# Project Lamplighter - my homemade LED keychain fob



## calipsoii

*
<< These are now available for purchase! Check out the sales thread here. >>*​*
Introduction*

Hi CPF! :wave: 

I suppose a quick introduction is in order. My name's Mike and I'm here at this support group to get help with my flashlight addicti-

Wait, wrong introduction, let's try that again.

My name's Mike and I'm a flashlight enthusiast who's been dabbling in hobby electronics lately. The purpose of this thread is to serve as a mini build log for a project I've been working on. So, with that out of the way, let's get down to business!


*The Idea*

When I was 18 and my strange fascination with flashlights was just taking hold, I had the idea to make something that would hang on my keychain and glow. There were plenty of keychain lights on the market at the time, but I didn't want one that would burn bright for a couple hours before it's expensive coin cell battery died. I wanted one that would burn ever so dimly for a very loooooooooooong time. Not a glow-in-the-dark fob either; those required that you charge them up, and there was no way they were going to charge in the dark depths of my pockets.

No, this had to be something that consumed batteries and glowed weakly. It sounded simple, but after starting the project a dozen times in the last decade, it never really materialized. I eventually stumbled across CPF, and learned such a thing already existed and had been used on watch faces and gun sights for years! You, of course, know what I'm talking about:






The problem was, this just wasn't the same. It was lacking that... technological... feeling. I wanted to see batteries being converted into photons. It was time to do something about it.


*The Prototype*

In my previous build logs, I've tried hard to take meticulous pictures of the steps involved. To be honest, this project caught me completely off-guard, so I have very few pictures of the actual construction. It started with a whirlwind buying spree of surface mount components and ended hours and hours later with a chunk of protoboard I'd crudely shaped into a rectangle using tin snips. It wasn't pretty, but I'll be damned if it didn't work.





The problem became the host - what do I put these electronic guts into? As much as I might pine for one, I do not own a metal lathe, nor have I ever even operated one. I imagine the noise of one in full operation is probably somewhere between a Saturn V launch and a car accident, so I don't know how much my neighbours would appreciate me placing one in my backyard.

A quick trip to Home Depot and I returned with an armload of DIY components. Tubing, copper piping, fittings, brass elbows, you name it. Each was tested for fit on my battery of choice, and each failed miserably. It was during this testing that I slipped a battery into a transparent piece of flexible refrigerator supply hose and it just clicked: it had to be see-through. It just looked too cool not to be. Knowing what I had to find and with a few rough ideas where to find it, it was time to fashion a body. 

I did eventually find my tubing. It's not perfect, but it works, and that's good enough for me.


*The Pictures*

It's funny - part of me is worried that if I post these here, someone will look at them and say "Wow, that looks like a 5th grader made it". The other part of me is so happy to have actually brought a 10 year-old idea to fruition that I don't care.  I hope you enjoy them!

This is the finished product.





And this is it when you turn the lights out.





I bought the surface mount LED for this prototype from my local electronics store. Judging by the yellowing cardboard it was attached to, I'd guess it to be as old as I am. It's rated at 9mcd. The order I have in with DigiKey should arrive tomorrow, and each of the four colors range from 150-300mcd. Needless to say, they're going to be a great deal brighter with the the same or better efficiency than this one.









That said, even this little guy is no slouch, he holds his own against a pair of locators on my favorite lights.





The size is almost exactly what I imagined it to be.









To help diffuse the light a little, protect the circuit board from water, and keep lint out, I sealed both ends with hot glue.






*The Specifications*

So now that you've seen the pictures, here's a quick rundown of the specifications:

Housing
Clear rigid PVC with some hot glue

Power Source
4x LR41 alkaline batteries wired in series. Approximately 30-40mah each. User replaceable.

Driver
Homemade constant-current circuit. If my calculations are correct, it's driving the LED at 0.005ma

Runtime
This is the big question for me, I simply don't know how long it'll run for. The batteries are driven in series, making them capable of delivering 6V, but they really only need to provide 1.1V to meet the forward voltage of the LED. The circuit is supposed to be a very efficient direct-driven one, so I can't imagine it's worse than 80%. So how long will it run for? I'll tell you when this little guy goes out.






*Conclusion*

That is all I have to share right now, but don't worry, this project isn't done yet. Heck, it's just getting started! The new LED's should arrive tomorrow and hopefully in the next week I'll have some time to construct a few more. Plus, I'll chime in with the runtime when the amber LED glowing dimly on it's protoboard finally goes dark. 

Until then, thanks for reading!

Cheers,
- Mike

p.s. So why the name 'lamplighter'? Well, I pictured this as being very much like the lamplighters of old - using their tiny embers to ignite a much larger light. This is the tiny light that guides me to the much larger light I always have on my keychain.


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## DFiorentino

Well, I have to say I'm impressed. Kinda reminds me of those "find me" beacons that some larger flashlights have. It's such a simple idea at its core, I love it! Good luck with the build. I think it's great when someone takes an idea and turns it into reality... :thumbsup:

-DF


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## irv_usc

Love it. This is way more fun than the 10000x maglite modding threads.


