# The new and LAST USL build update thread!



## bwaites (Apr 13, 2008)

This is a continuation of this thread:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/144849

Bill


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## LuxLuthor (Apr 15, 2008)

A special word of appreciation for JS (and any others) spending their time and money working this out. You don't see contributions like this much anymore. Let us know if you need help. :thumbsup:


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## js (Apr 16, 2008)

OK. The build parts have landed! We have ignition!

I'm trying to find my notes from the last build. I was sure I wrote down the ideal wire lengths to cut, but I can't frigging find any notes, if I did make them. Grrrrrrr.

One minor thing missing, Bill, and that's the set screw for the can for Soundbox's light, but I'll just buy one from the stock room at work, assuming it isn't some wierd size or something. If it is, mail me out a set screw ASAP.

Oh, and . . . the *cough* . . . um . . . the ah, Lumens Factory A2 lamp? It doesn't work at all. I installed it in my A2 and noticed that the lamp was way off center, and it didn't look like the picture on the LF website. Then when I turned on the A2, nada, zip, zero. So either it was defective to begin with or got damaged at some point along the way. I took it out and noticed that the lamp is loose in the fixture. It doesn't look very well made, not like the picture(s) I saw. Was it a proto-type LA? Was it working when you sent it to me?

In any case, it's really too bad because I was looking forward to trying it out.

Ah well. No time for that now. Build, build, build. Starting now.

Bill,

One more question: I presume none of these packs has been charged? I'll cycle and form Soundbox's USL if this is so, and leave the rest of them for you to form.


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## cnjl3 (Apr 16, 2008)

Regarding your comment about the new A2 lamp - what a bummer! I already have one of FMs strion kit and it works very very well and I was waiting to see a side by side comparison with the stock lamp, FM strion kit and this new LF A2 option. I hope you are right that your A2 failure was only a failed proto-type - only time will tell.



js said:


> Oh, and . . . the *cough* . . . um . . . the ah, Lumens Factory A2 lamp? It doesn't work at all. I installed it in my A2 and noticed that the lamp was way off center, and it didn't look like the picture on the LF website. Then when I turned on the A2, nada, zip, zero. So either it was defective to begin with or got damaged at some point along the way. I took it out and noticed that the lamp is loose in the fixture. It doesn't look very well made, not like the picture(s) I saw. Was it a proto-type LA? Was it working when you sent it to me?
> 
> In any case, it's really too bad because I was looking forward to trying it out.
> 
> ...


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## js (Apr 16, 2008)

OK. Good start all things considered. Soundbox's USL is half complete. I was going to RTV the pack assy in place, so it could dry overnight, but then I realized that it would be very difficult to get the set screw into the can once the can was permanently recessed into the body! So, I'm going to get 10 set screws tomorrow and continue with this tomorrow night.

I recalled to mind the procedure and tricks that I used and had already picked up some of the .062 dia solder I needed to tin the ends of the teflon covered wire, and I'm almost zeroed in on the exact lengths of things, so I will start the assembly line process once Soundbox's USL is complete and I'm sure I've got things down again.

Soundbox (or Bill),

One issue: I have your Triton, but there isn't a power supply. Do you already have a power supply? I seem to remember ordering you and some other people a Twinfly switcher, which I sent to Bill. Bill, do you have Soundbox's power supply? What's the deal? And what connector should I put on the Triton power cord? Right now its got those mondo-big alligator clips for grabbing lead acid car battery terminals. Let me know what to do.


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## bwaites (Apr 17, 2008)

Jim,

I didn't try the LA in one of my lights, I have several, so I'll try a different one and make sure it works. These were actually FM's products, not Lumen Factory.

Soundbox doesn't have a power supply on my order list. If that is not correct, let me know and I'll get one out ASAP. I didn't cut the alligators because I had no idea what power supply he was going to use or if he planned on a car battery.

You are correct on the packs. I will condition them when I get them back, just prior to mailing. I have several lights finished as well, and I am conditioning those packs.

Bill


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## Minimoog (Apr 17, 2008)

Thank you for the update - it has cheered me up no end to see my light is on the way to being completed.

JS and Bill, no, I was not down for a power supply for my USL as I was already down for one on the first M6-R build, and I was going to use that one, but I am not sure what happened there as I think the M6 was cancelled and perhaps the supply was not ordered.

If not, then I will need a supply. Please can you tell me what I need and how much, and then I can sort out the funds.

Thank you, Ian


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## js (Apr 17, 2008)

Ian,

I'll take care of it. Do not worry about any extra funds.

Bill,

Ah . . . I see, right, FM LA. That makes sense.

OK, as for the power supply, if you have one of the 12V 13A twinfly switcher with the inner switch to allow you to go to the UK voltage, then, yes, send it on out. But if all you have are the much heavier linear supplies, I'll just order a switcher from MPJA.

Let me know.


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## js (Apr 17, 2008)

Ian/Bill,

You know, I'm almost 100 percent sure I ordered one of those power supplies for Soundbox. I'll check my notes to be sure, but I'll bet that they will indicate that I one of the TF's I ordered was for Soundbox. If so, that means Bill has it, as he was the one who was originally going to be sending out the order.


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## bwaites (Apr 17, 2008)

js and Ian, no problem, I can get a power supply in the mail.

js, I'll also send along the new lamp socket.

Bill


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## js (Apr 17, 2008)

Bill,

Thanks! But, really, don't go out of your way on the FM LA or anything.

Everyone,

The stock room had the set screws and they are all installed. I tried the charging pigtail connector length on Soundbox's USL, and, sadly, I made it too short. Definitely too short. And then I remembered my benchmark for length on that component. Too late. Ah well, no problem, I am going to remove the charging connection and reattach it, and make a note of the proper lengths for the wires on the charging pigtail connections.

Here is a picture of Soundbox's USL getting it's very first charge (awwww). And, yes, Ian, that's your shiny new Triton charger in the picture--I added the large Molex connector to it, and will do the same to your power supply when it comes, and I'm also throwing in an auto adaptor cable, which uses the same connection setup (so you can power your Trition in your auto). You can also see the nicely machined cans which hold the ceramic GY6.35 sockets, and some switches, and an empty red USL body and a bare USL pack. And of course, note the Fluke multimeter to the right. Only very, very cool people such as myself own Flukes. :devil:

Seriously, though, I'm probably not going to do much more tonight, although I may re-do Soundbox's charging pigtail depending on how much longer I stay online and what my wife is doing. But, no worries, I feel fairly confident that I can turn these around in the weeks time that I promised everyone.

Oh, yeah, so here's the picture:


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## Minimoog (Apr 18, 2008)

Thank you JS - talk about above service - REALLY appreciate your help 

Getting excited now!

Ian


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## paulr (Apr 18, 2008)

Wow, we are in the home stretch! Thanks to Bill and JS for their amazing perseverance with this difficult project.


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## dmdrewitt (Apr 18, 2008)

I've searched for the thread which had a table in it will everyones name, and what they had ordered, and what they had paid, but I can't seem to locate it. Could somone post a link in this thread please :candle:


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## Codeman (Apr 18, 2008)

The list used to be here. After asssuming moderator responsbilities on another forum in November, I just didn't have time to maintain the list any more. I don't know if Bill has posted it somewhere else or not.

It's good to see things moving along!


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## dmdrewitt (Apr 18, 2008)

Codeman said:


> The list used to be here. After asssuming moderator responsbilities on another forum in November, I just didn't have time to maintain the list any more. I don't know if Bill has posted it somewhere else or not.
> 
> It's good to see things moving along!



Thank you. I was searching under threads started by bwaites - hence not finding this one!!

Bill, would it be possible to post the table in this thread just to keep things in one place as the project comes to a close. I am sure it would be helpful to others to see what they ordered too.

Thanks in advance

David


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## bwaites (Apr 18, 2008)

David,

I'm not quite sure how to post that table. I'll see if I can figure out how to do it and then post it. 

Codeman is MUCH more computer savvy than I and that list was actually a piece of a much larger spreadsheet that he kept for me. I THINK I can cut some and paste it here, but I'm not sure.

On top of that, there is a bunch of information there that isn't pertinent to the remaining build, it's a bit confusing to say the least. I'm not sure I can weed out that part of it.

I'll give it a try. 

Bill


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## js (Apr 18, 2008)

Bill and/or Codeman,

I can take responsibility for the new list and post it here. I'm not super computer savvy, but I can do that much.

What I need from you, Bill, is exactly what has changed since the last list Codeman posted. And if some info is irrelevant, let me know that as well and I will not show it.


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## js (Apr 18, 2008)

And I guess I need the list from Codeman or you Bill, since it doesn't appear in that thread linked to above. Or did I miss it?


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## Codeman (Apr 18, 2008)

The list that I had didn't have any indication of who had received their USL and who hadn't. Bill handled that info. Plus, it might be out of date since folks may have contacted Bill since then with changes.


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## js (Apr 18, 2008)

Ray,

OK. Got it. So, Bill, email me all the relevant info and I will post it here.


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## js (Apr 19, 2008)

OK guys. I'm up, I'm going to make some coffee and relax for half an hour, then I'm starting in on USL building. I plan on finishing all the internals (the pack assy's) today and RTV'ing them in place to dry overnight so I can finish building all USL's tomorrow. Last night I prepped the packs for the solder connections I will make, and Soundbox, your pack took its forming charge as expected and I will be cycling it today to verify performance, then I will actually do some field testing of it--maybe I'll even take a few beamshots! The USL is pretty awesome in action, that's for sure, and it's been a while since I've used one, as I gave my personal USL away for the cause a year and a half ago.

So . . . I'll check back in at the end of the day to report on my progress. Have a good day everyone.


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## js (Apr 19, 2008)

On schedule. I finished all 10 USL internals and installed them into the bodies, and glued the pack assy's in place. So, tomorrow, I will solder the switch lead wires onto the switch leads, and snap them in place, and pack up all the USL's to mail back to Bill on Monday. (Well, 9 of them, actually, 'cause one is Soundbox's)

Oh, and Bill, I gave all packs a 100 mAh of charge, as some of them were getting too low for comfort (10 volts or slightly less). And Soundbox's pack, which I formed and cycled, delivered 1750 mAh at .9 amp discharge rate, with a very good MPV (approx 1.25 IIRC). Tomorrow I will measure voltage under the full load of the 62138 and see how it does for its first "real" cycle. Should be fun . . . :devil:

So, Soundbox, I'm waiting on your power supply, but I won't wait long. Either I'll get it right away, or I'll send out your order with a 12VDC 5A supply that will tide you over until we can send you out the 12V 13A one. The 5A supply is plenty powerful enough for charging your USL. You only need a 13A supply if you want to charge like 20 cell packs at very high rates. The 5A supply needs an IEC cord, available at any computer or electronics store. If you bring them the power supply they will be able to figure it out in a jiffy. And it will have the appropriate UK plug on the other end of it. For your 13A supply, I will either get a UK cord, or I will get an adaptor for a US cord. So, probably, say, Wednesday? Or Friday at the latest.

Bill, when did you mail out Ian's 12V 13A supply? Or will it go out Monday?


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## plasmaman (Apr 20, 2008)

Codeman said:


> The list that I had didn't have any indication of who had received their USL and who hadn't. Bill handled that info. Plus, it might be out of date since folks may have contacted Bill since then with changes.


 
Bill - could you please send whatever info you have on the buyers list to JS asap? 
It seems he is doing all this without knowing who the lights are being built for!

JS - are you going to ship the lights to the buyers?
Presumably there is a build list you are working to?

There are folks out there who have waited patiently on this - it would be good to confirm after all this time, who is getting what, particularly as Codeman's list is no longer showing.

Thanks again JS for helping to rescue this situation.


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## js (Apr 20, 2008)

plasmaman said:


> Bill - could you please send whatever info you have on the buyers list to JS asap?
> It seems he is doing all this without knowing who the lights are being built for!
> 
> JS - are you going to ship the lights to the buyers?
> ...



plasmaman,

Except for Soundbox, all I am building is the USL body itself, and once completed, this gets sent back to Bill, who installs the head and tailcap, gives the light a forming charge and some cycling, and packs it up with lamps and power supply and charger and charging cable and spare whatever elses, and ships it off.

I don't need a list to do what I'm doing. I only offered to _post_ the list here, as Bill seemed to me to imply that he wasn't sure how he'd go about doing that.

As for helping, you're all most welcome! I'll be glad to build more, as needed. But I would maybe prefer a different word than "rescue". The main thing that Bill has needed to be rescued with wasn't building or shipping or anything like that, but rather finding a supply of _reliable high current AA cells_. All along this is what has held everything up, --for the most part, anyway. So, I would say that I am helping to "expedite" the situation, now that we have some battery packs.


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## bwaites (Apr 20, 2008)

This is the list.

There is one exception to this list, and I am crosschecking some info on it and will add it as soon as I check that info, it is spot 50. If you are waiting an are not on this list, it is because I have not received the info requested in this thread:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/136293

I also have 7 lights built and currently cycling. So we have 20 lights built or almost built and cycling. 

Jim has the 9 lights under Bobbo, plus Soundbox's, I believe.

The No GUARD USL's require a special piece to work, as the wall is too thin at the switch to grab the switch locators. They will be completed last, since assembly is completely different than the others.

4. WB---Waiting for new version of Triton
17. Dynacolt 
19. Glo In Dark 
31.1, 31.2, 31.3 Bobbo, MJLED Minimag winner (completed by Bill, old packs pulled to be replaced by new packs, replaced, and cycling)
33. MikeF
34. dmdrewitt
36. Mark65
37. jte
41. RobinB
43. paulr
46. Fleshlite
47, 47.1 chasm22
48. Flashlightgordon
49. ddaadd
50. Westy
54. Will7079
55. Jerimoth
56. ths11
57.1, 57.2 Fat_Tony
63. mst3k
66. tanasit
68. Darkgear
69. rdh226
71. revv11
72.1, 72.2, Carpe Diem --- Waiting for evaluation of new cells
73. Trashman
74. Brightscouter
75. wantthatlight
77. Soundbox
78. editedby

No Guard USL’s
6.1 plasmaman
6.2 lightlust
39. DaveNagy
44. J Oei--Waiting for new cell evaluation
50. Mad Maxabeam
61. Sakugenken

js, the power supply will go out tomorrow, along with a WORKING socket and lamp, (I just double checked it to make sure it works!)

Bill


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## plasmaman (Apr 20, 2008)

Thank Bill and JS for the updates and the list - I did actually think that JS was building the complete lights....
Well we are moving forwards.

Bill - I purchased 6.1 from addicted matt, who in turn bought it from BVH.
See post #203 here

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/144849&highlight=usl&page=7

You acknowledged by email to me on 19 Sept 07.

John


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## bwaites (Apr 20, 2008)

plasmaman, I have corrected the list above, which I essentially copied from the previous build list.

YOUR sheet of information was, however, in the build file, which has a sheet for each purchaser, stapled to any previous purchaser's sheet who sold their place. 

That is how I keep track of the changes, since it got to be too much to correct it in all the different online lists.

Bill


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## Dynacolt (Apr 20, 2008)

Hi Bill, I couldnt see my name on your latest list (I'm at number 17).
Hoping you can clarify,

Thanks,

Dave.


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## bwaites (Apr 20, 2008)

To keep this thread open for actual build questions, please PM me with corrections for the list.

Dynacolt, got it, thanks!


Bill


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## js (Apr 20, 2008)

Finshed. 10 USL's completed.

I will pack them up and send them out Monday, most likely, although if things get tight on Monday and I work late and etc. etc., I might wait to send them out until Tuesday. But I don't see that happening. They'll probably go out on Monday.


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## Dynacolt (Apr 21, 2008)

bwaites said:


> Dynacolt, got it, thanks!



Thanks Bill.

Dave.


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## RobinB (Apr 21, 2008)

A while ago, we had options what we're able to buy and what the premium would be, i.e., a thermal probe, additional reflectors, bulbs, battery packs?, etc..
I'd be really happy to see an updated version with all the stuff we can order with it (and what's in stock).

Also, what is the expected shipping cost to Europe (UK or Germany)? Might it be sensible to send several USLs in one packet (i.e., if two or more orders are for London)?


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## bwaites (Apr 21, 2008)

RobinB,

There are no options if they weren't ordered with the original packet. Sometimes I can shift colors, etc, but otherwise, all the parts have been ordered and are in stock.

I will be ordering a few more temperature probes, but they aren't particularly useful with the USL because of the way the packs are built and secured. 

As for shipping several lights in one box, I have grave misgivings about doing that because right now the Postal Service has lost one complete USL package, and a package which had $600 dollars in batteries in it. Both were insured, and the Postal service is refusing to pay the insurance because both were shown as delivered to the correct address. 

IF 2 buyers want to assume the risk themselves, I will be happy to ship them together to try to save on some costs, but remember that the value then might tip into the import tax realm. 

As for shipping cost, I have no idea until the packages are shipped depending on the shipping instructions I am given from the buyer. The last package I sent to London cost around $45 US, but I don't remember the method, ie. Air Parcel Post, Priority, etc.

Bill


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## js (Apr 21, 2008)

Bill (and everyone),

The USL's went out today via USPS priority mail with delivery confirmation. I sent them to the same address I've always used for you, Bill. I hope that's correct. If not, you'll have to intercept them there.


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## bwaites (Apr 22, 2008)

Powersupply for Soundbox and the new socket and lamp went out today, to you, Priority Mail also.

Bill


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## js (Apr 24, 2008)

Soundbox,

Due to a mailing label switch, I still don't have your power supply, but it will be here tomorrow or Saturday according to Bill.

Bill,

Did you get the USL's yet?


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## bwaites (Apr 24, 2008)

Got to work this morning and they had arrived, must have gotten here late yesterday.

I will be out of town from this afternoon through late Saturday night, but will get these packaged up and mailed out next week, as soon as I can put a couple conditioning charges on them. I will start conditioning as soon as I get back Saturday night, and should be able to start shipping lights on Tuesday.

Bill


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## js (Apr 28, 2008)

Bill and/or Soundbox,

*I NEED THE SHIPPING ADDRESS FOR SOUNDBOX'S (IAN'S) ORDER*. I believe he has moved since he originally paid via paypal, right?

Either way, I need to know. Everything is ready to go, but I don't know where to send. Please advise.


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## bwaites (Apr 28, 2008)

Jim,

I'll check when I get home tonite.

Due to some people moving and not remembering their lights are still pending, I now email everyone before I address their boxes and double check the address. There will be some emails going out tonite!

Bill


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## modamag (Apr 29, 2008)

Bill/Jim,

I offered to be the last to shipped. But I'm not on the list nor have I received any email confirmation. Please look into this.


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## bwaites (Apr 30, 2008)

Modamag,

I've got yours! You're not on the list because yours is a "set aside."

I've been trying to get ahold of you for 3 weeks for another item!

Send me an email if you still have mine, or a PM if not, evidently the email I have for you doesn't work.

js, email sent earlier. CPF has been impossible for me since at least Sunday. I get on, it boots me off when I change screens, or it just refuses to load.

Bill


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## js (May 3, 2008)

Soundbox,

You're order went out Friday via Priority mail and should arrive in 6 to 10 days. The blue masking tape on the head indicates the approximate point to screw the head down to after you have installed the lamp (I removed it for shipping--it's in the box with the black dots on each side. The other lamps are unopened and sealed). The NiMH battery type on the Triton has all the parameters set for charging the USL.

Bill,

Do you have a link to detailed instructions? Or do you have a pdf or word doc or similar?


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## Minimoog (May 3, 2008)

Thank you JS - you just made my day! I'm really stoked about that, and I will let you know when it arrives safely.

Ian


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## Codeman (May 3, 2008)

js said:


> ...
> Bill,
> 
> Do you have a link to detailed instructions? Or do you have a pdf or word doc or similar?



USL Charging Thread


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## plasmaman (May 4, 2008)

bwaites said:


> To keep this thread open for actual build questions, please PM me with corrections for the list.
> 
> Bill


 
Bill - according to the list posted above it looks like there are 35 plus 6 no guard USL's to be built - Total 41.
Jim says later that he has assembled 10 and shipped them back to you, plus Soundbox's.
So does this mean you have 30 more to build?
I (and I'm sure others) would find it very helpful if you could set down the programme to finish the task, who is doing that work, whether you have all the cells/packs/parts you need, and when you anticipate final assembly.
Thanks
John


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## mst3k (May 5, 2008)

I've a question or two, or three. 

A: I have no qualms with Soundbox getting his light. 
Congrats man. 

I do wonder however; why the guy that is number 77 on the list gets his light before everyone else??? 

Ya know what? The fact that anyone is getting a light, at this point, thrills me beyond belief. 

B: Jim..........awesome job. Seriously. :thumbsup: 

C: Yo, Bill, shipped anything yourself yet? Fellah? Guy? Friend? 

I'm guessin' not!



OMGWTFBBQ!!!!1111


3 years, 2 months, 2 days.


:candle:

And don't forget. This was Bill's last post in this thread.

Got to work this morning and they had arrived, must have gotten here late yesterday.

I will be out of town from this afternoon through late Saturday night, but will get these packaged up and mailed out next week, as soon as I can put a couple conditioning charges on them. I will start conditioning as soon as I get back Saturday night, and should be able to start shipping lights on Tuesday.

Bill


And..........................................
So did ya?? 

Yet another, "Gee Fellahs, I've just been way too busy to actually do anything about your lights...........................Post!"


Jim, buddy........please. Just take over this project!! Please!!!


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## js (May 5, 2008)

mst3k,

Thanks! I did work my *** off to turn those USL's around in under a week. Nice to know that someone noticed.

As for Soundbox, he is one of the people who PayPal'd me and not Bill due to Bill's account getting forcibly closed because too much money came into it too fast. So when Soundbox posted that he had financial troubles and either needed his light or a refund, I felt that it was my duty to take over that situation entirely, including shipping and all that. So when Bill sent me the stuff, he sent me all of Soundbox's order: Triton, lamps, everything. So I was in a position to ship right away.

Sorry that this ended up being unfair in terms of the ordering! I didn't know about that one way or another when I made the offer.

Anyway, Bill had 7 USL's built and then my 10, so I hope to hear that he has already started packing and shipping out those lights.


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## bwaites (May 5, 2008)

I have started preparing lights for shipment, but none of the first three people I have emailed for confirmation of their mailing addresses has returned my email to confirm that address. The conditioning is taking a little longer than I remembered it taking. It requires a little over 3 days to condition each pack. 

Since the addresses I have are more than a year old, I am reluctant to send lights without confirmation. 

As noted above, I have had continual problems getting on and staying on CPF long enough to post a message. 

I am sending a second email tonight to those people, and if I don't hear from them within 5 business days from the first email, I will set their order aside and move on, sending out those lights to the next people on the list who have the same light ordered. I will go back to them as I receive their emails. 

That is the only fair way I can think of to handle this.

All the lights WILL go out to everyone who has paid, but having completely lost one USL, and having had 2 others misdelivered, I will not go through that again.

Bill


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## mst3k (May 6, 2008)

Bill, if I could say but one thing. Look at Charlie's/MrBulks business model.

Build ALL the lights, THEN start the shipping process. 

All of them. 

ALL OF THEM!!


"Some of them" is nice!! "Some of them" ,Actually rocks............thanks again Jim!!!!
:thumbsup:


But your new task should be......................................


ALL OF THEM.




If it means assembling a worthy team to do this then that is the answer.

Charlie has his "HAT" guys. You have Jim, and I'm guessing there are others in this community that could help. 


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm have you thought about asking Charlie to help out?? That is just crazy talk, huh?!?!??!!? He was a friend, originally, if I remember right. He got one of the first-run USL's.

Please tell me you actually have, in your possession, all of the parts to actually finish, ALL OF THEM. You do, right?

I mean we sent you our collective $32,000 dollars well over 3 years ago.

80 peeps average @ $400 each average.



:shrug::thumbsup:





Also, I am completely freaked out that you don't have up to date email addy's and shipping addy's and home addy's for everyone on your "Paid" list, nor even a totally accurate list of who gets what, exactly.


And lastly. Is anyone else here, having any difficulty at all with logging on and hanging here, pretty much as long as you want without getting bumped off??? 

Anyone??

I'm not.


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## Carpe Diem (May 6, 2008)

Hi Bill...

I don`t know if I`m one of the persons that you`ve been trying to reach, but I`ve sent a PM to you with my new email address as well as my shipping address.

Thanks.


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## bwaites (May 6, 2008)

mst3k,

You are helping, how?

Harassing and badgering is helpful, how?

