The Miller wrote:

Thanks Yourrid!
Special centering rings? Wow you gt a lot planned!

And hmm, there is something going on with Sharpie, dropped down to 83 posts and I cannot click on it or send PMs
I give it 24 hours to see if I receive an email and will be going from there.
If I hear nothing I am going to contact Paul and see if we can get a groupbuy going since the interest is there.

Strange, it seems Sharpie's account/membership has disappeared/?been terminated.       

You get this message if you click on his username
“Sharpie has disabled his or her account.”

http://budgetlightforum.com/forum/misc/siterules wrote:

1. Please don’t be rude. Rude people will have their accounts deleted.

The above should clear up the speculations.

Please stay on topic from this point onward in this thread. Thanks in advance!

The Miller wrote:

If I hear nothing I am going to contact Paul and see if we can get a groupbuy going since the interest is there.

If you are successful, ( and I hope you are ) I think it would be a great idea for us all to read these two posts in particular and comprehend what they say. THIS ONE and THIS ONE

Otherwise this will just be an exercise in futility and jaxman would have no reason to even consider renegotiating a “Group Buy for BLF’ers”.
No reason at all………..

Yes thanks those are true posts and I said I’d wait 24 hours, so bow have some time to gather info and think about a strategy here.

As a nice BLFer wrote in PM: “Jaxman are exactly the type of manufacturers we should be building a relationship with in my opinion” and I am in total agreement here.

Yourrid wrote:

Thanks for the insight SB!

Now, back on topic. I can’t seem to find a complete list of the first 10 people who got in on the host deal.

This is all I could find:
List first 10
1 Yourrid
2 Dale
3 Tom E
4 ?
5 Ouchyfoot
6 ?
7 leroycp
8 leroycp
9 Killforfood
10 teacher

Is there anyone else that isn’t on the list? I’d like to get some build info from any of the first 10 on what they made and any kind of measurements/beamshots they might have… so I can update the first few posts with their info.

I was on the first 10 list. My light is complete however the driver is glitching for some reason so I’m waiting for some parts to arrive for it. I can still try and get some beamshots on high as that mode works fine.

Its just an XP-L HI V2 3B with a 22mm FET driver.

So you are pretty close to what we thought the Cometa would be?
Nice, love that tint!
(I think it will be the first thing I do BTW just to see how it is.)

I assume so, to be honest I didn’t pay much attention to the cometa so I’m not sure what it’s specs were supposed to be. But I already have an MT-G2 Z1 so wanted to go with something more traditional if you will. The tint is nice and the beam is really good. Everything went together perfectly. I filled the pill with thermal cubes and bypassed the tail spring.

Yourrid wrote:

Thanks for the insight SB!

Now, back on topic. I can’t seem to find a complete list of the first 10 people who got in on the host deal.

This is all I could find:
List first 10
1 Yourrid
2 Dale
3 Tom E
4 ?
5 Ouchyfoot
6 ?
7 leroycp
8 leroycp
9 Killforfood
10 teacher

Is there anyone else that isn’t on the list? I’d like to get some build info from any of the first 10 on what they made and any kind of measurements/beamshots they might have… so I can update the first few posts with their info.

I was also in the first 10. My initial build post is here, but its just another MT-G2 that others have already done. I didn’t get around to taking any real beamshots or measurements yet because I took mine back apart and fully potted the driver cavity due to heat from the LD2 I chose. I’m out of town for another week but the potting should be well cured by the time I get back home, so I’ll follow up sometime early next week.

A couple of photos I took during my build, sorry for the quality they were all taken on my phone. Nothing exciting or new here, but still shows how the light comes for those who are thinking about getting one if the GB starts again…

The last beam shot is a little deceptive. It does fully focus the die.

The top of the pill on that one looks pretty dang clean

That’s the way the pill was on my Z1 as well, perfectly adequate, no work required except maybe cleaning up a slight bit of burr from the holes for the lead wires.

Of course, that one is now set aside with my own Cu version installed.

That is how both of mine were also. I just put a little radius on the wire holes to round off the edges and called it good. The MCPCB ‘pocket’ was flat as a squashed roadkilled jackrabbit in West Texas.

OK guys, busy day today and tomorrow so plan on writing Jaxman tomorrow evening to see what is possible for a groupbuy.
Yourrid was so kind to offer to help if we get things moving again.