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## jason 77

Great job, very cool looking. Can you provide a schematic for the circuit you made? seems to me at first glance if you used some of the batteries in parallel instead of all series you might get even more run time from them.. then again not knowing the schematic...


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## calipsoii

jason 77 said:


> Great job, very cool looking. Can you provide a schematic for the circuit you made? seems to me at first glance if you used some of the batteries in parallel instead of all series you might get even more run time from them.. then again not knowing the schematic...



Thanks! I thought about parallel vs. series wiring but there's not really any room in the current body to run two wires, so ended up just going series. I've no idea what effect that'll have on runtime.

The circuit is a very simple one with only a couple parts: http://www.instructables.com/id/Power-LED-s---simplest-light-with-constant-current/


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## jason 77

calipsoii said:


> The circuit is a very simple one with only a couple parts: http://www.instructables.com/id/Power-LED-s---simplest-light-with-constant-current/



HA! that's the one I've used many times, never thought of using SMD parts for it though! So the sense resistor is what like 100 ohms to get such a low CC of .005 mA?


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## calipsoii

jason 77 said:


> HA! that's the one I've used many times, never thought of using SMD parts for it though! So the sense resistor is what like 100 ohms to get such a low CC of .005 mA?



I used 100k ohm resistors for both. At first I couldn't even tell if the LED was lit, but it's more than enough light at night.


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## tylernt

calipsoii said:


> As much as I might pine for one, I do not own a metal lathe, nor have I ever even operated one. I imagine the noise of one in full operation is probably somewhere between a Saturn V launch and a car accident, so I don't know how much my neighbours would appreciate me placing one in my backyard.


I LOL'd.



> 4x LR41 alkaline batteries wired in series. Approximately 30-40mah each. User replaceable.


As you probably already know, Silver-Oxide SR41 cells last longer and don't leak nasty battery acid.



> Driver
> Homemade constant-current circuit.


I've been looking for a small component-count buck driver (EDIT: NVM, I followed the Instructables link and I see now that it's actually a linear circuit). Still, at such low drive levels, linear might well be more efficient than a switchmode buck!



> p.s. So why the name 'lamplighter'? Well, I pictured this as being very much like the lamplighters of old - using their tiny embers to ignite a much larger light. This is the tiny light that guides me to the much larger light I always have on my keychain.


This is so awesome. And none of the legal issues surrounding tritium vials. I'm only sorry I didn't think of it first. :scowl:


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## BobVA

Hi Mike:

That's cool! I love when I can re-purpose something as a housing for a project - probably explains why I can never get out of a hardware store in less than an hour. 

Random thoughts:

For a locator, particularly a dim one, it might be easier to spot if it's blinking, which could potentially extend run time, too. But that adds complexity to the circuit.

Have you seen the "Joule Thief" type circuits? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joule_thief 
(It does use an inductor, but one of the linked articles shows one built into a PR-222 base, so it doesn't have to be too huge.)


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## calipsoii

Thanks BobVA!

I agree that blinking is probably far more noticeable than always-on. Originally I thought it would be cool to have a "breathing" animation like Apple computers do when they're in stand-by. The problem is that every component you add uses power, so I wasn't sure how badly adding a micro would shorten lamp life. Plus I'm still working on protoboard so there was nowhere to fit one in. 

The Joule Thief is another good idea, but I was under the impression that they drain very quickly at high voltages and very slowly at low ones? Everything I've read says that using them with full batteries doesn't have any advantages since they drain them at a normal pace. I was going to try a Joule Thief variation but my local electronics guy just shrugged when I asked him if they had any toroids or inductors. :duh2:

On the bright side, my runtime test is _just about_ to hit the 3 week mark, which was my original goal. Everything after this is pretty much gravy.


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## tylernt

calipsoii said:


> The problem is that every component you add uses power, so I wasn't sure how badly adding a micro would shorten lamp life.


Indeed, it's the great irony of LED circuit design that doing things to save on power consumption typically add more power consumption, for a net loss.

Microcontrollers do have very low idle current draws, but for months-long runtime on watch batteries, I think we can do better. Perhaps a small capacitor that charges through a resistor over the space of 1-2 seconds, then discharges a strobe through the LED via a transistor or two. That way you're producing light using the same energy you're using to time the flashes. You can even drop the constant-current feature; LED intensity will remain the same but with fresh batteries the strobe will happen more frequently and with weak batteries the strobe will happen less frequently (you could even call this a feature: kind of a battery "gas gauge").


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## sunny_nites

Great build! 

I did something similar for a locator light behind a clear button cover. I used a 3mm LED and sanded two sides almost flat so the lens was diffused into a kind of light pipe. Put out an amazing amount of light for the current draw. I tried it with blue, red, green and orange LEDs. Not sure why but at the same current draw the blue was by far the brightest. 

Something along those lines might boost your light output without using any more current. If there is enough room that is! Looks pretty tight in your case.

Anyway, great build and thanks for all the pics!