The lights will get done, Charlie has never had to deal with battery issues remotely as problematical as this. Nor has Charlie ever offered a light with all the options I allowed people to order with their USLs. It was a lousy business model, that was my fault. The idea was a lousy idea, one I won't repeat. No, I don't have a HAT team. Last I checked, it was people harrassing Charlie that eventually led to him leaving this board, essentially.

Everytime I send out a light, I email prior and update the address, since people have not necessarily remembered to update theirs with me. 

I give those peope time to respond, then I move on.

Every US mainland light is two packages, one with the power supply, another with the charger and light. I allow people to decide on insurance, how they want the light shipped, etc.

Lights shipped out of the US receive the same options.

I try to keep the batches small, so that each owner gets what he wants as far as shipping and options.

I won't answer any more such posts, I will ignore them.

The lights will be built and shipped as soon as I can do so, period. No more promises on time frames, no more guesses. Period. 

I greatly appreciate Jim's help, he has been a stalwart friend, as has Codeman.

The lights will all be built, everyone that paid will receive their light, if that were not the case, would I still be hanging on, continuing to work on this?Or would I have ridden off into the sunset, like so many others here have done, some of whom still have MY orders and money on their lists?

That's it, please watch your emails for address confirmations, please send address updates to my email:

bwaites(at)genext.net

And finally, yes, I have had CPF problems, I've posted multiple times about it.

Bill


----------



## dmdrewitt (May 6, 2008)

Bill has confirmed that mine will ship Friday. 

Thank you very much Bill :thanks:

David :thumbsup:


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## js (May 6, 2008)

Bill,

I think mst3k's question about parts should be answered:

Do we have enough battery packs to finish all USL's at this point? Or will we run out of packs before that happens? If so, please let me know. I will order cells and end-to-end solder up more packs.

I'm pretty sure I'm correct in saying that other than battery packs, Bill has everything he really needs, with the exception of some minor things here or there that wouldn't hold up the building for long, if at all.

But the packs are another matter. Where do we stand on that, Bill?


----------



## bwaites (May 6, 2008)

I have enough packs to finish the build, plus a couple extras if there are no leaks in the packs.

I still have some 1650 packs which appear to be in good shape, continue to act normally, etc., which I can use as back ups if necessary.

All else is as js describes it.

If you read back, I have answered the question before.

Bill


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## js (May 6, 2008)

bwaites said:


> . . .
> 
> If you read back, I have answered the question before.
> 
> Bill



Oops! Sorry Bill. You're right. I should have remembered that. Brain, no sleep, not functioning, language memory motor skills difficult. :green:


----------



## mst3k (May 6, 2008)

bwaites said:


> mst3k,
> 
> You are helping, how?
> 
> ...


 

I will shut up now!


----------



## js (May 6, 2008)

mst3k said:


> I will shut up now!



mst3k,

In my opinion, everyone here is entitled to as much venting of anger and frustration as they want (including Bill). No worries. I understand exactly where you are coming from. And I also understand exactly where Bill is coming from.

It's OK. No worries.

But I certainly am looking forward to the day when this project is completely finished!


----------



## Minimoog (May 9, 2008)

The USL arrived - thank you JS (and Bill) for your hard work. I will try it out later this evening and I very much look forward to using my first powerful modded light.

With money being tight during the wait for my light it was very tempting at times to sell my place in the line, but I am glad I made other sacrifices now.

Ian

*EDIT* There does not seem to be any locking pin with the guard. Can you tell me what type to get so that I may procure one please?


----------



## bwaites (May 9, 2008)

HMMM....That would be my fault, as I neglected to send along one of the little cotter pin packets.

Jim and I discussed that, though, and he was going to pick some up and put it in the package, (they are cheaper to buy than to ship!) 

It is a simple cotter pin, so if you can't find one of appropriate size, let me know.

Bill


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## js (May 9, 2008)

Yeah,

I realized that I'd forgotten to buy a cotter pin. Bill and I had left it that he would send a packet with those pins in them along with the power supply, and so my brain filed it away as more or less solved. Power supply came, and I didn't miss the lack of cotter pins and split rings.

Then about an hour or two after I had mailed out the package it dawned on me that there were no cotter pins in the package.

Then it slipped my mind to mention it here.

Sorry. As bill says, if you can't find one of appropriate diameter and length, just post back here and either Bill or myself will send you a packet.

Oh, and note that the blue masking tape around the head marks what I think is close to the optimal location down to which to screw the head after you have installed the lamp. Did I mention that? I think I did, didn't I? Also, the lamp box with the black dots on each side is the opened one that I had installed for testing.


----------



## Minimoog (May 9, 2008)

Thanks both - no problem - I will look for something suitable at my local motor factors.

Jim - yes, you did say about the tape and bulb - I have installed the lamp and set the reflector to the tape.

Well, I tried it and it surpassed my expectations - I can truly say that it is well worth the wait and I feel it is more than just a show light - it will accompany me on my walks through the open area near my home that seems to attract some of the less honourable members of society.

Thank you again, Ian


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## bwaites (May 13, 2008)

There are lights in the mail, and more to come later this week. I've been busy with job interviews the last few days and this was the first chance to post.

Bill


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## MikeF (May 15, 2008)

My USL arrived via USPS this afternoon when I got home from work. I've already started a fire and blinded myself and it's not even dark yet!


Thanks Bill and Jim!!


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## dmdrewitt (May 16, 2008)

PP Sent to coverer shipping. Thanks Bill. Can't wait for it to arrive :thumbsup:


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## Carpe Diem (May 26, 2008)

BTTT

Any new status report available?

Thanks.


----------



## dmdrewitt (May 26, 2008)

Mine has arrived :twothumbs - so others must be arriving too.

Great light! I was expecting black, but I have a nice Silver one. 

Thanks Bill

David :thumbsup:


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## js (May 30, 2008)

Almost three weeks since the last update. Any news Bill?


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## bwaites (May 31, 2008)

Sorry guys,

I've got almost a dozen lights ready to package and/or ship.

I hope to have all of them shipped this week.

I've been crazy busy at work, as I am leaving my current job for a more stable position, and need to tie up all the loose ends before I leave in early July. It's been a mess, and while I have been working on packaging and getting lights ready to ship in the evenings, I haven't been able to get to the post office during business hours. 

The next guys on the list will be getting messages this week with more information.

I will get them, or most of them, out this week.

Bill


----------



## Carpe Diem (Jun 7, 2008)

BTTT


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## js (Jun 7, 2008)

Bill,

So, after this round of mailing, how many will be left to build? Send me as many part sets as you want and I will build them up ASAP. In fact, better if you send them to me ahead of time, while you're busy packing up and mailing out the current orders, that way I don't have to rush to turn things around in a week.

Let me know!


----------



## js (Jun 12, 2008)

OK guys. I'm going to call Bill this evening to see what's going on and talk with him about plans for how we will handle completing this project before the end of July.


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## js (Jun 12, 2008)

Got a PM from Bill. He is on board with completing everything by the end of July, and has specifically scheduled a vacation to make this happen. Recent events in his life, however, have been overwhelming and he is behind on things. After this coming weekend he will be back on track and will finish mailing out orders and get started on the last leg of this *insert_appropriate_adjective_here* journey.


----------



## plasmaman (Jun 13, 2008)

Thanks again Jim for supporing this project. Your input is valuable and makes a real difference.......
I hope to hear from Bill someday soon.


----------



## mst3k (Jun 14, 2008)

I'll take that sentiment a huge leap further! 

Jim Rocks!! :candle:


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## tanasit (Jun 17, 2008)

Bill,

When it's time to email me for confirmation, can you also PM me? Because sometime, some mails coming into my email Outlook Express just never arrive and I don't even have the spam killer.

Thanks,
Tanasit


----------



## Westy (Jun 27, 2008)

I got a response weeks ago to one email of mine that my USL was likely headed out but then no responses to my emails since. I know I wasn't close to last on the list and would appreciate an update. I've got a number of nature travels with work and personal I could sure utilize this on. Just last night was some mammoth racoons with balls bigger than elephants.

(thanks for what you're doing Jim).

Great to hear those out their are being well received.


----------



## Dynacolt (Jun 27, 2008)

Hi Bill, just hoping I haven't been forgotten - I'm near the top of the list, number 17. 
Thanks,
Dave.


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## js (Jun 27, 2008)

I haven't heard anything from Bill since my last post and I have no idea what's going on. I'm going to call Bill tomorrow before I go to work (2nd shift 4pm-midnight). I hope that his vacation is going to happen soon and that he will have more time for communication and USL building and shipping. I'll be back tomorrow with an update.


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## mst3k (Jun 28, 2008)

js said:


> I haven't heard anything from Bill since my last post and I have no idea what's going on. I'm going to call Bill tomorrow before I go to work (2nd shift 4pm-midnight). I hope that his vacation is going to happen soon and that he will have more time for communication and USL building and shipping. I'll be back tomorrow with an update.


 


Shocking


----------



## dmdrewitt (Jun 28, 2008)

bwaites said:


> David,
> 
> I'm not quite sure how to post that table. I'll see if I can figure out how to do it and then post it.
> 
> ...



Bill, would you still be able to post this please? 
David


----------



## js (Jun 28, 2008)

OK. No answer for Bill's cell no. Left a mesage to check out this thread and/or PM or email me.


----------



## bwaites (Jun 28, 2008)

As Jim noted, my life became a little out of control recently. I have had to be out of town on business, as I am again today, in the midst of a job change, and I have had neither the time nor mental energy to spend any time on the forums, nor much time doing anything on the lights but charging batteries. 

If anyone has emailed me, please do so again, as I installed a new internet protection package, and it has been stripping some emails that I should be getting. I have tracked some of the problem to incorrect settings in the default program and think everything is now getting through, but obviously, I cannot be completely sure. For some reason, it did not like gmail or hotmail accounts especially, but some others were also blocked, including my wifes. If anyone is familiar with ZoneAlarms internet package and wants to give me hints, please feel free to do so. I like Kaspersky a lot better, but the new version won't allow my wife to run her video and photo editing software, so I had to make a switch.

As Jim also noted, I have taken the week after the 4th off to complete all the lights. Once that is done, I will start shipping all the remaining lights. I have arranged for some help in assembling the packages and fully expect that most, if not all the lights will be completed and packaged that week, including the non-guarded lights. 

In answer to some of the questions above, I will first email, then if I do not receive an answer in 24-48 hours, I will PM. If I don't then receive an answer, I will set that light aside and move on to the next, hoping that I will receive an answer at some point. 

The overseas lights require a little extra time, because I can't predict the charges and paperwork, and must spent time in line at that post office to send them. 

However...all lights should be done shortly.

Bill


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## Dynacolt (Jun 28, 2008)

Thanks Bill,
looking forward to the confirmation email.

Dave.


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## Carpe Diem (Jun 29, 2008)

Carpe Diem said:


> Hi Bill...
> 
> I don`t know if I`m one of the persons that you`ve been trying to reach, but I`ve sent a PM to you with my new email address as well as my shipping address.
> 
> Thanks.


 
Bill...

Please let me know via a PM if you still have this info. 

I don`t have an email address for you, otherwise I`d send an email to you as well.

Thanks.


----------



## bwaites (Jun 29, 2008)

Carpe, PM sent, I did not receive your previous PM, at least not that I can find, and I keep a seperate copy of USL PM's.

For those who don't have my email:

bwaites(at)genext.net

Bill


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## Sakugenken (Jul 8, 2008)

I sent you a PM but haven't gotten a reply yet. I will be in the US from July 26th to August 2nd. I would be great if you could get it to me (I have a shiipping address now). Please PM or email me. Thanks in advance.


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## bwaites (Jul 9, 2008)

Sakugenken said:


> I sent you a PM but haven't gotten a reply yet. I will be in the US from July 26th to August 2nd. I would be great if you could get it to me (I have a shiipping address now). Please PM or email me. Thanks in advance.


 
Email sent per your instructions.

For everyone else, been working on lights all week, hope to have them all put together, minus a glitch or two.

I've had to order a batch of Maglite orings, as a significant number have broken when I have assembled the lights. That shouldn't be a real holdup, though.

Bill


----------



## J_Oei (Jul 10, 2008)




----------



## Carpe Diem (Jul 18, 2008)

BTTT


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## bwaites (Jul 21, 2008)

As discussed, I spent the second week of July working on lights, completing most of them, (the guardless lights are still giving me fits, but I just tried a new solution that I think is going to work.)

I have been in orientation for a new job for the last 10 days, and will finish that later this week.

I am starting to box up power supplies, chargers, etc. and hope to begin bulk mailings next week.

Bill


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## Dynacolt (Jul 22, 2008)

Hi Bill,
just wanted to confirm number 17 hasn't been overlooked.
Cheers,

Dave.


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## bwaites (Jul 22, 2008)

Nope, Dave, you are there!

Bill


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## Dynacolt (Jul 22, 2008)

Thanks Bill


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## js (Jul 31, 2008)

Bill,

How's it going? Everything OK?


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## Sakugenken (Aug 4, 2008)

I am back from Florida, the light didn't make it. Please contact me about shipping to Japan when you are ready. (PM also sent)


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## plasmaman (Aug 9, 2008)

js said:


> Bill,
> 
> How's it going? Everything OK?


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## mst3k (Aug 11, 2008)

So I guess this means the "End of July" ship date is right out.


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## js (Aug 12, 2008)

OK guys.

I'll call Bill tonight. I should have called him before this. I've just been swamped at work and have been experiencing some kind of low-energy malaise or something--trouble sleeping, always tired, etc. But it seems to have passed now. So, I'll get on this.

Things will happen soon, one way or another.


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## mst3k (Aug 12, 2008)

Thanks so much Jim. I feel bad that you even have to do this. Bill is a "big grown up guy" and you, nor we, should even "have" to "bug" him to see where we stand at this point, IMHO!


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## js (Aug 13, 2008)

Called Bill last night, and left a message on his cell. Let's give him a day or two to get back to us.


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## js (Aug 15, 2008)

OK. I will try one more time to get in touch with Bill, early this evening. And if that fails, I will go ahead and make a proposal I've been thinking about for some time now. With luck, however, Bill will tell us that all the rest of the orders are about to go out the door! I know he was busy building USL's the last time I talked with him.

Just hold tight a bit longer, in any case.

Thanks everyone.


----------



## js (Aug 15, 2008)

OK.

I still haven't heard from Bill and he didn't answer his cell again, so there is no way to know the status of the last of the USL orders.

*IF* there are still a significant number of lights unbuilt and unready to be shipped out, I am extending the offer that I made to Soundbox to everyone else:

Have Bill ship me everything he has to complete your order, and all your info, and I will build your USL, complete your order, and what-have-you, and mail it out to you at my expense. In exchange, accountability passes from Bill to me.

If this proposal interests anyone, please post to this thread.


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## mst3k (Aug 15, 2008)

js said:


> OK.
> 
> I still haven't heard from Bill and he didn't answer his cell again, so there is no way to know the status of the last of the USL orders.
> 
> ...


 

I have a bad feeling about this Indy. 


If, in fact, you can get hold of Bill, and he indeed has the stuff to ship to you for completion, I am interested.


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## cass schrabeck (Aug 15, 2008)

Sounds like a good idea to me aka wantthatlight Im one of the last on the list


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## J_Oei (Aug 15, 2008)

js said:


> OK.
> 
> In exchange, accountability passes from Bill to me.



I'll do that only if you charge me a fee for your time.
(That sounds more than fair to me!!)


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## paulr (Aug 16, 2008)

js, that sounds like a praiseworthy plan. 

Bill, please take js up on his proposal. I admire your persistence in trying to get this project finished yourself, but it's obvious that circumstances beyond your control have put too many barriers in your path, and a certain point even if the barriers are overcome, it is still impossible to continue because of psychological resistance associated with the past history. I've been through this myself in other contexts and understand what it is like. 

I appreciate the effort you've already put into this and I won't feel ripped off that it's gotten to be too much for you to finish. Every engineer who works on advanced projects has had some that didn't work out. I'll be quite happy to get something out of it at the end. Whether the end result is delivered by you or by js, we'll all know that it's been a collaborative effort from the beginning, and we all know that any lights delivered will carry a lot of your work and vision either way. So please make things easier on yourself and pass the "torch" to js for final assembly and shipment.

js, thank you very much for your willingness to take up the remaining tasks in this project. If additional funds are required, I'm fine with that, just say how much. If I can give any technical help, let me know of that too. I've been in enough high risk projects to know that they never finish on schedule or within budget and in retrospect it would have been amazing if this one were different. The challenges that this light has presented have been quite remarkable and the flashaholics here should all recognize that. As I've said before, if we wanted risk-free turnkey products we could have bought Magchargers. We chose instead to go outside the then-extant envelope and let the chips fall where they may. And that is what we got, so we are all in it together.


----------



## dmdrewitt (Aug 16, 2008)

js, that is an amesome offer that you have made. I have received my USL, so it doesn't affect me, but I don't think that you should pay shipping to people at your expense. I paid bill $47.00 for shipping to the UK, so for the overseas customers and weight of the packages it could get very expensive very quickly. I think it was always part of the deal to send the shipping costs once they were known.

David


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## Carpe Diem (Aug 16, 2008)

Just a reminder that I`m still in this venture for two lights plus two chargers and other accessories.

Does someone still have the comprehensive "List" showing the specific orders made?

:shrug:


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## Codeman (Aug 16, 2008)

I handed the list off to Bill back in December.


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## dmdrewitt (Aug 16, 2008)

I asked about the list too back in posts #14, 15, 16 and 17 of this thread.


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## plasmaman (Aug 16, 2008)

js said:


> OK.
> 
> I still haven't heard from Bill and he didn't answer his cell again, so there is no way to know the status of the last of the USL orders.
> 
> ...


 
Jim - your magnificent offer seems to represent the only hope that those of us still eating popcorn have.
I will be happy to accept, but only on the basis that you are not out of pocket on the deal.
Thanks again for your continuing interest in this saga.
John
PS I think there is a list buried somewhere in here - haven't had time today to look for it.


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## js (Aug 17, 2008)

J_Oei and plasmaman,

You are too kind to offer any additional funds towards this, and I can absolutely not accept, but I greatly appreciate the gesture! Thank you so much for that.

But seriously, absolutely NO ONE will be giving out any more money in regards to the USL project, unless it is me or Bill or both of us. Period. No more discussion on that front.

As for what-if's, I can guarantee you that Bill will never, ever "skip town" on anything. And I will put my money where my mouth is. If Bill does go incommunicado, I will refund everyone's money who never recieved an order. Bill won't skip town. I don't know why he hasn't responded to us yet, but it isn't intentional and witting on his part.

This all will be made good (or as good as it can be made at this point). You have my word on it.


----------



## js (Aug 19, 2008)

OK. I just sent Bill and email and will call his home number this evening if I don't hear from him before that.


----------



## js (Aug 20, 2008)

Alright.

Without going into too much detail, the story is this: Bill has been very busy with his new job and has had computer issues that have prevented him from getting on-line, and which continue (which is why I am posting here and not him). He does, however, say that:



> I'm still working on the lights, please let everyone know, and I will email the next people on the list sometime in the next 7 days to double check shipping info.



So that's the update from Bill.

Now . . . it seems to me that Bill is just plain overwhelmed and overworked. My suggestion is that he pass the project over to me wholesale. I suggest that he mail me everything to do with the project, and pass along all information, and that I finish the remainder of the USL project. The exception(s) would be any orders that he has all packed up and ready to go, just waiting on address confirmation. Those, obviously, he should handle. But everything else, I will take on.

If everyone is on board with this, I will send an email back to Bill to this effect.

What say you, good people? Does everyone approve?


----------



## BVH (Aug 20, 2008)

JS, you are truly Upper Crust on this!

However, this non-performance by Bill is a farce. I've been quiet on this up until now. Bill's used one of three excuses every time, many dozens of times over the YEARS for not getting lights out! I don't currently have a horse in this race but I did and sold my spot - a guardless light. I am still embarrassed and really feel bad for the buyer and then the second buyer when the first buyer got tired of waiting. When I sell stuff here on CPF, it is only first-rate stuff in mint condition and I ship it out the same day or the next day. I don't like this cloud hanging over me of a deal that I am somewhat involved in. This is just unbelievable. It's no different than another multi-year fiasco a few years back. I don't care whether Bill will skip town or not. That has no bearing on this. What matters is that the paying customer gets his or her light. Bill needs to make getting the lights out his TOP PRIORITY - regardless of a new job, or computer problems or whatever catastrophe strikes next! I understand the battery problems over the years but that was solved months and months ago. Now it's just excuses.


----------



## mst3k (Aug 20, 2008)

Yes Jim, you have always been awesome in this project. I would love it, if you can somehow take over at this point. Frankly, I don't see how you haven't just lost it already. I just did a search and it is truly amazing how many times you had to ask, or bug Bill about where we stand on the lights. I am just completely sick of Bill's excuses. As you already know.

Just amazing.


----------



## js (Aug 20, 2008)

The important thing now is for me to get the parts and information from Bill ASAP so I can start getting orders out ASAP.

I understand where you guys (BVH & mst3k) are coming from. TOTALLY! But, there _is_ a big difference between eventually (years later albeit) getting a return on your investment, and getting nothing. At least to my mind there's a big difference.

I support anyone who feels like complaining in a post here (or anywhere else). It is your right to do so! But, along with that, lets put some energy into getting the last of the supplies into my hands so I can finish this project off. Or refund people's money, if it comes to that.

Let's do this. Soon.

I'll email Bill this evening.

In the meantime, please continue to post in support of this course of action if you want it to happen. I want to be able to tell Bill that this is what the majority of people have requested. Or, if that doesn't turn out to be the case, I want to be able to give him a list of people who want their orders transfered over to me. A wholesale transfer would be simplest and quickest, though.


----------



## BVH (Aug 20, 2008)

I will pay the postage, including insurance from Bill's place to yours - Seriously!


----------



## mst3k (Aug 20, 2008)

Also. Jim, if it ever comes to the point where you think "you" need to send me a refund........... 

Nope!!

This sincerely isn't about the money anymore. To me.


----------



## Fat_Tony (Aug 20, 2008)

js,

If you are seriously interested in taking over the remainder of this project, and Bill agrees, you have my support. Thanks for the kind offer, js.

Warmest Regards,

Joe


----------



## mst3k (Aug 21, 2008)

Ok. Look. Someone here, explain your undying allegiance to Bill. Do you guys know him personally? Do you go to dinner with him? Your sister is married to him? You are married to him? 

Jim, I'm guessin, knows Bill well?!?!? 

I know Bill from this project and this forum. That's it. It's been 3 1/2 years fellahs! 

Seriously, you guys, on this forum, I have found to be some of the most sincere, sweet, guys I've ever run across. You guys really are just nice, nice, nice. It's pretty much why I have always trusted just paypaling whatever was being asked for a custom light, and generally speaking, a month or two later a lovely little package would arrive.

I get it. Fire in the kitchen. (Holy Cow) Illness. (sad) Death in the family (horrible) Leaky batteries (this one I'm totally cool with) Batteries didn't make it and got lost (ummm ok) My dog needed to be cloned. (ok I made that one up) :naughty: I am just way too busy with work (aren't we all, brother?) 

The guy across the street succeeded in making a genetic Velociraptor, and it jumped my fence and came in here and ate all of the USL's. 
(I made that one up too)  

My ISP just hasn't been working and it seems to be blocking the Candlepower forum. (for months evidently)

Wait, what?

See what I did there? 

Sorry that post has been burning a hole in my fingers for almost a year now.

Sorry, nothing to see here. Move along. Move along. These aren't the droids you're looking for.


----------



## mst3k (Aug 21, 2008)

Bottom line here. Make your own decision about this, but if you want Jim to build your light it's time to post biotches! 

:twothumbs:candle:


----------



## Carpe Diem (Aug 21, 2008)

Hi Jim...

If you`re willing to finish this project up, I`m all for it.

Thanks!


----------



## Dynacolt (Aug 21, 2008)

Hi Jim, I'm happy to go with your offer, and this is no reflection of any mistrust of Bill, merely my vote to expedite finalising this project.
However, where Bill has said he will contact the next people on the list shortly, if I am one of those people and my light is ready to ship, I'm happy for Bill to complete my order from his end.
Make sense?

Cheers, 
Dave.


----------



## plasmaman (Aug 21, 2008)

js said:


> In the meantime, please continue to post in support of this course of action if you want it to happen. I want to be able to tell Bill that this is what the majority of people have requested. Or, if that doesn't turn out to be the case, I want to be able to give him a list of people who want their orders transfered over to me. A wholesale transfer would be simplest and quickest, though.


