Welcome to the 12th Annual Old Lumens challenge!
CONTEST DURATION:
This year’s contest has officially started as of Tuesday September 24th 2024 and ends January 1st 2025, for a total duration of 99 days.
WHAT IS THE OLD LUMENS CHALLENGE?
This is a contest which challenges BLFers to build a lighting device from scratch! All skill levels are welcome!
For the history of this contest, and to view all previous contest threads and entries, check out the Old Lumens BLF Contest Archive 2013 - 2023.
CONTEST RULES:
You may enter a single build into one of the following three categories: (you are allowed to change categories during the contest)
- Hand Made (Basic Tools)
Your light must be made from scratch.
You must make a build thread, show images, and explain the build as it progresses towards completion.
No outside services are allowed.
Entries should be portable and battery operated.
All small hand tools are acceptable, as well as these power tools:
Soldering irons and other heating equipment
Electric drill / drill press
Dremel style rotary tool
Routers and planers
Electric saws
Disc or belt sanders
You may use some manufactured flashlight components: reflectors and other optics, drivers, LEDs and MCPCBs, O-rings, centering rings, springs, switches, switch boots, and pocket clips.
You may use any PCB whether you designed it or not, and you may acquire it from Osh Park or elsewhere.
You may use any firmware or code whether you wrote it or not.
You may not use manufactured flashlight parts such as a bezel, head, pill or drop-ins, body, or tail cap.
All kinds of raw materials can be used: sheet metal, wire, tubing and pipe, metal and plastic containers, bottles and jars, extrusions, wood, plastics, fabrics, epoxy, glass, stone, leather, rubber, etc.
- Machine Made (Advanced Tools)
Your light must be made from scratch.
You must make a build thread, show images, and explain the build as it progresses towards completion.
No outside services are allowed.
Entries should be portable and battery operated.
All manually operated and computer controlled machine tools are allowed, such as:
Lathes
Milling Machines
3D Printers
As well as all hand tools and other fabrication equipment.
You may use some manufactured flashlight components: reflectors and other optics, drivers, LEDs and MCPCBs, O-rings, centering rings, springs, switches, switch boots, and pocket clips.
You may use any PCB whether you designed it or not, and you may acquire it from Osh Park or elsewhere.
You may use any firmware or code whether you wrote it or not.
You may not use manufactured flashlight parts such as a bezel, head, pill or drop-ins, body, or tail cap.
All kinds of raw materials can be used: sheet metal, wire, tubing and pipe, metal and plastic containers, bottles and jars, extrusions, wood, plastics, fabrics, epoxy, glass, stone, leather, rubber, etc.
- Modified Light: (Anything Goes!)
You must show us something that was made or modified by you and how it was done.
You can make a new thread or link to a mod you have posted on BLF within the stated time frame of the contest.
You can build or modify by any means at your disposal and your mod can also be some form of self built flashlight attachment(s), clips, lanyards, paracord wraps, pouch, or other related paraphernalia.
If your build breaks the rules of the other categories, you may enter it in this category.
HOW TO ENTER:
Create an appropriately titled build thread in the Giveaways and Contests forum category.
Please include your username, the name of the contest, and which category you are entering. (You may change categories if you wish.)
Reply to this thread with the link so that the organizers can add your build to the list of entries.
Links to mods may also be entered by replying to this thread.
All entries will be listed in post #2 of this thread.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND CONCERNS:
Feel free to reply to this thread. If you wish for a private exchange, please PM The_OL_Contest account.
JUDGES:
Contest organizers will solicit BLF members in order to find judges. The identities of the judges are not revealed.
JUDGING CRITERIA: (may be subject to changes)
Up to 10 points are awarded in each of the following five categories:
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Skill Level / Build Quality: Judged with consideration to the person’s access to tools, materials and abilities. Is the finished build functional looking good? Was it difficult to make? Was the craftsmanship top notch with the tools used?
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Uniqueness / Inventiveness / Innovation: Is the light unique, one of a kind, or does it operate in a special way? Can something similar be readily purchased? Were new technical innovations introduced? Were new firmware, drivers, or PCBs created?
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Build Thread Quality: Did the contestant do a good job of showing and explaining the steps involved in the build? Were the difficulties encountered along the way documented and resolved? Was it easy to follow along?
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Shown Operational: Did the contestant show the light operating, describe its functions, take beam shots, videos, etc.?
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Subjective Evaluation / Bonus Points: The judge may assign these points at their discretion.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS:
There’s more than one way to win! In addition to the official judgement, a thread will be created which contains a poll, and the BLF community will vote for their favorite build. This poll will run for fourteen days. Contest participants may vote for other entrants but not for themselves.
PRIZE SELECTION:
The winner of the Hand Made category has 1st choice of prize, followed by winner of the Machine Made category, followed by winner of the Modified Light category.
Runner up of the Hand Made category has the 4th choice of prize, followed by runner up of the Machine Made category, followed by runner up of the Modified Light category. Prize selection will continue in this way as long as any prizes are left to award.
A special prize will be awarded to the winner of the people’s choice awards.
SPONSORS AND PRIZES:
On behalf of the BLF community, THANK YOU for your generosity!
ACEBEAM is offering two of their newly released TAC 2AA (Blue version)! ACEBEAM says it is the brightest 2AA LED Flashlight yet, and that they are the first manufacturer of portable lighting tools to use the Luminus SFT25R 6500K HI LED in mass production. Sweet!
BRINYTE has generously offered two PT16A (Outdoor Kit) flashlights, and also two ZT40 flashlights! The ZT40 is unreleased as of now and will be available in January of 2025.
Convoy has contributed two 3X21D SBT90.2 flashlights to the prize pool! (3x P42A cells included with each light). Thanks Simon, for showing up to the party with the big beamers once again!
Our friends at FLASHLIGHTGO.COM are offering a Jetbeam E26 SFT40, you choose the color! Awesome, thank you FLASHLIGHTGO!
Nealsgadgets is offering an NLIGHTD L2 Copper LEP flashlight, and also an NLIGHTD E1 Aluminum with SFT25R LED, and also an NLIGHTD E1 Aluminum with Nichia 519A(4500K,3500K,3000K)! The E1 is the LED version of the L2. Wow, thanks Neal! These are some handsome lights.