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## MikeAusC

tylernt said:


> . . . . Perhaps a small capacitor that charges through a resistor over the space of 1-2 seconds, then discharges a strobe through the LED via a transistor or two. That way you're producing light using the same energy you're using to time the flashes. . . . .



That's what NatSemi designed the LM3909 LED Flasher for.


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## tylernt

MikeAusC said:


> That's what NatSemi designed the LM3909 LED Flasher for.


Heh, well played sir. 

That IC appears to consume 0.5mA though -- fine for an AAA Lamplighter, but for button cells I think we're in the realm of <0.01mA type circuits.


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## BobVA

Here's a schematic I stumbled on that claims an average 6 microamps drain from a 3v supply. It does need a 47 uF cap, though. Probably be able to get the shelf life out of a CR2 with it.

Low Power Flasher


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## BobVA

*Dupe deleted*

Mod - please delete


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## tylernt

BobVA said:


> Here's a schematic I stumbled on that claims an average 6 microamps drain from a 3v supply.


Impressive!!


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## Darvis

This rocks!!!! Now I know what I might have to do with some of the ZXLD chips I bought... hmmmm... AAAA batteries may have a use after all.


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## calipsoii

BobVA said:


> Here's a schematic I stumbled on that claims an average 6 microamps drain from a 3v supply. It does need a 47 uF cap, though. Probably be able to get the shelf life out of a CR2 with it.
> 
> Low Power Flasher



oo:

Wow, that's pretty crazy. Definitely going to give that circuit a try when I get a chance. My LED's arrived today and they just so happen to be Kingbright. The author of that isn't joking when he says the green one is bright, not only did it cost 4x as much as the others, it's almost blinding when fully powered. I can't wait to try it out.


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## jason 77

calipsoii said:


> oo:
> 
> Wow, that's pretty crazy. Definitely going to give that circuit a try when I get a chance. My LED's arrived today and they just so happen to be Kingbright. The author of that isn't joking when he says the green one is bright, not only did it cost 4x as much as the others, it's almost blinding when fully powered. I can't wait to try it out.



Can you tell me what kind of LEDs you ordered, brand, part #, etc.


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## calipsoii

jason 77 said:


> Can you tell me what kind of LEDs you ordered, brand, part #, etc.



Digikey part numbers
754-1130-1-ND
754-1133-1-ND
754-1437-1-ND
754-1438-1-ND


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## DFiorentino

You've inspired me. I just got in:

516-1396-ND
516-1397-ND

Both of these have a Vf low enough to not need any circuitry when run off of a 1.5V watch watch battery (379). I need to make myself some new test leads for my Fluke, however as the current is so low, the resistance in my old leads is throwing my readings off. Still as bright or brighter than the tritium vials I have, however.

-DF


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## BobVA

calipsoii said:


> oo:
> 
> Wow, that's pretty crazy. Definitely going to give that circuit a try when I get a chance. ...




Awesome - Keep us posted and thanks for the feedback on the Kingbright green!

(I've got the circuit printed out and on my "to do" list, too.)


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## 3zuli

great idea! I made one on Sunday (after reading this thread), just a red smd led connected directly to a LR44 (1.5V) button cell battery. it glows!  let's see, how long it lasts.










I want to try this flasher: http://www.discovercircuits.com/DJ-Circuits/OSC4.htm (the one on the right)


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## calipsoii

DFiorentino said:


> You've inspired me. I just got in:
> 
> 516-1396-ND
> 516-1397-ND
> 
> Both of these have a Vf low enough to not need any circuitry when run off of a 1.5V watch watch battery (379). I need to make myself some new test leads for my Fluke, however as the current is so low, the resistance in my old leads is throwing my readings off. Still as bright or brighter than the tritium vials I have, however.
> 
> -DF



Nice! I like the idea of those LED's - do you find the long leads off each side make them easier to work with? Can we get some pictures of the final product?



3zuli said:


> great idea! I made one on Sunday (after reading this thread), just a red smd led connected directly to a LR44 (1.5V) button cell battery. it glows!  let's see, how long it lasts.
> 
> I want to try this flasher: http://www.discovercircuits.com/DJ-Circuits/OSC4.htm (the one on the right)



Looks awesome! Did you find it difficult soldering directly to the battery? I've never tried out of fear of overheating it and having it blow up in my face. The few times I've tried to solder leads to rare-earth magnets has been traumatizing enough...


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## DFiorentino

No final product yet as I'm just beta testing different parts and ideas. I prefer red myself, so I'll likely won't test any other color possibilities. Here are some quick comparo shots with some tritium vials and some tritium keychain markers. The LED in the upper left is a 516-1311-ND (3mm) and the one to the lower left is a 516-1397-ND. The 1397's leads may be a nice touch or could be a hindrance according to the final host I decide on. I will say they are VERY frail/delicate to handle.

Pics descending in exposure; starting with 15 seconds...

#1





#2





#3





#4





#5





#6





#7






#4 is pretty close to what my eyes see. And this was taken in an almost dark room, save the LED stand-by lighting from my many digital/electronic devices.