 
Jim - As you know I fully support your generous proposal to close this saga. We've never spoken but I can only be appreciative of your positive attitude to finishing this.
I've never spoken with Bill either, but I have 100% more confidence in seeing an outcome here with your input than I do if left where it is.
I'm sure Bill has a zillion reasons for his difficulties, but frankly that doesn't interest me any longer. I learned a long time ago that if you can't do what you promised, then you should fess up to that sooner rather than later (or never!). 
I just hope that you will get the co-operation you need from Bill.
John


----------



## mst3k (Aug 22, 2008)

Ok, this is weird and I'm not really trying to be an ***, but.........

In the post where Jim finally hears something from Bill, I.E. he is too busy.



> Bill has been very busy with his new job and has had computer issues that have prevented him from getting on-line, and which continue (which is why I am posting here and not him).


 
Ok so Bill can't get online. Got it.

Then, in a later email Jim posts.



> I support anyone who feels like complaining in a post here (or anywhere else). It is your right to do so! But, along with that, lets put some energy into getting the last of the supplies into my hands so I can finish this project off. Or refund people's money, if it comes to that.
> 
> Let's do this. Soon.
> 
> I'll email Bill this evening.


 
Ummmmmmmmmmmm. If Bill can't get online, how is he going to get an email?



Am I missing something here?

Lookit. I'm really not trying to be Mr. Conspiracy theory here. I don't hate Bill. I don't. I'm mad at Bill for not having the humbleness to tell all of us upfront that he is just too busy to do this project and needs someone else to take over. I don't know if any of you remember, but I posted something very similar to this over 2 years ago. It was right after he posted about his house fire. I suggested then that Bill's life was just too busy to really do this project and he rejected what I said, and I apologized. I'm a really nice guy. I don't ***** about anything in my life. I'm good. I have 3 1/2 years invested in all of this and now I can't decide if I want it to end, or just continue like it has adinfinitum, just as a source of continuous OMG WTF now, "entertainment factor."

 

It really is just "silly" now. It just is.


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## js (Aug 22, 2008)

mst3k,

Curious, isn't it? Here are Bill's own words on the subject:



> That said, I have no computer access to the site from work, for some reason it is blocked, although I can get on the web to other similar sites, and by the time I get home, I'm too tired to do much.



Search me as to why that is happening. Also I noticed that I should have quoted this bit that directly follows the above quote:



> I do have a large batch of lights ready to pack and ship, and my son has volunteered to help me get them packed up in the next week or so.



As I mentioned, I think Bill should handle those orders that are packed and ready to ship, or very very near to such a state. And from the above, that should be a fair number of the remaining orders, I hope.

But in any case, email is Bill's link to the outside world right now, as can be seen from this:



> If you have tried to call, I am running a satellite clinic of a large healthcare corporation, in a small town about 45 miles from home, and the cell coverage there is iffy, so the best way to contact me is this way. (i.e. email)



I'm waiting to hear what Bill will say to my proposal for the completion of this project. In any case, however things may be, it is clear that Bill is overwhelmed with his work (lots of stuff about this in his email which I didn't quote), and I am willing and ready to take over the last short leg of this project. When he replies to my email, I'll let you all know.


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## js (Aug 25, 2008)

Bill is considering my proposal, but will probably take at least a few days to come to a decision regarding it.


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## revv11 (Aug 25, 2008)

Js, your offer is overwhelmingly gracious.

You just threw Bill a life ring. I hope he grabs it.


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## sed6 (Aug 28, 2008)

js said:


> Bill is considering my proposal, but will probably take at least a few days to come to a decision regarding it.


 
Days huh? Not if we're talking about the same Bill :shakehead

I don't have a horse in this race either but I've read most all the posts on it. I too was taken advantage of by a CPF'er, Ledean. He absconded with my money, and many other people's money, never to be seen again. At least he had the decency to take the money and run; whereas Bill continues to hang around and offers lame excuses. My $.02, he ought to be booted from the forum. To me, Bill > Ledean > Andrewwynn, all cut from the same cloth.

This forum is lucky to have peeps like JS!


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## mst3k (Aug 28, 2008)

Ok, just curious. Jim built a bunch of lights a month or so ago and sent them to Bill for packaging and shipping. Did anyone actually get a light from that batch? 

Also, Bill needing a few more days to make a decision? I sure hope it doesn't take him 3 1/2 years to come to a decision. Ooops, wait. Too late.


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## mst3k (Aug 28, 2008)




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## dmdrewitt (Aug 28, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Ok, just curious. Jim built a bunch of lights a month or so ago and sent them to Bill for packaging and shipping. Did anyone actually get a light from that batch?
> 
> Also, Bill needing a few more days to make a decision? I sure hope it doesn't take him 3 1/2 years to come to a decision. Ooops, wait. Too late.



I had my USL shipped from Bill on 15th May 2008. I can't say who built it, but Bill shipped it. :thumbsup:


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## mst3k (Aug 28, 2008)

dmdrewitt said:


> I had my USL shipped from Bill on 15th May 2008. I can't say who built it, but Bill shipped it. :thumbsup:


 

Thanks! This at least keeps the hope alive a little bit!


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## mst3k (Aug 28, 2008)

Dang it! I was happy for a moment there. Dmdrewitt, was #34 on the list. Folks if they are going by numbers, that ain't a whole lotta lites, and sadly, that light came from "Jim's" build. We've got a long ways to go here. I, for instance, am #63 on the list.

Ok, Sad again.


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## Minimoog (Aug 29, 2008)

"Ok, Sad again"

As a ray of hope, if JS does build the lights and send them out, you should be most pleased with the USL. JS kindly did mine, and if it had not been for his hard work, I would have had to give up my place in the line. However, the USL is now in my top 3 favourite lights. Yes, it may be a show light, BUT it is also incredibly useful, and has a high standard of fit and finish. I am really sorry to see the project still going on, and it seems a distant memory now when the signup thread started (2005?). With Jim on board, I am sure things will get sorted.

Here's hoping for a swift and satisfactory conclusion.

Ian


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## mst3k (Sep 1, 2008)

Not getting a real "warm and fuzzy" feeling about this.


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## js (Sep 3, 2008)

Still no word from Bill regarding my offer. And this upsets me. You all deserve better than this--the very least you deserve is good communication.

I don't really know what more I myself can do at this point. But here's my thought: you all own the parts that go to make up your order, and if you want them sent to me instead of sitting around at Bill's, you have every right to those parts.

So, I suggest that you all send Bill email formally requesting those parts (either that or your order). If you need his email, send me a PM. Not sure if it is listed in his profile or not. :thinking:


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## mst3k (Sep 4, 2008)

Jim, dude you are so awesome.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that Bill does NOT have any stuff left to build more lights. I'm guessing the last parts he had went to Jim a while back and that was pretty much it! 

Call me insane! Bill can still redeem himself at this point, but I doubt it.


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## plasmaman (Sep 4, 2008)

I emailed Bill, the mail did not bounce, and so far no reply.
If you're right about the absence of parts, then that's a whole new ballgame.
Could there be any other explanation for this extraordinary saga? Is Bill some sort of power junkie, sitting back watching all this? Is he so arrogant after all the posts to be able to ride this out and proceed at his own pace? Is he so overwhelmed with work/life that he cannot communicate any longer? Is he related to AWR? Is he AWR?
The truth is out there somewhere


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## Westy (Sep 4, 2008)

Jim, unreal the lifering you've thrown Bill and energy into this. I'm stunned he's not taken you up on it, I'd happily aid shipping the lot to yourself. Anyone pay by mailed funds (ie. non paypal?). Mailfraud's big issue in your country and might revise the priority.



js said:


> So, I suggest that you all send Bill email formally requesting those parts (either that or your order). If you need his email, send me a PM. Not sure if it is listed in his profile or not. :thinking:



Email just sent requesting my parts get sent to Jim. (if my order was done it could just ship!). I did get a solicited email from Bill last July 9th FWIW.


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## js (Sep 4, 2008)

Bill does (I believe) have all the parts in his posession to build all the rest of the lights, except for some switch guards for the guarded lights. I feel pretty sure about that. Bill is also not intending to defraud anyone or deceive anyone (except possibly himself).

It's simply an issue of pride, I think. He wants to finish this project, even as he is overwhelmed with other stuff. He also was concerned that I get paid for my time, if I do take over the end of this project.

But none of that is important, I don't believe. The important thing now is to finally bring some resolution to this project: the people who paid all those hundreds of dollars all those months (years, even) ago deserve no less.

To bring my own personal reality into the mix, I feel more than a little sick about this whole situation. I get a queasy feeling in my gut just thinking about it. And I am going to keep ramping up the pressure and level of involvement until it is resolved. I don't like any of this. I defintely don't feel "awesome", that's for sure! (but thanks for the kind words, mst3k). I feel uneasy and uncomfortable and I feel an increasing need to act.

I hope Bill can set aside his personal issues here and do what is right for the people who are waiting.


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## mst3k (Sep 4, 2008)

I genuinely hope you are right Jim! Also, as far as Bill protecting his "pride" it's very hard to protect something that doesn't exist anymore. I see nothing for him to be "proud" of at this point. 
JMHO.


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## js (Sep 8, 2008)

Bill has accepted my offer. So that's great!

And, as only makes sense, he is saying he will box and ship the lights/orders that are all ready to go--the lights that I built months ago, presumably (some of them, anyway), and also that he will figure out which orders are almost ready to go, and box and ship those, and that he will keep the power supplies and drop-ship them from his house when I ship out orders, as it would be stupid to waste the extra money on shipping them twice--to me, then to the destination--and at about this point I could see the long, long delays rearing their heads, unbanished, grinning an evil grin. Here was my response to Bill:



> Bill,
> 
> It would be easier on you, and faster, if you just packed up every scrap of everything and sent it to me in large flat-rate boxes, or UPS. You and I both know how much freaking time packing up an order can take, even if it is all set to go, everything ready. Don't do anything that will eat up your time. The whole idea here is for you to be able to quickly and easily (relatively) off-load this whole deal to me--wholesale. I will handle all the rest of it.
> 
> ...


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## Bright Scouter (Sep 8, 2008)

Jim,

I got my USL a while ago from Bill. But, at the time, he did not have a Triton to send me. I never have gotten it. I already have one now. So, if you get an extra from Bill that is meant for me, use it yourself, or sell it to try to recoup a tiny part of what this is costing you.

Thanks for doing this for everyone,

Del


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## BVH (Sep 8, 2008)

Very nice offer Bright Scouter! These types of deeds, both Bright Scouter and what Jim is doing to end this project) are what make this such a great community!!


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## js (Sep 8, 2008)

Bright Scouter,

Thanks! That is very very generous of you!

I will certainly be able to use it to give a forming charge to the USL's I build, along with my own Triton. That I will do. After that, we can figure out what else to do. I don't need another Triton, and we won't get much money for it--but perhaps one of the last people on the list, who has waited the longest, and who wasn't supposed to get a Triton, will be happy to receive the upgrade?

In any case, honestly, I'm very worried about the state of the battery packs at this point. I wonder if they have had any attention. Because when I built that most recent batch of USL's some of the packs were very low in voltage. I gave them a bit of a charge, at .1 amps, to kick their voltage up, but that was only a temporary measure. I really hope Bill gave all those USL's their forming charge at least. Otherwise, some of the packs may have gone bad by now. NiMH. :shrug:


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## mst3k (Sep 8, 2008)

This is terrific news, Jim. It really is. Now I guess we just have to wait for Bill to ship the stuff. 

Also, I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you. This really does just "suck" that Bill decided to no longer communicate with us on this board and instead, use you as his proxy. 

You are one of the good ones Jim!! :twothumbs


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## Carpe Diem (Sep 8, 2008)

js said:


> In any case, honestly, I'm very worried about the state of the battery packs at this point. I wonder if they have had any attention. Because when I built that most recent batch of USL's some of the packs were very low in voltage. I gave them a bit of a charge, at .1 amps, to kick their voltage up, but that was only a temporary measure. I really hope Bill gave all those USL's their forming charge at least. Otherwise, some of the packs may have gone bad by now. NiMH. :shrug:


 
Hi JS and Bill...

First, thank you JS for your kind efforts to help bring this saga to a conclusion.

Second, I truly hope the battery packs that I finally receive will be OK, for I have patiently waited for about three years now for my two USL orders with the expressly-stated hope and expectation in my prior posts that my USL`s will have battery packs with no operating problems.

I continue to patiently wait with that hope and understanding.

Thank you!

:candle:


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## js (Sep 8, 2008)

Carpe Diem,

No worries on that front. If the performance of the packs has suffered due to sitting around too long, I will end-to-end solder up new packs. No lead time, very little turn around time, all in my control (except for the cells, of course).

Obviously, it's pointless to get a USL with a sub-par battery pack. Only a fully functional, working-to-spec pack will be good enough. And I will ensure that all USL's perform as expected, just as I did with Soundbox's USL. You have my word on it.


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## Carpe Diem (Sep 8, 2008)

Thank you, JS! 

You`re one of the "good persons" that an individual is fortunate to meet in life. 

And as bizarre as it may seem to some people reading these posts and threads, I still have the utmost confidence in Bill.

Best wishes to all!


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## J_Oei (Sep 8, 2008)

Carpe Diem said:


> Thank you, JS!
> 
> You`re one of the "good persons" that an individual is fortunate to meet in life.
> 
> And as bizarre as it may seem to some people reading these posts and threads, I still have the utmost confidence in Bill.



ditto!!


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## cmacclel (Sep 8, 2008)

JS if you need help my offer still stands! 

Mac


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## dmdrewitt (Sep 8, 2008)

I wonder if someone could confirm where my 110v/220v switch should be on the PSU supplied by Bill please.

There is a switch inside the case to select the input voltage. (see photo)

The Selector knob itself is under the 110v part of the sticker, but in the information from Bill, it says it has been pre configured to 220v. I am confused and would like someone to clarify where the switch should be.






Thanks

David


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## js (Sep 8, 2008)

David,

The switch should be underneath the correct voltage for your country. In your case, I believe that is 220V, so you need to move the switch to the other position. A small flat bladed screw driver is what I used for Soundbox's power supply. Bill obviously just forgot to change the switch.


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## dmdrewitt (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks Jim

I changed the switch and it works fine and powers up the Triton. I checked the output voltage with Fluke DMM and it is 12.2v

Its late here in the UK now, so I will try my first charge of the USL tomorrow.

I have read the charging thread here

It doesn't specify the voltage that I should set on the Triton. Please could someone confirm this, and any other settings that I need that are not listed below.

It mentions later in the first post about charging at .5 and .3 amps with the HiTec. Are these lower values only applicable to the hitec? Should I use 0.8 with my Triton? I am in no rush and would like to charge to look after the packs. The pack has not been used or charged since I received it from Bill around 3 months ago.

Thanks

David




Set battery type to NiMH
Rate: .8 to 1.2 amps (???) or up to 2 amps for a rapid charge
Peak Delay at start: 6 min.
Temp cutoff: 120 F
No. cycles: 1 
Sensitivity: 3 mV
Top off: 100 mA


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## js (Sep 8, 2008)

David,

You've got it. Those settings below your name (just above this post) are correct. And yes, the lower values are only applicable to the Hitec. And no, you don't specify a voltage for a NiCd or NiMH charge, as they are peak detect negative (or zero) delta-V chargers.


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## mst3k (Sep 9, 2008)

Carpe Diem said:


> And as bizarre as it may seem to some people reading these posts and threads, I still have the utmost confidence in Bill.


 
I would truly LOVE to know why! Honestly, I really would. We have some time. Please explain further.


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## js (Sep 9, 2008)

No word from Bill yet.

More waiting, I guess.

Would anyone be interested in me doing some other mod or light for them in lieu of their USL (for free, of course)? I could do some regulated TigerLights or 2D Mag lights, for example. But I'm afraid to say that would involve some waiting on Carley 1940 reflectors, and would be contingent on me getting some more LVR3K Willie Hunt regulators. I think I'll start looking into that route/option.

Both lights would use an 8 AA Sanyo enelope pack and would drive either the 1111 or 1274 for 570 lumens/41 minutes or 360 lumens/55 minutes.

I can also do SL-20X mods, of course. Can't do M6-R packs, though! Sorry!

What do people think? Does this idea interest anyone?


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## js (Sep 10, 2008)

Still no word from Bill.

But I've been thinking about the above suggestion I made, and that would be a last resort. If I can just get the parts that Bill has, I can get things rolling, one way or another, and that would be the best course of action.

But, since I have nothing right now, I can't do diddly, and that's frustating . . . hence my post above. :sigh:


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## cmacclel (Sep 10, 2008)

How many USL's remain to be built?

Mac


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## mst3k (Sep 10, 2008)

cmacclel said:


> How many USL's remain to be built?
> 
> Mac


 
This: is the biggest unanswered question so far. Bill has never once posted a list of how many "have" been built, nor how many are "yet" to be built. I think we would all like to know the answer to that question.


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## js (Sep 10, 2008)

cmacclel said:


> How many USL's remain to be built?
> 
> Mac



I'd love to know that myself. There should be a list posted.

But, this introduces the other question: how many USL orders remain to be _shipped_?

Because, yes, I built, how many? --like a dozen or so? USL's in a week and shipped them back to Bill, and I have the sinking feeling that most if not all of those have just been sitting around all these months. I really hope I am wrong, but even if I am, there definitely ARE USL's built and ready to ship out, just waiting to be boxed up and taken to the post office. How long this state of affairs has been going on I don't know.

We just don't know.

If I can just get my hands on all of this stuff: parts, information, etc., then I promise 100 percent transparency and good to excellent communication. I hate long distance trips with a passion, but I have been entertaining the notion of just showing up on Bill's doorstep with a half dozen boxes.

Hey . . .

I'm having a thought! What if we could get SilverFox to show up on Bill's doorstep? Or someone else who lives nearby? Hmmm . . . . Now that's a thought! I think SilverFox is in Alaska right now, though :thinking:

Let me look into this . . .


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## plasmaman (Sep 11, 2008)

Whereabouts is Bill right now?


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## js (Sep 12, 2008)

plasmaman said:


> Whereabouts is Bill right now?



Central Washington state. In other words, not too far from Spokane or Portland or Seattle.

Guys, honestly, I'm at a loss here. I've emailed Bill twice now, sending exactly what I posted several posts up, and there is no response. I've even CC'd all other known email address I have for him. Somehow, it's unbelievable that we have to wait EVEN FOR THIS. :shakehead

But there it is.

I will repeat my suggestion of earlier: if you want your order transfered to me; if you want me to take over this project; then send Bill an email. It's out of my hands at this point.


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## mst3k (Sep 12, 2008)

This just has the smell of Poo all over it, but ok. What is Bill's email addy?


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## js (Sep 12, 2008)

So, the SilverFox idea is out for right now. Is there anyone else who lives nearby Bill?


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## Sakugenken (Sep 13, 2008)

This is starting to look like my third strike in flashlight buying. First there was Brock's Blackbird, then Jim's M6R and now....


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## js (Sep 14, 2008)

Sakugenken,

Don't despair. I will ensure that you get something for your money, no matter what--but it's looking like you will get your USL. As for the M6-R, I'm sorry about having to refund people's money and not deliver, but after 300 of my 2/3A cells went bad, it was the final straw, and I felt it was better to settle everything up. Sadly, some people opted to transfer to AWR's HD-M6 project which was a major disaster/fiasco. Were you one of those people? I hope not! If so, let me know.

OK. So there is hope after all. I got an email from Bill saying he had communiques from various people requesting transfer to me, which he will honor. And that he is going to get on the task of shipping stuff to me. He is still against the idea of shipping the power supplies to me, as they are heavy linear supplies and it's stupid for them to ship twice. Oh, and he says he didn't get my reply (that was posted above) and that he keeps getting knocked off CPF and is having computer troubles. 

Here is my reply:



> Bill,
> 
> I'm guessing you haven't been receiving some of my emails! That's a pain!
> 
> ...



So, if I get everything except for the power supplies that will still be OK. I will just complete orders and ask Bill to mail out power supplies ahead of time and to give me delivery confirmation numbers. If I don't get one of those; if Bill doesn't get around to mailing the power supply, then I will just put one of my own purchasing in the box. Some people might end up with two power supplies this way, but at least they won't be waiting on one from Bill for a month or two or three. And if Bill comes through, then, fine, no worries.

Thoughts, concerns, questions?


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## mst3k (Sep 14, 2008)

This is all fine and good. I just don't buy Bill's inability to get online or come here when he is obviously able to email you, Jim. He obviously got our email requests to send our lights to you. I can come here and post from my phone. There are libraries with computers that you can go online with. There are just way too many options for going online and being able to post stuff here. That part of his story is complete BS. I'm sorry, but it's 2008, you can get online from freaking anywhere. 

:shakehead


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## js (Sep 14, 2008)

Indeed.


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## mst3k (Sep 15, 2008)

That said, I came in to work this morning and I have an email from Bill stating he received my request to send my USL stuff to Jim for completion and he will do! 

We shall see.


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## plasmaman (Sep 15, 2008)

mst3k said:


> That said, I came in to work this morning and I have an email from Bill stating he received my request to send my USL stuff to Jim for completion and he will do!
> 
> We shall see.


 
likewise - me too.


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## Sakugenken (Sep 17, 2008)

js said:


> Sadly, some people opted to transfer to AWR's HD-M6 project which was a major disaster/fiasco. Were you one of those people? I hope not! If so, let me know.



Unfortunately I was. I do appreciate your work on this though. Maybe I will eventually see a light.


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## js (Sep 17, 2008)

Sakugenken said:


> Unfortunately I was. I do appreciate your work on this though. Maybe I will eventually see a light.



Sakugenken,

PM me your paypal address which you used, and I will refund you the amount of money you paid me for the M6-R, and which was transfered to AWR's HD-M6 project.

And don't argue.

Just please help me out in finding the paypal information so I can refund you the correct amount.


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## Westy (Sep 17, 2008)

Can someone (Jim?) confirm with me an email for Bill? I've had no response to the genext email addy I used this past spring successfully (well slowly).

Jim's offers seem angelic and Bill's involvement I can't even bring words on.

I had a lot of work this past spring/summer for which I was intended to have this great tool. This next week I go for a week again for which it would be great to have, alas no dice.


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## mst3k (Sep 18, 2008)

So now we wait for Bill to send the stuff to Jim.


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## js (Sep 19, 2008)

For some reason the popcorn graemlin just doesn't capture the feeling I have about this . . .


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## mst3k (Sep 19, 2008)

js said:


> For some reason the popcorn graemlin just doesn't capture the feeling I have about this . . .


 

Trust me, my friend. I know!


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## mst3k (Sep 24, 2008)

Wow


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## Minimoog (Sep 25, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Wow



What's happened?


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## js (Sep 25, 2008)

Soundbox said:


> What's happened?



I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a guess:

*NOTHING*.

Right?

Nothing. And more nothing. Oh, and the waiting in between.


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## plasmaman (Sep 25, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Wow


 
and.....???????


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## mst3k (Sep 25, 2008)

What Jim said! I just decided to bump the thread off of the second page. 

I got nothing!


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## addictedmatt (Sep 25, 2008)

I sold my spot that I bought from BVH to Plasmaman la long time ago, and I feel terrible that he hasn't received anything yet. Jim, if there is anything I can do to help please let me know, and thanks for all of your work on getting this fixed.


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## js (Sep 26, 2008)

I wish there was something I could do, besides send Bill emails.

I'll try that again. Why not.

Actually, guys, if it comes down to it, I will do something for all those who didn't receive their orders, one way or another, but I honestly believe that Bill does have all the parts needed (or nearly so) for me to complete this project. If I could just frigging get my hands on them, I can act.

It blows me away that we are still waiting. No parts, no packages, no communication. I don't know what to say. I just don't.


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## cmacclel (Sep 26, 2008)

I hate to say it but maybe it's time to contact the local Police Dept. Then maybe things may change. It's not like the People waiting for USL's have been impatient. They have been waiting for what almost 3 years. I think it's time to play hard ball as being Mr. Nice Guy seems to have no effect.


It's ashame whats happening here but I believe it's time for the next step.


Mac


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## js (Sep 26, 2008)

Mac,

I can tell you from personal experience with the AWR situation that the local police are going to be little better than useless. Unless you are willing to file a small claims and fly to Bill's local district for the hearing, just forget it. You'll be told to go to ic3.gov and make a report there. And we can all see how useful that was in the AWR situation, despite about $15-25k of malfeasance.

Look, I'll send Bill an email saying that people are talking about calling his police department, and to GET ON IT, and let's see what happens.


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## paulr (Sep 26, 2008)

Bill must be pretty bummed out about this whole thing around now. Calling the police is just about certain to be counterproductive. Is there a CPF'er in Bill's area who could arrange to meet up with Bill, express understanding about the situation, and collect up the USL stuff and ship it to js? I'd be happy to contribute some $$$ towards the cost of such an operation.