Great input on the builds
I am off to check shipping status of my Jax(man?) Can’t wait to check it IRL!

Yourrid wrote:

I have both, the Jax and Jaxman version, and there is very little different between. I think the knurling is slightly different, but unless you have one side-by-side, it would be hard to notice any difference. Both are extremely high quality. And the Jaxman comes with a lens cover, whereas the original Jax did not.

Okay folks. I finally received my Z1 today. Everything looks as fine a quality as has been already attested.

I need a bit of help here. I have no experience with XHP emitters, but I am starting to lean towards using an XPH35 HI in this light.
I need a little input on the optimum driver and current for this emitter.

Hey, did I miss this or is it news?
Jaxman sells a Nichia B: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/High-CRI-outdoor-lights-lamp-Nichia-219B-series-LED-flashlights-upgrade-order/1812094_32601022783.html

Quote:

PLS REMARK YOUR COLOR OPTION FOR 5700k or 4000K.

THE MCPCB PLATE IS 16mm OD.and 1mm in thickness.

Not on a Noctigon, obviously, but interesting to see it offered alongside their flashlights.
I wonder if it’s available already installed if people ask for that ….

hank wrote:

Hey, did I miss this or is it news?
Jaxman sells a Nichia B: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/High-CRI-outdoor-lights-lamp-Nichia-219B-series-LED-flashlights-upgrade-order/1812094_32601022783.html

Quote:

PLS REMARK YOUR COLOR OPTION FOR 5700k or 4000K.

THE MCPCB PLATE IS 16mm OD.and 1mm in thickness.

You must have missed it! I received four 4000K 219B’s from them and they’re top notch! They come mounted on copper.

I put the MCPCB in dry to check if there was any rocking/movement and it sat in there flat and didn’t move at all. So I just ran with it as is.

hank wrote:

Hey, did I miss this or is it news?
Jaxman sells a Nichia B: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/High-CRI-outdoor-lights-lamp-Nichia-219B-series-LED-flashlights-upgrade-order/1812094_32601022783.html

Quote:

PLS REMARK YOUR COLOR OPTION FOR 5700k or 4000K.

THE MCPCB PLATE IS 16mm OD.and 1mm in thickness.

Not on a Noctigon, obviously, but interesting to see it offered alongside their flashlights.
I wonder if it’s available already installed if people ask for that ….

Yes this was talked about before, I have a total of 6 of these
3 in use and doubting where the others should go.

I think we can all agree that the pills are not all 100% perfect yet the softer brass can be sanded to achieve a more then satisfying result. Jaxman focusses on key specs as focus of the LEDs and does the same sanding people getting the hosts should be willing and capable of doing right?
Point here is that I must be able to show them people can make a nice light our of the hosts before there is any chance of a groupbuy happening. Some reactions to the pills have made Jaxman think selling the hosts in a groupbuy could damage the Jaxman image and thus be counterproductive for them.

I will explain this is BLF and that critical posts as part of the game and that in case of something like this lots can and probably chime in for their two lumens but that Jaxman is seen as a quality manufacturer and the pill issue is seen as Jaxman sees it, something that can need work and is acceptable.

The Miller wrote:

OK guys, busy day today and tomorrow so plan on writing Jaxman tomorrow evening to see what is possible for a groupbuy.
Yourrid was so kind to offer to help if we get things moving again.

Great input on the builds
I am off to check shipping status of my Jax(man?) Can’t wait to check it IRL!

VERY keen on a full light GB actually made by Jaxman themselves. Will there be options to have TK’s firmware in it? What emitter options? XPL HI?

Is the host still available for purchase ?

Well said The Miller.

It also would be worth noting that IF we want this Group Buy to have a “snowballs” chance of starting up again with Jaxman, it would be best if we stopped nit picking things to death… especially on the Group Buy thread itself.

As has been stated before… Jaxman does not make these hosts for “modders”. He makes them to produce flashlights to sell. We would be absolute fools to expect him to accommodate every little whim or question we might have.

IF we want this Group Buy and IF he (jaxman) changes his mind and actually allows it. Then let’s be “modders” and actually “mod” instead of expecting Jaxman to accommodate any whim one of us thinks they need.

Because if there is any hint or suspicion that a Group Buy might turn into a PITA for Jaxman…. there is certainly no reason at all for him to even consider it again.

