** BLF LT1M-Mini Project - The little Lantern! ( PM's sent today June 21, 2022)**

[SIGShooter]

@Forsythe P. Jones

* Certainly any unilateral battery change should free anyone on the preorder list of any commitment they may have made. They can decide again whether they want the new version.

• I don’t think I’d take either version of this light backpacking. I’d just use a flashlight or headlamp with a diffuser. When backpacking I don’t go ultralight-berserk, but I do try to keep weight down.
• Re tail standing: how about a tripod hole on the tailcap? That would allow screwing in an anti-tipover disc, that could be included on top of the light. It could be made of plastic or PCB material for light weight.
• A magnet for the above would be useless, I think, unless you’re also going to bring along a chunk of iron (perhaps an anvil) to stick it to.
• If you want to run on commodity batteries in an emergency, why mess with 3aaa and a bigger tube? Include a boost converter on the driver, that can use 1aa at lower brightness. 50 lumens maximum is fine, it’s an emergency after all. Actually it could be based on the in-progress SP10 Pro driver which already supports dual fuel.
• In fact if there is talk of separate battery tubes, how about an 18500 tube? That would allow use of 18500, 14500, and maybe AA with no length extenders. There would have to be some kind of widening thing for 14500/AA, like a simple and light plastic cylinder or just a friction fit spacer ring.
• I also find 26650 to be a weird choice of size. It has some attractions for very high current but that doesn’t apply to this light. 21700 at least has higher capacity compared to 18650.

If this project were starting from scratch and holding a vote on battery size, I’d probably pick 21700 and then 18650 in that order, but I can understand preferring 18650 over 21700 for those prioritizing small size. I wouldn’t pick 26650 either way. I’d support making the 18650 tube long enough for “18700”, i.e. those protected 18650s with built in USB charging. As it is, I would say just stick with whatever was originally agreed on, and perhaps offer alternate versions for other audiences if they seem to want them.

Thanks for all the work on this light, by the way.

The interest list is just that…nobody should feel any obligation to purchase the mini just because they’re on it

Based on messages with Barry there will be a standard tripod mount on the tail cap.

No magnet as far as I know.

The biggest con against the 26650 is that it makes the tube wider. I doubt that there’s a noticeable difference in weight and it’s 5mm shorter than a 21700 so there’s no effect on height (for those who suggested that a 26650 will make the mini taller).

[SIGShooter]

@Barry0892

thanks for all the ideas. But how to make a poll?

There should be 3 options

1. keep the current design, thicker tube that eats 21700(unprotected), 18650, 26650 battery. Because there are springs on both sides.

2. thinner and shorter tube, it accepts 18650 only, keep the wide base. (some say use diffuser on 18650 flashlight is a better choice)

3. long tube, accepts 21700, keep the wide base, but with adaptor for 18650. (engineer told it won’t be thinner)

I will talk with engineers, he told 21700 can be used in LT1-mini without adaptor, because the dual springs keep it stable.

I will send more pictures later

Polled created. Comments can be added here

I set the poll to be active for 2 weeks which I think is way more than enough time for people to make their vote.

[Barry0892]

when standing with LT1, LT1-mini is not that long. How do you think?

You can see the dual springs.

[SIGShooter]

@Barry0892

when standing with LT1, LT1-mini is not that long. How do you think?

You can see the dual springs.

I think it looks good

[JoeH12.81]

I like it too! albeit my eyes are drawn to its tube being a fraction taller than LT1. Perhaps 26350 tube option as well?

I do like it though. I’ve not logged in for some time; if I’m not on the list, please include me.

[Ledhead]

It does seem to be long in the body and short in the head… but it is very small compared to the LT1. I’m still in. How would it compare to the Lumintop CL2

[Phlogiston]

@SIGShooter

Based on messages with Barry there will be a standard tripod mount on the tail cap.

Thanks, SIGShooter, I was just about to ask

I’d find a 1/4” tripod mount useful to increase my mounting options when using the LT1M as a work light.

[mrkelvin]

This looks promising

Please add me to the list for 1. Thanks

[xevious (Gary)]

FWIW, any tripod mount can be turned into a magnet mount quite cheaply, like THIS.

[RamBull]

Love it. The ability to choose three different batteries will make it versatile. I agree the tripod mount will be very useful hopefully it will be on the base and also the side. It would also be nice to have the option to have a magnet on the bottom flushed as some will prefer no magnet. Please also consider the button to be warm amber versus annoying green. Thank you.

[Sparks65]

@Forsythe P. Jones

*

• Re tail standing: how about a tripod hole on the tailcap? That would allow screwing in an anti-tipover disc, that could be included on top of the light. It could be made of plastic or PCB material for light weight.

I really like this idea, the anti-tipover disc

[raccoon]

@Sparks65

@Forsythe P. Jones

Forsythe P. Jones wrote:

*

• Re tail standing: how about a tripod hole on the tailcap? That would allow screwing in an anti-tipover disc, that could be included on top of the light. It could be made of plastic or PCB material for light weight.

I really like this idea, the anti-tipover disc

Yup, me too.

[xevious (Gary)]

Anyone here remember the Solarforce lantern

[dealgrabber2002]

@xevious

Anyone here remember the Solarforce lantern

I do. Pretty neat. I like it.

[derfyled]

I remember it too. Never realized however that it was called ‘’LT1’’.

[tactical_grizzly]

I prefer a 21700 body tube over the 26650 tube with AAA compatibility.

Tripod mount on the bottom would be awesome. As others have mentioned, it would allow for the use of a thread-on magnet or a thread-on wider base.

[SIGShooter]

Additions to the interest list since post number 1144

Post# / Added / User Name
1186 / 09/28/2021 / Bonham
1186 / 09/28/2021 / Bonham
1202 / 09/29/2021 / mrkelvin

[SIGShooter]

Looking at the poll I don’t see a tidal wave of desire for a non-26650 size tube. In fact it seems that most people aren’t even interested in casting a vote. My thinking is that those who desire a tube of whatever size they want have posted that in this thread, but the silent majority couldn’t care one way or another.

Others may interpret things differently

[SemiNormal]

@SIGShooter

Looking at the poll I don’t see a tidal wave of desire for a non-26650 size tube. In fact it seems that most people aren’t even interested in casting a vote. My thinking is that those who desire a tube of whatever size they want have posted that in this thread, but the silent majority couldn’t care one way or another. Others may interpret things differently :partying_face:

What poll?

Found it. https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72922

[el_duderino]

Could you add me to the list for 2?