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## mst3k (Sep 27, 2008)

paulr said:


> Bill must be pretty bummed out about this whole thing around now.


 

Why do you think Bill is bummed out? :duh2:

Bill could've solved this problem long ago. Bill is not even communicating anymore. It has now been 3 1/2 years since I paid Bill. It's pretty obvious that Bill has no interest in completing this project. If he really has the stuff to build the lights with then all he has to do is send them to Jim, and he seemingly has no desire to even do that!


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## paulr (Sep 28, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Why do you think Bill is bummed out? :duh2:
> 
> Bill could've solved this problem long ago. Bill is not even communicating anymore. It has now been 3 1/2 years since I paid Bill. It's pretty obvious that Bill has no interest in completing this project. If he really has the stuff to build the lights with then all he has to do is send them to Jim, and he seemingly has no desire to even do that!



It's precisely because of what you describe, that I see Bill as being bummed out. If he didn't want to complete the project, he could wash his hands of it very easily right now, by sending the stuff to js. That he isn't doing so, isn't communicating, etc., indicates (my interpretation) that he is internally conflicted over the situation, and the whole thing has gotten to be a big drag, which I describe as being bummed out. 

Bill, if you're reading this, the effort you've put into the USL is very appreciated and deserving of recognition, however it's obvious that the project stopped being fun for you a long time ago, so it's best to let someone else deal with it. Could you please send the stuff to js or let someone get it from you to send to him? If you don't have it all, then send whatever you do have.


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## mst3k (Sep 29, 2008)

Let's just agree that we are going for the same goal and leave it at that.

:candle:


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## js (Sep 30, 2008)

I received an email from Bill promising that most if not all of the USL stuff (except power supplies) will be boxed up and shipped to me by the end of this week.

FYI.


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## mst3k (Sep 30, 2008)

This is great news. How come no power supplies?


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## J_Oei (Oct 1, 2008)

Let me know if you see a yellow guardless in there...


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## js (Oct 1, 2008)

Power supplies are linear and thus very heavy. You can fit one in a large flat rate box, and ship it for not too much money ($10 or so) but non-flat rate or UPS is significantly more expensive than that. Bill wants to drop-ship the power supplies from his end. I'm opposed to that idea, but honestly, at this point, if I can just get the g*dd*mn parts in my hands, I'll be ecstatic. I can buy new power supplies. They're easy. It's the bored out maglite bodies and ceramic socket cans and battery packs and reflectors that are the big deal.


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## mst3k (Oct 2, 2008)

Good luck Jim! So now hopefully this last wait won't be too much longer.


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## js (Oct 2, 2008)

Yeah. Right. Well, maybe.


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## Carpe Diem (Oct 6, 2008)

BTTT :shrug:


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## Minimoog (Oct 8, 2008)

Has Bill sent the items out to you Jim - and have you had a tracking number?

Ian


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## js (Oct 9, 2008)

Ian,

I have no idea, and no, no tracking number, no emails from Bill. Nada.


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## Carpe Diem (Oct 9, 2008)

Hi JS...

First, I again want to thank you for your efforts in this most interesting saga.

Second, over the approximate last 2-3 years that my paid-in-full order has been "pending" for two USL`s and related chargers and equipment, I`ve bent over backwards to be patient, polite and extremely supportive of Bill in this venture. I even encouraged Bill not to rush into the completion of my 2 USL`s if there was a then-existing problem with the battery packs that were being built for the project.

Having said all of that, I now trust and hope that Bill will promptly take the remaining final steps that need to be taken, and (i) send to you the remaining USL supplies and parts so that you can finish building these units for us, and (ii) send out the chargers from his end as is apparently also a part of the plan.

Please let me know, however, when and if you believe that you have finally met a true and actual dead-end in getting Bill`s help and cooperation in this matter. When and if that proves to be the case in this "11th hour- 59th minute" part of the saga, I will then take steps to protect my interests by using the legal avenues that are, and always have been, available to me as an attorney-at-law.

If I`m ever forced to take such steps, I would also try to be of some help to the other persons on the still-pending customer list. (No promises in that regard for various procedural reasons, but I would try see what I could do for the rest of you folks.)

More importantly...a message to Bill: I`m still very supportive of you and your efforts, notwithstanding the content of this post. I still trust and know that you`ll work with JS and bring this venture to a final conclusion. For that I thank you in advance. It`s just that IF I`ve been wrong all this time in having a continous and strong measure of faith and trust in you and the venture, well...the saga will unfortunately get even more interesting for all of us. I`m confidant, though, that such a turn of events never need to occur.

Bill and JS...thanks again for wrapping this project up. I remain a loyal fan and admirer of both of you. 

:shrug:


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## js (Oct 9, 2008)

Carpe Diem,

You are definitely one of the good ones. A very civil and elegant post.

I will send Bill another email and also try to call him this weekend, as his cell phone should work when he's not at work :green:


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## griff (Oct 10, 2008)

Quote:Carpe Diem 



First, I again want to thank you for your efforts in this most interesting saga.

Second, over the approximate last 2-3 years that my paid-in-full order has been "pending" for two USL`s and related chargers and equipment, I`ve bent over backwards to be patient, polite and extremely supportive of Bill in this venture. I even encouraged Bill not to rush into the completion of my 2 USL`s if there was a then-existing problem with the battery packs that were being built for the project.

Having said all of that, I now trust and hope that Bill will promptly take the remaining final steps that need to be taken, and (i) send to you the remaining USL supplies and parts so that you can finish building these units for us, and (ii) send out the chargers from his end as is apparently also a part of the plan.

Please let me know, however, when and if you believe that you have finally met a true and actual dead-end in getting Bill`s help and cooperation in this matter. When and if that proves to be the case in this "11th hour- 59th minute" part of the saga, I will then take steps to protect my interests by using the legal avenues that are, and always have been, available to me as an attorney-at-law.

If I`m ever forced to take such steps, I would also try to be of some help to the other persons on the still-pending customer list. (No promises in that regard for various procedural reasons, but I would try see what I could do for the rest of you folks.)

More importantly...a message to Bill: I`m still very supportive of you and your efforts, notwithstanding the content of this post. I still trust and know that you`ll work with JS and bring this venture to a final conclusion. For that I thank you in advance. It`s just that IF I`ve been wrong all this time in having a continous and strong measure of faith and trust in you and the venture, well...the saga will unfortunately get even more interesting for all of us. I`m confidant, though, that such a turn of events never need to occur.

Bill and JS...thanks again for wrapping this project up. I remain a loyal fan and admirer of both of you. 




Quote JS:

"You are definitely one of the good ones. A very civil and elegant post."




CARPE,

I have followed this mess for a long time and have been through the ups and downs with all of you.

I would like to thank you for showing me how to handle a bad situation with grace!

I read all your post that I come across and always
think the same thing..... Some people have a gift!
You are one of those people!!
It's an honor to be associated with you in this strange way!
Thanks
Griff


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## Westy (Oct 10, 2008)

Seems overdue for a roadtrip (sigh, done that once before successfully). Hard to believe it's not the case.


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## Carpe Diem (Oct 10, 2008)

Hi Griff...

Thank you for your kind comments.

The comradery of the CPF has been one of my true pleasures in life. It is the "good persons", such as you, JS and legions of other CPF`ers, IMHO, who singularly create what is the nicest community of eclectic souls ever assembled in cyberspace. 

Thanks again, Griff...and best wishes to you, my friend!

:thumbsup:


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## mst3k (Oct 15, 2008)

js said:


> I received an email from Bill promising that most if not all of the USL stuff (except power supplies) will be boxed up and shipped to me by the end of this week.
> 
> FYI.


 

For those playing the home game, Jim's post was on 9-30-2008.

It is now 10-15-08. I'm not even going to interject what I think.


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## BVH (Oct 16, 2008)

Yep....very, very sad. I'd have a difficult time looking at myself in the mirror every morning.


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## mst3k (Oct 16, 2008)

BVH said:


> Yep....very, very sad. I'd have a difficult time looking at myself in the mirror every morning.


 
I see no reason at all for you or Jim to feel sad at all. This is not your fault at all! :thumbsup:


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## js (Oct 16, 2008)

mst3k said:


> I see no reason at all for you or Jim to feel sad at all. This is not your fault at all! :thumbsup:



I think he meant Bill, not me. But I do feel sad about this whole situation even though I am not responsible for it and have done my damnedest to rectify it.

So, I did send Bill an email, but so far nothing. He must be doing a total rebuild of his computer. I'll call him this weekend and see if I can get him.


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## mst3k (Oct 17, 2008)

js said:


> He must be doing a total rebuild of his computer.


 

Yeah, that must be it.


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## BVH (Oct 17, 2008)

Jim, absolutely my last post was not about you! Why would "rebuilding his computer" keep him from having sent you all the parts weeks or months ago or at least calling you? It appears that he simply doesn't care about all his buyers and fellow CPF'rs. That is the impression I get. Again, this is not about you. You've been a gem in this.


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## js (Oct 17, 2008)

BVH,

No worries! I knew that. And, thanks, everyone.

So, it looks as if we just might have someone willing to go pick up this stuff from Bill. I'm looking into it, and THANK YOU to the CPFer who has offered to do this! Another option, too, is if SilverFox get's back from the wilds. Maybe he could go pick up the stuff if this good samaritan offer doesn't work out due to distance/location. And, I'll call Bill this weekend as promised.

Oh, and BVH, you're right. I just meant that Bill has mentioned a lot of computer problems and/or ISP problems over the past year, so he might not have gotten my email. But, that still doesn't address your point . . . :shrug:


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## Fat_Tony (Oct 20, 2008)

Hi Jim,

I hate to bump this thread, but after reading through it again this evening, my curiosity has grown to the point that it is almost insatiable. I am sure that you tried, but what I must know is: did you actually manage to get through to Bill this weekend? Any update would be appreciated. Thank you very much Jim (and not just for answering my question, but for everything that you have done and or attempted to do to resurrect this project).

Joe


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## js (Oct 21, 2008)

My wife was ill this weekend with a migrane, and, honestly, I just forgot to call him! I'm really sorry. I meant to. I was also busy with my LunaSol 20 review, taking pictures and what not. Ah well. Damn.

I will try him Monday evening late and see if he answers.

For the record, I have tried him previously, as mentioned, and don't usually get him on his cell. He said in an email that he is at work a lot and his cell doesn't get reception there, so presumably, that's why. Anyway, I'll post back late Monday evening, or in the first 8 hours of Tuesday. I'm on the graveyard shift at the accelerator right now (and for the next ten days . . . err, nights, I mean.)


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## js (Oct 22, 2008)

OK. Called Bill's cell at 11PM my time, 8PM his time, and there was no answer. I left a message mentioning my email to him asking after the status of the USL packages sent (if any).


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## Fat_Tony (Oct 22, 2008)

Thanks, Jim. I really appreciate the update.


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## mst3k (Oct 23, 2008)

I've a theory. We have some time here. Anyone want to hear it?


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## js (Oct 23, 2008)

Hit me with it, mst3k. Because, honestly, I need the diversion from this whole . . . I don't know what to call it! Once again, I can see that I will be working my a** off right before the Christmas season. What a drag.


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## mst3k (Oct 23, 2008)

Actually, now that I'm at work and don't have a little beer buzz going, I think I will just keep my theories to myself. I really do hope this works out, but I seriously have huge doubts at this point.


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## Fat_Tony (Oct 23, 2008)

Oh come on, mst3k!! Was it funny? If so, I could use a good laugh. 

Joe


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## LuxLuthor (Oct 23, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Actually, now that I'm at work and don't have a little beer buzz going, I think I will just keep my theories to myself. I really do hope this works out, but I seriously have huge doubts at this point.



Does it involve a wedding in Jarkata? :devil:


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## mst3k (Oct 23, 2008)

Dudes, I really wish it was "funny" I love funny. I remember when everyone in this thread was giddy and happy. 

That was long ago.


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## js (Oct 24, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Dudes, I really wish it was "funny" I love funny. I remember when everyone in this thread was giddy and happy.
> 
> That was long ago.



God, those were the days, weren't they? Remember when Larry freaking *FRIED AN EGG* on his USL lens? Or the marshmallow movie? God that was great! Or setting newspaper on fire? It's definitely an awesome thing to experience--that much incan power in so small a light. It's a good design, the USL. Of course, I am somewhat *cough* . . . biased, being the one who designed the proto-type.


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## Minimoog (Oct 29, 2008)

Any word from Bill? I do hope he is not ignoring you on purpose...

Ian


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## js (Oct 29, 2008)

Ian,

Just recently he replied to an email sent by one of the people waiting for his USL and said, basically, that yes he was going to send all the stuff to me this week (or next?) and that he was having computer problems and that personal-life stuff had prevented him from mailing it out to me before now.

I wonder if maybe he didn't get my phone call message or emails? Because if he emailed this person back, he could have (theoretically) emailed me back.

We shall see.

BUT . . .

The big news is that SilverFox will be able to stop by Bill's place (he's been there before) in about 2-3 weeks, and pick up all the supplies and then *HE* can mail them to me. We're only waiting on him getting back from his business trip. But he can do it. So that, at least, is very good news.

When the time comes, I will bombard Bill with calls and emails to all possible numbers, addresses, to forewarn him of Tom's arrival. And I will have Tom do the same. Thus, there might be a chance of Bill actually having everything boxed up. But even if he doesn't, Tom can still throw the stuff into boxes and into the back of his vehicle.

If I can . . . just . . . get . . . the damn parts . . . things will start moving.


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## Fat_Tony (Oct 29, 2008)

Three cheers for JS and Silverfox!!!


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## mst3k (Oct 29, 2008)

js said:


> Ian,
> 
> Just recently he replied to an email sent by one of the people waiting for his USL and said, basically, that yes he was going to send all the stuff to me this week (or next?) and that he was having computer problems and that personal-life stuff had prevented him from mailing it out to me before now.


 
I'm sorry. Bill has been using this same effin' excuse and promising the same thing for going on the 4th year now. I hate to say this, but I have serious doubts that Bill has anything to even build these lights with. I will be shocked if Silverfox is able to pick up anything. I want this to end happy, but I can't believe that if Bill has the stuff, that he wouldn't ship it by now just to shut us all up!


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## cmacclel (Oct 29, 2008)

mst3k said:


> I'm sorry. Bill has been using this same effin' excuse and promising the same thing for going on the 4th year now. I hate to say this, but I have serious doubts that Bill has anything to even build these lights with. I will be shocked if Silverfox is able to pick up anything. I want this to end happy, but I can't believe that if Bill has the stuff, that he wouldn't ship it by now just to shut us all up!


 
I know that ModaMag personally machined all the bodies for the USL list.

Mac


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## Jerimoth (Oct 29, 2008)

PaulR- did you receive yours yet? Because I know you're ahead of me on the list.


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## mst3k (Oct 29, 2008)

cmacclel said:


> I know that ModaMag personally machined all the bodies for the USL list.
> 
> Mac


 

This is good news! I haven't given up. I'm just sick of it. 

How many times has Bill promised to do something "next week?"


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## Westy (Oct 30, 2008)

mst3k said:


> This is good news! I haven't given up. I'm just sick of it.
> 
> How many times has Bill promised to do something "next week?"


 
Mst3k, sorry but I check this thread occasionally with my own faint hope and the content quality I have to run thru kills me. Bill could give a rats *** about this on his priority scale obviously. I think we know your feelings on it as well by now. If I thought posting #'s made a difference I'd quip up regularly. Ya ya thanks to JS et al, once it's done him and any team members should get medals.

We all have a rant once in a while, rant off


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## mst3k (Oct 30, 2008)

Westy said:


> Mst3k, sorry but I check this thread occasionally with my own faint hope and the content quality I have to run thru kills me. Bill could give a rats *** about this on his priority scale obviously. I think we know your feelings on it as well by now. If I thought posting #'s made a difference I'd quip up regularly. Ya ya thanks to JS et al, once it's done him and any team members should get medals.
> 
> We all have a rant once in a while, rant off


 
Yes, you are right Westy. I have posted my opinion here just way too much. Unfortuneatly the guy I'm actually mad at is no longer even here to hear me. I do apologize Jim. You probably feel the worst about my ranting here. The last time Bill was even here was on 9-13-08 http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/member.php?u=3551

My rants are now only being read by folks that really don't need to hear them. 

I'm sorry everyone. I've made my point, many many times. There is no longer a reason to keep dwelling on it.


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## js (Oct 31, 2008)

There is no need to apologize, mst3k. It's totally understandable, and I have no problem with your posts.

However, I can also understand Westy's feelings on the issue.

There's a proper balance between excessive ranting that fills up a thread and turns people off, and suppression of justifiable anger and annoyance. At least being able to post a bit of a rant is _something_ to help with this largely intolerable situation.

Just my 2 cents. YMMV.


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## Bullzeyebill (Oct 31, 2008)

Jim, I am not part of the USL buy, but have been following the USL threads for several years. About four + years ago Bill was nice enough to offer to get a Power Supply and Triton charger for me so I paid for it. He did deliver it, three years later. I just sort of took it in stride and did not bug him. Of course, I was not putting out that much money. I can understand others frustration, but damn, Bill is a nice guy, and human enough to have some real life problems that are getting in his way, and I suspect the rest of his life is not doing that well either. I applaud your involvement and passion in this matter. You are one stand up guy, and I know that others feel that way too.

Bill


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## js (Oct 31, 2008)

Bill,

Thank you. And I totally agree that Bill is a nice guy and he has certainly had a lot of life issues. He's only human, just like all the rest of us here.

I don't want to demonize Bill in any way, or make him feel bad, or point any fingers.

I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE LIGHTS FOR EVERYONE. It makes me sick that it has been over three years now and a lot of people still don't have anything to show for their money. It's just not acceptable. It's *unacceptable*.

Most, if not ALL of us here, understand about the life issues thing, and the only human thing. We all get that. This is precisely why I want to finish the project for Bill. He obviously isn't in a position to finish it himself.

But that doesn't change the frustration and disappointment and discouragement that all those still waiting are feeling. And they have the greater part here. It's not about Bill, in my mind. It's about doing the right thing. And the sooner the better.


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## Westy (Nov 2, 2008)

JS, couple PM's sent your way (Monday and today), cheers. Curious if you know if Bill has the Tritons as I could use mine for a new acquisition I'll have in hand this coming week, and not sure if theirs any option to get the Triton out of the USL clutch.


----------



## BVH (Nov 10, 2008)




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## js (Nov 11, 2008)

BVH said:


>



Popcorn, eh? I'm thinking more along the lines of . . .


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## js (Nov 16, 2008)

OK. So SilverFox will be dropping by Bill's place 6 days from now! And will then mail the stuff to me shortly after that.

Also, I got an email from Bill explaining his life-troubles over the past 18 months, which were the reason for all of the delays and lack of communication. That phase of things is now over, or at least letting up a bit, however, so I'm hoping that he will have everything ready to hand off to SilverFox when he gets there this coming Saturday. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that that is a safe bet. I told Tom to bring some boxes, and he has plenty of room in his vehicle, so it seems reasonable to assume that he will be able, by hook or by crook, to grab all the supplies, components, chargers, and power supplies. I think I will have to explicitly tell both Tom and Bill that, yes, Tom should take the power supplies as well. This will release Bill of any further responsibilities on this project, and allow me to take over.

Let's hope it all goes smoothly and as expected.


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## addictedmatt (Nov 16, 2008)

Good luck! Hopefully you wont need it.


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## Westy (Nov 17, 2008)

I hope he's got all necessary $'s to hand over to fully cover the shipping we've prepaid etc....don't want you out of pocket Jim! Let us know if any top ups required.

(truly fair would have been hourly payments to Jim for this followup saga! - garnisheed from XXXs check).


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## plasmaman (Nov 17, 2008)

A huge vote of thanks to Tom and Jim for giving us something to look forward to!


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## HarryN (Nov 18, 2008)

When I read this thread, it makes me so relieved that I only spent my own time and money in an attempt to make my "Breeze" light. Until you actually attempt something which really breaks new ground: 
- design
- find suppliers
- test components (several times)
- purchase parts
- Invest MUCH more money into it than you will ever get back regardless of pre-pay or not.
- have things fabricated by suppliers (several times)
- Learn new things about optics, electronics, parts fabrication
- deal with out of tolerance parts
- worry about liability
- Worry about your reputation
- worry about your suppliers coming through (or still existing by the time you need them)
- deal with orders, extras, and changes 
- deal with the anxiety of "will it ever work like my proto?"
- deal with the realities of life, work, etc.
- deal with your wife getting really tired of flashlights and flashlight parts around the house.

You just cannot imagine what a toll it takes on a person.

It is a lot of work just to build the first proto (ask JS about his first M6-R ), but building a bunch - it is a whole different level again.

I hope that if someone else takes on the task of attempting another ground breaking light, they consider a slightly different funding path:

a) Payment 1 - Payment for interested people who are willing to help fund the development, with no expectation of receiving a finished product, but will get the "option" to buy one if things work out.

b) Payment 2 - Payment for the product by people who bought into the phase 1 - payment 1 concept.

For anyone who thinks this is an unfair concept, consider that I dropped $ X thousands (I refuse publish how much) into development of a light (with no revenue), and I am guessing that this light has to be in the multi K range as well. 

I really wish the best for everyone, but please remember that your payments probably don't even cover 1/3 of the parts costs to get to the point of delivery.

Nonetheless, I can understand the challenge of purchasing, waiting and imagining that these things are straightforward.


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## Westy (Nov 18, 2008)

No offense Harryn, sorry you got in further than you wanted. (sounds like you did anyhow). 



HarryN said:


> SNIP..
> 1) You just cannot imagine what a toll it takes on a person.
> snip...
> 
> 2)Nonetheless, I can understand the challenge of purchasing, waiting and imagining that these things are straightforward.




#1 - why not? We don't live on couches with a matched IQ to cushions, the carreers of many here and even solely intelligence alone of many members can envisage the steps involved you note. It can be as open a process as the builder likes or closed. Unfortunate if they fall way short $ wise no question but that perhaps discerns the abilities and talents of many and who should perhaps carry on in such ventures.


#2 - not sure who imagines these custom lights are straightforward. I don't. Not one item noted in your list surprises me except perhaps your thousands/our only covering 1/3 etc, but that's to the builder and their planning. I LIVE that process, nothing easy about it but that's work/hobby or not and if I !#$ up thousands it's out of my business pocket. Accountability and ownership - I support these. 

Westy (hopes this is THE last USL thread and it closes off with useful updates to completion)


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## js (Nov 21, 2008)

Well . . .

Bill responded to my email about Tom dropping by this Saturday, and said that, yes, Tom called him last night, but unfortunately, he (Bill) will be out of town this weekend working.

He says he has started the process, and has taken half of next week off to finish it, so he will get it in the mail to me either Friday or Saturday of next week if the post office is open those days. (It's not).

Part of the issue, he said, is that there are lots of unsold parts and bodies, so he has to make sure I get what I need, but not all the extras that complicate the build. (It's more complicated to build a light with _no_ parts to start with, though . . .)

He says he has started boxing up the power supplies, and that he is just going to ship them direct to the buyers. They will get their power supplies probably before they get their lights, he thinks. (Indeed.)

******

So, there it is. I was going to suggest that Bill leave the parts with his wife or son or neighbor, so Tom could pick them up. Or that maybe he could take the weekend off instead of half of next week. Or that I don't care if the build is "complicated" by extra parts. Extra parts are a problem I'd love to have, actually.

But, really, what's the point . . .

Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to wait and see if Bill has mailed out all the stuff by the Friday of the week _after_ Thanksgiving, the 5th of December.

And if that doesn't happen . . .

I'm

going

to get

angry.


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## cmacclel (Nov 21, 2008)

Jesus JS this is getting absolutely rediculous 

One excuse after another.......pretty sad. He should just give you every little thing he has, never mind sorting things out! You and SilverFox have gone above and beyond with no end in sight 

Take half of next week off? All he has to do is toss everything in a box and hand it off to SilverFox then if there is any extra parts they can just be sent back to him, and he misses no work!

I think things are more than they appear!

Mac


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## Westy (Nov 26, 2008)

definitely stinks, no reason at all he even had to be their let alone he had more than ample notice, let alone the nerve of him holding back to ensure 'neat line' quantities only are delivered - huge sympathies to JS and silverfox....Bill shipping out power supplies, more utter BS dreaming- above was for direct pickup, no harder than boxing a few lunches....

Westy (wondering how many original owners that paid via mailed funds remain for that method of legal followup)

PS, was looking fwd to the 'pickup' update, now I'm snapping


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## js (Dec 3, 2008)

So far, no packages have arrived at my door. And it turns out the post office was open on Friday and Saturday--at least here in Ithaca--so they should have been here by now. If Bill shipped on Monday, I should get them this afternoon.