-DF


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## DFiorentino

I may try driving 5 or 6 of these LEDs off of a small 9V A32 battery I just got. If I can keep the current low enough, it would make a nice 360 degree keychain marker. Don't know how long it would last though...

-DF


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## 3zuli

calipsoii said:


> Looks awesome! Did you find it difficult soldering directly to the battery? I've never tried out of fear of overheating it and having it blow up in my face. The few times I've tried to solder leads to rare-earth magnets has been traumatizing enough...


It's a bit tricky, but pretty simple: just sand the place, where you want to solder and use some soldering paste. I recommend to use 100W soldering iron, because you want it to be able to heat up the entire battery quickly. also, use a vice to hold the battery while soldering, this makes things a lot easier.


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## adubbz

Very cool, Calipsoii!!!

They look very awesome and are so simple(not that I could ever do it ) and sweet. I would buy one if you ever make more???


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## calipsoii

Hi all!

Well, I'm happy to say that the runtime test continues - it just passed the 1 month mark and shows no signs of stopping. :thumbsup:





I mentioned a while ago that my new LED's arrived, but it took until today to find the free time to sit down and try them out. They're easily a few times brighter than the original red one I made and the green is very eye-catching in the dark.

I'm trying a new surface treatment that'll hopefully keep the top nice and transparent. Hot glue seems to pick up a ton of lint and scratches and after a couple weeks in your pocket it just doesn't look that good. I'll let you know how this one holds up.


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## tylernt

I love the green! I wonder if you can get an aqua/cyan/teal/505nm SMT LED. Our eyes are very sensitive to that wavelength.

BTW a coat or three of superglue over the hot glue should make for a pretty tough surface.


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## archimedes

It's kinda/sorta a little bit like a see-thru ZA-4 Firefli ? Those have been tough to find for quite a while.

Is it on/off ? Or constant on for glow?

I would be interested in these if you plan to make them available....


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## nein166

What happens if the battery dies in the night and you need your keys, you won't be able to see where it is.
You need redundancy! Could you use that tritium keyfob as the plug in the battery end?
Heating the tubing with a hair dryer should make it pliable enough to drop the batteries in and shove it over the trit fob.


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## sunny_nites

Take a look at two part, 5 minute epoxies for a top coat over the hot melt glue. In thin coats it is clear, (thicker coats would have an amber tint) very hard and does not attract lint. It does tend to trap air bubbles but with some practice and very thin coats you could probably get some good results. There are a bunch of different brands but I usually use loctite.


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## calipsoii

Finished another lamplighter this evening, this time with an orange LED. I'm trying a different treatment on this one as well - instead of using hot glue on the business end, I'm going with a clear epoxy. Even with a hard scratch-proof coating over it, the hot glue cures somewhat opaque over a couple day period, so this should hopefully keep everything nice and clear for a long time.

First up: a comparison pic of the three I've completed so far!









And next, a little shot to show you what they look like on my bedside table. I've thrown a couple lights with trits in there for good measure.









That's it for pictures right now. I'm currently working out a graceful way to remove the batteries. It's possible right now, but it's somewhat... violent. 

More to come!


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## AnAppleSnail

calipsoii said:


> That's it for pictures right now. I'm currently working out a graceful way to remove the batteries. It's possible right now, but it's somewhat... violent.
> 
> More to come!



This seems like an ideal place for 2 ultracapacitors in series for 5v, and a mini USB socket with a 20 ohm resistor. Plug your keys in once every few weeks and they'll glow forever...

Call it "NiteLight for Life" and you've got a winner.

Edit: Further, it turns out that using 2 2.5v ultracapacitors as described gives you about half as many mW-weeks as you had farads of capacitance.


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## sunny_nites

Looking good!


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## Everett

calipsoii said:


> I used 100k ohm resistors for both. At first I couldn't even tell if the LED was lit, but it's more than enough light at night.



With a sense resistor this high, your constant current supply isn't doing much. You'll likely get results that are just as good if you simply drive the LED through the 100k resistor alone and save yourself the space and trouble of building the whole circuit. With a green LED and 4 alkaline cells, you'd get (1.5V*4-3V)/100000ohms = 30uA, which is a theoretical runtime of 42 days with your 30mAh cells (likely longer due to voltage droop). With your constant current supply, it's impossible for the drain to be any higher than that 30uA, so if 42 days is enough, I'd go with just the resistor.


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## sunny_nites

Good point, Everett. 

Since calipsoii got me thinking about low power LED drivers I've been playing around with constant current circuits and resistors as well. In my experiments I found that with the high value of the sense resistor, the traditional 100k bias resistor would not work and you ended up driving the LED with what ever value the sense resistor gives you. But with the right combination of resistors (I used 330k bias and 33k sense resistors), I'm able to run my LED with 20 micro amps from 9 to about 4 volts. Drops under 20 micro amps with less than about 3.6 volts but still bright enough to be useful.

