# Newbie just finished building [email protected] Cree (5 cree)



## rizky_p (Jan 20, 2008)

After gathering alot of informations from CPF i finally build my own, for first timer like me this turns into an extremely difficult mod but at the end i finally made it. One thing for sure, it was WORTH IT!!!
this thing is really really bright :nana: . Time spent: 5 hours  

LED: Using 5 Cree Q2 driven @1A. 
Reflector : DX 17mm Reflector, dremeled to fit
Heatsink: Multisink by download
Power: 14 Sanyo 2700.
Window: still using plastic window.















Entire room lights up source only from the MagCree.

am i officially a flashaholic now? 

Thanks.

UPDATE:

A whole setup moved to 3D body + Maxflex Driver and Modified Mag switch to work with Maxflex switch input.


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## qip (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: Newbie just finished [email protected] Cree (5 cree)*

very nice :twothumbs now get the ucl

and what reflectors you using ,it looks like it has threads as if pulled from other lights


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## rizky_p (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: Newbie just finished [email protected] Cree (5 cree)*



qip said:


> very nice :twothumbs now get the ucl
> 
> and what reflectors you using ,it looks like it has threads as if pulled from other lights



Reflector is actually from DealExtreme its 18.5mm in diameter i am in budget and they are cheap, i have to dremel it just to make it fits because i want 5 cree inside...I have several Smooth reflectors and planing to have alternating OP-SMO-OP reflector for better throw. I will dremel the thread later so the reflector will sits even better....

I have second MagHotwire project running side by side with MagCree project, i ordered UCL and boro lens for both project but still not arrived 

BTW. that avatar looks really cool, 8 Cree??? that must be crazy!! any advice on building one?

Thanks...


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## LumenHound (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: Newbie just finished [email protected] Cree (5 cree)*



rizky_p said:


> am i officially a flashaholic now?
> 
> Thanks.


You Sir, have it bad. :thumbsup:

So....what's your next mod?


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## Derek Dean (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: Newbie just finished [email protected] Cree (5 cree)*

Wow, that is quite amazing for a first time modder. I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with next! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm with us.


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## p97z (Jan 20, 2008)

Nice work! You have it bad in a good way.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 20, 2008)

IM-pressive !!!

You gonna mod that electric flyswatter next?


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## sawlight (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: Newbie just finished [email protected] Cree (5 cree)*



Derek Dean said:


> Wow, that is quite amazing for a first time modder. I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with next! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm with us.


 

NO DOUBT!!!!!! Well done!!!!!:welcome:


When can I send you mine?


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## nanotech17 (Jan 21, 2008)

*Re: Newbie just finished [email protected] Cree (5 cree)*

Pls show us some photos on how you connect those wires to the driver and the stock switch.
You one bad ,.#$%^@ modder :twothumbs


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## MatajumotorS (Jan 21, 2008)

rizky_p said:


> After gathering alot of informations from CPF i finally build my own, for first timer like me this turns into an extremely difficult mod but at the end i finally made it. One thing for sure, it was WORTH IT!!!
> this thing is really really bright :nana: . Time spent: 5 hours
> 
> LED: Using 5 Cree Q2 driven @1A.
> ...


Just cheap and perfect!, Could You please post some outdoor beamshots, i would like to see how theese DX reflectors perform.


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## gOhAsE (Jan 21, 2008)

What driver did you use? Or did you even use multiple drivers?


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## rizky_p (Jan 21, 2008)

Thanks all for nice words 

Basically i dont have much money to make this mod "perfect" the first time. I was planning to add proper boost regulator for the next stage. Currently it is just a simple and plain wirewound ceramic resistor, i know this 5W resistor is overkill but this is the only one i can get around the house that matched the required ohm value. When freshly charged all 14 Sanyos and 1 ohm resistor will give exactly 1.2A to LEDs and give ample room when the voltage drops further and i know it will drop fairly quickly as the battery sag to its normal working range this is a problem with resistor. But so far i'm quite satisfied with the performance despite using only a resistor and no noticeable drop in brightness even after 10 minutes of uses(on and off of course). Using it for just 15 second the head feels warm. 
Sorry no driver inside  at least at the moment...


this is how i connect the switch to the head. Again simple and cheap.










this is my battery pack  i know it is ugly. Notice the two plugs, one for charger and one to connect to the Maglite. Since the resistor is budled with the pack i have to make two seperate connector each for different purpose. One before the resistor(charging) and one after the resistor(to maglite). I will buy a smaller size resistor and put the resistor behind the Heatsink or in Mag Head to make thing simple  but that is another story..
I have to cut mag tail spring about 1.5 turn so the tailcap can screw in nicely. The negative cabel from the battery is pressed between tail spring and tailbody to make contact. And the positive is directly soldered to Positive spring at the switch and the cable is running along the battery tube and ended at the rear tube opening. 





battery pack partly inside the tube. The tube is slightly bored otherwise all 4 sanyos across will not fit inside. 






