The 5th Annual BLF / Old Lumens Scratch Made Light Contest
is Now Closed - See you again in 2018!
Hello everyone,
The contest officially starts as of this posting and it runs until October 31th at Midnight (UTC).
Some inspirational images of builds from earlier years:
..and of course this:
Here are the Contest Rules:
Common Rules for All Contestants:
- You must make a build thread and you must be able to show clearly legible photos of the progress of the build
- The better your thread, the better your chances, since we can only judge on what you show us in your thread
- No outside services allowed => You cannot send your parts or light out for someone else to work on it, or to Anodize it or plate it (read: All work must be done by you!)
- Must be made from scratch = Cannot use a pre-existing light
- Must be a hand held and battery operated light (Read: Loosely classed as a flashlight. Lanterns and similar are ok. Loosely classified as battery: Also other portable energy sources are allowed)
- Single or multiple emitter, driver and battery configurations are allowed
- You may use some manufactured components such as; reflectors, P60 drop-ins, drivers, LEDs, “O”-Rings, switches or lenses
- You may not use manufactured flashlight parts such as: a bezel, body, tail cap or head
- You may enter with only one build, in only One Category: Machine Made OR Hand Made
- If something is not mentioned in these rules, feel free to use your common sense, or think "What would Old-Lumens do?"
Hand Made Category:
- All hand tools are acceptable, as well as these power tools:
- Soldering gun/station
- Electric Drill / Drill Press
- Dremel style Rotary tool
- Cutoff Saw including Band Saw and Table Saw
- Disc or Belt sander
- No other power tools, for example:
- Lathes
- End Mills
- or automated machines
Machine Made Category:
- Can be made using machines such as a Lathe or End Mill, or what I would consider machines found in a machine shop, or any other tools listed in the hand made category
A panel of judges composed of current members of BLF, from all walks of life and from different countries, will judge the winners of the competition. I will be one of the judges as well.
What do we judge the contestants on?
- Uniqueness/Innovativeness of the build: Is it a one of a kind? Different? Using New methods?
- Skill level of the finished build: Does it look like a hack job? Or were the finished parts/assemblies done with skill and care?
- Thoroughness of the build thread: Did the builder do a good job of showing and explaining to the forum, how he did the steps in the build?
- Documenting also the failures & obstacles: How did the builder solve the inevitable problems? Documenting the obstacles and using the power of the BLF community to solve them is seen as a big plus!
- Possible new driver design or custom firmware is seen as a plus (especially when shared and open source in a true BLF spirit)
- Following the guidelines: Did the builder follow the rules and guidelines written in the contest thread?
Contestants: Please remember to PM me with a link to your Build Thread.
POST your Build Threads HERE in the "Giveaways and Contests" category PLEASE
I will keep all of the links in Post #2, so people can easily find all the builds.
Thank you.
PRIZES:
- $125 gift card to GearBest.com
- $75 gift card to GearBest.com
- Haikelite MT-01 XHP50 Flashlight w/ worldwide shipping to any of the countries USPS ships to, provided by Mountain Electronics LLC
- Emisar D4 Flashlight w/ worldwide shipping to any of the countries USPS ships to, provided by Mountain Electronics LLC
- $25 Gift Voucher for MTN Electronics or MTN LITEbar (winner’s choice), provided by Mountain Electronics LLC
- Old Lumens Nichia 219B Copper Mini LED Flashlight, provided by banggood.com
- Old Lumens Nichia 219B Copper Mini LED Flashlight, provided by banggood.com (yes, another)
- BlitzWolf® BW-ET1 XP-L V6 600LM Stepless Dimming LED Flashlight, provided by banggood.com
- BlitzWolf® BW-ET1 XP-L V6 600LM Stepless Dimming LED Flashlight, provided by banggood.com (yes, another)
- Acebeam H20 headlamp, provided by hc-lights.fi
- WubenLight TP10 tactical penlight, provided by hc-lights.fi
- + more
+ bragging rights for at least a year!
I'd like to thank the sponsors for their generosity, and would like to see all BLFers supporting their business: Please look to them when purchasing quality lights and accessories:
Still seeking for more good sponsors - PM me if you are a store owner wanting to donate something or have good relations to any good store that would like to sponsor this great contest, thanks! Good publicity guaranteed!
Prizes will be distributed by the same method than last year: Winner of the Hand Made category will select the one he wants, winner of the Machine made category will pick next, followed by the 2nd place in Hand Made, etc. (continued as long as there are any prizes left)
Let the modding begin and remember to have fun!
=the=
Links to build threads.
Hand made category:
Machine made:
=the=
Let’s see what you guys can build.
http://atvillustrated.com/files/logo.2013.yamaha.racing.blue_.jpg
Here are some good places to buy bits & pieces for builds, this might help newer members who would like to have a go.
International Outdoor Store
Mountain Electronics
Fasttech
Kaidomain
Banggood
GearBest
RS Components
Maccmodels
And a good place to host your images
Imgur
Some Inspiration
- LEDs & Other Stuff - - UI CheatSheets - - CRX Flashlight Builds - - CRX Stuff for Sale -
Nice to have another scratch contest this year, thanks _ the _ for hosting it again!