I personally hope that against all odds this ‘relationship’ with Jaxman can be revived, I hope this for several reasons.

One being I would hope it would be mutually beneficial for both parties. We BLF’ers having the ability to obtain what I consider a quality host (Jaxman) and also beneficial to Jaxman by way of some positive word of mouth advertising. ( And I say “positive” because right now I have 4 Jaxman lights…. 2 factory produced Z1’s & 2 – Z1 hosts. I can only find positive things to say about them and expect I will receive the same on others I will purchase).

The second reason being….. I would hope we as a group would be able to actually show Jaxman, by our actions; that we are more than just a bunch of babbling obsessed idiots who only want to find something… anything….. to gripe and complain about.

Because folks, even though I have used my own words here and dramatized it a tiny bit for “shock” value… all for the benefit & education of us BLF’ers….. that is not to far off of what the perception of us is now. I honestly hope we can change that perception of us into a positive perception… because for the most part we are all positive.

IF we want this group buy ( and possibly others ) to ever have a chance of being revived and happening we must take seriously what is said above & what has been said in other ways by a few other people.
Because sadly, right now…… this Group Buy is totally dead.

So, IF we do get another chance guys….. let’s no blow it.

Not yet I am too busy to email during the day so email a feeler tonight
This is for host as in the closed thread and I will report back when there is news and if a GB is taking place Yourrid and me will start a new thread for that.

Jaxman is very perfectionist and that is a good thing
They were reluctant to sell hosts to more then the occasional person for a couple of reasons
1 it bears the Jaxman name do they want it to be build good
2 the fear of bad publicity here on BLF

We convinced them to do it anyway and start with a small amount to see how this would go.
The thread had a lot of arguing yet the actual builds went well.

When people started saying all pills should be perfect and machine marks and uneven surfaces were bad this was not taken well.
Jaxman does finish the pills if it is needed during assembly, brass being not all that hard. For Jaxman the dimensions for good placement of both pill and led are key specs. Some sanding is their way of dealing with less then perfect pills. This for them is a non issue and yet it has been made into an issue that forced Paul to write a thread about it. His pills were called scrap quality with “+” as reaction do I hope it is understood this was seen as highly insulting and did not spark desire to continue with a groupbuy.

So I will see what I can do but our 25 interest list is not generating a lot of money yet the 12 hosts sold meant a lot of work and getting insulted for Jaxman, would you be anxious to give discounts and put in energy while you could use the same time and effort to sell 500 to a big client?

Looks like we’re having Redwing Sole a la carte for supper. (we’ve already put both feet in our mouths, not much chance now of reversing that)

Oh don’t get me wrong it is good issues gets attention.
The raised centre of the pill was a genuine issue, no is
It is good it is known and people can decide they are up for getting the material out in the odd chance one receives a fluke with raised centre, just like Jaxman does with them.
It were the many +sed insults and therefore lack of respect for Jaxman businesses practices and choices that were a bit over the top

I’m not really sure how to respond to this line of conversation. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything at all, and yet here I go anyway

I kinda feel bad since I’m the one that started the conversation about the pill surface finishing, but on the other hand I feel like I was fair and understanding in my comments, and I also feel like I had a genuine concern that others should be aware of. Some of the more experienced modders may check and hand-finish every pill they touch, but I bet some of the newer guys don’t. I know I didn’t when I was first starting out. So I was just trying to help others who may come after us, since that was what the “first 10” was called upon to do. If something I said offended Paul or Jaxman then I truly apologize. It was not my intention. I think they make a fantastic product and hope they’ll continue to work with us.

No it was good and just to bring it up.
And as you say, exactly the reason for the smaller first group.
Thanks!

Paul has responded and understands now how BLF just likes to debate every little detail and seems OK with that. To be honest if a party wants to do specials they must be OK with that anyway so that is smoothened out.

Right now it is “the best way is no way” but
that could largely be due to Jaxman being very busy for starters and secondary a good way to let people order who are on the list being sure no others can order is not there (yet).
I have an idea for this (ask Paul to create a checkout link for $1,- as Simon has a $0,01 checkout option. Then propose a hostprice including shipping and pm people a code for ordering the host via checkout link eiry a message “BLF host Z1 ####” #### being code.