Ok Now Beamshots...
I only have WF-400 Q2 at the moment it is bright light with good throw to giveyou at least a comparative review as how bright this MagCree is...Camera settings are the same for each place so comparation can be made. White balance was set to Daylight...I have set EV to lower than default to give similar brightness to normal eye.

First WF-400 




MagCree





WF-400




MagCree





Thanks, hopes you enjoys it as much as i do...


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## kramer5150 (Jan 21, 2008)

Thanks for sharing!!

How did you solder the cells end to end like that?
How do you "aim" the emitters... is it very sensitive to how on-axis they are?

Nice work


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## DM51 (Jan 21, 2008)

That is good work! Excellent pics, too.

I'm going to move this thread to 'Homemade & Modified', as the regulars there will definitely want to see it.


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## drew2001 (Jan 21, 2008)

Wow, very cool project. Thanks for the pics and details. I've only begun with trying hotwire mods , so this is neat to see. You did good !


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## sawlight (Jan 21, 2008)

Again I ask, "When can I send you mine!!!!!"


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## Vbeez (Jan 21, 2008)

Very impressive ! Oh..no, I have to spend more money on leds again.....
Would you let me see that BRIGHT light ?


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## LukeA (Jan 22, 2008)

kramer5150 said:


> Thanks for sharing!!
> 
> How did you solder the cells end to end like that?
> How do you "aim" the emitters... is it very sensitive to how on-axis they are?
> ...



From my experience, you want the emitters parallel, which is also the easiest angle to accomplish. I did a 7-cree spotlight with p60 dropins and just epoxied the dropins to the spotlight's window. Outside of two feet, the spots spread out and blend into one.


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## bluecrow76 (Jan 22, 2008)

WOW! Well done! :twothumbs


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## Krit (Jan 22, 2008)

COOL bright mag mod.


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## nanotech17 (Jan 22, 2008)

[email protected]#$%!
that is bright!
very nice.
one more question - is this direct drive?


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## rizky_p (Jan 22, 2008)

kramer5150 said:


> Thanks for sharing!!
> 
> How did you solder the cells end to end like that?
> How do you "aim" the emitters... is it very sensitive to how on-axis they are?
> ...



I Pressed each battery quickly after i remove the solder and before the lead start to harden. i have to apply a blob to each contact, melt them and then joins them while they are hot...

they are being pressed down hard by the front plastic windows, so they are in allignment automatically and lays flat. DX Reflectors has flat bottom that sits nicely at the emitter's solder point. You have to isolate this otherwise you will get a short...

@nanotech17: yes it is direct drive. I am surprise by its runtime so far probably because of the nature of low vF of the Cree Q2(measure [email protected]) 

@Vbest: Sure 

@sawlight: i live on the other side of this planet.

@drew2001: it started as Hotwire mod, but turns out into MagLED mods.


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## rizky_p (Jan 22, 2008)

Can anyone advice me whether it is safe to run all the Crees @2A with my setup? i am using Multisink from download and all three(oops! edit:five) emitters are using thermal compound and pressed hard by the windows..it is hot already with current setup but i was thinking of bumping it up a bit....

Thanks.


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## Bimmerboy (Jan 22, 2008)

Yep... you've been bitten by the bug.

Nice mod, Rizky!... and nice indoor pool!... hehe.

2A for those Cree's? Perhaps someone more experienced will chime in, but that may not be a good idea. The heatsink may not be able to draw heat away fast enough.

Thing looks pretty darn bright as is, and 2A may be well past diminishing returns.


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 22, 2008)

Nice. I was thinking of going 5 instead of 4 for my 3C mag as I would only loose 15min runtime. 1 hr vs 1hr 15min isn't that big of a loss for gaining ~200 lm! 

Cool find on the DX reflectors. I have bare emitters (one less thermal interface) and soldering wires directly to the emitters might interfere with the reflector sitting down enough. Are you saying even with stars the reflector touches the wires?