Somehow, I'm less than optimistic for some unexplainable reason . . .

Ah well, we shall see. Three days left (including today).


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## js (Dec 5, 2008)

Still nothing . . .

One more day.


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## js (Dec 5, 2008)

And nothing today on my porch. No packages. Nothing. Nada.

Not good.

And, of course, no word from Bill: no call, no email, nothing. This whole thing is starting to seem strangely familiar. Oh wait . . . that's right, *ANDREW WYNN ROUSE*.

I honestly never thought it would come to this. I really didn't. But here we are.

I think it's time to explore other options.


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## addictedmatt (Dec 6, 2008)

I don't get it. Does he actually have the stuff? Why wouldn't he give it up? Maybe he has gone mad, and he wants the worlds largest collection of USL's all to himself. This is crazy. My offer to help still stands. I can donate some new hosts or whatever else is needed.


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## Carpe Diem (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi JS...

Thanks for the updates.

Please keep me posted, kind sir.

:shrug:


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## paulr (Dec 8, 2008)

Jim, kudos for your heroic efforts in this project. I hope Tom can pick up the stuff from Bill sometime since my guess is that it won't go out any other way. Jerimoth (#231), no, I haven't received anything, I haven't been following this thread too closely. I hope something comes out of it, but if not, I just don't have it in me to get too worked up about it, for reasons I've already explained.


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## Codeman (Dec 8, 2008)

js said:


> ...*ANDREW WYNN ROUSE*...



Or DSpeck. Attempts to recover the money from that fiasco have been going on for a couple of years now.

I don't know what's going on with Bill, but he obviously isn't the same person that he was a couple of years ago.


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## js (Dec 8, 2008)

Well, I'm not going to get all that angry. I'm too disgusted and disappointed for that. But I will reveal some things.

For starters, more than a year ago I made the same offer to Bill in private that I made just recently in public: I offered to take over the project entirely; I even offered to pay for the shipping for him to send me all the parts.

He declined.

At this point I'm pretty sure that Bill never even mailed out all the lights that I built for him a year ago. I made 17 (is that right?) lights for him. At that time the battery packs were right on the edge of being too low in voltage, and I was worried about them. I didn't want to spend too much time cycling them and testing them, but I did give them all a quick partial charge to bump their voltage back up to safe levels.

So, if Bill hasn't touched them since then, those packs are ALL dead. D-E-D dead. As are all the spare packs waiting to be built into lights. If Bill couldn't even be bothered to post to this thread, I doubt he cycled two dozen USL packs to keep them fresh.

So they're toast.

This whole thing is a bust. A waste. It's over. The USL project is dead. I formally declare it. We can't even get an effing *LIST* of the people who are still due their orders.

So, now what?

I propose that on a case by case basis, I try to do something for everyone who never got their USL's. I can build custom lights, or custom packs, or whatever. We could even create an entirely new project.

I was thinking that a light that used a C size Mag host and four of the A123 systems batteries and a 62138 would be a killer light. A lot longer than a USL, but pretty darned cool nonetheless. And immune to overdischarge and death due to neglect. I'd be willing to undertake some such project. Or build some special regulated lights for everyone.

Let's have some ideas here. Let me know what people would like (besides never to have given Bill any money).

And I will think about starting a new thread. How about "The USL build is dead: long live the USL build--or NOT!"


----------



## wquiles (Dec 8, 2008)

*js*, thanks for keeping this going as long as it has been.

I was one who also got burned by lies and promises from AWR, and I would like to help as well. In fact, my involvement in the PhD (Hotwire Regulated Design Collaboration project) has been focused on bringing a regulated variant that will work in the SF M6 since I know many folks were left wanting a regulated solution for the M6:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2731699#post2731699

Perhaps we can leverage this work (we now have running hardware and software driving real hotire bulbs!) and come up with solutions for both the M6 and the "new" USL project.

Let me know how I can be of help/assistance.

Will


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## mst3k (Dec 8, 2008)

Theory time. You guys remember way way back when the project was just getting going? Remember that fire Bill had in his kitchen? I imagine that fire cost a considerable amount to fix. Let's say there were 60 of us that sent Bill an average of $400. Hmmmmmmm, Bill had a fire and suddenly found himself with an excess of over $24,000 in his bank account. I'm thinking, fix house and hopefully find a way to raise that money back later for the USL build. I'm also guessing that Bill doesn't have the parts necessary to complete the project and this is why he is so reluctant to let anyone come to his house to pick up the parts. 

I thought this was the case long ago, which is also why I think Bill denied letting Jim take over the project so long ago as well. 

I really hope I'm not right, but I guess it really doesn't matter anymore.
I just hate that Bill is getting to skate with our money and nothing is going to be done about it, but oh well. This isn't the first time I've lost this amount of money on a project gone awry. 

Oh well, Merry Christmas everyone! Time for happy thoughts now. 

:thumbsup:


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## flashlightgordon (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi guys. Well it's been a long time since I heard of the USL, and signed on in anticipation and excitement. A great idea that made my little flashoholic heart beat a little faster. During the past years(!) waiting patiently, there have been several ups and downs reading posts on the USL, hoping for a happy ending. That being down the drain, I would like to thank everyone who tried to be a part of the solution, and put up at fight to complete the project. As for Bill, if he continues to deal with the challenges in his life as he has done with this project, so be it - i'm sure that he will get what he deserves, sooner or later.

Another project featuring a light with some considerable "wow" factor, sounds great.


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## Carpe Diem (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi JS...

Do you have a copy of the last USL payment list (with the amount of money each CPF`er paid) that you could either post in this thread or else send to me? 

I`d also appreciate it if you would confirm for me Bill`s current address. (I think I have it from some research that I just did on Bill through some legal search engines that I have access to, but I just want to be sure.)

Thanks.


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## js (Dec 9, 2008)

Carpe Diem,

I'll PM you the address to which I mail stuff to Bill, but I'm not sure that's his house address. SilverFox will know it, for sure, though.

As for USL payment list, since it was never my project, ownership-wise, and I was just the person who made the proto-type and made the packs (at first), I never held that information. However, Bill's paypal account did get locked at one point, and he directed a number of people to pay me instead of him. It amounted to about $3 or 4 k and less than a dozen buyers, and I could confirm them and their addresses, but they have all recieved their USL's, I believe. Soundbox was the last one on my list who hadn't, and I specially built his USL a year ago or so.

This is part of the problem. We don't even have basic information here, that we SHOULD have. Or that I should have, anyway.

But, let me look into it and get back to you.


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## Carpe Diem (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi JS...

Don`t do anything heroic with respect to getting the USL payment list. I was just trying to save myself from some research work on how much I actually sent to Bill for the two USL packages that I signed up and paid for. Confirmation of Bill`s current home address would be great, though, if you can get that info.

Thanks again for all of your efforts in this saga.

I`m also interested, BTW, of morphing into another project that woul be under your supervision...if that becomes a reality.

Take care.


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## js (Dec 9, 2008)

Carpe,

I'm definitely going to be doing something for everyone who got shafted by this. It's TBD on what exactly that will be, but it's definite that it WILL be. If I can't build USL's, I'll build something else.


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## mst3k (Dec 9, 2008)

Jim, you have done as much as you could do in this. You don't owe me anything.


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## Carpe Diem (Dec 10, 2008)

mst3k said:


> Jim, you have done as much as you could do in this. You don't owe me anything.


 
I feel the same way, Jim. I truly appreciate your efforts.


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## Dynacolt (Dec 14, 2008)

Guess I'll have to join the 'lost faith in Bill' crowd . This doesn't mean I'll be putting Bill in the same category as a couple of other unscrupulous persons mentioned here, because I've never had anything other than good dealings with Bill.
However, I am disappointed and especially as others have offered to give Bill a hand and he hasn't accepted / followed through to prevent this apparent disaster.
There has been the obvious mention of missing USLs and powersupplies, but I'm one also waiting for a Triton, of which I had believed Bill had received (all a bit fuzzy now after so much time).

Dave.


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## mst3k (Dec 15, 2008)

It's so weird to have followed this thread for almost 4 years with anticipation of maybe actually getting a USL, to now having no reason to come here anymore. I feel like a lost sheep. 

:candle:


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## js (Dec 16, 2008)

Everyone,

I will be closing this thread, and posting a new one about the project I intend to do in lieu of the USL, for those who are still waiting on their USL orders. So, mst3k, and others, you still have something to anticipate, such as it is.

I will do this. I must do this. And I won't hear any arguments against it. I know that this whole situation is not my fault and that I am not responsible for it, and even that I have done my level best over the last three+ years to avoid it coming to this. But that changes nothing. My name is attached to this project, and that means more to me than work at my workbench or extra money in my account. Far more.

Likely, there will be three or four (or even more) choices for those of you who have been shafted here. And I am not burning the I-got-the-parts-and-I-can-build-USL's-after-all bridge, either. That may become one of the choices, but honestly, I am not holding my breath. I have some idea of what has been going on in Bill's life, and it's been heavy, and I have sympathy for him, but it still just doesn't add up. Who, in this day and age, can't find an effing way to get online to post to CPF? That just doesn't fly. And who, after all this nonsense, would refuse a super, super easy Tom-is-swinging-by-to-get-the-parts back out deal? Perhaps, after all, it is true, and Bill somehow doesn't actually have the parts? Or perhaps he has lost all concept of time? I have no frickin' idea. But it doesn't matter. Whatever the reason, past history has become a near infallible predictor of the course of future events.

I hope I am, after all, proven wrong (or right, as it were), but I am no longer going to wait around.

Unfortunately, I am currently switching shifts to the graveyard shift, and that always throws a wrench in my mental accuity (LOL!). So, perhaps I will be able to post the new thread tomorrow morning (Wednesday), or it may be more like Friday, or the weekend.

In the meantime, I'm happy to hear suggestions and make suggestions, and generally entertain various possibilities. The only thing I don't want to hear is how I shouldn't be doing this. I should have done this a year ago. Maybe back then I could have gotten the parts and we wouldn't be at this pass. But who knows. We just have to deal with where we are.

So, I can do SL60 upgrades (see link in my sigline), TigerLight upgrades, mag mods of various sorts, Stinger mods (the mini-ultra mod), and probably some other stuff I am not thinking of right now. But that's a start. So please chime in here, everyone.


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## BVH (Dec 18, 2008)

Disregard. Posted before I realized I wasn't reading JS's last post above.


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## Westy (Dec 19, 2008)

So has no one paid via a money order to pursue the mail fraud recourse, or anyone up on means to chase this thru with Bill? I did a road trip 10 yrs ago to secure a couple grand back for my dad from a 'net fraud. We found the lawyer that had previously prosecuted the seller twice in same town and got lucky not having to go legal. His wife worked for the local police and was tired and very embarrassed of her wages being garnisheed for her 'poor luck' hubby. Quite an easy case to prove here I'd think but not my expertise in means to pursue?

I don't know what to do but can't accept their aren't options outside JS's admirable attempts?? (honestly the 'closing this thread' scares me as I'm not at closure myself and seems some efforts could remain and I'm surprised some aren't being tossed out and about?)

I'm not the closest, but if I can contribute to any related effort in any way please feel free to contact me.


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## js (Dec 19, 2008)

I won't close this thread any time soon, actually. More than one person has had concerns about that!

However, what I had in mind was to tack on a link to the last post, and continue on with the exact same posts, questions, concern, issues, etc. as with this thread. This one is just getting very big, and, since Bill is just plain frigging gone from the scene, I figure a change of ownership (and name) for the active "USL" thread is in order . . . at least at some point.

I will leave everything as is until after the fist week in January 2009. If Bill doesn't communicate in some way before that time, then I do plan on closing this thread, and continuing discussion in another.

Unless there are any objections . . .


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## mst3k (Dec 26, 2008)

Just wanted to wish everyone here a very Merry Christmas! 


Well, mostly everyone, mostly.


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## rdh226 (Dec 26, 2008)

js said:


> Well, I'm not going to get all that angry.
> 
> ...
> 
> This whole thing is a bust. A waste. It's over. The USL project is dead. I formally declare it. We can't even get an effing *LIST* of the people who are still due their orders.


_Deep Heavy Sigh._

How sad. Oh well, c'est la vie; Time to move on I guess.

Isn't the ahem effing *LIST* in one or more of the related threads? I'm know that I'm on it for a light...



> So, now what?
> 
> I propose ...
> 
> Let's have some ideas here. Let me know what people would like (besides never to have given Bill any money).


Well, a leggy blonde would -- oh wait, you probably mean just lights...

More eggnog!

Well, the whole rechargeable M6 thing, while unrequited, has left another bitter taste behind...

But the tri-bored Maglight with ridiculous bulbs (Mac's Torch comes to mind; what a blast!) has proven
to be a viable platform/genre. My only problem with it so far is all those troublesome NiMH battery
packs that have to be nursed along (constantly charged lest they go D-E-D Dead, as you say). AW's
IMR16340 LiIon batterys would seem to be (haven't actually tried them yet) a delightful solution. At a 
4A discharge, a 4S3P stack would nominally be a (10A easy) 14.8V 1650mAH 0.5 inch-longer match
to the 14.4V 1500mAH NiMH packs happily driving those 100Wt bulbs and frying eggs...

I realize it's not a really sexy Breaking New Ground project. But after DSpeck, and AWR, and the USL,
Well, just thinking out loud here, FWIW.

-RDH

And oh yeah *Happy Holidaze* everyone!


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## J_Oei (Dec 26, 2008)

I'm all for an impractical light. I mean, we all signed up for the USL, and that isn't a practical light by any means. It is the type of light that you show your friends and they go away shaking their heads thinking of how really sick you are!! Just think of the threads that have been posted about the USL: Fry eggs, light paper on fire, so bright the light needs a safety switch, etc.

I have lots of lights that have long runtime, or lights that I carry for EDC, or even lights that I use when I need a light or the power goes out. I also have a couple of the really outrageous lights (MaxBlaster, BarnBurner, etc). I think what we all want is a light just like the F1 cars are now; something that only hardcore fans would love and appreciate, something that pushes the envelope, beyond the razor's edge, something a little bit dangerous.

I have lots of lights that are evolutionary, as in, a bit better than the model that preceded it, maybe better battery, better emitter, etc. I want something revolutionary.


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## js (Dec 28, 2008)

rdh226 said:


> _Deep Heavy Sigh._
> 
> How sad. Oh well, c'est la vie; Time to move on I guess.
> 
> Isn't the ahem effing *LIST* in one or more of the related threads? I'm know that I'm on it for a light...



Yes. We can get an outdated list. But it's many months out of date.



> Well, a leggy blonde would -- oh wait, you probably mean just lights...
> 
> More eggnog!
> 
> Well, the whole rechargeable M6 thing, while unrequited, has left another bitter taste behind...



Do you mean my original M6-R project?



> But the tri-bored Maglight with ridiculous bulbs (Mac's Torch comes to mind; what a blast!) has proven
> to be a viable platform/genre. My only problem with it so far is all those troublesome NiMH battery
> packs that have to be nursed along (constantly charged lest they go D-E-D Dead, as you say). AW's
> IMR16340 LiIon batterys would seem to be (haven't actually tried them yet) a delightful solution. At a
> ...



Happy Holidays to you too, RDH.

And whatever I do, I won't ever do another NiMH based light, unless it's Sanyo Eneloop based.


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## js (Dec 30, 2008)

OK. Here is a list of CPF usernames from the USL list. Let's see if we can narrow down exactly where we are in it. Soundbox was removed, as I know he got his USL, as I built and sent it to him. Here is the list:

Mr Bulk
underdog
JimH
WB
Raindrop
plasmaman
lightlust
Data
tvodrd
rick258
Catman10
xpitxbullx
rothrandir
Dynacolt
thwang99
Glo_In_Dark
karlthev
Brightnorm
CPFMan
naromtap
Paul_DW
Codeman
Starlight
larryk
marcspar
Dizney
bobbo
KevinL
MikeF
dmdrewitt
AuroraLite
Mark65
DaveNagy
dallas
Alauda
CromagNet
paulr
J_Oei
modamag
Fleshlite
chasm22
flashlightgordon
ddaadd
Westy
Andreas
Solomon
Will7079
ths11
Fat_Tony
doctorf
Sakugenken
NetHiker
mst3k
JonSidneyB
tanasit
darkgear.com
rdh226
Carpe Diem
Trashman
Bright Scouter
wantthatlight
garsea
editedby
Peter L.
Bullzeyebill

If I had to guess, I'd say we're at J_Oei ????? And if so, that means that Bill was exaggerating how far along he was. Or was including lights I built and sent to him to send to people, but which he never sent out. Or who knows. Sure would be nice if Bill could get access to the internet and post to his own thread.

Anyway, please chime in if you can help us figure out where we are in the list.


----------



## karlthev (Dec 30, 2008)

I'm not sure if you want all of those folks who DID receive their USLs to pipe up but, if that's what you want, I did.


Karl


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## Codeman (Dec 30, 2008)

You can remove me from the list, Jim. I have mine.


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## J_Oei (Dec 31, 2008)

I was on the "guardless" list, which was a smaller list that Bill was going to
get to later. So, I think even more people received their lights even past me.


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## js (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanks guys.

And no, I didn't necessarily want everyone who HAS received a USL to report. I'm just interested in finding out where we are on the list. Although, given what J_Oei just said, it sounds as if there isn't a clear line that will separate those who have from those who haven't gotten their USL's.

And, on another note, I'm not going to update the above list at this point, but the information people provide here will eventually be collected and recorded. Somehow.

I'm going to--I can't believe I am saying this--call Bill after the New Year, to see if . . . to see if ANYTHING, I guess. What a fiasco. And of course, it all would have to get pushed into 1st Q. 2009 when I will be most busy here at work. Go figure. Lovely.


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## dmdrewitt (Dec 31, 2008)

I have received my USL

David


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## revv11 (Dec 31, 2008)

My name is not on the list but it should be. I purchased a spot from gessner17 on 12/30/2005. It was USL #71.


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## Dynacolt (Jan 1, 2009)

I was #17 on the list, and haven't received mine.
I'm thinking some of those higher on the list haven't got theirs if they opted for the updated battery packs (or if they chose guardless), which would mean there is not a neat cut-off on the list between those who have got theirs and those awaiting.

Dave.


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## js (Jan 1, 2009)

_expletive preemptively deleted by js_! What a _expletive deleted_ mess. Lovely.


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## rdh226 (Jan 1, 2009)

J_Oei said:


> I'm all for an impractical light. I mean, we all signed up for the USL, and that isn't a practical light by any means. It is the type of light that you show your friends and they go away shaking their heads thinking of how really sick you are!! Just think of the threads that have been posted about the USL: Fry eggs, light paper on fire, so bright the light needs a safety switch, etc.
> 
> I have lots of lights that have long runtime, or lights that I carry for EDC, or even lights that I use when I need a light or the power goes out. I also have a couple of the really outrageous lights (MaxBlaster, BarnBurner, etc). I think what we all want is a light just like the F1 cars are now; something that only hardcore fans would love and appreciate, something that pushes the envelope, beyond the razor's edge, something a little bit dangerous.
> 
> I have lots of lights that are evolutionary, as in, a bit better than the model that preceded it, maybe better battery, better emitter, etc. I want something revolutionary.


Apologies for not being more explicit.

100Wt MagBeasts Rock!

Everyone needs at least one! Ha!

Back to my point -- 100Wt is now a well-understood and mastered technology, it is no long bleeding-edge frickin'
ridiculous. Just frickin' ridiculous, kinda like a [car analogy] Dodge Viper or Ford GT (outta my price range), or
[gun analogy] Competitor .308 pistol (yeah, got one of those beasts -- http://www.competitor-pistol.com/).
There have been many *top-quality and reliability* 100Wt MagBeast limited-production runs, Mac's Torch
being just one example.

What I meant in my previous post was that if, as feared by js, the NiMH battery packs are now stale toast, then
<expletive deleted> the NiMH and lets try AW's new IMR 16340's for completing the USL run. One downside
would be having to further machine (tri-bore, probably shorten) the extant USL bodies, adding yet another stage
to an already-drawn out process.

Hmmm...thinking out loud...ya know, I betcha Chris' new CNC lathe could crank out a whole buncha re-machined
USL bodies in short order!

As I said, just a thought...wholeheartedly furthering the ideal of 100Wt MagBeasts.



js said:


> > Well, the whole rechargeable M6 thing, while unrequited, has left another bitter taste behind...
> 
> 
> Do you mean my original M6-R project?


js -- my only "problem" with _your_ M6-R project is that *I missed it!*

No, I was referring to AWR's M6 LiIon projects, which I have written off as bad investment, along with DSpeck's 
last Firefly money pit. All told, about a grand (well over a grand counting the USL). It's easy to get sucked in by all
the enthusiasm.

Eh. Live and Learn. I'm learning a lot . . . <chortle> . . . and trying to maintain my sense of humor about it all.

-RDH


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## js (Jan 2, 2009)

RDH,

Gottcha!

Yeah, I agree with you about trying alternatives to NiMH. Totally. And I'm all for looking into AW cells.

Just to re-iterate my own idea: I was thinking of the A123 systems high-rate, inherently safe, Li-ion cells, in the sub-C size range. Four of them are just about perfect for driving the 62138, as they start at 3.3 volts, and have a nice, long (very long), flat plateau at 3.0 volts. They can be recharged in like 5 minutes, if you have the amperage to spare, and they can be over-discharged and be just fine, and can be left sitting around, and be just fine, and can even be over-charged and be just fine. The only draw back is low capacity, and thus short runtime. But for a 100W incan, that's OK.

We'd end up with a 3C Maglite, I think. Or at worst, a 4C, but I'm pretty sure that I worked out the details a couple years ago and figured a 3C would accommodate 4 of the 26 mm dia A123 systems cells.

But, it's just an idea.

As I said, I will call Bill--one last time--and make a plea for him to send YOUR (you'all) stuff to me so I can finish the USL project. (Well, I can dream). I'm sure the packs are toast, though. They have to be. Bill couldn't even be bothered to post to this thread, so what are the chances that he has bothered to do maintenance charging on the packs. Plus, it's an easy thing to forget about, as I know all too well from personal experience.


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## bobbo (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi Jim, :sigh:

I have spent several hours tonight looking for papers on this USL "FRAUD" and have come up with two different order lists.One is the list posted on 12/10/06 with the last order # being #77!? I will post later today and if not,Monday.I am trying to find everything I can on print-outs that I have done on the USL.Just a little food for thought,I would say that "bwaits" has at least $20,000 of us unfortunte members that never received anything.I lost $1150.00 on this phony deal (yes,I think I think I had the largest order of anyone).If I had only one wish for this new year,other than winning the lotto,it would be to know that "Bill" is behind bars and rots there.How would you or any member feel if a friend stole over $1000.00 from you and you knew you would never see a penny of it again! This guy is a Thief let's face it and amit it.There is no excuse for thievery.

Thanks for hearing me out and I will gladly send copies of the order lists that I have.

bobbo


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## js (Jan 8, 2009)

OK everyone,

I just called Bill's cell and left a message asking Bill to let me know where things stand with the USL parts. Maybe he'll send me an email in the next day or so. We shall see.


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## Fat_Tony (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi js,

Once again, thanks for your efforts. I assume that at this point, most of the people waiting for a USL have lost faith in Bill, as I have. (Except for that mst3k guy. His optimism just seems unbounded and unflappable). 

Joe

P.S. - P.M. will be sent shortly.


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## paulr (Jan 9, 2009)

js said:


> If I had to guess, I'd say we're at J_Oei ????? And if so, that means that Bill was exaggerating how far along he was. Or was including lights I built and sent to him to send to people, but which he never sent out. Or who knows. Sure would be nice if Bill could get access to the internet and post to his own thread.
> 
> Anyway, please chime in if you can help us figure out where we are in the list.



I'm just before J_Oei in the list and I have not received anything. I was in for a USL and a Triton. I have to wonder what happened with the Tritons. If I somehow end up with a Triton and no light, that's better than nothing.

Come to think of it, I remember opting for an updated battery pack.


----------



## tanasit (Jan 10, 2009)

My hope still alive... 
Thanks for the update.

Tanasit


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## DaveNagy (Jan 11, 2009)

Hi everybody,

Sorry, I hadn't noticed the sudden flurry of activity in this thread. Even though it started a couple months ago. (For some reason, I haven't felt the need to check the status of my USL as often in recent years.) 

Anywho, I'm bit higher on the list, and I never received my USL, nor any communications on the subject. Has it been alleged that people from my part of the list actually _got_ their lights? EDIT: Oh, my USL was to be "guardless", so that could explain why I was skipped over. I forgot about that detail.

