-New updates to the OP tonight of my nearly completed “Apocalypse Light”.
I have added a pretty good bit to mine recently. I updated it twice today.
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34954
What a nice switch right at the end. 
The head certainly breaks the mold on style. Nicely done.
Thanks man. This competition is a blast. Even if it always ends up costing us all more money and time than we ever thought possible. In my case much much much more time LOL!
Swore I wasn’t going to enter but here I am modding anyway. I’m definitely hooked on modding.
It’s an addiction, pure and simple. I learned that a while back when I started modifying modified lights. lol
And now, I have to learn when to QUIT on a light I build. I keep wanting to fine tune this, re-do that, just a little knurling right there and it’ll be PERFECT! 
I have added the beam shots and some numbers to my thread here.
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34954#comment-823414
My Entry build is completed.
Here >> 3rd Annual BLF Contest - DBSAR's "End Of The World Light" -UPDATES-5 /09/09/2015
Its been used now a few times while camping.
- – As with last years build, i intend to use this build for what i built it for, and not become a dust-collecting shelf queen. I will continue to take photos of it being used on various trips and emergencies. Smile
Now also i am furiously working on to complete the replica of last year’s build for a prize light for this years 3rd Annual BLF Build Contest. I hope to have it completed by Tuesday night with photos.
Just under three days left.
The “improved” replica of my last years build the Steam-Pipe Light for a Prize Light for this years Contest is almost completed! (been quite a few hours work and scrounging of parts, buying components, etc but its mostly completed except for the tail switch. (that will be done tomorrow)
the Prize light is the shiner one on the left) This one has improved circuitry over the original, but the build procedures and parts are much the same. The Glow-tube is shorter and will use even less power than the original, (even though that don’t really matter as its still glowing away on the same AA Alkaline cells when it was built. if AA Lithium primaries are used in the Prize Light’s glow tube it should run for 4 or 5 years or more continuously on one pair of AA L91 Lithium cells.
Who ever wins this light, -place it on your night table or bedroom shelf to have a continuously-glowing light you can find in the darkness if you need in an emergency, or just to go the bathroom at night. My Original has been used for that purpose for a Year and a half now. The Blue glow is very easy to see at night & locate. Its up to you if you wish to keep this as a display piece, or a night user light. I have refined the circuitry to be useful. The side-Lantern light will run for 24 hours on Medium on an average 18650 cell, or 15 days on Low. (both side-lantern and front flashlight have 4-modes including Moonlight) with a 3000mah 18650 cell the side light will give 12 hours of 150+ lumens of lantern light per charge when needed on high. I have tuned this Steam Pipe Light to be the best balance of output & run time as possible from any 18650 cell for most uses you can think of.
UPDATE-Now this prize light is completed! after a few hours tonight i added the tail switch, then ran some testing, and its ready for its new owner. 
Hurry, hurry, hurry!
DBSAR, that looks great, & will go to a very lucky winner.
Only a couple of days left now, best of luck to everyone who has entered. :beer:
Steampunk, the name seems invented just for these lights! Awesome work, mesmerized by all the gleaming brass…
Bumptety bump!
2 days 4 hours.
TL you had better get your name on the list.
…racing against the time…tomorrow evening i’m going for night ride with couple of my friends…i told them i have “new” bikelight…(some velcro will do the “bike holder job”)…just a few finishing touches…
Updates-the Prize light in post #109 is now completed & ready for its new owner! a couple hours work tonight i finished the tail cap switch & ran some tests. Tomorrow night i will upload some new photos.
this evening the night ride did not took place so i still don’t have the beamshots but i still have tomorrow night…anyway, my backyard is always an option so one way or another there will be beamshots 
The competition ends in 6 hours. Please hurry up with the builds and build threads!
Some housekeeping items:
1. Do not touch the posts in your build thread after the deadline. Otherwise judges won't know if the deadline was met or not. You may post additional info to the end of your build thread, but the time stamp of each post will dictate if the post is taken into account when judging or not! (Note that the time stamp will change even if you would fix a small typo in your post)
2. Please allow judges a whole week (7 days) to make the decisions
3. Distribution of prizes will be announced in 48h after the deadline
Good luck everyone!
Edit: Bought some more time.. ;)
The rules as I understand them:
“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?
NEW 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!
Following the guidelines: Did the builder follow the rules and guidelines written in the contest thread?”
My votes
“Hand Made”
• FmC: FmC's Hand Made DIY 2015 comp entry; "WW2 Searchlight". Finished!
FmC nailed the measurables, plus his creativity and presentation aka (fun take) on the whole proccess was/is priceless. (and I think also indirectly taken into consideration)
“Machine Made”
• kralyevski: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/35614
Did I see “home made CNC milling machine” correctly? we may be in the midst of a savant or prodigy
And talk about level of finish, the work on the lathe is a given, but the millwork, and then the glass work and lets not forget the wonderful anodizing job. I see the level of Fit and finish as unmatched.
To me we have a clear winner.
02 lumens
P.S.
As an ending note,
I wonder if we should put an upper limit on the budget for the (parts/materials portion) of contest lights in the future? I would not want to create an incentive to favor bigger and more complicated lights, being voted as “better” thus possibly turning the contest into an arms race. Plus we do have the “B” in BLF explicitly noted as part of our raison d’etre.
Please note that it is a “light” contest not a “documentation” contest, I think we should give non native english speakers some leeway/allowance on verbage. The progress was clearly shown and there there is no doubt about authenticity.
Lets make this the world championships not just the national championships
Thoughts?