Oh c'mon making one is pretty cheapish. Making a dozen is quite some money already. I often get material for around 5. Limited by the KD 5 pack driver deal.
Buying bulk can save you often more than 10% which means at least every 10th you make is vitually "free" usually every 8th.
My only grief... there is very little competition for selling decent DIY stuff. Manafont tried but failed deliviring good circuit baord and emitters at reasonable prices...
I just thought I could get rid of a couple of the 1As so I could make 5 more 1Ds. Considering Nailbenders are $40+ for the same exact thing. I figured the budget guys that can't solder could try them out. I can't see this turning into a business.
The Manafont drop in is still the best deal that's why I have bought 6 of them over time, but the fact that these have modes that are better thought out low, medium, high instead of low, high, medium, virtually no PWN and better regulation make them worth a couple bucks more.
When the lady in your life watches the purse-strings, self-sufficient hobbies are a good thing.
You're right about the costs and availability of DIY parts. I was looking at an emitter on a small board, and after shipping (from germany, in this case) it's 2/3rds as much as a complete chinese light of similar specs
You are right that did not come out right it just seams like everything revolves around maximum lumens lately. I have a couple XPG R4 3Ds I am going to play around with, not everyone likes the same thing and for your use in fog and snow the XPG is a better option hands down.
Looks like they're back in stock - they were out... and cutter wants $15 shipping, making that a very, very expensive led, given as you can get them for $7 with free shipping for 6000k... they really are hard to find!
but they had (have?) free shipping on orders >99usd, so making a small group buy isn't that hard to make -I made one with my friend and we have two orders each over 100usd just for leds and optics
I am going to jump on the wagon with you guys. In the top photo there is a XP-G R4 3D in the middle I just built a drop in with a 1.4 amp Nanjg driver and the 3D emitter and all i can say is wow. It is really strange how it can change your perception of what light is supposed to look like. I am totally sold on the 3D were the 1D made the 1A look blue the 3D does the same to the 1D amazing. I am going to order a couple more of the 3Ds so nice.
I currently use 2 different types of emitter isolation discs I source from KD it depends on the drop in. One is a thick paper with adhesive sticker on the back and the other is a thick plastic with adhesive. I always Fujik over the solder points so the isolation discs are unnecessary but they clean up the look and add an extra layer of protection. The link to the KD part number is in the first post.
I can't find it on the new KD I go back to the old KD it's there but the new KD does not show it. They must have discontinued it, sorry. I have to find a way to order more, so I will have to figure this out.