I did actually receive something from Bill, so that makes me one of the lucky ones, I guess. A while back, I decided to buy "The Torch", from Mac. Since I would need a charger for it, I contacted Bill about shipping me my power-supply "early". And he did! I think he also sent me my Triton, although my memory is getting fuzzy about that. What a long strange trip this has been....

JS, you're the best. But come on, you don't need to try to do anything more to "make this right". You've already done a lot, and I'm sure everyone appreciates that. If you were now to do something that would that would cost you additional time/money (especially money!), then I would feel even _worse_ about this debacle, not better! You've already done your penance; we don't need you suffering further for Bill's sins.

That said, it *would* be fun to have a new project rise up out of the ashes. If nothing else, it would help wash the bad taste away. But, it sounds like there may be nothing tangible that can be salvaged from the USL parts bin at this point. If that's the case, then perhaps there's no point.

But hey, I'm always interested in new ways to spend money on impractical lights. To be honest, I'm kinda "over" incans at this point. Some sort of absurdly powerful LED light might be fun. Or not. Just spit-ballin' here....


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## js (Jan 13, 2009)

So, Bill replied.

Didn't miss a beat. Out of town / busy with holidays / didn't get a round TUIT / will send out Monday for sure.

But then he did send me an email asking me if he had the correct address on file for me, so, that's interesting.

So . . . who knows . . . maybe I'll start receiving packages.


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## Dynacolt (Jan 14, 2009)

I must be a sad case - I'm ever the eternal optimist!
Getting arthritis here keeping my fingers crossed.

Dave.


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## mst3k (Jan 16, 2009)

js said:


> So, Bill replied.
> 
> Didn't miss a beat. Out of town / busy with holidays / didn't get a round TUIT / will send out Monday for sure.
> 
> ...


 

He asked if he had the correct addy for YOU??


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## js (Jan 16, 2009)

mst3k,

Yup.

So, no packages yet. I wonder if he meant last Monday, or this coming one? Or (last Monday, but of 2010).


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## js (Jan 23, 2009)

Well, well well! I just got not one, not two, not three, but *FOUR* USPS tracking confirmation numbers for four packages heading my way from Bill.

This is looking good, people! We may be in business yet!


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## mst3k (Jan 23, 2009)

Holy crap!


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## Aircraft800 (Jan 23, 2009)

It's a miracle! Well, not until you open the boxes.


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## js (Jan 23, 2009)

Yes. This is a good sign. A very good sign, but I still have a lot of reservations:

1. What is the state of the battery packs? Will they be recoverable?

2. Bill still has all the power supplies. Will he send them out in a timely manner as I send out completed orders?

3. Will all the other parts and information be there? In particular, I know that all the guards are gone, and that is a problem for the guarded lights, as without a guard, the switch is really loose in the hole. If need be, I can machine up the new guards, but I'm hoping I can figure out something better (and easier).


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## Westy (Jan 24, 2009)

Kudo's still to you JS obviously and none of this is on you at all!

Sorry, trying not to get excited when a guy has no time for yrs/months to even have a short phone call and then a finite setup comes out....hate to even say it but hazmat just comes to mind I'm so embittered.

Happy (could be using that charger a LONG time ago)

I know as soon as I buy a charger he'll put one in the mail just because Murphy's a sick guy.


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## js (Jan 26, 2009)

I still don't have the packages, but I do have one of those slips that tell you you have to go pick up the packages at the post office and sign for them. I got the slip Saturday, but by that time it was already too late to go to the post office to pick them up. Then today, I had my two lower wisdom teeth out at 8AM, and have been pretty much out of action since then. Sucks.

However, tomorrow, assuming the swelling isn't too bad, I'm going to definitely go out for a bit, and if I do, I will swing by the post office and pick up the packages and probably take some pictures and an inventory and start a new thread, with a link here.

I will not close this thread, however, but will keep it open just in case. But I am tired of how long and convoluted this one is, and I want one in my own name to work with. It's my project now, and I want my own thread.

And I promise to keep everyone fully informed and up to date as to what is going on and why, and I promise to work my hardest to finish these in short order, as best I can depending on what happens at work and what happens in regards to the parts (like the battery packs and the switch guards).

Thank you everyone! You all are quite simply one of the best bunch of people anywhere, and you didn't deserve what happened here. I will do my best to rectify it.


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## js (Jan 27, 2009)

I have the packages--all four of them. I haven't opened them yet, though, but I will do so sometime this evening.


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## paulr (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks js!!!!!


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## mst3k (Jan 28, 2009)

Dude. Are you kidding? Effin rip open the boxes and tell us what is inside. I mean Jeeez. Comeon!


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## js (Jan 28, 2009)

mst3k said:


> Dude. Are you kidding? Effin rip open the boxes and tell us what is inside. I mean Jeeez. Comeon!



Too busy lying around in extreme pain! Sorry. They had to drill deep and split my right wisdom tooth in two in order to extract it and the whole frigging right side of my face is all swollen up, down to my neck. Much worse than the day of the extractions, and seemingly only getting worse today. Or not better anyway. And unfortunately, back when I was dealing with my lower back injury, I developed a sort of reaction to vicodin and I'd rather suffer extreme pain than take that stuff. So, I just have to live with the little bit of taking-the-edge-off that ibuprofen offers and deal with it. Reading and listening to music is what I've been doing mostly, but I'll see if I have the mental energy to dig into the boxes this afternoon. I too would like to know exactly what's in them, and especially if there is any record or list of who has gotten what and who is still owed what.

p.s. I know you weren't seriously complaining, BTW, and it isn't my intention to make you feel bad! So, don't! But I did want to explain the delay in my opening the boxes. As soon as I am up to it, I will clear the necessary work and storage space and dig into them and report back!

Thanks everyone.


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## Codeman (Jan 28, 2009)

Get well soon, Jim!

Hopefully, this wasn't the result of finally receiving the boxes. I'd hate for you to catch whatever Bill had! :nana: :duck:

Sorry...I know that was really bad to even think...anybody got a rock that I can crawl under?


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## js (Jan 28, 2009)

LOL!

OK. So I unpacked the boxes. I seem to have 67 reflectors in heavy, medium, light OP, and smooth flavors, a bunch of cans and ceramic sockets, a bunch of charging and battery pig-tail cables, rocker switches, and 20 maglite bodies, tailcaps, with 20 battery packs. No heads, no lenses, no paper-work, and no lamps. And none of the completed lights that I made for Bill over a year ago. And no Triton chargers, and no power supplies (I wasn't expecting those, anyway, though).

So, obviously, there still should be more stuff coming to me!

Most importantly, though, the battery packs are all around 8 to 9 volts, which, in my opinion, probably means they are still viable. So that's very good news (tenatively) which I will soon confirm via some testing and forming of the battery packs.

I am giving the first two packs a trickle charge right now and everything seems to be going normally--no indication of a bad cell or high internal resistances in any of the cells. So, this is a good start. Even if Bill didn't send me anything else, it would be pretty easy for me to make up 20 USL's from this stuff, with not too much extra out-lay on my part.

Given that Bill has delivered this much, I don't think it's too much to hope that he will deliver the rest. I will send him an email soon to ask him.

p.s. I was too lazy to take any pictures, as other than the battery packs, I put everything else back in the boxes until I have the energy to organize my work space for the USL building.


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## MikeF (Jan 28, 2009)

First of all, Jim heal quickly!

The only reason I am posting this is that Jim said there was no paperwork.

I received my complete USL order from Bill last April. For the people still waiting, don't hate me please.


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## Fat_Tony (Jan 28, 2009)

That's incredibly good news, js!! (About you getting the USL parts, not about how you are feeling). As for getting your wisdom teeth removed, I think that I know what you are going through. My dental surgeon had to remove 2 of mine in several pieces when I had them out a year or so ago. That was definitely not fun. I hope that you are feeling better soon!!


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## mst3k (Jan 28, 2009)

The only thing that just doesn't surprise me in the least is that Bill didn't even send enough parts to build ONE complete light. No lenses, no heads and no lamps. 20 bodies, I don't think that even puts me in the realm of getting one yet. :shrug: This guy (Bill) really is just too much. This, overall, would be great news if it didn't happen 4 years later. 

Anywho. Feel better Jim, I know that sh!t hurts. Warm water and salt gargle.


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## js (Jan 29, 2009)

It wouldn't make sense for Bill to send only this much and then never send the rest. I'll get the rest, I'm sure. WHEN that happens is maybe another story . . .

But heads, lenses and lamps are _easy_. Bored out bodies and precisely machined cans that hold the ceramic sockets, and battery packs are _not_ so easy. And those are what I have! So, like I said, even if Bill never does send the rest, I can still make up 20 USL's without too much trouble. And if that doesn't cover it, I can make regulated TigerLights or some other mod for people.

It will happen. Count on it. But, obviously, it will be best and easiest if I can get the rest of the stuff from Bill and make what people paid for in the first place!

As for my jaw, it's only getting worse, and I've graduated to very sharp stabbing pains going from my ear to where my right wisdom tooth was extracted. The dull ache is one thing, but those stabbing pains REALLY suck. So, I've got an appointment in about 30 minutes for the doctor to take a look at things.

But, the first two battery packs will be finishing up their trickle charge soon, and then will start their first discharge and second charge after that. We'll see just how healthy they are in another 24 hours or so.


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## js (Jan 29, 2009)

So, yes, it's official: from my testing, it appears that the first two battery packs I have examined are in decent health, and I think there's a very good chance that most, if not all, of the rest of the packs will be in a similar state of decent health.

Very good news.

Oh, and I have some pain medication in a different family than Vicodin! Yes! I should have been prescribed this from the beginning, but I guess they didn't read their forms that they had me fill out where I put down that I was alergic to Vicodin and Codeine. Whatever. I'm just glad I have something strong enough to take care of the pain now. RELIEF! Finally! Feels good.


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## mst3k (Jan 29, 2009)

Really glad to hear they got you something to take your pain away Jim!! 

:thumbsup:


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## js (Jan 30, 2009)

Thanks mst3k!

So . . . I'm not sure what I want to call the thread I start. I mean, hello, I certainly don't like "The new new really LAST USL build update thread", that's for sure.

Maybe something like "js's 'the buck stops here' USL mop-up thread" or something like that.

Suggestions anyone?


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## BVH (Jan 30, 2009)

"USL final build & distribution" thread?


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## J_Oei (Jan 30, 2009)

If you see a yellow Mag body in there, that one is mine!!!


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## js (Jan 30, 2009)

Bill emailed back and promised that much more stuff was on the way. He also intended to put the build info sheet in one of the boxes but had to double check something and then didn't put it back in.

So, very good news. I think there's a very good chance that Bill will pack up the rest of the stuff this weekend (excepting power supplies) and send it out to me on Monday.

Just goes to show, you never can tell.


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## Codeman (Jan 30, 2009)

:twothumbs


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## mst3k (Feb 4, 2009)

Bumperino


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## js (Feb 4, 2009)

So, still no more packages from Bill, but I have been continuing to form and cycle the packs and so far, all have come back from the edge of death to good health, no problems. This is very good news, as I said.

I will post to this thread just as soon as I get any more info.


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## mst3k (Feb 4, 2009)

No worries. I didn't bump it to bug you Jim. I just didn't wanna have to go to page 3 to hunt for the thread. :laughing:

You are A number 1 good guy in my book!


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## plasmaman (Feb 12, 2009)

Came back to this thread tonite to find the NEWS of Pandora's box(es) actually arriving - so it looks like we have actually progressed!!
Great news indeed.
Looking forward to hearing your master plan JS.......
Thank you again for getting us this far.
John


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## tanasit (Feb 15, 2009)

The last 2 pages are the most exciting I read so far.
My heart is pounding hard.
Thanks for all the parties involved, especially js.:thumbsup: 

Tanasit


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## js (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks!

So, so far, every single battery pack has revived just fine and tests good. So that's great.

I will send another email to Bill today, trying to prod him into action in sending me the second batch of stuff.


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## Carpe Diem (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi Jim...

Thanks again for all of your efforts on this.

Best wishes to you.


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## js (Feb 21, 2009)

Thanks Carpe.

Update: there is no update. No response to my email to Bill. No more packages. But I can start building up the bodies of the lights. Or some of them anyway. And I will start on that just as soon as I finish cycling the battery packs.


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## plasmaman (Feb 22, 2009)

Jim
Assuming (just for a teeny weeny moment) that you never hear from Bill again (is that possible?), what's your plan....???????


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## plasmaman (Mar 1, 2009)

plasmaman said:


> Jim
> Assuming (just for a teeny weeny moment) that you never hear from Bill again (is that possible?), what's your plan....???????




Anyone??


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## Fat_Tony (Mar 3, 2009)

Interesting development. I am going to leave a polite message in comments, and see what happens. 

Linky:

http://www.waitesandbalances.blogspot.com/

Couldn't leave a comment without registering.


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## Fat_Tony (Mar 3, 2009)

This is the message that I wanted to leave:

Hey Bill,

How have you been? How's the USL build going? Anything change with that? We'd all really appreciate it if you would pop into CPF and give an update. Thank you, Bill.

Best Regards,

Fat_Tony


If anyone has a blogger account and wouldn't mind leaving a similar polite message, I'd appreciate it.


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## cmacclel (Mar 3, 2009)

Isn't it just dandy that he can update his "blogspot" all the time yet he can't sent parts to people that paid him thousands of dollars and believed in him for over 2 years......pathetic!

Jim if need anything machined for this project I'll help out in anyway possible.


Mac


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## srvctec (Mar 3, 2009)

Fat_Tony said:


> This is the message that I wanted to leave:
> 
> Hey Bill,
> 
> ...



I can't believe he has that much time to post all that stuff, but has no time to work on these lights or at least ship what's left of them to Jim. I just don't get it.

FWIW, I don't have a horse in this race, but have been following this thread out of curiosity and for the fact I can't stand seeing someone take peoples' money without anything in return, like it's no big deal. Crap like this just drives me nuts even when it doesn't affect me directly.


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## bwaites (Mar 4, 2009)

No excuses, no good explanations that I can post publicly. I can give you only this:

I have explained the situation to Jim as best I can. I have suffered major life changes, with years of legal wrangling involving a medical practice. I was involved as a managing participant and the majority owner was accused of malfeasance. After nearly two years of acrimonious legal proceedings, the state actually charged the owner in September of 2007, suspending him from practice. For nearly 3 years I and the other partner had been scrambling and scraping to keep a medical practice going, often working 70 or more hours a week, while working one or two weekends each month at second jobs to pay the bills, trying to keep the practice intact so that we could someday return to normalcy. 

Last July, in a state of near collapse, I finally was able to move to a different job, though I was still required as a witness in the prolonged legal battle with the state. Finally, in October, my final testimony was given, and less than a month ago the state returned a not guilty verdict on all the original charges, with our office literally having lost millions in the process. 

I found myself barely able to function at my job, much less do anything but the bare essentials once I got home. 

Once I finally got through with the final testimony, some of the weight left my shoulders, and I began to believe there might be light at the end after all. 

However, I am not now, nor will I ever be able to complete the lights I had promised. Jim has graciously stepped in and will complete the build. All the necessary parts and pieces have been sent to him, with the last boxes now shipped. 

I will be shipping the power supplies and chargers at my expense, though that is little enough to repay all those who have waited so patiently. 

I will contact each owner prior to shipping to ascertain that the address I have is still good. 

Finally, the blog was, and is, therapy; a way to begin to refocus my life. It was suggested by one I trust. It is mostly a way for those in my family who I love and who are spread across the country to keep in touch. Anyone who goes there will notice that only a small amount is mine, most is from others, a gathering of thoughts on the freedoms that are now under fire. In truth, I post very little in comparison to most blogs. You will also note when it was started, after my final testimony in the legal battle. 

Once again, I apologize. I thank those of you who have been so patient, and I beg forgiveness on bended knee. 

This is the first time I have returned here in months, and I doubt I will return often back here, as my life has changed so radically.

I wish all of you the best.

Please feel free to email me at the address previously posted. I do try to answer any emails there, and I believe I have finally resolved the conflicts that were causing problems previously. 

Bill


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## Westy (Mar 4, 2009)

*swallowing frogs: The new and LAST USL build update thread!*

Bill, you're still on the site and my many emails to your recommend address have not been addressed. 

Just yesterday I finally paid for a Triton Charger complete with power supply. Did you buy all the chargers ordered up already?? Obviously I don't expect $ back from JS but I'd paid you for a charger..... Suggestions?


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## js (Mar 4, 2009)

*Re: swallowing frogs: The new and LAST USL build update thread!*

Bill,

Thanks for posting!

Everyone,

I got USPS notifcations that Bill just sent me four more packages. So, we're in business.

Mac,

I do in fact need some machining done and anodizing done--we need more switch guards. I may have a local source, but may not. PM incoming. Although, I'm not convinced we do NEED switch guards. More later . . .


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## mst3k (Mar 4, 2009)

:shakehead Wow


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## Minimoog (Mar 5, 2009)

Why did Bill had not let Silverfox pick up the parts as arranged weeks ago?


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## js (Mar 5, 2009)

Soundbox said:


> Why did Bill had not let Silverfox pick up the parts as arranged weeks ago?



He just didn't have everything ready to go and rejected the idea of just throwing it all helter skelter into boxes, I guess.

But, it all worked out OK, it seems. (Other than the extra 6 months of waiting).

I'm just recovering from a cold and am very busy at work, and this will continue for at least another week, but I should be able to start building USL's right away, or at least setting up to do so. I have 10 battery packs fully checked out and formed, with 10 more still to go.

I will start a new thread as soon as I get the boxes and take an inventory and some pictures. I will post the link here when I do this, but will not close this thread (as I mentioned before).

Going by how long this sort of stuff has taken me before, I would estimate that I can finish about 5 USL orders per week, on average. Bill will still have to mail the power supplies in parallel with me, and at first there will be some scrabbling about to ensure I have accurate info, but I think I am realistic in estimating 20 or so USL orders going out per month. Last I heard, there were only 20 or so left, but going by the amount of parts I have, I will hazard a guess that that was optimistic. It looks like at least 40 orders are still unfulfilled. I also don't know what I am going to get in the mail, and in particular, don't know what the story is with the Tritons.

Anyway, crazy busy this week and still feeling under the weather, but I will be back with more postings soon.


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## Data (Mar 5, 2009)

Jim,

I too will offer free machining services for this project or I can cover the cost of getting parts anodized by using my local ano shop. Just let me know via my email. 

I got my USL years ago so I am one of the lucky ones.


Cheers
Dave


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## tanasit (Mar 5, 2009)

Great news guys.

*Thanks to several members who offer the help...*:bow::bow::bow::bow:

Tanasit


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## Codeman (Mar 5, 2009)

X2 on tanasit's comments!


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## plasmaman (Mar 6, 2009)

tanasit said:


> Great news guys.
> 
> *Thanks to several members who offer the help...*:bow::bow::bow::bow:
> 
> Tanasit




x 100 :welcome:


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## js (Mar 6, 2009)

Mac and Data,

:bow: :bow: :bow:

Thank you. Thank you very much.

And thank you to those who have sent me PM's with other offers of help and assistance.

As soon as I get the rest of the stuff I will take an inventory and assess the situation to determine what I will need to complete the project. I'm hoping that the only issue will be the switch guards, and I have the mechanical drawing for them. They aren't complicated, and are aluminum with type II black anno and I think we only need 30 or 40 of them, and no more than 50 certainly. tvodrd machined up and annodized the original batch of them, as I remember. So, for now, that's the only real issue that I am aware of: switch guards.


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## mst3k (Mar 6, 2009)

I too, am very happy to see this crazy project finally moving along. I guess Bill's recent post proves that his NOT being able to get online and post in this forum was all a big ole lie. In my opinion Billl should've sent this stuff to Jim or somene else, years ago. There are no should'ves and could'ves tho there is only now. 

Today marks an anniversary for me. I just checked my paypal account and:

Mar. 6, 2005 Payment To William Waites


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## HarryN (Mar 6, 2009)

js said:


> Going by how long this sort of stuff has taken me before, I would estimate that I can finish about 5 USL orders per week, on average.



Hi Jim, I realize that I am not vested in this project (other than curiousity), but please consider Murphy's law in your projections. Building things takes time, and custom building things take even more time. Life also takes time. Wives make plans, etc.

Just MHO.


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## js (Mar 6, 2009)

HarryN,

Too true. Too true (unfortunately).

But, in the past I was able to build up 15 or so USL's in two weeks time, so 5 a week is down from that. And, average doesn't mean 5 steady every week, but maybe 10 in one weekend, then none for the next week, then 3 during the next weekend, etc.

But yeah, point taken. Who knows. Plus, I will have to pack up and mail out orders now, one by one, whereas before I would only mail one box back to Bill.

Still . . . I am committed to getting this project DONE. It's way, way, waaaaay past due. But in any case, my estimate is only that--an estimate. Once I get going and can really start seeing what sort of time it takes me to do the whole shebang, I can make a more accurate estimate, and promise goals, deadlines, that sort of thing. We shall see.

Everyone,

There was a slip waiting for me when I got home that I can pick up FOUR packages, sender Bill Waites. I will get to the post office on Monday after work and sign for them and pick them up. Too bad I missed them today, though.  Good news is that they are here!


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## js (Mar 9, 2009)

OK. I picked up the four packages at the post office today, but I haven't yet opened them and taken an inventory. I will probably do that tonight, but in case I don't I just wanted to be sure to post that I do in fact have possession of the rest (presumably) of the USL supplies.


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## js (Mar 10, 2009)

The good news:

I NOW HAVE ENOUGH PARTS TO MAKE A BUNCH OF COMPLETE USL's - heads, lenses, lamps, etc.

The bad news:

Instead of a nice master list with everything laid out clearly, Bill gave me a big stack of email correspondence. I honestly don't know what to make of it all. I mean, I know what each individual email is and all that, but I still feel rather in the dark about what was shipped and what wasn't and who still needs a USL and all that. It's giving me a headache. I'll have to sit down with it and puzzle everything out.

More bad news:

No Triton chargers. (And no power supplies - but I knew that beforehand)

*THE REALLY GOOD NEWS:*

I have 9 potentially viable, fully built USL lights on hand right now. Here they are by color:

4 black
2 silver
2 red
1 blue

I need to verify that the battery packs in these are still good, but certainly FIVE of them will in all likelihood be just fine, as they are at 14 volts or so. The other four range from 7 to 11 volts. Sadly, one fully assembled black one (not part of the 9--it's the 10th fully assembled one) is at 1.27 volts.  No hope for that pack. Which stinks. Ah well, I should feel lucky that 90 percent are OK.

So, I have a problem. I'm definitely NOT sure about who has, and who HAS NOT received their USL orders. I know this may not please those who gave up on this project and haven't been posting to, or reading, this thread, but I don't know what else to do really.

So, I want those who haven't received their orders, and whose order can be filled with the color(s) listed above to *POST TO THIS THREAD*. I will fill these first squeaky-wheel orders, with these almost-ready-to-go USL's, from among the list of those who post here. Please post what USL color(s) are in your order in your post. The rest I should be able to find in the master list and correspondence, but feel free to post all the items in your order. And PM me your current address.

I still need to charge and cycle these and test their voltage under load of an actual 62138, but I think it looks good for at least *FIVE ORDERS TO GO OUT ON OR BEFORE THIS SATURDAY*.


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## Codeman (Mar 11, 2009)

Jim,

You might want to ask Bill if he has a spreadsheet with a list of who's left or who had already been sent a USL. I never got that info, but I seem to remember that he had something to track it with.


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## revv11 (Mar 11, 2009)

js,

I have not received my order. It is #71 which I purchased from gessner17 on 12-28-05. The order included 2 extra bulbs and I believe the color was black.


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## js (Mar 11, 2009)

Ray,

Will do. That was my plan--my HOPE, really.

revv11,

PM received. Thanks.


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## mst3k (Mar 11, 2009)

I am a ways down the list so other's should certainly come before me, but I had ordered a Blue one, 2 extra bulbs, temp probes < which I don't really care about and the newest Triton Charger. 

I am Number 63 on the list.


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## js (Mar 11, 2009)

mst3k,

The fact that others are before you on the list is mitigated by the fact that I have no idea who has or has not received their orders, so the list isn't really helpful. For these first five or so orders, I just want to get them OUT THE DOOR ASAP. Who knows how long Bill will take to get back to me with the spreadsheet or master list or whatever? I'm not going to wait on Bill any longer. People are here who need their orders filled and they have waited long enough. I don't mean to give those before you the short end of the stick or anything, but I also don't see the point in waiting two or three weeks just to observe propriety. In that time I will have constructed another 10 or so USL's anyway and they can have their orders filled then.