This guarantees a lot of fun again.
link to djozz tests
Yahoo! Now I need to firm up an idea… hand made category. I’ll PM when I start a build thread.
BLF Member Map, add yourself
My 10th Annual contest entry.. My 9th Annual contest entry. My 8th Annual contest entry.. My 7th Annual contest entry.. My 6th Annual contest entry... My 5th Annual contest entry... My 4th Annual contest entry...
My DBSAR inspired SRK lantern hand made mod
I see 2 entrances already (CRX did not say so litterally but I can not imagine him not entering
).
Ok, I enter too, in the hand-made category, but as a warning, out of the two of my previous attempts, one was never finished and one too late, somewhere late in autumn.
link to djozz tests
i want to join the hand made contest
Wow nice the!
Good luck to all building!
No time or skills to build, would be happy to assist in judging the cool builds though
It is done when it is done

How my BLF Specials generally work, please read before asking Qs
The Q8, Exciting a groupbuy for a Premium BLF special high lumens soda can light!
The GT, A BLF special GIGA thrower
The FW3A, a TLF BLF special small, elegant, powerful triple
Lithium Ion safety 101 important read
Sorry grammarlovers, I am a real King Typo.
Thanks the for again doing this.
I will be building a light and yes here come the excuses. I have a bit on coming up which I’m not sure how much time I will have.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
This thread is Jack-Approved!
Jack missed out on getting his picture in the OP.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
Nice!!! Unbelievable that another year has gone by. My personal thanks goes out to
_the_
for helping to organize this. I will be eagerly awaiting the results. Greetings to everyone, and early best wishes to all the contest participants.Budget Light Forum ...where Frugal meets with Flashlight!
Bump.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
Budget Light Forum ...where Frugal meets with Flashlight!
I will try to join the machine made contest. Will see how much time I have and what I come up with, never built a light from scratch before.
Thanks sb. You have just brightened my morning.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
Looking forward to see awesome builds this year!
Blog: https://lumenzilla.com
Great to see OL’s legacy still abides
hi all I will again have a go at a machine made thingamabob.
best I get my thinking cap on
It will be a headlight based on a familiar theme
Will start abuild thread when supplies arrive
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/56639
I have 26 days left..
sorry all images down
thanks photobucket
I am in. Still haven’t finished last year’s one hahaha. I have an idea just need the money.
Good luck lads!
Light Reviews
Cheap Flashlight Durability Test
Ekoras R7 review
Multiband radio review
YouTube Reviews
Astrolux FT03 Luminus SFT40 Beamshots
Luminus SFT-40 test output + candela tested
Ekoras S21 Review
Scratch builds
6th Annual Old Lumens Scratch build entry
7th annual Old Lumens scratch build entry
I’ll be joining again this year. In fact, I was worried about this thing ever getting started!
EDIT: I’m entering again in the Hand Made category.
And, here is my thread link.
The Cycle of Goodness: “No one prospers without rendering benefit to others”
- The YKK Philosophy
So are we supposed to start our build threads as a WIP or wait until the light is complete then post the whole build? Are we allowed to build multiple lights? I have 2 designs I am stuck between, and I may just want to try both.
I would suggest starting as WIP, as following the build process and enjoying to see contestants to go over all obstacles is more fun for everyone.
Only one light per contestant, unless they can be considered as a “set” (like last year’s winner).
=the=
…including the judges, I’d guess.
The Cycle of Goodness: “No one prospers without rendering benefit to others”
- The YKK Philosophy
Here is my build thread
Excited to see where this takes me.
I need a ruling.
Would it be acceptable if I offered up some excess “working” Soraa Mr16 gu5.3 12v lights (for free)
“working” is defined as they make nice light but seem more dim then the others I have. maybe a flaw maybe just lower voltage.
To the community to use as they see fit for contest purposes.
I believe the relevant rules are:
You may use some manufactured components such as; reflectors, P60 drop-ins, drivers, LEDs, “O”-Rings, switches or lenses
You may not use manufactured flashlight parts such as: a bezel, body, tail cap or head
Right now I have
52 left (Jensen567 already has his in route)one or two each depending on demand.
Fancy emitters high cri and a killer heatsink I thought maybe they would help a modder out there?
_the_says OK
drop me a PM if interested.
(“It’s good that most people can’t remember their previous lives. Otherwise
things would be a lot more complicated than they already are.”
Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo)
Nice to see this running into the 5th year! sadly life’s headaches and obstacles, added with work loads this summer I have to sit this one out again. ( second year in a row >.<) hopefully next year i can re-join in on the build contest action. For now i will cheer-on all the competitors!
That Canadian flashlight guy & Lantern Guru -Den / DBSARlight
Your support for this contest is appreciated!
I’d compare those to P60 drop-ins => can’t see anything wrong using them => feel free to go ahead.
=the=
Excited to be a part of the comp again this year!
Link to build thread.
…damn it, looks like I’ve landed sausage-side again…
the says yes
bump
(“It’s good that most people can’t remember their previous lives. Otherwise
things would be a lot more complicated than they already are.”
Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo)
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