Cree @ 2amp, not in your setup. Too many emitters, too much heat. I have a project with a cree on a huge CPU heatsink, at 2amp (with a focusable TV projection lens). After 1.5amp you don't gain much more, just heat. But if your heatsink is already hot you likely won't gain anything as the hotter the LED the less light they make.


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## LukeA (Jan 22, 2008)

rizky_p said:


> Can anyone advice me whether it is safe to run all the Crees @2A with my setup? i am using Multisink from download and all three(oops! edit:five) emitters are using thermal compound and pressed hard by the windows..it is hot already with current setup but i was thinking of bumping it up a bit....
> 
> Thanks.



Dissipating 40W from that small an area isn't going to go very well.


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## rizky_p (Jan 22, 2008)

Sharper Beamshots if you dont mind.... that Sodium light is annoying i know, wish i had [email protected] 
































Bimmerboy: yeah it is bright enough i guess i will have to make bigger custom MagHead to pack more emitter inside. No that is not an indoor pool, it is only a plastic net to keep falling leaves from the trees up ahead... 

@LukeA: did not realize that it is 40watt of heat already...

@IsaacHayes: let me know when your 5 cree mag is ready, my plan was to pack 6 cree's but i could not find smaller reflectors maybe i have to make one  
as with the DX reflectors, yes they sits flat on the emitter shoulder covering the contact pads near the dome(not the pads on the star). If your solder blobs are too big yes it will touch those...keep the solder thin and you are safe.
Yes you would need to dremel the DX reflector if you were to solder directly to emitter without the star..


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 23, 2008)

I guess I'll have to order those DX reflectors then! Thanks for the find! I'm running 5,000mah C NiMH. I plan to have a resistor for each LED, all of them parallel to the 3xC cells. Yes no driver but as you know NiMH has a decent flat discharge curve. And the voltage is close to that of the LEDs. Without having five separate buck/boost circuits or more cells and wire in series this is the simplest way to run them with only 3 cells to deal with. My 3C mag was one that was re-plated in HA natural too!  I should have +/- 1 hr runtime with 5 emitters, vs 1hr 15mins with 4.

I was afraid about clearance with the reflectors. I have some thin copper sheet that is flexible (I think I pulled it from an old phone, it's shielding and had a wire soldered to it). I think I will solder that to the top of the emitter pads and run that to a wire so that the amount of clearancing on the reflectors is minimal.

My heatsink is a PES2 from mod-a-mag that I have machined flat (well I did it by hand but you get the idea). I think I will try the smooth reflectors for max throw. 

You can fit 7 reflectors/leds in a circle with NO wasted space. I think you should go for 7 instead of 6.  That way there is no hole in the middle. I *think* 17mm reflectors fit that way... I've seen it done before in stock mag heads.

EDIT: Those beam shots are great! Really motivates me! I have a tri-luxeon3 (~200 lumens before optics) and it lights up the whole back yard. I can't wait to see what ~1000 lumens looks like.  I already have the Q5's, just need the reflectors.


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## nanotech17 (Jan 23, 2008)

rizky_p,
do you think it is safe to run 2x 18650 cell in series to direct drive 5 crees without any resistor?
anybody would like to chime in?


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## MatajumotorS (Jan 23, 2008)

nanotech17 said:


> rizky_p,
> do you think it is safe to run 2x 18650 cell in series to direct drive 5 crees without any resistor?
> anybody would like to chime in?


Personally i would add 0,22R resistor to each led... 
Edit: ups, didn't see in "series"! I would add resistors if they would be in paralell. 

Driving 5 paralel crees from 2 series 18650 ower resistors would be too mutch losses in them, it would be more than a half...
You need some driver..
It would be easier to drive 4 or 6 leds from 2xlions in series, see my mod in progress.


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## nanotech17 (Jan 23, 2008)

Thanks.
How about this driver - http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2982


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## MatajumotorS (Jan 23, 2008)

nanotech17 said:


> Thanks.
> How about this driver - http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2982


It is buck driver, you could use it if you have had 5-6 li-ons in series.


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## nanotech17 (Jan 23, 2008)

MatajumotorS said:


> It is buck driver, you could use it if you have had 5-6 li-ons in series.



Thank you mataju.


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## rizky_p (Jan 23, 2008)

nanotech17 said:


> Thanks.
> How about this driver - http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2982




i was thinking of geting the same driver from kai since it seems to be out of stock Indefinitely then i choose to go with the resistor...