So, PM me your address! Can't help with the Triton issue, though. Nor with the power supplies.


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## mst3k (Mar 11, 2009)

You are a good guy Jim! It's really too bad that Bill won't send you the chargers. Having a USL that you can't charge won't be fun. Do you know where I could purchase a nice charger in the event that Bill doesn't come thru with them?


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## plasmaman (Mar 11, 2009)

Jim
Looks like I am no. 6 on your list (post 277 on this thread).
As far as I recall it was black, with switchguard. If the switchguard is an issue I'm happy to abandon that and go with the plain vanilla version. No charger.
Thanks again
John


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## spencer (Mar 11, 2009)

mst3k said:


> Do you know where I could purchase a nice charger in the event that Bill doesn't come thru with them?


I think I'll pull the trigger on this one pretty soon. For the money, it seems to be the best. Also, there are few negative reports on it.


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## LuxLuthor (Mar 11, 2009)

mst3k said:


> It's really too bad that Bill won't send you the chargers. Having a USL that you can't charge won't be fun. Do you know where I could purchase a nice charger in the event that Bill doesn't come thru with them?



For those wishing to save money, these simple universal NiMH chargers have been used and sold with Mac's Torch 14.4V packs. It would assume the pack is in good condition and cells conditioned, cycled, and holding charge under load. Getting a Triton-II or other hobby charger gives more capabilities, but would not be needed if this is your only purpose.


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## addictedmatt (Mar 11, 2009)

That's what I've been using on my 623 for a while now. No problems whatsoever.


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## Fat_Tony (Mar 11, 2009)

Hi Jim,

I ordered one black USL with switchguard, and one black 6D USL SE (along with multiple bulbs, reflectors, etc.) I don't suppose that there is a 6D maglight in one of the boxes whose purpose you were wondering about?

Thanks,

Joe


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## tanasit (Mar 11, 2009)

Can anyone give me the link to the page with the spread sheet showing who ordered what in details? 20 minutes search failed.:shakehead
Right now, I only know that I am #66 on the list.
I guess color does NOT matter for me now.
Thanks,
Tanasit


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## Codeman (Mar 11, 2009)

I've addressed this previous in this thread...that list is no longer posted. I pulled it when I left the project well over a year ago. As far as I know, it was never reposted by Bill nor kept up to date. Basically, there is no up to date list anymore.


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## tanasit (Mar 11, 2009)

Not sure why it was removed but I think since many sold their spots, the list will be a good references to what exactly is in the orders.

Anyway, the seller told me that he paid $432 for #66 I toook over.

Thanks,
Tanasit


Codeman said:


> I've addressed this previous in this thread...that list is no longer posted. I pulled it when I left the project well over a year ago. As far as I know, it was never reposted by Bill nor kept up to date. Basically, there is no up to date list anymore.


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## plasmaman (Mar 12, 2009)

bwaites said:


> This is the list.
> 
> There is one exception to this list, and I am crosschecking some info on it and will add it as soon as I check that info, it is spot 50. If you are waiting an are not on this list, it is because I have not received the info requested in this thread:
> 
> ...



Here is a list posted by BW (post 26).
I see there that my light is an unguarded one - sorry for the confusion Jim, probably something to do with the amount of time that has drifted by!


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## Codeman (Mar 12, 2009)

tanasit said:


> Not sure why it was removed but I think since many sold their spots, the list will be a good references to what exactly is in the orders.
> 
> Anyway, the seller told me that he paid $432 for #66 I toook over.
> 
> ...



Because it was in one of MY posts, which Bill couldn't edit.


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## js (Mar 12, 2009)

Plasmaman,

PM me with your current address and order details, if it isn't too much trouble. If it is, and if you're sure your info and order haven't changed, I will just check the spreadsheet and use that.

Fat_Tony,

Could you also PM me with your address and order details? Thanks.

I haven't seen a 6D maglite, but it's just an outside possibility that I may have missed it. I'll be starting to clear off space on my bookshelves and carefully inventory and organize the parts, so I'll know for absolutely sure by this weekend, but I highly doubt I would have missed a 6D maglite body. Sorry!

tanasit,

I *WILL* be posting a spreadsheet type deal in the first post of my new thread, once I open it. The sad fact of the matter is, however, that even now after finally having gotten the rest of the USL packages from Bill, I still don't know for sure who has and hasn't gotten what and who sold whose spot to whom. etc. Sorry! Hold tight for just a little longer, though. I'll be calling Bill tonight and maybe he'll answer and give me some answers. We shall see.

Everyone,

As I mentioned above, I will be organizing all the USL parts on shelves, easy to access and inventoried, and I will be trying to nail down the master list, and when I do that I will post a new thread with a link to it here in this one. It will probably be this weekend some time, I suspect.

As for the orders going out, it will depend on how many lights are in each order and on how many lights I can finish forming and cycling and testing under load, and also on the colors. I did a silver one first, but it seems no one yet has posted who needs a silver one. But definitely at least two or three USL's will be all set to go on Friday / Saturday and that will mean two or three orders all set to go, assuming there are no multi-USL light orders. And then another two or three will be ready to go out on Monday, and probably another two or three by Thursday or Friday.

It would actually help greatly if I had another Triton to do the forming and cycling on. I'll see if Bill can't send me one of the ones that will need to go out with one of these orders anyway. Then in the mean time I can be putting it to good use.

As for the switch guards, I will indeed need more, but still haven't sent a PM to Data or Mac. But I will do so shortly.

OK, thanks everyone, that's the update.


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## Dynacolt (Mar 13, 2009)

Hi,
I was #17, black, with guard, couple of spare lamps, (Triton, temp probe, no power supply).
Many thanks,
Dave.


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## Fat_Tony (Mar 13, 2009)

Jim,

PM sent.

Thanks,

Joe


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## js (Mar 14, 2009)

OK. I think I've figured out where we are in this nightmare. Besides Dynacolt, I believe that bobbo and all those below him have not yet received their orders.

*THAT'S 50 USL lights outstanding!* 50. FIFTY.

I'm pissed. Bill was obviously exaggerating when he said we had about 20 to 30 left to do. Wrong!

And the worst part is that I only have 20 battery packs. That means, currently, I can only provide 29 USL's from the supplies on hand.

I spent over two hours last night just unpacking and organizing and I had a sinking feeling that this would be the case when I saw how many bodies and heads there were.

*sigh*

OK. So, there's no question of me skipping ahead in the list just to get things out the door faster, which is one reason why I didn't send anything out today despite the fact that I have four USL's all ready to go: 2 black, 1 pewter, and 1 red.

This is obviously not going to be a short sprint to the finish, no white knight saving the day. This is a mess and we'll just have to make the best of it. So, Dynacolt and bobbo if you're reading this please PM me with your address. I'll also send out PM's or emails.

The question right now, I think, is how we should proceed. My first answer is to just go down the list filling in the orders as completely as I can, and just get to work building up more battery packs along the way. But perhaps those who have multiple USL's in their orders might insist that they don't might just getting one USL right now, and can get the others when and if I am able to build them.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Oh, and yes, I tested voltage under load and it's acceptable. Not stellar, but not bad and it will definitely get better with a little use. I saw a nice slow fall from 12+ to 11.4 over the first several minutes. Nothing is wrong with the packs, they just need to see a little action to hold better voltage under load. And the lights are still freaking bright at 11 volts, so, this is honestly more than I had hoped for for these packs! They're completely viable.

I still intend to post a new thread and inventory and etc., but I've put my time in for today. And that's my new approach here. I will promise to work pretty much every day for an hour or two, and what gets done gets done. And I promise good communication.

That said, I will have another two USL's ready by Monday, totaling 6 lights by then, and will send them out if I can confirm addresses.

Or maybe I shouldn't confirm addresses? Maybe I should just ship them out to the address on file with signature confirmation? A lot of time can get blown in waiting on someone to get back to you with an address. Hmmm. I like the sound of that. Would be a nice surprise for Dynacolt. Although, he's overseas, so maybe I should be sure to get an address from overseas people.

Thinking out loud here. Sorry. Tired of contemplating this mess. Going to do a little reading or listening to music.

(muttering to himself) 30 USL's left my A** (shakes head)


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## cmacclel (Mar 14, 2009)

Js waite for address confirmations. I bet alot of people are not even around anymore so maybe that 50 number will be reduced.

How many people are getting pooched out of Tritans and Chargers?


Mac


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## Carpe Diem (Mar 14, 2009)

Hi JS...

I paid for two of the USL packages (72.1 and 72.2), which included extra bulbs and a Triton charger for each order.

But please....send only one of them to me when and if a couple of USL`s would (if ever) become available for my two orders. That way my second USL can go to another CPF`er further down the line who would otherwise miss out totally. (In keeping with this spirit, please make sure my second one goes to a "One-Only" guy, though, and not another "Two-Order" guy like me.)  

My second one can be sent to me later...when Bill realizes that, as a matter of basic honor and integrity, he should yet step in and make the world right in this venture...with the long anticipated " Big USL Wave" then finally hitting the CPF. (But, from all indications to date, of course, that will be when hell freezes over.) 

JS....Thank you again for your fine efforts, my friend.

:thumbsup:


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## MikeF (Mar 14, 2009)

js said:


> OK. I think I've figured out where we are in this nightmare. Besides Dynacolt, I believe that bobbo and all those below him have not yet received their orders.
> 
> *THAT'S 50 USL lights outstanding!* 50. FIFTY.


 
Jim,
I've received mine, so that's one less fwiw. :wave:


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## Codeman (Mar 14, 2009)

For those who do have a USL, be sure to maintain the battery pack. I got lazy over the last few months and my pack is likely dead. 3.6V and it can't even hold that when my DMM is connected. The triton reports no battery.

Jim - is there any sense in trying to re-condition my pack? I'm accident-free as far as recharging batteries goes and I don't really want to change that!


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## Dynacolt (Mar 14, 2009)

PM sent Jim,
Thanks again.
Bugger about the Tritons & chargers.

Dave.


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## milkyspit (Mar 14, 2009)

Codeman said:


> For those who do have a USL, be sure to maintain the battery pack. I got lazy over the last few months and my pack is likely dead. 3.6V and it can't even hold that when my DMM is connected. The triton reports no battery.
> 
> Jim - is there any sense in trying to re-condition my pack? I'm accident-free as far as recharging batteries goes and I don't really want to change that!




Ray, I'm not waiting for a USL but have been lurking in the thread... and am far from the last word on battery packs! But it occurs to me a long, slow trickle charge while ignoring pack voltage might help revive your pack... perhaps 16 hours at C/10 rate? Maybe someone else could chime in as to exactly how to program the appropriate settings into your Triton.
:thinking:


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## Codeman (Mar 15, 2009)

I don't think that I can get around the battery condition pre-check. Even with a 0.2A charge setting and number of cells set to 3, the pre-check either reports no battery or an open circuit.

I did notice that the pack had fallen down inside the body when I took the tailcap off today. On mine, Bill has simply used some silicone to hold it in place. Now I'm wondering if a connection broke when the pack drop down inside the body. It will slide about 1/2" or so inside the body.

I'm not sure what I'd be getting into in trying to open it up, though. But, there's only one way to find out! I may give it a go next weekend.

I appreciate the help, Scott!


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## J_Oei (Mar 15, 2009)

#44 guardless

I had sent a yellow anodized host to get made into a USL.
Haven't received it yet.


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## RobinB (Mar 15, 2009)

I'm #41 (usl + LOP, Smooth and HOP, guard, and Triton), haven't got mine yet. I'm in the UK, but will be in San Francisco from the 20th of March to the 3rd of April (Game Developer Conference :thumbsup. I imagine it would be a lot cheaper to send it to California than over the pond. Is there 
a) A chance my light might get ready before say the 25th?
b) Anyone here living in the SF area I could collect the light from?
That would be awesome! Otherwise no problem, international shipping shouldnt be that expensive ...

And thanks js, without you we'd be totally lost.


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## js (Mar 15, 2009)

Codeman,

Send me your USL and I will repair it. I don't think it's a battery issue. It's just that the charging connection to the light has been broken. I can fix it no problem. I'll PM you my addy.

J_Oei,

I have your yellow light! It's rat perty!

MikeF,

I was counting you, sadly.  Still 50.

Dynacolt,

PM received. I'll ship your USL out on Monday my friend! Wow, it feels good to be able to ship out one of these orders tomorrow! A small amount of justice and redress of same.

Carpe Diem,

OK. Noted! But the lack of battery packs won't stop me from completing all 50. That will happen. I promise. I can build new battery packs--that was my part in this project from the beginning, actually.

What I can't promise are the Tritons and power supplies. I'll notify Bill of what to send to whom, but that's all I can do and it's not much I'm afraid.

RobinB,

You are within throwing distance of the fully assembled lights so I don't see a reason I can't send your order in the time window you mentioned. I think. Let me continue to sort this mess out and match lights to orders and I'll let you know for sure. But, otherwise, I don't mind paying for international shipping. It's no problem either way.


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## Codeman (Mar 15, 2009)

js said:


> Codeman,
> 
> Send me your USL and I will repair it. I don't think it's a battery issue. It's just that the charging connection to the light has been broken. I can fix it no problem. I'll PM you my addy.
> 
> ...



Thanks, Jim, but I don't want my problem to delay anyone who is still waiting! 

Please put me at the very bottom of your priority list, okay?

P.S. My USL hasn't been dropped nor banged into anything. It has sat doing a headtstand except when I've been using it. Gravity, and possibly insufficient silicone, is the likely reason the pack dropped. I don't know if the other USL's that Bill built could be prone to this, but it might be a good idea for folks to store them on their side.


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## js (Mar 15, 2009)

Ray,

It won't take me but 30 minutes or so to fix this and the longer it sits around not getting a charge, the worse. So I can squeeze it in. I promise it won't delay anyone else, OK? Send it to me.


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## Codeman (Mar 15, 2009)

Yes, sir!

I owe you one, Jim.


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## js (Mar 15, 2009)

plasmaman,

Your order will also go out on Monday. Shouldn't have forgotten about you even for an instant! You're #6.1 on the list for crying out loud.

Everyone,

I'm afraid that I'm going to just ignore the whole guarded vs. guardless issue. For starters, these complete USL's I'm sending out right now do have guards but the holes for the locking pin are on the wrong end of the guard relative to the switch position. i.e. if the switch were flipped or the guard were flipped we'd be OK, but as it is, a pin inserted into the guard would NOT stop activation at all.

I don't see the point in getting new guards machined and anodized. I'm going to make the rest of the lights (after these 9) guardless by putting a sealing o-ring around the base of the switch, between the switch lip and the light body. This will make a nice snug, and somewhat more splash proof joint there. The guards make assembling these lights just that much more tedious and difficult and I don't see the point in making Data or mac machine up and anodize a bunch more of these.

And on another front, there might be cosmetic imperfections in these lights. I'll do my best here, and try to get the reflectors and lenses perfectly clean, but if there's a _small_ scratch on the light or the epoxy on the switch guards ran over just a touch, I'm just going to leave it. This will make my life a lot easier, and an ever so slightly imperfect USL is better than no USL at all.

The lights are shipping without a lamp installed, but with the can pre-positioned for focusing the 62138. When you get your USL, you'll need to unscrew the head and _carefully_ insert a new lamp into the socket. Do not touch the glass with your fingers as the oil will cause it to explode when it gets up to temperature. Be as gentle as possible when inserting the lamps. The glass is quartz glass and is pretty tough, but you can and will fracture it if you apply too much force. It's difficult to insert the lamp into the socket, but not too difficult. Just keep gradually applying force, and maybe slightly rocking the lamp back and forth along the LONG axis of the pinch, and it will slide in. Next, ensure that the lamp is centered in the head by gently pushing it around with a cloth or with the plastic wrap it came in. When you reinstall the head and get it turned on a few threads, just look down from the top to double check that the lamp is going to clear the sides of the hole in the reflector. If it looks as if it will make contact, remove the head and readjust the lamp.

The screw the head down until the o-ring engages and a bit beyond that, and you'll be pretty close to the right focus and can adjust it by screwing the head down further, or backing it off some.

And remember to NEVER operate this light without the head and lens installed. DO NOT ever use "candle mode". If that lamp explodes you want something between you and your family and your living room, and it. This is a very cool flashlight, but IT IS NOT A TOY. Never allow children to use this thing unattended. The head and lens can and do get hot enough to cause mild burns. Always wait until things have cooled down before replacing a lamp. Also, if you turn this puppy on with a hot battery pack, you are more likely to blow the lamp--"blow" as in instaflash, not explode--so keep that in mind.

OK. Enough for now. I've put in my two hours today (and then some, I think), so I won't post a new thread yet or write up a detailed inventory. But it will happen at some point.

So, things are under way. Dynacolt and plasmaman's orders will ship out tomorrow, and I have an email sent to bobbo.

Things are better than bad, at any rate.


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## Fat_Tony (Mar 15, 2009)

js said:


> *THAT'S 50 USL lights outstanding!* 50. FIFTY.



Ouch. I am torn between feeling grateful for the update, and feeling awful for you. All I can say is thanks, Jim.


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## js (Mar 15, 2009)

Fat_Tony,

Don't worry about me. I'm just pissed that all this time all these people have been waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Bill could have handed this project off to me over a year ago. A year and a half ago, or more, in fact. But he didn't. And people suffered because of it. Thankfully I can do something now, and that makes me feel good. We are a community, of sorts, here, and we stick together and help each other out. It's just part of the deal. So, you're most welcome. I hope I can get this project finished before summer. Completely finished. That would be great. But whenever it happens, it WILL happen. I will work steadily on fixing this effing mess.


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## addictedmatt (Mar 15, 2009)

A big :thumbsup: to Jim, and J_Oei I want to see that yellow mag!


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## mst3k (Mar 16, 2009)

Hey Jim. Just curious. Do we know how many people are still left on the list. I'm only curious as you have 50 Lights and I'm at number 63 on the list. Looks like the list goes out to 78 and some have multiple lights waiting, which would mean probably more than 80 total.


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## DaveNagy (Mar 16, 2009)

#39 checking in again. (No-guard list.)

I was on the list for a black one. No extras. I received my charger and power supply some years ago, so no worries there.

Frankly, don't worry about my light. I'm fine with being pushed down/off the list. I got "The Torch" quite a while ago, and my "ludicrously bright incandescent" itch has now been thoroughly scratched. I don't need _two _novelty lights of that type.


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## js (Mar 16, 2009)

Dyancolt,

Your order went out today via EMS.

plasmaman,

I decided to re-box your order. Who knew a flat rate priority box would be flat rate overseas and very expensive. If I pay $40 for shipping I want it to be for EMS! So, I put it in a plain box today and will ship it out tomorrow.

bobbo,

I will ship your order out tomorrow as well.

mst3k,

I'll check that and post back. I got an email from Bill (he saw my call but didn't get my message). I replied back asking him for info on who has and hasn't gotten their orders.


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## Dynacolt (Mar 17, 2009)

Thanks Jim, I'll keep you up-to-date.
If DaveNagy got a charger and power supply, then maybe they did / still do exist??

Dave.


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## js (Mar 17, 2009)

plasmaman,

Your order went out today via USPS Priority mail international.

bobbo,

Your order went out today via USPS priority mail. The extra reflectors are dusty and will need to be cleaned with some compressed air, though. Sorry. I left my duster can at work last night.  But I figured you could handle that part on your own.

Dynacolt,

I've always believed this--that the parts / tritons /powersupplies, etc. did and do exist, although I did have some doubts there for a bit. And I think it's still the case--assuming that Bill did in fact get around to ordering the Tritons (or Triton II's) before the general badness erupted in his life. If not, then he probably never did order them and they don't exist. I dunno. I told him in my email to him that he should start shipping out the tritons and power supplies, but who knows what will happen and when.

Everyone,

Some general news: I've been finishing off charging and cycling the bare packs as they were dangerously low in voltage. The rest of the completed lights are just fine in voltage, so the priority (long term) has got to be to save as many packs as possible. So far I have charged and cycled 13 packs, and all are healthy and viable. However, last night one of the packs vented during the process, so that's a bummer. Still, not bad, all in all. I have two more lights ready to go, one black, one pewter.

And it looks like if MikeF and KevinL have their USL's, which I'm pretty sure they do, then dmdrewitt and AuroraLite are next, assuming they don't mind getting black or pewter with guards.

In terms of helping out, if people want to pay me for shipping costs, I'd certainly appreciate it, BUT, it is _entirely optional_ and no one should feel obliged to do so.

I'll be forming and cycling again tonight and that's about it. Kind of twinged my back at work while lugging around the laser tracker and I'm going to spend some horizontal time as a preventative measure. LOL.

That's the daily update.


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## Westy (Mar 18, 2009)

JS, your efforts are still way beyond what's reasonable or expected (and never owed)!

Sounds like you're around #34 on the list, would that put my #50 ~ 16 places away? Just curious, I've not followed all the who does and doesn't have theirs postings. Trying not to be excited I'll have it in time for the 2nd springs remote woods and heli work I wanted it for (PM sent to you few days back/no urgency on reply as I know it'll hit priority when my number comes close) Let me know your shipping costs and I'll certainly shoot it back at you via paypal including covering paypal fees. Cheers and thanks again. I can't conceive of the frustrations Bill feeds by simply not responding to simple charger/ps yes/no questions etc.


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## plasmaman (Mar 18, 2009)

Great work Jim - hope the back recovers!


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## js (Mar 19, 2009)

Westy,

Sounds about right, and thanks for the PM; much appreciated. I will reply to it.

plasmaman,

Thanks. The back twinge was just that, and seems to be fine now.

So, I've continued with the cycling and forming of the packs and lights and so far so good. Things got messed with last night, though, as there were multiple power outages, one of which lasted a couple hours. I'll continue to work tonight.


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## darkgear.com (Mar 19, 2009)

js,

I'm #68 on the list and have not received a USL. Pewter or black were my color choices.

Mahalo,
Randy


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## Dynacolt (Mar 20, 2009)

Hi Jim, Just hoping you got my PP for the shipping?
Cheers,
Dave.


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## js (Mar 21, 2009)

Dave,

I did indeed! Thank you SO much for covering that charge. I really appreciate it.

OK, so I have to work this weekend for one of the operators (I'm at work right now, in fact) and also have just gotten a new computer and am involved with setting it up and transferring things over (which has not at all affected my ability to get online or email, as both my laptop and the old desktop are still fully functional), and thus I haven't done much these past two days except to continue to cycle and form lights and packs.

Also, I've been waiting to hear from dmdrewitt and I just got a PM from him. He *DID* get his USL order from Bill already! So this is really great news!

AuroraLite has exceeded his PM quota and there is no email listed in his profile, and his last activity was in January 2007 . . . so, I will post off a letter to his UK address and we will skip him for now.

I have three lights waiting and ready, so I want to get them out the door ASAP.

Mark65 and jte are next, although jte entry is in red which may indicate it's "not used" or something? I've sent Mark65 an email and will PM jte right now.

DaveNagy is next after jte, so, Dave, do I have your current address? Please let me know. And yes, I remember you saying that you were in no hurry, but I'd just as soon go down the list methodically. So let me know.


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## revv11 (Mar 21, 2009)

It is now a moot point as to whether or not Waites purchased the Tritons en masse since none came through to JS. My original order included a Triton & power supply. Just for the record, Waites shipped them to me per my request a few months after I purchased the USL.


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## js (Mar 21, 2009)

Oh, and Codeman, I got your USL. Haven't opened the package yet, but I will tonight.


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## Codeman (Mar 21, 2009)

Thanks, js!


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## Dynacolt (Mar 23, 2009)

Hi Jim, USL received Down-under in record time and safe and sound (I had worried Customs might be interested and test it out and blind one of them, but it came through no probs!!
Bright!!!!
Way Bright!!!
My LEO friend came by and his roof-mount spotlight paled in comparison.
Love it!
Only tried it for a minute because a charger is next on my list and now I have a good reason to get one really soon (unless the Tritons arrive miraculously).
Many thanks once again, I'm indebted to your generosity.
Regards,

Dave.


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## js (Mar 25, 2009)

Dave,

Excellent! Yeah, she's bright, ye olde USL, --no question.

Everyone,

OK. Sorry for being out of touch for four days, but I had to work over the weekend for one of the operators, and then Monday at 2AM I had to go in to help with the aftermath of a line voltage glitch that took out the storage in RF high voltage. And since then I've been getting hammered. Flat out. On almost all fronts. So, not much progress since the weekend. I'm cycling one of the USL's right now, and that's about it.

Also, no response to any of my communiques.

