2nd. Annual BLF Scratch Made Light Contest is CLOSED - WINNERS results have been posted in the OP!

Can you change my pic to this one please? It is a much better picture.

I agree Steve, another great collection of one of a kind builds that will be hard to pick from. Having done this twice now I feel less drained after this one. I hope that’s a trend and common to others. Maybe some of those who entered but were not able to free up the time needed can entertain us with their builds until the next round.

Thanks Justin for putting together another great opportunity/incentive to be creative.

Ive got one favorite. MRsDNF`s light. (MRsDNF, ill have my regular fee thanks. You know my paypal)

I also have a weak spot for alpg88`s build. I don't think his light and his thread have gotten the attention it deserves. "Practicality, utility, and originality". His light got it all. And them some.. I don't even understand it all. But its all great. :D

The two above are lights that I would really like to use. And that is important for me. There is also no way that I can think of to improve them or to design them better from the beginning. I cant "deduct points" for anything.

I love Southlands leadbelly! Just look at it. Epic cool and good looking! This guys got taste! If it came with maybe a little fan, air inlet and outlet, maybe at the bottom to not ruin the looks, and properly regulated output at maybe 5-7 amp to each emitter. That would be EPIC. Would probably made it into a clear winner for me. (MRsDNF, this would have been up for discussion. I have my fees you know.)

And then there is this build, and then there is... Nah, im not naming more.. So many great builds that are special and unique in their own way. Im kinda feeling bad for not naming more of them..

Poor judges! :D

Honorable mention goes to ImA4wheelr. If the guy does not win anything due to not finishing in time. Give him a medal! Give him something for his magnificent effort and plans. Ill put 5$ of my hard earned money into the pot. (MRsDNF. In case your hard working wife finds out about your spending. Tell her that a fraction (5$) of the money went to a good cause.)

Congrats to all the entrants that completed. I also feel sorry for the judges.

Thank you RaceR86 very much for the honorable mention. Please no metals or anything like that though. I did lose about of month of time due very valid reasons that were outside my control, but I'm sure others have had similar bad luck. Rules are rules and I am happy to have had a chance to compete. I would prefer we focus on those that delivered completed builds.

These are some amazingly cool builds. My favorites are:

DSBAR - It just has a lot going for it. A really cool steampunk look, a useful lantern mode, a powerful flashlight end, and the moonlight mode glow. It is extremely unique and I’d love to have a light like that in my collection.

OL Comp - Machine made. What a glorious beast! I love my TK70 and this is like a homegrown Upsized version.

Sorry, folks, my work schedule was insane and the two real weekends I’ve had since my last entry all I could do was veg out on the couch for two days to try to remain sane for my next 12/13 day work week.

I don’t think apologies are necessary. Everyone who posted a build or read through the long threads knows just how much time it can take and not everyone can spare that time. It’s not like assembling a p60 and a really good project can suck you in. I’m grateful for both the opportunity and the flexibility that allowed me to try. I encourage everyone to think about it at least.

My build went something like assembling a P60 pill. If you need to ask why don't.

I will be leaving for Germany & Austria for a week and half on Saturday, and i’m bringing my light with me to use, as i will be with a group doing a mountain trip while there. (requested by some Austrian friends to see it in action, and will be one of three lights i will be bringing along with a Thrunite Ti2 N/W XP-G2 and my Olight S20.

i forgot to offer the below pic to OL as the photo for the line-up post, as its a better photo than the one on the stump above.)

+1

For some people unforeseen things happens. Its a part of life.

Im glad the contest went over 3 months.

Projects like these can end up being extremely time consuming. Its a learning experience. I think smaller projects and mods become easier afterwards.

I had to stop all regular modding for some weeks before the deadline in order to finish. And at that point I though I was around halfway with all the tricky stuff done (that was not the case).

I got some "normal modding withdrawal symptoms" after stopping with reguarl mods. I have modded 6 lights the last 3 days. I went back to basics. Those lights combined took a fraction of the time of the scratch build. I like quick results. But in two or three years most of those mods will be forgotten because they are not special or unique. They will just be one of many. Occasionally its nice doing something special. Something that will be remembered.

Id recommend people who are considering doing a build to jump on it next year. Assuming there is competition.

To me, another benefit of entering a contest like this is that after doing a large project. Smaller ones seems so much easier.

Its also a joy to work on something special, sharing with others, and seeing what others are doing. Pushing the limits and raising the bar as a community.

:beer:

Carry-on, or checked luggage? (I don’t mean to be negative about our fine airport workers, but I’d fear both. Though I might be less nervous about putting it in checked luggage.)

I’d be more worried about batterys, I dont think those will be allowed on the plane…

You can carry spares (2) but they and the light (which must be disabled to prevent accidental turn on) have to be in carry on luggage.

correct. Li-Ions can be carried on a plane, as long as they are less than 100 watt-hours per cell, and in the device, and spares are in a protective case preventing shorting with the ends taped over, in the carry-on bag.
Info is found on the Airline’s website.

Posted in the OP too

Here is the list of Winners:

HAND MADE

1 DenBarrettSAR
2 Ervin Anastasi
3 Rufusbduck
4 FmC
5 southland
6 Alpg88
7 nickelflipper
8 mhemling33
9 firehopper
10 HBomb

MACHINE MADE

1 Bucket
2 MRsDNF
3 RaceR86

I will be contacting all of you over the course of the next several days, to let you know how to redeem your prizes. With the holiday, I think it will be sometime next week, before I hear back from all of the dealers involved, so please be patient.

I just want to thank all of you who took the plunge and made build threads here. They have been the highlight of my days for quite some time and I appreciate all of the labor and thought put into them. You are ALL WINNERS in my book!!

Thanks also, to the judges and to all of the sponsors. Last, but not least is the members here who helped support the contestants during their builds.

Well done all competitors.
It was inspiring to see your creativity !

.

Congrats to all the winners! 8)

Wow i am absolutely speechless… Thank you so much OL, everyone and to the Judges. :slight_smile:
After seeing the great amazing work of the other builds in this Comp, i am really honored.
Everyone here is a winner for the great builds on this years Annual BLF Scratch Made Light Contest. It was great seeing the skill everyone displayed in the builds.
I feel like i have to do something to offer in return, maybe build a second replica of the Steam-Pipe Light to offer as a prize or something, maybe as a prize towards next years Comp.

:party:

Thanks OL. Thanks to everyone involved in the competition too (sponsors, price modders, etc).

I bet it was hard to decide the order of winners. You have been fairly quiet while enjoying the show. Could we get some words about some of the builds/what you and the judges fell for. Speech. Speech. Speech! :D

A really entertaining contest. I’ve got to hand it to DB, that’s probably the most useful of all the builds. Now that it’s over I can say my two personal favorites were Ervin’s and Jerommel’s since unlike mine and DB’s they made theirs from unfitted parts using a minimum of tools.