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 23, 2008)

Just be careful with unprotected Li-Ions in series. I would only do protected in series.
Since my battery voltage is so close to voltage of the LEDs, a buck driver would drop some voltage anyway and likely fall out of regulation right away. So instead of dropping .7v through a diode in a driver, I'm just going to use resistors and save $$ heheh. A buck/boost would be needed for my application since hot off the charger they would need buck, and settled with a load might drop a little too low and need boost. But 5 buck/boost circuits would get costly fast!


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## mjzraz2 (Jan 26, 2008)

Rizky, 

What Cree stars are they or where did you get them? What did you use to cut them down and is there anything to be concerned about in doing so?

Do you think if you trimmed a little off the outside diameter of all the reflectors or trimmed the threads at least, they you could have fit them all without them touching?


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## rizky_p (Jan 27, 2008)

mjzraz2 said:


> Rizky,
> 
> What Cree stars are they or where did you get them? What did you use to cut them down and is there anything to be concerned about in doing so?
> 
> Do you think if you trimmed a little off the outside diameter of all the reflectors or trimmed the threads at least, they you could have fit them all without them touching?




They stars were a standar 20mm cree star from DX Nice color BTW. I use a cutting plier  i have no idea whether this is a good way or not but it works. When cutting with cutting plier some of the top portion of the stars seems to short-circuited because the top layer seems to be squeezed down and touching the lower portion of the stars just files the edges with small files to removes "the bridges" couse by the cutting plier. It feels like a wrong way of doing it, but all my stars has no damaged. 

In my case, i had to trimmed a lot more then the threads to make all the reflectors fits inside and sit flat agains the LEDs.

all in all it works and the parts are cheap.


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 27, 2008)

I'm on the fence to order the smooth or orange peel ones. I like throw but wonder if there will be a ton of artifacts with 5x smooth reflectors hehe.


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## rizky_p (Jan 29, 2008)

IsaacHayes said:


> I'm on the fence to order the smooth or orange peel ones. I like throw but wonder if there will be a ton of artifacts with 5x smooth reflectors hehe.



I have 1(one) smooth reflector from DX and tried it, the hotspot is rounder and more defined but not as tight/small as other deeper reflectors. More like an OP reflectors from Fenix L2D/P3D. I think it will improve throws a bit but not much. I think 5x smooth reflectors will smooth out it self over distance. so no problems there  OR just buy 10 of them 5 OP and 5 SMO and put that in alternating configuration for best of both world...


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## rizky_p (Jan 29, 2008)

...


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## rizky_p (Jan 29, 2008)

IsaacHayes said:


> I'm on the fence to order the smooth or orange peel ones. I like throw but wonder if there will be a ton of artifacts with 5x smooth reflectors hehe.[/
> 
> I have 1 SMO DX reflector, its hotspot is more defined but still larger compared to deeper reflector more like SMO reflector from Fenix. It might improves throw slightly but not much. With SMO the artifacts will get smooted out over distance anyways so no problem there
> 
> why not get 10 of them and try it for you self, they are really cheap.


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 29, 2008)

Yesterday I just ordered the OP ones. The measurements show the smooth as a bit larger on the outside which means more grinding... LOL it could be the same just the calipers measuring the different parts of the threaded outside on DX...

I don't mind the ring in cree lights but with 5 of them I thought it might get too swirly and distracting, but probably not enough to matter. Oh well if the OP do not throw enough then I will get the smooth. As long as it throws at least as far as my tri-luxeonIII mag then it's good enough.

Here is the heatsink I'm using after I modified it. PES:2 C modified flat. 
http://pastehere.com/?vlmeyc

When you were grinding the reflectors, did you take care to not let them get too hot and peel off the metal coating? I've had that happen before!


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## rizky_p (Jan 30, 2008)

IsaacHayes said:


> When you were grinding the reflectors, did you take care to not let them get too hot and peel off the metal coating? I've had that happen before!



hhmmm i didn't realized that, the reflectors got really-really hot after the process but the metal coating seems to be intact. It is the dusts from the grinding that you have to be worry about. I had to use compressed air and it still there and also some finger prints  damn i am to careless.... i will probably get more OP and do better handling next time...

What driver are you using?

good luck on your modding...keep me posted. 

thanks.


