# Orange peel finish - how to?



## JG87 (Sep 23, 2009)

Does anyone know of a source for a textured (orange peel) reflector coating? I've found plenty of companies who do vacuum depositing for smooth finishes, but none who do a textured reflective coating. Given the number of cheap flashlights with orange peel reflectors, it can't be that big of a deal, right? :thinking:

John


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## lightime (Sep 23, 2009)

I was interested in this too and bookmarked the following thread a while back: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/166546

Hopefully we can see some more suggestions.


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## Torque1st (Sep 23, 2009)

Some that I have seen have the "orange peel" or dimples in the plastic substrate and then metalized like normal. The plastic mold probably was shot blasted to produce the dimpled finish in the molded part.


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## Morelite (Sep 23, 2009)

I have misted clear coat (spray can clear) on some smooth reflectors with great results.


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## Illum (Sep 23, 2009)

I have a FM MOP reflector that is pretty much useless now after god knows what began tarnishing the surface, now its barely reflective. Used with a Mag85 though as long as its not matte black, it'll reflect

I'm thinking of recoating it, dunno how...yet


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## JG87 (Sep 23, 2009)

Thanks for the link. My main concern about sputtering is a possible lack of luminous efficiency, especially as the coating ages (yellows?).

The droplets of clear coat have no anti-reflection coating on their surfaces, so some of the light will likely be lost when it enters the droplet, then more may be lost when the light bounces off of the reflector, and again as the light leaves the droplet. The clear coat also has a questionable light transmission efficiency. This may account for a significant loss of throw (beyond the loss caused by diffusing the hotspot). Has anyone tested the OTF output before and after sputtering?

I could try one of the high efficiency diffusion films on the lens, such as the LDF from Flashlightlens) or the film sold by Fastcar. However, Flashlightlens says the LDF will "kill the throw", which is going further than I want. This concept has merit, but there seem to be limited options right now.

I'm wanting to maintain a good balance of throw along with a brighter corona around the center hotspot, without killing the throw altogether. Thus my wish for an LOP reflector, which unlike additional layers of lens material, shouldn't result in the loss of any lumens. 

I'm looking for an OP parabolic reflector similar to Don McLeish's MCR designs (which are perfectly optimized for the XR-E and a few other LEDs), but optimized instead for the XP-E/XP-G LEDs. Since these LEDs are much smaller, the reflector can be significantly deeper for a given diameter (or smaller in diameter for a given depth), allowing much smaller sizes while maintaining very good light gathering efficiency. I've found a couple of sources for small production runs of smooth reflectors made to my desired specs, but so far no OP surface available.... 

Any ideas about the OP manufacturing process, and where to look for suppliers? Can a metallic OP surface (as seen on production lights from a number of manufacturers) be added to a smooth reflector, or must an OP reflector be manufactured that way from the start?

Thanks in advance for the ideas!

John


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## Torque1st (Sep 23, 2009)

JG87 said:


> Any ideas about the OP manufacturing process, and where to look for suppliers? Can a metallic OP surface (as seen on production lights from a number of manufacturers) be added to a smooth reflector, or must an OP reflector be manufactured that way from the start?
> 
> Thanks in advance for the ideas!
> 
> John


Manufactured in, see my post above.

Check with your local injection molding shops. I have been out of that business for many years. A small aluminum mold should be fairly easy to obtain for a small production run. Once the CNC program for the mold is made make several rough aluminum molds then experiment with the mold finish. You can have parts with whatever finish you want.


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## 65535 (Sep 25, 2009)

I imagine the surface finish is made before the reflective coating is applied. So you'd want the texture on the reflector then send it off for coating.

I'd be interested in seeing someone get a bead or sand blasted reflector lightly polished then coated with a reflective aluminum film.


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