EXCEPT . . . for an email response from Bill. Which contains some very good news. First, he promised to get together a list of who has and has not received his USL order. He says that all the standard, non-Triton lights were sent "long ago". And also that he has extra battery packs that he had set aside as spares and promised to forward those to me. And, further, that he has some USL's with bad packs that he will gut and send to me as well, so that I have more guarded USL bodies to work with.

So, I'm not going to wait too much longer on those people I have contacted. I can skip them for a bit and come back to them later, I think. So, is Alauda around? Or paulr?

J_Oei is around, but his is to be made from that awesome yellow mag body, so that will take a bit longer. But after that the next people would be modamag and Fleshlite.

Robin,

I sent you a PM which needs a response! Thanks!

Also, please note that I definitely have some correspondence to which I intend to reply, but have been too busy to do so lately. If something is urgent, feel free to bother me again, or post here or something.

I am hoping to post the new thread this weekend, and am hoping that Bill will have compiled some info for me by then. But either way I am going to push hard on getting an inventory done, with as updated a list as I can figure, all in a nice new thread. Spiffy.

OK. Thanks everyone, and I apologize for the lack of communication these past few days.


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## paulr (Mar 26, 2009)

JS, you rock!!! I haven't been around CPF much these days but I noticed these updates a few days ago and have been meaning to post. Anyway, yes, I'm still around, and absolutely amazed by all this.


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## js (Mar 26, 2009)

So, RobinB bought Alauda's spot, and I am sending off his order tomorrow, which is fortuitous as he is in the USA right now. Very cool.

paulr,

I just finished a blue USL, so if you just confirm your address with me, I will send that bad boy out to you! And thanks for your kind words.

Everyone,

OK. Some bad news. One of the completed USL lights tested out with a bad battery pack. Sad, but not unexpected. It will need rebuilding.

Aight, time to pack up some orders.


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## Data (Mar 26, 2009)

paulr said:


> JS, you rock!!! I haven't been around CPF much these days but I noticed these updates a few days ago and have been meaning to post. Anyway, yes, I'm still around, and absolutely amazed by all this.



Hi paulr, what js is doing is amazing isn't it? :bow:


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## js (Mar 27, 2009)

Data,

Thanks for your kind words.

RobinB,

Your order went out today via EMS. It will be there at your hotel tomorrow.

paulr,

PM me with your current address! I have a blue USL with your name on it. I'll send you a PM in case you aren't reading this thread.


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## RobinB (Mar 27, 2009)

Wow thanks a lot! Can't wait now 
I don't have a charger for it, so I'll buy one back in the UK. Can you recommend good ones or direct me to discussion about them? Would be great!

Thanks again!


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## paulr (Mar 28, 2009)

JS, I got your PM and sent my address. Also I'd be happy to contribute $$$ towards shipping and whatever else. Thanks!!!

PS, am I getting a charger (any kind) with the light, or do I have to buy one from someplace?


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## js (Mar 28, 2009)

paulr,

Bill may send you your charger and power supply at some point, but I wouldn't bet on that happening soon. So, yes, you should probably look into buying a charger from someplace.


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## plasmaman (Mar 31, 2009)

Jim
Well I never thought I'd see it - but #6 arrived today, only thanks to you.

So - now a couple of dumb battery questions, as the info is buried so deep in all the USL posts that I can't find it! Might be useful info for others too.
1. The pack is NiMh?
2. What is the nominal voltage and capacity of the pack?
3. What cells does the pack contain?
4. What is the recommended charge rate?
I use a BC6 charger rather than a Triton.

cheers
John


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## js (Mar 31, 2009)

plasmaman said:


> Jim
> Well I never thought I'd see it - but #6 arrived today, only thanks to you.
> 
> So - now a couple of dumb battery questions, as the info is buried so deep in all the USL posts that I can't find it! Might be useful info for others too.
> ...



John,

It's an 11 cell, NiMH, 13.2 volt, 1800mAh pack. They are Amandotech Titanium 1800 cells, which are no longer made, I would guess.

I recommend charging them at .9 amps or less, unless you are in a hurry. They can be charged as fast as 1.8 amps without trouble, but this will increase the wear and tear on them. I would not recommend going above 1.8 amps.

Also, as mentioned, you may need to adjust the can downward if your optimal focus point is with the head turned out so far it is no longer contacting the o-ring. In that case, just use an allen wrench to loosen the set screw, push the can down, then re-tighten. I believe it is a 1/16" allen wrench.

paulr,

I'll pack up your order tonight and send it out tomorrow.

Everyone,

I lost another one of the fully assembled USL's--bad cell in the pack, sadly. But, so far all of the packs have been good but one, and I only have three more left to cycle. (fingers crossed).


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## plasmaman (Mar 31, 2009)

Thanks Jim


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## RobinB (Mar 31, 2009)

Got my USL, everything's working fine! And damn, it's bright! Thanks so much Jim to help out with everything here


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## Aircraft800 (Apr 2, 2009)

WOW! Three years later and people are now getting their lights! I almost got myself into this nightmare right when I first joined CPF, a member was backing out of their spot, I was new to this whole modified area, so I kinda been secretly monitoring this thread.

Nice Work js!! One thing I just can't understand, you must be taking on a TON of debt by taking over this project! Why? You must be beyond a Flashoholic


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## js (Apr 3, 2009)

Aircraft,

I'm not really taking on any debt. I have almost all the parts and most people pay for shipping, so, so far so good. Although I will probably have to buy more cells and make up packs at some point. But even then, what I am taking on mostly is WORK.

paulr,

I did send your light out, BTW, so let me know when you get it. I have the del. conf. no. and will PM it to you.

Everyone,

I don't know who's next on the list, but will figure that out soon. Sadly, there is yet another fully built light with a bad battery pack.

Codeman,

I've been meaning to PM you for a week now but keep forgetting. I'll try to do it today.


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## Dynacolt (Apr 3, 2009)

Anyone have any idea where all the USL bumper stickers ended up?
Remember those?

Dave.


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## lightlust (Apr 5, 2009)

Dynacolt said:


> Anyone have any idea where all the USL bumper stickers ended up?
> Remember those?
> 
> Dave.



=================================
*Welcome, lightlust.*
You last visited: 09-25-2007 at 03:35 AM 
Private Messages: Unread 0, Total 67. 
=================================
_
WOW! It's been a long while since I checked CPF, but the timing was eerie! (I've been away from a lot of things for a while, because I'm currently well into my third cat's worth of nine lives. Most recently, getting rammed head-on by a carjacked, stolen sedan driving the wrong way ... Oh, how they try! ... but I'm off topic.)_

SUMMARY
Dave, I had the bumper stickers made in early 2006. By 2/27/2006, Bill Waites had confirmed receipt of two packages of stickers I sent him, enough to include one with every USL. 

ONE FOR EACH USL
I had the bumper stickers made at my own expense because they amused me, not for profit. I wanted each person who got a USL to get one, so I sent enough for that purpose to Bill, at my own cost. Many people donated $3.00 to my costs - thank you! - see below, if you gave me $3.00 and haven't gotten a sticker with your USL, I still have some left.

EXTRAS
I also had extras made, and I mailed a whole lot of them out to people who wanted an extra sticker or two for $3.00 each. Please do not point out the irony of having a sticker and no USL! (Oops. Sorry about that.)

A LITTLE WEBSITE PROBLEM
Another member of the original USL fan club, CroMAGnet, bought a domain (flashaholic.net) that was to be dedicated to the burgeoning USL cult. Unfortunately, as the USL momentum ebbed, the domain name lapsed, and appears to have been bought by some kind of Hong Kong domain aggregators called "Balata.com LTD".

Those domain aggregator guys buy up domains that have expired en masse. They usually want a king's ransom to sell them to anyone. I couldn't reach the company by email at all, regardless.

<BAD NEWS> Well, each USL bumper sticker that I still have says "FLASHAHOLIC.NET" on it. That domain goes to a tedious sales link site. :shakehead 

*<GOOD NEWS> However, the stickers are NOT a single piece - they are the nice quality cut vinyl type - so you can simply peel off the website part and use what you want! *

COMMENTARY
Now that I've caught up reading about all this, I can't (won't?) add anything to what has been said already about this project.

MY USL (wistful note only)
I bought USL #6.2 (black, guardless) from seattlite on 1/8/2006. On 1/15/2006, I bought extras from Bill:
+Charger, Power Supply....$52
+Upgraded Charger.........$82
+Thermal Probe.............$9
+Extra Reflector, LOP.....$15
+Two (2) extra bulbs......$10
EXTRAS TOTAL: $168

There you have it: I don't have a USL, but if I do get mine eventually, that would be nice. Regardless, I am simply happy to be alive. I am reminded of Miracle Max from _The Princess Bride_: "He's only mostly dead!"

I laugh every time.

CONCLUSIONS
1. I have no plans to update the stickers (new domain name) or have new ones made. (Note: I am suceptible to being bribed with beer.)

2. I don't know what happened to the stickers I sent Bill ... did they get passed along to JS? Were any mailed with the USLs? I seem to recall a few were at first. Were the rest destroyed in some home fire or disaster at Bill's? Please forgive my lack of desire to try and find out more. 

3. I do have a dozen or so stickers left, in unknown colors, maybe as many as twenty. I'll get them out of storage if anyone asks for one. 

Anyone who donated $3.00 and didn't get one (regardless of whether you got your USL - permit yourself a small chuckle here), PM me before my next near fatality, and I'll take a jaunty stroll down to the post office and mail it out to you (until the supply runs out!)

Warmest Regards,

-V. aka Lightlust


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## paulr (Apr 6, 2009)

js said:


> paulr,
> 
> I did send your light out, BTW, so let me know when you get it. I have the del. conf. no. and will PM it to you.



Thanks! It hadn't come as of yesterday (Saturday) but that's not surprising. I probably won't get to check for it (except through online tracking) til next Saturday.


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## js (Apr 6, 2009)

lightlust,

I don't have the Tritons or thermal probes, but I have a black USL and two reflectors and three lamps and a charging cord all ready for you. I will try to get it out to you tomorrow.

Everyone,

Very difficult couple of weeks here on my end, as I have to write employee evaluations and conduct "performance dialogues" before the 10th, and that's on top of already crazy work stuff, so I haven't been posting here as much as I want, nor have I gotten geared up to post the new thread, complete with inventory and updated list. Would be nice to hear from Bill with that extra info he promised, but I'm not holding my breath on that front and it won't keep me from posting the new thread.

I have four more packs to charge and cycle and test, and no more fully assembled USL's. So far, sadly, the biggest casualty group has been the fully assembled USL's. The ones I made for Bill like a year ago. We lost three of those. Well, two and a half, I guess. There is a red one which _may_ hold decent voltage under load (I need to test it against a 62138), but which only delivers 1100 mAh instead of 1800. And so far we've lost one pack. All the others have been good. Let's hope the last four are also good.


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## mst3k (Apr 7, 2009)

js said:


> So far, sadly, the biggest casualty group has been the fully assembled USL's. The ones I made for Bill like a year ago. We lost three of those.


 
This statement alone just makes me angry as hell that Bill gets to just walk away clean from this whole project. :thumbsdow:thumbsdow

You are a saint, Jim!


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## js (Apr 7, 2009)

mst3k said:


> This statement alone just makes me angry as hell that Bill gets to just walk away clean from this whole project. :thumbsdow:thumbsdow
> 
> You are a saint, Jim!



Thanks, mst3k! But I can assure you that I am definitely not a saint. :devil:

I think one small reason (in Bill's defense) why those never got mailed out is that I put the switch in backwards relative to the switch guard, so that you can't put a locking pin in to keep it turned off. You could lock them ON, but, well, that's not a great idea.  When I made them, I just made them and didn't test them out. If I had, I would have noticed right away that the switches needed to have their ON position turned the opposite way.

Ah well. Still not a reason to keep them from people. He could easily have drilled two new holes in the other position on the guard to allow the locking pin to work.

Honestly, though, just the presence of that guard is enough. It surrounds the switch and you have to intentionally stick your finger inside it to active the switch. The locking pin is just the ultimate insurance that it will not active accidentally.

lightlust,

Your USL will definitely go out today. I PM'ed you the tracking no.


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## Trashman (Apr 10, 2009)

js said:


> In terms of helping out, if people want to pay me for shipping costs, I'd certainly appreciate it, BUT, it is _entirely optional_ and no one should feel obliged to do so.



In the first place, I don't think the shipping costs were, originally, to be collected, until the lights were ready to ship. I could be mistaken, though, as it's been a "a while." I do believe, though, I remember still having to pay shipping, anyway. I've definitely got you covered, there.

Really, JS, you're a saint and should probably be formally canonized by CPF with some type of saintly looking charm next to your name.

Also, I see you're trying to get a hold of Auroralite. I think, I remember him being a personal friend of AW. He might know.


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## Data (Apr 10, 2009)

Trashman said:


> In the first place, I don't think the shipping costs were, originally, to be collected, until the lights were ready to ship. I could be mistaken, though, as it's been a "a while." I do believe, though, I remember still having to pay shipping, anyway. I've definitely got you covered, there.
> 
> Really, JS, you're a saint and should probably be formally canonized by CPF with some type of saintly looking charm next to your name.
> 
> Also, I see you're trying to get a hold of Auroralite. I think, I remember him being a personal friend of AW. He might know.



Trashman, Come to think of it, I agree with you that Bill never collected shipping for the USL lights till they were ready to ship.


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## MikeF (Apr 10, 2009)

You are correct about the shipping and Bill not charging for shipping as part of the pre-pay. I got him to make an estimate so I could pay him via a postal money order since I did not want to use Pay Pal. We agreed upon $25.00.


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## js (Apr 14, 2009)

Well now, that's interesting. I'm not sure how, or even IF, I will change my stance on shipping costs. Right now, it is totally optional for people to pay shipping. Seems only fair to get free shipping after having waited so danged long for your order.

But I'm still thinking about it.

Anyway . . .

I have finished the employee evaluations and performance dialogues, and I have finished my taxes, and work is ever so slightly less crazy, so, I will start again putting an hour or so of work in a day on the USL stuff. When I get home I will look at the list and see who is next. I have a pewter USL ready to go out and will ship it to the next validated-address person tomorrow.


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## lightlust (Apr 15, 2009)

JS - Paypal sent to cover shipping. I know you've heard this before, but thank you for your part in all this! 

Status: USL received. I am now blind.


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## Trashman (Apr 15, 2009)

This might sound like a stupid question, but I haven't been following this thread very closely...

Will these ship with *any* charger?


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## js (Apr 15, 2009)

Trashman said:


> This might sound like a stupid question, but I haven't been following this thread very closely...
> 
> Will these ship with *any* charger?



Sadly, no.

Unless Bill ships them. I told him to start shipping out the chargers he has ASAP, as I was shipping out orders, but I don't think anyone has gotten anything from him.

As for the USL order going out today, I left my can of compressed air at work and was too tired / unmotivated to drive back and get it (or go to the store to get another one). But I will definitely get that order ready tonight, and figure out who is getting it. And also, cycle the last of the packs. Here's hoping they're all good.


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## js (Apr 15, 2009)

OK. I got an email from Bill asking me if the last email I sent him was the last email I sent him (which it was)--the one where I wanted to know the simplest of things: WHO THE HELL GOT THEIR USL'S AND WHO DIDN'T. You'd think that would be the very first thing to pass on to the person taking over your project. But, no.

Anyway, he didn't tell me much, except that "the first 3 should be receiving their power supplies, etc. early next week." Whoever that means, and whenever that will really end up being is anyones guess.

Whatever.

OK, so as far as I can tell Mark65 is next. He's from Japan. If I'm reading the spreadsheet right, he bought that spot from vontech who bought it from Juancho. I sent him an email.

If anyone has any helpful info, please, _please_ feel free to pipe up.


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## paulr (Apr 16, 2009)

The Beagle has landed!!! Thanks, js!!!

I picked up a box containing a nifty blue USL at my mailbox place today (not sure when it actually reached there, I didn't manage to make a pickup last Saturday). Wow!!! I haven't put in a bulb and tried turning the light on yet, but it's just awesome to have received a light after all these years.

A couple questions:
1) Is the light charged up (at least as of when you shipped it)? I don't have a charger yet and want to know if it's ok to play with the light for a few minutes pending figuring out a charging method, or (if I'm way lucky) receiving a charger from Bill.

2) When you say the switch is installed backwards, does that mean the on-off direction is the opposite of usual, i.e. you press down on the tail-facing side of the rocker switch to turn the light on, and on the forward side to turn it off? I'm asking this partly to make sure that I don't clobber myself when installing a bulb, though I guess I should check the socket with a voltmeter before putting a bulb in. 

*Update: Yes, it's backwards.* I couldn't get a voltmeter probe into the little holes so I carefully stuck the bulb into the socket with the switch in what would normally be the "off" position. The bulb had enough thermal mass that it wasn't a problem pulling it out when I saw it slowly starting to light up. I might drill a couple extra holes in the guard to allow putting a lock pin there.

3) Do you think it's ok to simply trickle charge the pack instead of using a smart charger? Let's say 100 ma for 24 hours or thereabouts. I can probably put something like that together from scrounged parts.

Kudos to js!!!

[Update: as above, I got the light running. It's like turning on the lights in the room: I can easily read a magazine from the ceiling bounce illumination, just like running a normal light fixture. For flashlight-like operation it seems like a "normal" (though very bright) flashlight, I guess mostly because of the width of the spill beam. Anyway, neat! I will probably bring it to work tomorrow for show & tell


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## Westy (Apr 16, 2009)

No offense to anyone and sorry for the aside, but I hope your eyes are far more tolerant than mine.

" It's like turning on the lights in the room: I can easily read a magazine from the ceiling bounce illumination"

I can't turn on my PolarBear or FM85 indoors without creating a bit of a burn in my eyes just from the bounce. I expect the USL to be notably more lumens than either. Then again our place is mostly white or shades thereof but indoor use seems quite potentially hazardous to the eyes. Even the quickest flash leaves spikes in my eyes (not at me/just bounce off any floor/wall etc).

Good luck with all you've got going on JS, regardless of hobbies life's busy enough! Certainly you should be paid shipping. 

(fingers crossed their's a blue or silver body waiting for my build)


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## js (Apr 17, 2009)

Westy,

It's a lot brighter than any 1185 based light. A LOT. No worries, you won't be disappointed on that front. However, the center intensity might not be as hot as you would expect, relative to a transverse filament light like the 1185. The 62138 is an axial filament, and the hotspot, while perfectly round, doesn't have a very intense center relative to the rest of the hotspot, and there is a great deal of spill. It still does throw--it's not a flood light--but it doesn't throw like a mag85 or MC1160, for example.

Anyway, getting back to the ceiling bounce thing, if you shine it up at the ceiling, it is like turning the lights on in the room, and you will have nice even illumination, as long as you _don't look at the hotspot on the ceiling_. If you do that, then, yes, you'll create a burning sensation in your retinas! LOL!

paulr,

Yes, it's charged and ready to use. Go for it. But do keep in mind that as it gets puts through its paces, the battery pack should just keep holding better and better voltage under load, as long as you don't over discharge it at any point. So be careful to turn off when you start to see rapid dimming.

And yes, a trickle of 100 to 200 mA for 24 hours would be just the ticket for it if you can make up a simple constant current charging circuit. You'll need about 17 to 18 volts from the source, as the pack reaches over 15 volts at the end of trickling.

As for the guard and switch orientation, just wanted to let people know that after this next pewter one goes out, all the rest will have a normal switch orientation, and if they do have a guard, then the hole will be in the right place to lock it off.

So, no response from Mark65, so I'm PM'ing jte. If he doesn't respond in short order, I'll just keep on skipping down the list. I want to mail out this pewter USL either this afternoon or tomorrow, but it may not go out until Monday.

And this weekend, I *WILL* post a new thread and take a total inventory and some pictures.


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## paulr (Apr 18, 2009)

Well I did something crazy. Batteryspace was out of that $30 charger that LuxLuthor recommended--they had a similar looking model that I was thinking of ordering since I didn't feel like messing around with scrounged computer power bricks after all. But I have a co-worker who's into R/C helicopters, so we took a drive down to an R/C store and I ended up buying a Triton 1 on closeout (plus a power supply), basically the same setup that I'm supposedly in line to receive from Bill sometime. I haven't figured out how to program it yet--does anyone have suggested settings? Can I just select "NiMH" and the number of cells, or do I have to program the delta V threshold and all that sort of stuff? Thanks.

I figure there's some other things I can use the Triton for besides the USL. Famous last words.


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## milkyspit (Apr 18, 2009)

paulr said:


> Well I did something crazy. Batteryspace was out of that $30 charger that LuxLuthor recommended--they had a similar looking model that I was thinking of ordering since I didn't feel like messing around with scrounged computer power bricks after all. But I have a co-worker who's into R/C helicopters, so we took a drive down to an R/C store and I ended up buying a Triton 1 on closeout (plus a power supply), basically the same setup that I'm supposedly in line to receive from Bill sometime. I haven't figured out how to program it yet--does anyone have suggested settings? Can I just select "NiMH" and the number of cells, or do I have to program the delta V threshold and all that sort of stuff? Thanks.
> 
> I figure there's some other things I can use the Triton for besides the USL. Famous last words.



Paul, there were charging instructions posted in the old thread *over here*. An excerpt...



bwaites said:


> NiMH charge using the Triton:
> 
> Set battery type to NiMH
> Rate: .8 to 1.2 amps (???) or up to 2 amps for a rapid charge
> ...


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## paulr (Apr 18, 2009)

Thanks, Milky! I haven't kept track of how many minutes I've run the light--maybe 5 minutes or so out of the 10 minute charge? Should I in general go ahead and recharge the light, relying on the charge termination signal when it's only partially discharged? I always worry about large stacks of cells in series. It should always be ok to just stay with trickle charging unless I'm in a hurry, and that should automatically balance the cells, right?

Westy: the USL is (I believe) around 2500 lumens, around 3x the output of a 1185, but about the same as the pair of 1250 lumen compact fluorescent bulbs in my ceiling fixture. So js's description is about right, the USL makes a VERY bright spot on the ceiling, but its bounce lights the room with very pleasant evenness and about the same intensity as the usual 120 volt ceiling lamps.


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## milkyspit (Apr 18, 2009)

paulr said:


> Thanks, Milky! I haven't kept track of how many minutes I've run the light--maybe 5 minutes or so out of the 10 minute charge? Should I in general go ahead and recharge the light, relying on the charge termination signal when it's only partially discharged? I always worry about large stacks of cells in series. It should always be ok to just stay with trickle charging unless I'm in a hurry, and that should automatically balance the cells, right?



Paul, I'll preface everything I'm about to say with the disclaimer that JS and even better, SilverFox, are far better authorities than I! That said, my understanding is the following...

* You can recharge whenever you wish... I'd let the cells sit for a little while after use before recharging, though, to let the temps cool down.

* You really NEED to recharge when you see the bulb rapidly dropping in output... if you can look into the light (without spots), you want to recharge!

* A trickle at the rate of C/10 every so often will help keep the cells in balance. Ideally you'd want to run a C/10 charge for 16 hours... how you accomplish that with the Triton is beyond me.

* NiMH won't want a continuous trickle charge, so overnight works great! but 'til the end of time... well... not so great. oo:


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## js (Apr 19, 2009)

paulr,

You can recharge anytime you want, EXCEPT for directly after already charging. That's bad. But otherwise, top off whenever. The peak detection in the Triton is top notch. I've never had it fail to detect the peak. Never. Not once in hundreds, nay, thousands, of charges. However, I usually charge at C/2 or less. In this case, that means at .9 amps or less.

As for imbalances, the "top off" of 100 mA is supposed to remedy that problem. After the peak is detected and charging stops, there is a delay (set it to 10 minutes), and then it puts 100mA through the pack for up to 20 minutes. This will just dissipate some heat in the cells that are already full, but will top off cells that are slightly low.

The Triton is a nice charge, I think. A bit long in the tooth at this point, maybe, but a serviceable charger nonetheless. It doesn't balance charge Li-ion packs, of course, but it will still charge them, and lead acid, and nicd and nimh. It's also pretty straight forward to operate.

By the by, if you want to turn it into a dumb charger to trickle charge nimh packs, set it to NiCd and set the peak detect sensitivity to 20mV per cell, and set the peak delay to 60 minutes, and it will NEVER terminate the charge. I use this trick all the time to give packs a forming charge of C/10 for 16 hours.

OK. As promised, I did an inventory, with pictures and all, and will post a new thread presently. (Working on it now. Link to follow)


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## js (Apr 19, 2009)

OK. Here is the link to the new thread, with inventory:

js's USL reanimation and revivification thread


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