots from the boiler. The crane is about 200-300m
K30GT
MF01s
Just catching up on your thread grin. You have been busy. Love your work. 
Same as!
Thanks and
Well I have worked my way through this puzzle and I think I have my head around it. Mostly 
Now I understand more what im going on about. I have struck to using spherical lens because they are off the shelf and to get around aberration problems Im using multiple lens. I think using an objective/primary lens with a focal length of at least twice the diameter reduces the aberration to near zero and gives you that clean crisp bright laser like beam.
The_Driver was absolutely correct a very short focal length precollimator/condensor/secondary lens should be as close to the led as possible. I think the best lens is square, diameter is equal to focal length. It has to big enough to allow some travel and still catch all the light from the led.
This is 5mm movement in the secondary lens and the beam looks thats bright.
If I shorten the focal length the beam quality drops dramatically. It is not just the focal length but I dont fully understand what is happening yet.
Oh my, 
, Please don’t catch that tree on fire !
It actually lookes that bright and I can push the laser a bit more since I have tested the other one. I am fairly certain the phosphor would handle a 6w diode.