mrsdnf 2015 BLF comp build updated post 5, 20.9.15 The light is now finished.

Dnf may be guilty of offering Dale advice in the background.

After the post by TL I don't think I will be building anything with anyone in public. I would be severely shamed in the respect I do it my way which is apparently the wrong way. Nice thought though. With Dales imagination I'm sure he'd also put me to shame on the creativity side of it as well.

How do the two sacked assistants become unsacked. I'm not sure to be honest. Probably if they actually did something instead of me doing everything for them. Like tonight I'll get home from work with the plan to do a bezel but I know already that there will be two dogs badgering me until they get there way and that is a long walk. When I get home from taking the dogs for their walk tea will be on the table after which I get to watch a bit of news on the idiot box and then its time to catch some ZZZs of which the same cycle starts again early in the next morning. I wouldn't want it any other way.

As far as I can tell everyone doing DIY stuff here has their own methods and preferences and I’m happy to watch and learn from all of them even if I don’t do it their way. You get great results with the equipment at hand and at best that’s all any of us really can hope for. It was just a thought to allow a non-machinist to vicariously(v-i-c-a-r-i-o-u-s-l-y, yup) share in Dale’s journey. Guess I’ll have to dredge up a Buck video instead. Woe is me. :_(

Update in post five down the bottom.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34352#comment-781069

So it’s like a shocker tube light? Neat slots. Do you have an end mill bit small enough for trits? And as always, I love the knurling, it looks very even on this one.

The 1/4'' end mill is the smallest l have. I couldn't imagine a tool small enough to do trits. The battery holder is a modded shocker unit. I've got a couple kicking around.

I've made a last minute change with the driver. Comparing RMM's driver to the other five amp driver he sells on a single XML-2 led the current draw is comparable but in my setup where the driver outputs just under seven volts on high the alternate driver is ahead by around an amp. I just hope it stands up to the punishment.

I've got the holes for the wires to the leds drilled, the bezel parted of and the stars modded to get the wiring all to fit, I hope. I'm going to have to have a look at the reflectors next and file a very small amount off them to fit neatly into the head. Touch wood my fingers dont touch the reflective surface.

Looking mighty fine. Can’t wait to see the finished product. No doubt it’s going to be another MRsDNF masterpiece.

Thanks nickelflipper. Just a quick PM update in post 5. This is one of the pictures I've just posted there. If I may say so I'm a little excited with how well the reflectors sit in the housing after some fine tuning with a file.

As always, I'm in awe of the designs that come out of your lathe. Looking nice!

Very nice!

Looking good :beer:

great build!

you got tools AND skillz !

Update in post five down the bottom 13.9.15.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34352#comment-781069

Some beautiful machine work going into this! :slight_smile: looking great so far.

Wow, that reflector is just gorgeous! You da man MRsDNF.

Working or not it is looking great and I’m pretty sure you’ll figure out the shorts.

Thanks guys. It has to be shorting under a reflector somewhere or a MPCB is not as it seems. I'll make an adapter up and trim some more of the backside of the reflectors.

If you can acces the B+ spring with the head assembled but not on the battery tube you might be able to find out which reflector is the problem with a meter. Maybe shave a bit off the solder bumps and insulate with AA.

Update in post five 20.9.15.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34352#comment-781069

This is quickly becoming a favorite picture of mine showing the initial life in a flashlight.

I have no idea how you did that, applaud you for the idea and obvious hard work it took to merge those 4 reflectors. The entire light is compact, powerful and creative. Shame Matt build such an awesome sceptor, you had a chance before he did that one. :stuck_out_tongue:

Y’all are insane with what you can come up with, maybe some day I’ll put 2 and 2 together and come up with something half as impressive. Nice work!

Hip, hip, hooray! I’d ’ve swung the hammer and then cried. Still cursing over hot copper myself.

Edit- that really is a sweet image of evenly focused LEDs.