He is the Master

[saabluster]

My cataract is acting up again. Anyone have a CO2 Laser I can borrow for a few minutes?

In theory I'll have it hooked up late tomorrow night. I'm a total nooby though so need something to practice on. I'd be thrilled for you to have the distinction of being my first subject. :naughty:

Yayyyyyyyyyy Michael! I appreciate you almost every night when I use one of your many lights I bought.

Oh how I have missed you. I almost shot you a message a few weeks ago. For some strange reason that home roasted coffee you sent me was on my mind. It's funny. At the time it seemed ok but I've never been able to shake the experience out of my head. Not soliciting just saying. Thanks again.

Hey remember that LED ablation I did all those years ago on your light? Well in part I am buying a new laser to attempt the same thing but with more repeatability. There is also another key technology it will be used for but it has become clear to me that I need more control over all the factors that go into an LED and...well..Lasers! Development costs for this new generation light engine are now approaching $11,000. Much to the chagrin of my dear wife.

 

[light-modder]

Thanks for that explanation, Michael. I'm still not entirely sure I understand but that's okay, I'll ask more questions when I figure out how to word them. I'm really excited about what your doing.

 

[saabluster]

Got back with my new laser a bit ago. Too beat to do anything with it yet. It's much bigger than I imagined it would be. Going to have to rearrange my tiny shop to fit it in. It's a Boss LS-1416 60 watt co2. Should be enough power for me to wreak some havoc. :naughty:

 

[wimmer21]

Outstanding! We need pics or a video (taken by your wife maybe?). Preferably with my flashlight displayed prominently within the frame. Wait forget that part about my light.... I don't think I would recognize it. :laughing:

 

[saabluster]

Outstanding! We need pics or a video (taken by your wife maybe?). Preferably with my flashlight displayed prominently within the frame. Wait forget that part about my light.... I don't think I would recognize it.

My poor machine got beat up bad. My brother in law and I carried this thing up...ok dragged this thing up to the second floor of my shop. Nearly didn't make it. As it is I have a strained muscle in my arm now. Still working to get it all set up. Tomorrow I have to cut a hole in the wall and make a vent to the outside to vent all the nasty fumes from cutting. If I'm lucky I may just get a test run on it tomorrow.

 

[Alex1234]

I think Michael should try to get every ounce of potential from the xhp35 hi led. I know its a larger led but it really does have good throw charactoristics. 800kcd in a boosted tn42 is very impressive. Thats early deftx numbers in a reflector format. The higher output advantage compensates for the larger die size.

 

[saabluster]

I think Michael should try to get every ounce of potential from the xhp35 hi led. I know its a larger led but it really does have good throw charactoristics. 800kcd in a boosted tn42 is very impressive. Thats early deftx numbers in a reflector format. The higher output advantage compensates for the larger die size.

I can get that light to over 1 million relatively easily. I have bigger plans in store however.

 

[saabluster]

Spent more time on this today and I'm now at a 19% increase. Targeting 29%. This will be first unveiled in a Rev light. It is quite possible it will be a million plus cd. Quality>Quantity

Now at 33%. Expect to be able to get to 38% with more tweaking. And yes I'm being coy. And yes this is the result of only one aspect of my research. When you combine this with other avenues the result is amazing. I know it is for all intents and purposes vaporware ATM but I'm just so excited I had to say something. I do after all have a vapor to matter converter.

 

[wimmer21]

My poor machine got beat up bad. My brother in law and I carried this thing up...ok dragged this thing up to the second floor of my shop. Nearly didn't make it. As it is I have a strained muscle in my arm now. Still working to get it all set up. Tomorrow I have to cut a hole in the wall and make a vent to the outside to vent all the nasty fumes from cutting. If I'm lucky I may just get a test run on it tomorrow.

WOW! I had no idea it would be so big. I thought it would look like this...

Sorry to see that it got scuffed up a bit though... let's just say that it adds character. Thanks for the pic Michael. I hope this investment provides everything you've hoped it will!