Changing the voltage across the circuit is an easy way to tell if your circuit is actually working or not. If it is maintaining a constant current, the draw will stay approximately the same at 9, 6 or 4.5 volts. If the current draw changes with the voltage by a proportional degree, the circuit is not really working and you are just using the drop across the sense resistor.

Using a resistor is vastly simpler but you would get variable brightness as the batteries fade. Although over the time frame for use (with LR44s with 200mah capacity, should run well over a year), not sure if you would really notice it. 

This is the first circuit I've built and etched in about 20 years and the first time I've built one from scratch with surface mount devices and that has really been fun. So, you do get some payback from the satisfaction of getting something that tiny to work the way you want it to.


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## mcmc

Calipsoli, these look awesome! I'd be in for like five =)

Interesting thing, is that I have a NiteIze little tiny button cell light intended for zippers. I forget the name. I had it on my First Aid bag on a camping trip and forgot to turn it off. On fresh cells it's pretty bright, but it was dim and I figured the batteries were dead. Well, like 5 weeks later, lo and behold, the First Aid bag was in my truck, at night, and the darn led was still glowing! Very visible in nighttime. I hadn't actually turned it off (has this little turny knob), and I guess it was on the whole time. Amazing.

So it's neat that a couple days later I stumble across this thread with a similar idea!! =D


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## calipsoii

I know exactly the ones you're talking about - I spent some time looking for them in town but eventually gave up the search. http://www.niteize.com/products/ziplit

My only concern with those was that the runtimes weren't listed so I figured they'd be like all the other keychain lights that ran on expensive batteries and died in 7 hours. I didn't realize they'd last as long as yours has. Might be worth getting a couple shipped here off the internet...

This project hasn't gotten as much love as I'd like to give it, but that's just because I've been pretty busy. With the Christmas break coming I hope to get a couple days to try a few things. In the meantime, this little guy has been working just fine:






I'm pretty excited that my runtime test is still going on the prototype unit - 45 days and counting!


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## mcmc

Yeah, I'll have to go back to the truck and check it out - it's where I usually keep my first aid bag and I was too lazy to take the ZipLit off =)

Not sure how much you'd be able to make these for, if they're labor intensive. But I think yours looks cooler =) I had another ZipLit on my backback but the plastic shattered somewhere and it fell off...

45 days, that's awesome!!


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## legtu

this is very interesting...

with the assumption that constant brightness isn't an issue, i'm curious if the constant-current circuit is worth enough to outweigh the simplicity of just using a resistor? 

i've been browsing around with regards to simple CC circuits and found this:
http://electronicdesign.com/article/components/single-transistor-constant-current-generator6268.aspx
can i use it as an alternative to the one in the instructables link?


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## tylernt

legtu said:


> with the assumption that constant brightness isn't an issue, i'm curious if the constant-current circuit is worth enough to outweigh the simplicity of just using a resistor?


Problem with a single resistor is your light starts out bright and dims over time as battery voltage falls. Me, I think the complexity is worth it to get flat output. Others may disagree.



> http://electronicdesign.com/article/components/single-transistor-constant-current-generator6268.aspx
> can i use it as an alternative to the one in the instructables link?


There are two kinds of constant current circuits: one kind will regulate the current for changing loads, but only proportionally to input voltage. I believe this would be better termed a current _limited _circuit. This is useful for many applications with a fixed input voltage and a variable load (such as a device plugged into wall power via a regulated power supply), but that's just the opposite of a battery powered LED -- for that, a simple resistor would produce about the same results.

The other kind of regulator circuit will maintain output current even if the input voltage changes. This is more useful for battery powered LEDs, because the load doesn't really change much (only a tiny bit with LED temperature) but the input voltage sure does (from ~6.4V to ~4.0V using four button cells).

I'm no EE, but that single-transistor circuit _may _not adjust for changes in input voltage. I suspect that's why the Instructables circuit uses a second transistor in a feedback loop, so input voltage doesn't affect output current. Hopefully someone who knows more can confirm or deny...


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## legtu

i finally was able to make me one of these using the CC circuit and one with just a resistor. i'm just not seeing too much advantage with the CC circuit so i'll be making subsequent key fobs with just resistors. me thinks i wouldn't notice (or mind) the decreasing brightness over the span of months or years.


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## TyJo

Very cool project. I'd love to do something like this using an AAA Eneloop.


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## dongdong

calipsoii said:


>



What flashlight is that on your keys?


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## calipsoii

dongdong said:


> What flashlight is that on your keys?



That's a Peak Eiger AAA in stainless steel.


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## AnAppleSnail

TyJo said:


> Very cool project. I'd love to do something like this using an AAA Eneloop.


I've got 2 alkalines and a 5.5 kOhm resistor duct taped to a white LED with the inverted cone optic. I don't trust my multimeter very far, but at ~3mA it's quite usable to walk from room to room. I wonder if it violates the spirit of this project to have a low/high switch? I want to add a ~50kOhm setting. It runs fine on 2 niMH.One other ponderable is: removable cells or built in charge? Likely trickle charge. I can think of interesting ways to manage that safely...


