yeah but, i had a screwdriver in my hand in like 1st grade or somethingā¦ā¦messing with boy stuff like kids do
anybody can run a screw in by hand that only needs a few rounds to get tight ?
what am i missing here ?
Thanks, I have determined that is just me and the learning curve of using the driverā¦ :confounded:
I feel I am missing your point. Are you assuming the TF workers are screwing all these lights together by hand? Iām sure their wrists would be numb very quickly. Iām guessing they are using some sort of electric driver. Probably one with no torque limiting built in or set too high just to make sure it gets tight.
Maybe the person that ordered the screws is not experienced and ordered the wrong thread or a too soft material?
IDK, like I said, itās just something to think about. Not to nitpick or dispute, just food for thought. You donāt have to swallow it if it doesnāt taste good. Lol
Since this thread is kind of quiet right now I will extrapolate a little bit.
Letās take a company like Sony for example. Letās look at their television division. Now they have been building TVs for literally decades that have always used lots of tiny little screws. So they have learned from trial and error over many years as what quality level of screws to purchase as well as what proper tools they need to assemble the TVs without over torqueing or under torqueing each and every screw. The workers are properly trained and all work is inspected by automated machines that can photograph and recognize any screws that may be crooked, not screwed in fully or has a stripped head. They recognized it, find the cause of the issue and correct it quickly. (This is me making up an example, as Iāve never built TVs for Sony)
Thorfire is not even close to this level as far as assembly line procedure, equipment, training or quality control inspection.
Maybe they have an outdated machine that runs in multiple screws at once or more likely they are run in one by one by a person with not so great equipment.
It is a shame TF did not have a person who saw the stripped screws and said, āHey, letās get this corrected and do a better overall jobā. Again, the mentality in China is more like āAs long as itās tight and wonāt loosen over time, then itās good enoughā.
Trying to change a whole peoples mentality to something is very hard to do. While some customers might have expected perfection, most realize that it might have a few little issues, but no big deal.
It reminds me of the 80ās movie Gung Ho where a Japanese company buys an American auto plant and expects the American workers to work hard and have all these high levels of quality and instead we slack off, take long breaks and throw the parts together like we always have and end up with cars full of defects. Ha ha, kind of the opposite situation we have with the Q8.
Something in the back of my mind suggests Thorfire is really not a manufacturing company of lights. Outsourcing the production and even the assembly. Other than making requirements they may not be in direct control of anything.
I mean there are several of their lights that are exactly the same as other brands. Kinda like Astrolux, Manker and Mateminco.
My TF BD04 is identical to the Convoy BD04. Amutorch sells a VG10. I can only think none of these places actually produce the products they sell and put their name on.
Anyone been on a Thorfire Factory tour? 
Example: Olight is a real flashlight manufacturing company. They may outsource the drivers and programming but the machining and assembly is in house. They are in control of quality. They have QC and pull parts and test lights through production. Hmmm, I donāt own an Olight. OK, now I remember why not. Almost talked myself into one.
I tried my best with what I have available, cell phone cam. Couldnt get my bro to come hold the lights for me, no dice. Funny thing, When I lit up the whole park with the BLF Q8, groups of stoners scattered like cockroaches. Pictures no way do it justice 
Just a reminder, quoting the decision stated ā from the recent edits to the original (first) post:
The Q8 modding topic has existed for 2 months now. It was started because those who had seen the prototypes could have started thinking right away how the lights could be impoved ā modified ā modded ā beyond the spec set for the group buy, as indeed they can be.
I agree, we need beamshots, good beamshots to change this sad wave which dominates the thread :+1:
Thanks XCentrino, but I foud better in classic style, without thumbs
In case that is in reference to me, Iām more talking about the manufacturering process and how things might have happened.
Anyway, about TF and whether they are a manufacturing company or not, the Miller has showed us videos of the aluminum bodies being machined. I think they are a manufacturer, but of course itās not cost effective for one company to build all the components. We know Thorfire sends out the bodies to a separate company to have it coated. We know the mcpcb are from a different company. Thatās all I can remember for sure.
The Miller might know if they make and program the drivers themselves or if they outsource that. They obviously donāt do everything, like Olight, but they do more than other companies like Convoy. Simon is a very small company and has almost all parts outsourced and then he and a few workers assemble, test and ship out. So Iād say TF is in the middle of those two extremes.
As Iāve said before, thereās a lot of mysteries here. We need to send a spy over to get the real scoop. Lol
I guess everyone perceives things differently. This thread doesnāt feel sad to me at all. Itās interesting! :+1:
> In case that is in reference to me ā¦
Nope, I meant it as a public reminder to myself: Miller asked us to go over to the āModdingā thread for further discussion about the screws.
He started that thread on my nudge as he quotes my suggestion about starting the thread in the first post there. Two months ago, notably.
We knew weād be taking the lights apart, and would be finding ways of improving them beyond the stock product ā LEDs and drivers always get better over time.
Presumably most people at TF knew that also, and letās hope the companyās managers are learning from that discussion focused, focused I say, on modifying the Q8.
āā¦ and make it better ā¦.ā
Yeah this I agree on.
xCentrino, nice shots, like that way of posting too.
Gotta take a serious look at imgur
Took my Q8 camping, WOW! Went to an open field at least a few hundred feet across and it lit up the whole area. Using the Q8 for up close stuff doesnāt do it justice. Also, I recommend the Fenix AOD-L diffuser. The Q8 became a great adjustable lantern with the diffuser on top.
About who makes what and HKW it all connects.
I know a lot more now then when we started, but a lot of info I have been given confidentially, all like to keep their cards close to their chest.
This is what I can share.
It is true Thorfire is bigger then Convoy.
Convoy is small which can be hard for Simon, in case Convoy wants to use production facilities and a bigger order comes in for another company Simon has to wait.
Of course Convoy comes up as partner each project but J-Dub74 does awesome things with Convoy already with a lot of BLF input and that is already pushing Convoy to the max in terms of lights/adaptations/add ons.
Can you say if the machining videos you posted were actually from TF?
I was lead to believe they were.
You guys complain about screws in 40$ light.
When I opened my Acebeam k40m, screws were like made of plasticine. I had to replace them all at once.
Mike
I donāt know if anyone is complaining, more like surprised or disappointed a little bit. No big deal.
And the mail lady brought the first ordered Q8!
Packaging good, no āhappy cardā but the orings switch cover and manuals are all present.
Very nice to see the cheat sheet in real life!
Overall outside look, good, nice a stock black, gonna keep it this way.
LEDs centered well.
Clean lens and reflector.
Screws look decent.
Driver screws are lower then brass ring so no way a cell can touch them.
Switch LEDs work fine, a little brighter then prototype, even.
Light out the front has same nice tint, beamprofile and brightness as prototype.
Nice!
Now for fun gonna check shipping status in a little bit 
^This!
I donĀ“t care much about the screws really b/c itĀ“s unlikely that I will ever open my light and/or driver compartment at all, but seeing that stripped screw head is just painful to anyone who knows what a pain it can be to get such a sripped screw out and how easy it is with the proper equipment to tighten a screw properly.
K.