 

[saabluster]

WOW! I had no idea it would be so big. I thought it would look like this...

Sorry to see that it got scuffed up a bit though... let's just say that it adds character. Thanks for the pic Michael. I hope this investment provides everything you've hoped it will!

How cool would that be. I am a Trekkie after all. Blue lasers are getting so powerful these days I can envision a day not too far out where something like that would be possible.

Yeah I certainly do hope it can do what I want because if it doesn't I think my wife will have my head.

 

[wimmer21]

How cool would that be. I am a Trekkie after all. Blue lasers are getting so powerful these days I can envision a day not too far out where something like that would be possible.

Yeah I certainly do hope it can do what I want because if it doesn't I think my wife will have my head.

At some point I may need to have a sit-down with the wife to explain how this could all lead to financial security for the Johnson family for generations to come. And even more importantly, how this gargantuan undertaking of monumental proportions could as well lead to utter bliss for myself and thousands (possibly even hundreds) of others.

I really can't stress that second part enough.

 

[saabluster]

At some point I may need to have a sit-down with the wife to explain how this could all lead to financial security for the Johnson family for generations to come. And even more importantly, how this gargantuan undertaking of monumental proportions could as well lead to utter bliss for myself and thousands (possibly even hundreds) of others.

I really can't stress that second part enough.

Putting aside that money is no real security, at least not to the level most people think it is, I really don't ever see myself getting rich at what I do. For several reasons. One I don't care about money. Two I'm a horrible business man. I gave a friend of mine, who incidentally is a business man, a tour of my shop and a glimpse into the development projects going right now. He was blown away and just started seeing dollar signs. Like literally I could see he eyes rolling back going cha-ching cha-ching cartoon style. I told him how hard I am working to create the world's most powerful lights and he kept telling me that if I had any sense I'd hold back some of the technology and slowly release it so that I could have more releases and make people upgrade more. He wanted me to make a dumbed down version I could sell en mass. I of course recognize the wisdom in his words but I have a few problems with it personally.

First off as I mentioned before what I do here is passion. I simply could not send product out my door unless it was in some way unique in the world of flashlights. Best beam quality, longest throw, most output....something. The marketplace is saturated with me-to designs and performance that is, pretty much, all on par with each other. The manufacturers have gotten really good at pushing performance to the edge and leaving little to nothing for the modders to squeak out performance wise. See Vinh's version of the TN42 which only bests the stock light by 11%. I don't mean that as a knock on him. It's just the manufacturers have gotten good. Bravo to them. If beating them by 11% is the best I could do then so be it. But if I could do 20, 30, or 60% better how could I keep this from the community?

The other issue I have with trying to "go big" is that far above my passion for flashlights is my passion of teaching people the truth in the bible and giving my two children the absolute best child rearing I am capable of. They are home schooled by my wife and I. More than just secular schooling though. I am trying to shape them into outstanding people and that is a responsibility I find both immensely satisfying but also immensely sobering. It takes a lot of TIME. I have found many parents fall into faulty reasoning thinking that if they work really hard now it will pay off later and that then in that future personal utopia they will have plenty of money and can therefore spend a lot of time with their kids. But we all know how that ends up. The trade off is too high. The risk to the people who they will become unbearable. I will not sacrifice my kids on the alter of flashlights nor any other. So unless there exists some way to go big and not take more of my time then I'm not going to do it. Not preaching. Just saying.

That's the long version of "no financial security for me". And all that said I tremendously appreciate your vote of support. :thumbsup:

 

[wimmer21]

Sometimes even a wise man can't clearly recognize what's important in life... you clearly do, Michael. Thanks for that glimpse into the mind and heart. The joy you find in the responsibility of caring for and teaching your children is a blessing not all parents embrace.