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## potpot

AnAppleSnail said:


> I've got 2 alkalines and a 5.5 kOhm resistor duct taped to a white LED with the inverted cone optic. I don't trust my multimeter very far, but at ~3mA it's quite usable to walk from room to room. I wonder if it violates the spirit of this project to have a low/high switch? I want to add a ~50kOhm setting. It runs fine on 2 niMH.One other ponderable is: removable cells or built in charge? Likely trickle charge. I can think of interesting ways to manage that safely...



The only "issue" that I see with using one or more AAA's is that it'll be a bit large for a keyfob.


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## AnAppleSnail

potpot said:


> The only "issue" that I see with using one or more AAA's is that it'll be a bit large for a keyfob.


Rather than continue taking this thread on really neat, ultra-small, ultra-low-output lights, here's a link to my build:

Midnight Light

Calipsolii, this is a really neat project. How did you attach the split ring to your light?


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## calipsoii

AnAppleSnail has done a really nice job with his build, you guys should check it out! :thumbsup: I wish I could say I've recently spent time on this project, but lately I've just been busy on other things. :shakehead

The original runtime test is still ticking along though. Hard to believe I plugged this thing in almost a month before Halloween!





I'm pretty happy with my new method of sealing the business end. This little guy has been on my keychain taking hard wear for over a month and still looks pretty good. Just need to perfect the anti-scratch and we'll be set.





I have a good idea in my head of what I want the final product to look like, so now I just need to time to sit down and get it done. More updates to come...

Cheers!


----------



## calipsoii

This thread is quiet. 

Too quiet.



I only just stumbled across this thread and this thread (I don't know how, they're half a month old now). If you haven't checked them out, you should! sunny_nites has posted a build log for a couple different designs of his Beacon Light. The potted epoxy ones look great, imo.

In his first paragraph he mentions sales. Despite all the silence in this thread, I've been working excitedly on my Lamplighters in my spare time. Of all the little projects I've been tinkering with over the last while, I'm really passionate about this one. I've been carrying all manner of different designs around on my keychain for weeks now, tweaking and testing little things. I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge into the last thing I've never dabbled in - machining.

Not personally, mind you, but at a local shop. After explaining the idea to the resident machinist, who took a while to get over the idea of a bunch of people collecting _flashlights _("There really is a website for everything, isn't there?") he happily agreed to help out.

If you've followed any of my threads, you'll know I LOVE to post pictures and updates, so it's killing me sitting on the design docs and not being able to post them. That said, if I posted the schematic and then found a cheap knockoff on DX or KD a month from now, it'd totally rain on my parade. I really don't mind if people like the idea and design their own version (I've enjoyed reading the build logs that some fellow CPF'ers have posted) but an exact replica of this final design would suck all the fun out of this hobby for me. As anyone who's ever modded anything can attest, there's a very visceral satisfaction to be gained from turning a nebulous idea into something physical that you can hold in your hands. I suspect by the time I see this through, most of the fun will have been making it happen and the final product will just be the icing on the cake.

So there you have it, my justification for being such a scrooge with the pictures.

That aside, here's where I'm at right now:

Design (host): 100%
Design (PCB): 15%
Components (sourcing): 30%
Prototype (body): 0%
Prototype (internals): 5%

I know a lot of people commented that at such high sense resistor values, it's incredibly likely that my constant-current circuit is doing nothing and the resistor is doing all the work. I believe you, but I'm keeping all the components of the design in regardless. What can I say, I'm stubborn. 

So what does this giant wall of text _mean_? 

Well, in short, it means I'm making a really cool Lamplighter. It'll run on 4x LR41/SR41's. It'll be visible from as many angles as I can manage. It's going to be partially made of stainless steel or brass or copper or titanium (or whatever looks the coolest). I'm having it CNC'd, which means this is going to cost a fortune - I hope it's worth it. Once it's made and I post all about it here, if _you_ think it's worth it, I'll make you one too.

Cheers!

- Mike


----------



## ^^Nova^^

So this is the beastie you had a picture of in the A2 thread. Very nice little light. Waiting to see what you come up with when you get a machined version.

Does delrin come in clear? That would be really cool, a machined clear plastic light.

Cheers,
Nova


----------



## tylernt

^^Nova^^ said:


> Does delrin come in clear? That would be really cool, a machined clear plastic light.


I've seen only "natural" (yellowish) and black delrin, but acrylic and polycarbonate come in clear and can be machined. Difficult to get a smooth surface finish on, but you can flame polish the result for gloss.


----------



## mat_the_cat

calipsoii said:


> This thread is quiet.
> 
> Too quiet.


Well, I for one am just waiting to see the next major development - unfortunately I don't have anything useful to add so I generally keep quiet....
Looking forwards to it!

PS After a couple of days use, the A2 ring is just PERFECT for my needs!


----------



## bobbagum

wow, this is amazing, have you considered any other technology other than led for example EL wire which glows more naturally has very high efficiency but requires complex circuit to drive


----------



## calipsoii

Just a quick little update on this project...

