So… apart from flaslights, batteries and chargers, which are the essential things for the hobby to ‘see the light’, what tools, devices, accessories do you buy or have you bought throughout the way?
I see myself as a modder and as a reviewer (if these are acceptable categories within the flashaholism :nerd_face: ), so I’ve bought some stuff for both kind of activities (although I don’t excell in any of them ).
Without entering into much specificities, these are some things I’ve bought since I started being on BLF :money_mouth_face:
Here’s the shortlist:
Integrating device (x3 sphere, box and tube+time setting up, etc)
AC/DC clamp meter
Data logging luxmeter
Digital calipers
Various other tools and accessories (rotary tool bits, drill bits, etc)
Soldering station+accessories, solder, soldering tips
Battery charger (x2)
Many li-ion batteries (18650, 18500, 21700)
Many Nimh A AAA rechargeable
USB tester (x2)
USB cables
USB PD wall chargers (x3 or 4?)
Resistors
Switches
LEDs
Raw materials (copper, aluminum, heat sinks, etc)
Actually I always tell myself that I don’t buy this stuff for flashlights and that I use it for many other things as well. Usually this works quite good.
I’ve been into electronics since I was a kid, so I already had a lot of tools, but nothing related to SMD work.
Reflow Hotplate
Weller Soldering Station, my old iron had to be retired.
Good tweezers
Flush cutters
Solder paste
Liquid and paste flux
Magnetic helping hands
I think that about sums up stuff bought specifically for flashlights.
MB, no hotplate and hot-air station yet? I know a lighter or a frying pan and a soldering iron will do many things, but where’s the fun in that?
For the more exotic stuff, I got myself liquid tape. Keeping it in the fridge, it’s still good after some years. Can be removed easily. Love this stuff. Sure, UV glue, Kapton-tape, the Opple and many other things have been added to my household.
Born in a family of pencil pushers I remember there was always a lot of DIY going on. And when the kids got their own place, the first things that were bought were tools. So my latest addiction did not expand my collectio of tools except:
Set of adjustable reamers
Soldering station
Clampmeter
Luxmeter
USB Tester
And of course I needed chargers, (spare) parts and lots of LED’s.
But that is to be expected, and nothing special. Like buying gas for your car.
luxmeter
better soldering iron, lots of associated tools (tweezers, vise, helping hands, etc.)
some raw materials (copper sheet, copper rod), and snips to cut the sheet
Opple
storage for my lights and equipment
a fold-up desk to work at
hotplate
hot air station
power supply
work light with magnification
dremel
Photo diodes, lux meter, plastic drain pipe, diffusion sheets, a new digatil oscilloscope, data logger, a shorter FL macro lens - And way too many batteries and chargers.
All the Best,
Jeff
Ahah, nop, not yet
I’m still using the soldering iron or my electric stove to do those things (reflows, etc), I’m running out of space at home to store all the things I mentioned above
The liquid tape seems fun! Never heard of it before, but I gotta try it :+1:
I’m liking the thread, more different things to learn about
To those thinking that “it’s just flashlights” we’re proving they’re wrong :student:
Oddly enough, about a dozen craft hole punches of various sizes (to punch out perfect-sized discs of either dc-fix or Zircon 802-804 to apply to my lenses to make my lights floodier or to eliminate green tint.)
Already had the first 2/3 of OP original list from working on electronics and HO slot cars but did add the following for flashlight work;
Hot Air Station
Solder paste
Clamp meter
Light tube
Lux meter
And of course lot of batteries and too many chargers.
Had lots of fun and scored some Hellacious deals because of the mighty BLF and for that I am Happy.
Bought wayyy to many duplicates just because of better tint or diff body color but broke that habit.
Got to ask yourself these ?’s
“Does it do anything exceptionally different from what you already own?”
“Is it brighter by a factor of 10x vs what you have now?” If so, how long does it hold this newfound glory?
and finally,
“What makes me think it won’t just sit on the shelf with the other ”Latest and Greatest” that I got sucked into?
My biggest splurge so far is the Asensetek Lighting Passport spectrophotometer. To be fair I was also doing major lighting projects in three very different homes and needing to assess both ambient light and all sorts of products like GU-10 bulbs, tape lighting, etc. But it sure is nice for flashlights.
).