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## IsaacHayes (Jan 30, 2008)

I ground a cheap metal reflector from a DX light once and it made the mirror plating bubble off. It may have been just a poor coating. To remove dust, don't put any cloth or anything it will scratch. Blast with compressed air, then put some liquid soap on it and let it get on every part, then rinse with some hot water to blast it away. The soap helps grab the particles better than water alone. Then rinse with distilled water to get rid of minerals and blast out with more air. Or use rubbing alcohol to get rid of minerals and then blast out with air.

Driver? No driver I posted already about that  here https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2326419&postcount=28


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## Monkeyboab (Jan 31, 2008)

How would this mod have done with fivemegas 4D-12AA battery adaptor?

Nice mod, You've got me heading towards one of these now

Rob


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## rizky_p (Feb 1, 2008)

Monkeyboab said:


> How would this mod have done with fivemegas 4D-12AA battery adaptor?
> 
> Nice mod, You've got me heading towards one of these now
> 
> Rob



Direct drive and Fivemega's 4D-12AA won't work with 5 Crees, unless using Boost driver.


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## Monkeyboab (Feb 1, 2008)

Thanks rizky, wasnt sure would it fire up four crees or ssc's?

Rob


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## rizky_p (Feb 2, 2008)

Monkeyboab said:


> Thanks rizky, wasnt sure would it fire up four crees or ssc's?
> 
> Rob



it will power 4 cree after fresh of the charger but only for a while and will stay dim with the rest of the battery capacity. Better get boost driver IMO.


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## IsaacHayes (Feb 11, 2008)

Well DX still has not got the textured reflector in stock, and they told me they don't know when. I sent them a request to substitute the smooth reflector, since they do have it in stock. Hopefully this will speed it along, I want to do this mod!


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## TorchBoy (Feb 18, 2008)

DX's 18mm OP reflector is now showing Ships on 2/23/2008 (5 days). How optimistic is that?

How does KD's 18mm OP reflector differ? Price, depth and the LED is sunk into the bottom?


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## rizky_p (Feb 19, 2008)

Sorry guys havent read this thread for awhile.

I am not sure abour Kai's version of the reflectors, but for what i can see you will have more trouble mounting this Reflectors compares to the DX one. Since at the bottom end there is a "lips". Solution you will have to sand/file it down since the lips will touches the contact solder points on the star...Better wait for DX IMO. I am ordering one too, hopes they will deliver. I am building 4 Cree on 2D body now woohooo.. should be more EDC-able light compared to my 5xcree.

For those who considering the SMO version of DX reflectors here is the shot i made in a hurry....

At ~30cm, disregard the color i forgot to set the WB.






At 1 Meter, disregard the color i forgot to set the WB.





Thanks.


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## TorchBoy (Feb 19, 2008)

Thanks very much rizky. Good point on the KD rim contacting solder points, and the photos are very useful. It looks like the DX SMO spot isn't quite even, so I might hold off on buying and wait for the weekend to see if DX's OP reflectors arrive in stock.


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## rizky_p (Feb 20, 2008)

no problems 

Final update on my [email protected] Mod with 5 Cree.

Add Maxflex driver and move the entire assmbly to 3D body(slimmer and more EDC-able). I like the feature that the Maxflex has, really cool programmable and all. And more importantly now i can dimm the light and use it as room light  when browsing the net for hours and hours 

here are the update.
I have to heatsink the driver, i got the idea from download. So credit goes to him. 

Pictures  pardon for the foreign language on one of the pics











i think this is a final update for this flashlight, i will update it to higher Cre bin when one becames cheap enough. 

thanks.


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## TorchBoy (Feb 20, 2008)

TorchBoy said:


> ... I might hold off on buying and wait for the weekend to see if DX's OP reflectors arrive in stock.


And I see the due date has been delayed until Tuesday. I won't hold my breath.


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## IsaacHayes (Feb 28, 2008)

My substituted smooth reflectors just shipped. I see the orange peel are delayed again. The smooth beam shots are not bad at all! Thanks!


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## TorchBoy (Mar 5, 2008)

TorchBoy said:


> And I see the due date has been delayed until Tuesday. I won't hold my breath.


After much more time and more delays, they are now due on Friday 7 March. I've heard that pessimists are never disappointed, so I'm not expecting them to actually arrive. :shakehead

Edit: Sunday 9 March... they're now described as "Back Ordered - ETA 3/14/2008 (6 days)". :mecry::laughing:


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## IsaacHayes (Mar 9, 2008)

Got my substituted smooth ones in the other day. Hopefully build it soon.


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## rizky_p (Apr 20, 2009)

Hi Guys been awhile, have any of you finished the light?


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