Bimmerboy
Flashlight Enthusiast
Perhaps he's been through the desert on an anonymous horse?
Perhaps he's been through the desert on an anonymous horse?
Hi Guy,P.S. So glad to be back
Hi Guy,
Good news :thumbsup:
GL
PS I don't think you actually left, and You have been in our thoughts almost everyday. Thank You for your dedication and hard work to bring this dream come true.
(...)still waiting on delivery of some copper which Im hoping will make it into the next batch too.(...)
(...)p.s. If I ever get a horse, I know what Im gonna call it
and still waiting on delivery of some copper which Im hoping will make it into the next batch too.
Calipsoii,I have to admit, I wasn't sure if you were going to entertain this option, but you have my full attention now.
To anyone also wanting a copper Torpedo - I've been carrying a Maratac Cu on my keychain daily for 9 months now. My impressions:
I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, I'm just relaying my honest opinions of the material as a flashlight body. I love copper and I will be buying a copper Torpedo. I'm even looking at getting a project of my own done in copper, so I have nothing against the metal. I just want to let you know my experiences in case anyone has seen the nice looking pictures but has never used a copper light.
- Copper is heavy as heck. I really can't overstate this. It weighs more than AA lights almost twice it's size.
- It dents *extremely* easily. I drop my keys weekly and every single drop puts a sizeable dent in my flashlight. Particularly concrete - it leaves little pockmarks on the surface. It's a very soft metal that doesn't absorb the force, it just deforms. Keep this in mind when you drop it on the control ring and it deforms and doesn't twist as nicely.
- The threads have a weird feel to them. The easiest way to describe it is "slippery sticky"- they're gritty like titanium while being slippery like brass. You have to give a bit of extra force to start them turning, then they turn very easily with occasional bits of stickiness. I clean them often and oil them with a good quality lube. I've tried different o-rings. Tolerances are good - not sloppy and not too tight. It's definitely the metal. I don't know how this will translate into a control ring.
- You will not get a green patina if you agitate the surface against a fabric pocket, your keys, or your hand - I promise. Maybe if it sits in water or on a shelf, but not while in use. What will happen is you will get polished surfaces with a dark red patina in the knurling. Any patina it builds up over a weekend of non-use will wear off on your hands in 20 minutes.
By the way, it's good to have you back TGWNN.
Thanks Mac, and my pleasure of course!Thanks for the update! The Torpedo is looking good.
Very good to be back... :thumbsup:Welcome back from the dark ages! (or at least that`s where its sounds like you have been)
WOOHOO!
Anonymhorse?
Thanks calipsoli,I have to admit, I wasn't sure if you were going to entertain this option, but you have my full attention now.
To anyone also wanting a copper Torpedo - I've been carrying a Maratac Cu on my keychain daily for 9 months now. My impressions:
I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, I'm just relaying my honest opinions of the material as a flashlight body. I love copper and I will be buying a copper Torpedo. I'm even looking at getting a project of my own done in copper, so I have nothing against the metal. I just want to let you know my experiences in case anyone has seen the nice looking pictures but has never used a copper light.
- Copper is heavy as heck. I really can't overstate this. It weighs more than AA lights almost twice it's size.
- It dents *extremely* easily. I drop my keys weekly and every single drop puts a sizeable dent in my flashlight. Particularly concrete - it leaves little pockmarks on the surface. It's a very soft metal that doesn't absorb the force, it just deforms. Keep this in mind when you drop it on the control ring and it deforms and doesn't twist as nicely.
- The threads have a weird feel to them. The easiest way to describe it is "slippery sticky"- they're gritty like titanium while being slippery like brass. You have to give a bit of extra force to start them turning, then they turn very easily with occasional bits of stickiness. I clean them often and oil them with a good quality lube. I've tried different o-rings. Tolerances are good - not sloppy and not too tight. It's definitely the metal. I don't know how this will translate into a control ring.
- You will not get a green patina if you agitate the surface against a fabric pocket, your keys, or your hand - I promise. Maybe if it sits in water or on a shelf, but not while in use. What will happen is you will get polished surfaces with a dark red patina in the knurling. Any patina it builds up over a weekend of non-use will wear off on your hands in 20 minutes.
By the way, it's good to have you back TGWNN.
Hi Draven,tgwnn,We knew you would be back soon with guns blazing and laser focused to complete this project! I did not realize how tiny the torpedo was until I saw your picture next to the PO. WOW I want one even more - one copper, ti and al
Hi Jabe,Oooo copper.
I'm going to need to start checking in daily now, as this is what I've been hoping for.
GL, I have to admit, I wasn't too sure of the exact alloy/grade but opted for something on the pure side.Calipsoii,
Thank You for your comments and valueable experiences with a copper flashlight! I have never owned one, but have worked extensively with it in my former career.
I would like to add that the control ring does not have to be Copper. It could be a copper body with a SS, Brass, or Titanium ring :shrug:. But your input really does save some time in helping TGWNN design it.
As far as the Patina effect, I totally agree. Any coating or finish applied to the copper to maintain that sheen of freshly cleaned metal would need to have flexability to allow for those dings and scratches. Copper is a wonderful metal. There are several grades available to use to create a light. Just like plumbing has different grades of piping, so does copper stock used to machine from. After Guy gets some protos with it, and some of his own experiences he will be able to persue a copper alloy that will inhibit many of the downfalls you have mentioned. I too would like to see one available to buy. Fingers crossed that any protos made will survive his high standards of quality .
GL
@Got Lumens
Hopefully I didn't come across as too negative, because I really do like copper and I'm looking forward to TGWNN (hopefully) offering it as an option. I just wanted to share my experiences both with him and everyone else since I've carried a solid copper AAA light extensively.
I should add one more thing - knurling doesn't hold up as well as metals like Alu or Ti. Getting rubbed against your other keychain tools flattens it down and smooths it out:
Hi Guy,Thanks calipsoli,
Really appreciate the detail of "what to expect".
Not sure that copper is for everyone but as it wont be needing anodizing, Im certainly happy to accomodate.
Silver looks to be the only step up from copper in terms of heat dissipation and conductivity (oh and price too).
GL, I have to admit, I wasn't too sure of the exact alloy/grade but opted for something on the pure side.
Hopefully that works.
tgwnn
I think a Copper Torpedo with a Brass control ring would be optimal. The mix of Copper and Brass would give it a "steampunk" look.
Calipsoii, that Maratac looks fantastic with the wear and patina!
Hi Guy,
That's where we come in .
Other users input :thumbsup:
I agree with everything Calipsoli has said and posted. Think of it like steak knives. One that is made from say Steel, versus one with stainless 308, versus one with stainless 35V. The cost of an alloy outweighs the cost of replacing worn out parts, or having them not look as you would like after a 6 month carry in a pocket. Proceed with what you have. The purer the copper, the more it will wear as Calipsori has said. Of course there are other factors also like heat dispersion that need to be calculated as well. Copper, unfortunately does not heat treat like other metals. So in order to get that wear resistant quality, more testing and evaluation of copper alloys would be desired. I'd like to claim some dibs on these early copper prototypes . They will definately be a collectors item.
GL
I was away, under water (metaphorically), battling against time, slaying dragons, crossing deserts and all of the above.