First, the runtime test continues! This little guy has been running 24 hours a day on four tiny LR41 batteries since a month before Halloween. 





Second, I'm just putting the finishing touches on my CAD, then it's onwards to the PCB. Need to get the PCB design into Eagle and send it to the fab house. I'm hoping they'll be able to work with the small dimensions. I ordered a lot of the other parts so I expect to be assembling the components by the end of the month. Then the CAD goes to the shop and they make me a host for all the guts.

Hopefully.


----------



## btorrenga

calipsoii said:


> And next, a little shot to show you what they look like on my bedside table. I've thrown a couple lights with trits in there for good measure.



Ok, I'll bite on the unrelated A2 tritium mod: how did you mount a what size tritium vial in the pocket clip of your A2 in front of the clock?


----------



## calipsoii

btorrenga said:


> Ok, I'll bite on the unrelated A2 tritium mod: how did you mount a what size tritium vial in the pocket clip of your A2 in front of the clock?



It's a 2x8mm white trit that I installed with Norland 61 optical adhesive.

The installation basically went like this:

Remove the clip from the light
Lay waxed paper across a wad of PlayDoh and press the clip down into it, moulding the paper/dough up around the sides to seal up all the holes
The 2 raised pieces of metal at the end of the clip are 1.95mm apart, so the trit won't fit between them. I snapped one off, laid the trit in place, then placed the other piece of metal beside it.
Carefully fill the area with Norland
Hit it with some UV to set it in place, then remove the PlayDoh/paper from around the trit and clean up any mess with a towel.
Apply a bit more Norland, then more UV light
Once it looks good and you've cleaned up any wet Norland, set the UV up for final cure
The result looks pretty good all things considered (you can barely see that the right piece of metal was broken and reattached):


----------



## AnAppleSnail

calipsoii said:


> It'll be visible from as many angles as I can manage. It's going to be partially made of stainless steel or brass or copper or titanium (or whatever looks the coolest). I'm having it CNC'd, which means this is going to cost a fortune - I hope it's worth it. Once it's made and I post all about it here, if _you_ think it's worth it, I'll make you one too.


Count me as 'interested,' and eager to see what I can get in exchange for mere monies.


----------



## calipsoii

AnAppleSnail said:


> Count me as 'interested,' and eager to see what I can get in exchange for mere monies.



I've been working pretty diligently on this project so I'm getting cautiously optimistic that I could have a prototype soon. How's that for beating around the bush? :huh:

Seriously though, the CAD's are complete and the dimensioned drawings are done. All the other parts have been ordered, save for the PCB's, which are designed and just need printed at the factory.

Since I have absolutely 0 engineering/machining experience, right now I'm just talking to machinists and finding out how thin you can machine different metals, what some standard threading sizes are, those kind of things. I'm concerned that if they try and machine what I have drawn, it'll just explode on the lathe or something. 

:duck:

Need to get a quote too - hopefully this won't break the bank too badly.


----------



## derfyled

Definitely too quiet...

How is the runtime test, still glowing ?


----------



## calipsoii

derfyled said:


> Definitely too quiet...
> 
> How is the runtime test, still glowing ?



Still glowing!

I wish I could say that I have a prototype to show off, but not quite yet. I've been so busy lately that I just haven't had the time. It kills me to have this project sit stagnant but right now it's best to deal with everything else that's going on and come back to this when I can do it properly.


----------



## 3zuli

3zuli said:


> great idea! I made one on Sunday (after reading this thread), just a red smd led connected directly to a LR44 (1.5V) button cell battery. it glows!  let's see, how long it lasts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I want to try this flasher: http://www.discovercircuits.com/DJ-Circuits/OSC4.htm (the one on the right)


so it seems that it has died... last time I checked it was about 2 weeks ago, in the night you could still notice the weak glow. the single LR44 battery has leaked in January (iirc), but it kept glowing even after that  
still, that's almost 6 months of glowing. 6 months = 162 days, so let's assume it's been glowing for 150 days. 150 days = 3600 hours, LR44 has about 150mAh capacity. 0.15Ah/3600h = 0.0000416A = 0.0416mA average current.
now, let's make one with C or D 1.5V battery, that should last for years :devil: Alkaline D has 12000-18000mAh (wikipedia), so let's say 15Ah/0.0000416A = *360 576.923*h and that is *41.16 years. *Let's do this 

btw, this looks interesting too: http://translate.google.com/transla...u=http://hawelson.blog.cz/0701/vecna-svitilna


----------



## calipsoii

Looks like the fat lady has sung. A little over 6 months of 24hr-a-day runtime isn't so bad though. :devil:






I've been getting quotes from machine shops but so far the cheapest I've found has a minimum of 100 pieces and is sitting well outside my comfort range to pay out of pocket. 

He did say that the 100 pieces could be done in any kind of metal though: stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper or titanium (for a higher price). :naughty:

I'm going to keep looking and I'll let you know what I find!


