Your chance to Speak up on glued flashlights!

You can see the archived poll results on the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221220093741/https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72828

Ok, I am working with Mateminco (the manufacture for Astrolux on banggood) and we have been having a “discussion” about gluing lights. I have been saying that the general public don’t really care about glue but people on BLF care a lot.

I have ben trying to talk them into offering an unglued option, even if it possibly costs like an extra $1.

I was told I need to show some evidence to this fact before it will be considered. So this poll is the first step. If this fails then the next step is to complain to banggood about the glue on the lights.

This might be our only chance to get some of these lights without glue.

Vote honestly, if you truly don’t care about glue, then feel free to vote that way. Although I am pretty much positive about what the outcome will be.

I hate to ask, would it be possible for you to delete your post so mine can be at the top to give some background on the poll?

I did add the option though.

I don’t really mind glue… until I do. Typically that’s when I need to change the lens or clean the inside of it (had to do that with two Thrunites, they were horrendously grimy). Still, haven’t had major trouble with glued components thus far, but I’m not an avid modder, so that opinion may still change.

I don’t currently have a problem with glue, due to my current inability to mod. I plan on changing that in the future though and I’m sure I will dislike glue then.

I do really like option: Glue is great, glue all things! lol even the battery compartment and the light itself to the box!

I much prefer non glued lights but it does not affect buying decisions, I will get it open even if it means total destruction! :laughing:
People who do not mod would probably prefer glued though.

What does it cost to return a flashlight? The possiblity to repair locally can be important and possible a saving for the company and less comlaning :smiley:

I would combine the 5th choice with the 2nd choice.

Maybe something like this :

I don’t like glue on my flashlights, but if the light is good enough I will buy it and force it open later if I need to.

Or better yet, just 2 choices:

1. I hate glued lights.

2. I like glued lights.

Yeah, 2 choices might be better since I am not sure the language barrier will really show the difference with multiple choices.

It depends where you are and the size of the package.

I can send a vhs sized box from the USA USPS Priority Mail to China for about $35 (I just did this). Anything bigger jumps up to $75. So most of the time the seller will not want to cover the return shipping.

For instance, a few of the GT Minis had bad switches. It’s a $35 light. So Neal would not want to cover a $75 return plus mail out a new head. It’s far cheaper for him to just mail a replacement head and you can keep the original in a drawer or something. Maybe use the rubber switch cover if you rip yours, etc…

On a $300 light the manufacturer will probably cover the return shipping cost, or at least part of it, so they can fix your light or just send you a new one and fix the first one later on.

If your in Singapore or nearby it’s fairly cheap to mail things to China.

So it all depends.

I don’t like glued lights, even though I don’t mod any more. But I’m not at all opposed to potted electronics. As long as the the manufacturers are clear on the difference.

Glue is irrelevant. The decision to buy a light is based on the performance/looks/size out of the box.
I may mod it or not. If someone likes it, I give it away or I sell it. Like the song says: wat’s glue got to do with it.

And if the led stops working? You just throw it away?

He is entitled to his opinion. Some people just don’t care about modding or self repair, there is nothing wrong with that.

I was just curious what he does if there is any issue. If throwing away just because of glue, that’s a good reason to not have glue. A big light can be sold for half price maybe and someone else can fix it. A cheaper light can be given away to someone to fix. It’s less wasteful.

It’s great to learn to take apart and learn to solder. Then it opens up new avenues. You can swap leds to get the perfect tint, etc…

No judgment about throwing it away. I’m sure people throw away unglued lights as well.

And it’s also more environmentally friendly.

I always prefer no glue. Usually - that preference is quite strong. In some cases I refuse to buy a light because it’s glued. However in most cases it doesn’t block a purchase.
I wouldn’t be happy to pay extra to have glue-free light - because “If you pay us this small sum we won’t harm your light” seems like a shady deal. I would feel bad about paying the ransom as well as I would about getting a harmed light. If approached with such option, most likely I wouldn’t buy at all.

I feel a bit short changed by the words “just don’t care”. If I buy something, I’d rather whip out a screwdriver than read the manual. I have quite a collection of bits and pieces, even XZN. But I don’t buy things just to warm up my tools. If anything breaks down, I try to fix it. Even if it causes some collateral damage.
If I only buy things I can open and fix, my choice will be limited. And yours will be too.

Support the “Right to Repair” Bill and say No to Glue! Lol

Actually, this is a real thing. Lots of companies go out of their way to make sure their products are not repair friendly, Apple cough cough. They don’t publish schematics, label their circuit boards, offer replacement parts, solder the hard drives in (SSD) to prevent replacing them, even brick devices if an update detects a new component inside. All in the effort to get people to buy new devices instead of fix their existing ones. They try to make it super hard for 3rd party repair people (non Apple) to fix their devices.

Can you imagine if auto makers welded the hoods shut on cars? Then forced you to go to dealers to have them check fluids and make all repairs? Low water level? Tow to dealer. Plus them not offer any parts to fix things. Only dealers are allowed to work on your car. If repair costs are too expensive, just buy a new car and start over. Greedy bastagizes. Eh, it’s just crazy.

We need the Right to Repair law to force companies to allow repairs by 3rd parties. Stop things before they get out of hand.

End rant. :beer:

Also, can’t stand glued lights. Gimme my Convoys to turn into supped up hot rods that melt plastic… :smiling_imp:

Or go a totally different route and make some very unique like a 3500K BLF GT. I’ve had a handful of lights I did emitter swaps on, like my BLF Q8, that turned a once in a while play thing into a light I take with me when I travel.