anglepoise: first home built light

'Anglepoise'
Home built creations

Philosophy

"I don't like having to 'twist threads' to switch
a light on and off. Easy for the manufacturer, but not necessarily the best solution for the user.......”

“George's drivers, puts the switch where it should be, on the side, and offers dimming, switch lock out, choice of two UI's, and many other great features.”

“ This design works with primary or rechargeable batteries. I use Li-Ion rechargeables, (R-CR123a), and mate them to Luxeon III led’s, from bins TYOH and
UYOJ, to deliver the light.”

“All metal reflectors, either McR-20 or Nuwai's Q3, give me the beam I like, and offer a good balance between flood and throw.”

“Aluminum, and more recently Titanium ,are used for the bodies. Titanium, while slightly heavier, is the most marvelous material for a small EDC flashlight."

'My first home built light'

Like many of us, I have an eclectic collection of lights. Amongst them I have a few good ones, some click, and a few twist. I do not like the ‘twist switch’ lights, but for those that do, McGizmo designs are the benchmark in quality and ingenuity.
But………
I do like a thumb activated body switch. Always have and always will. So when I heard about the possibility of a driver with a small side micro switch soldered ‘on board’ I got excited. Direct drive, regulated drive, I did not care. I just wanted that switch position.

...........................................

Then there appeared for sale a light that used the switch I had heard about. The price was a little out of reach for me at that time and I had read reports on the 'forums' of quality control issues ( long since resolved). Still to this day I have never owned or even handled one of these lights, built by Mr.Bulk, but have seen many pictures and read many posts about them. Apart from the switch, the LC/LH lights are very simple and basic. Nothing wrong with that! The switch, and it's simple but powerful UI, is brilliant in it's design, execution and operation. These features motivated me to see if I could build a light incorporating this switch.

So I set about making my own version with an all metal reflector, further ‘sputtered’ to give more of a flood. I stayed away from knurling as IMHO it is unnecessary in a light where no twisting is involved. Grooved rings felt nice to me with the base groove larger and deeper for a paracord lanyard.

The internal machining of the middle section, housing the ‘board’, was very tricky and time consuming. Getting it right was a challenge but the switch works faultlessly,and is well registered. The black rubber switch cover, with its groove, snaps in like a grommet, and receives the ‘nub’ (red below in pic) of the switch which then locks the cover in place, and registers the driver from revolving. The black switch cover is proud of the body, easily located with the thumb, and ‘locks out’ electronically to avoid accidental activation.

Overall length is 3.33 inches with a weigh, including one r-cr123a battery, of 84 grams. The current LED is a TYOH with a low Vf of
3.4, supplying 1.2 amps.

Probably melt with the current I am putting through it. However it can be replaced in under 5 minutes with
two simple solder connections should it burn out.

Suppliers.

22.00 mm Glass window……….............…Flashlightlens.com
Metal reflector………...........................… The shoppe
Lux III star……………...........................….Mr.Ted Bear
Some electronic ‘bits’…….....................…Georges80
R-CR123 battery ,MP 700……................AW
Nano battery charger……………….....……..AW
Black Rubber switch cover…………...........LED Lenser, Germany.
And others