 

[wimmer21]

O Lost​

"...a stone, a leaf, an unfound door; of a stone, a leaf, a door. And of all the forgotten faces. Naked and alone we came into exile. In her dark womb we did not know our mother's face; from the prison of her flesh we come into the unspeakable and incommunicable prison of this earth. Which of us has known his brother? Which of us has looked into his father's heart? Which of us has not remained forever prison-pent? Which of us is not forever a stranger and alone? ... Remembering speechlessly we seek the great forgotten language, the lost lane-end into heaven, a stone, a leaf, an unfound door. Where? When? O lost, and by the wind grieved, ghost, come back again."
-Thomas Wolfe

 

[saabluster]

O Lost​

"...a stone, a leaf, an unfound door; of a stone, a leaf, a door. And of all the forgotten faces. Naked and alone we came into exile. In her dark womb we did not know our mother's face; from the prison of her flesh we come into the unspeakable and incommunicable prison of this earth. Which of us has known his brother? Which of us has looked into his father's heart? Which of us has not remained forever prison-pent? Which of us is not forever a stranger and alone? ... Remembering speechlessly we seek the great forgotten language, the lost lane-end into heaven, a stone, a leaf, an unfound door. Where? When? O lost, and by the wind grieved, ghost, come back again."
-Thomas Wolfe

Cool. I see you are a man of poetry. As am I. Well I dabble anyway. Most of mine are sappy love poems cause that's the kind of guy I am. Not afraid to admit it. Here's one that is a little more introspective.

 

[wimmer21]

Thank you for that, Michael. I very much enjoy your poem. I am left to ponder.

The excerpt from the Thomas Wolfe writings is one of my favorites... so I thought I would share it here.

 

[vestureofblood]

Thanks guys. It's funny. After rereading my post I am suddenly aware what a nerd I am.

Really? Until just now? LOL! In any case welcome to realizing your in the club.

Putting aside that money is no real security, at least not to the level most people think it is, I really don't ever see myself getting rich at what I do. For several reasons. One I don't care about money. Two I'm a horrible business man. I gave a friend of mine, who incidentally is a business man, a tour of my shop and a glimpse into the development projects going right now. He was blown away and just started seeing dollar signs. Like literally I could see he eyes rolling back going cha-ching cha-ching cartoon style. I told him how hard I am working to create the world's most powerful lights and he kept telling me that if I had any sense I'd hold back some of the technology and slowly release it so that I could have more releases and make people upgrade more. He wanted me to make a dumbed down version I could sell en mass. I of course recognize the wisdom in his words but I have a few problems with it personally.

First off as I mentioned before what I do here is passion. I simply could not send product out my door unless it was in some way unique in the world of flashlights. Best beam quality, longest throw, most output....something. The marketplace is saturated with me-to designs and performance that is, pretty much, all on par with each other. The manufacturers have gotten really good at pushing performance to the edge and leaving little to nothing for the modders to squeak out performance wise. See Vinh's version of the TN42 which only bests the stock light by 11%. I don't mean that as a knock on him. It's just the manufacturers have gotten good. Bravo to them. If beating them by 11% is the best I could do then so be it. But if I could do 20, 30, or 60% better how could I keep this from the community?

The other issue I have with trying to "go big" is that far above my passion for flashlights is my passion of teaching people the truth in the bible and giving my two children the absolute best child rearing I am capable of.

Looks like we both learned something about Michael Jonhson today. I am impressed both at your resolve to keep your family close, and at your continued innovation in the industry. Good lux my friend. :twothumbs

 

[vestureofblood]

The recent developments in the LED industry have ticked me off. I'm looking at you Cree and your silly XPG3.

Your not the only one who is disappointed. The thing I can get over is how bad the beam from the XPG3 and XPL2 are when used in a reflector. The shape is ok, but man is the color blending nasty!

 

[wimmer21]

Really? Until just now? LOL! In any case welcome to realizing your in the club.

Matt, you and Michael aren't actually nerds. The problem is that nonflashlight people just don't realize how cool flashlights are.... yet! After I rescue a litter of puppies from the Ohio River using only my Deft-X-MJ-w21 prototype and some old dental floss I think public perception should begin to swing our way.

 

[tab665]

ive read through the thread a couple times now. so am i correct in thinking the goal is to dissect different LEDs and mash up the best parts and make a Frankenstein LED?