----------



## calipsoii

This entire assembly would fit comfortably inside a 10mm LED (with room to spare) :devil:


----------



## Dr.Jones

I just took a look at the circuit - and I think it has a much lower efficiency than you think.

calipsoii wrote:
 Homemade constant-current circuit. If my calculations are correct, it's driving the LED at 0.005ma
The batteries are driven in series, making them capable of delivering 6V, but they really only need to provide 1.1V to meet the forward voltage of the LED. The circuit is supposed to be a very efficient direct-driven one, so I can't imagine it's worse than 80%. So how long will it run for? I'll tell you when this little guy goes out.


Well, it's a constant current regulator, so it's by definition NOT direct drive. Also it's a linear driver, so it's efficiency is input voltage divided by output voltage - at maximum.

V+ ---+-----+
......|.....|
......R2...LED 
......|.....|
......+-----T1
......|.....|
......T2----+
......|.....|
......|.....R1
......|.....|
GND---+-----+

I assume you use two standard NPN transistors, since there is no need for a FET here. Also from the images I read R1=R2=100k.

If the LED needs 1.2V and the battery gives 6V, then only 1.2V/6V=20% of the power in the LED-T1-R1 branch is used for the LED.
The current in that branch is about 0.6V/R1 = 6uA (like what you calculated)
However, the base of T1 is at 1.2V above GND, so R2 drops 4.8V, which takes a current of 4.8V/R2=48uA through the R2/T2 branch.
Thus only 6uA/54uA=11% of the total current goes through the LED.
Both together result in about 2% total efficiency, if I didn't miss something.

Possible solutions: 
To increase "voltage" efficiency, use 3 cells or use 2 LEDs. Runtime will decrease *a bit* though.
To increase "current" efficiency, use a much higher R2, like 1M, 2M2 or 4M7.


----------



## CarpentryHero

I hope that you do a run of these


----------



## AnAppleSnail

I've gotten the lamplighter bug again. Coming soon, I hope.


----------



## AnAppleSnail

I've gotten the lamplighter bug again. Coming soon, I hope.


----------



## SoCalDep

I just read the thread and what a cool idea! Very much paying attention to the progress!


----------



## calipsoii

AnAppleSnail said:


> I've gotten the lamplighter bug again. Coming soon, I hope.



I like you AnAppleSnail, you've been commenting on this thread since the beginning and you're good at giving that little nudge I need every once in a while. :laughing:

I haven't been updating the thread, but I've certainly spent a lot of time on this project lately. 

In the last few weeks I have: 

Received 1200 LR41 batteries





400 gold-plated springs





33 feet of Pyrex tubing





The Pyrex is a real pain in the butt. It doesn't "score and snap" like your standard glass tubing does, it shatters irregularly around the score line. Even a wet-cut tile saw chips the edges all to heck.

I'm currently looking for a glass shop in the city that will cut it to length for me so that I can just flame the edges nice and smooth after they're done.





Tough stuff though! I took my car keys to it for 10 minutes and it didn't leave a single scratch. I then threw that little piece at a concrete wall and it didn't chip or shatter.

So what's the hold up?!

Money 

I found a local machine shop here that I just love. The owner is amazingly friendly and he is used to doing very small precision work (like watch parts). He does jewelry as a hobby so he found my design very interesting from that angle. He's willing to make the final product in any combination of brass, copper or stainless steel (or titanium for 2x the price). He offers all kinds of surface treatments and if I commit to the full order, he'll make me a few prototypes to test and tweak before the final run.

The problem is that his MOQ is 100 pieces (very reasonable in my opinion) and each completed Lamplighter costs $36CDN to machine.

To give some perspective to that: 2 chinese machine shops quoted me $2100 and $2350USD for 100 pieces. Both ended up yanking my chain for a few weeks, refusing to send prototypes, not honoring quotes they gave me only a few days earlier, and just generally making the entire experience a poor one. After a couple weeks of talking to them, I'd had enough! I'd rather chat with this guy locally and be able to drive over and see the results than send the money away and not even know whether the pieces will fit together when they arrive.

You can see how spending $3600 on 100 pieces of a product that I don't even know if I can sell is a pretty tough pill to swallow though, eh? I've thought about starting a feeler thread to gauge interest, but haven't had a chance to yet. Maybe I should post a couple renders and see what people think of the design...

Anyways, I've saved 70% of the amount so far, so we'll see how long it takes to hoard the rest. I'll be sure to update the thread when we get there!





Thanks for poking your head in though - sometimes I need a little nudge to keep things rolling.


----------



## AnAppleSnail

If you have a reasonably durable keychain attachment, put me down for 4 or $200 worth, whichever is more expensive. I'll see if I can find a dollar store pyrex bowl to play with diamond saws on. I know you'd be TERRIBLY excited to hand-dremel-cut 1000 pcs and then polish them by hand. Have you tried at a university lab for the pyrex cutting? They have neat saws there.

As far as machining goes - Hrm. I'm reminded of the bayonet-base 24v bulbs that look like Google Image search image. I picture that with a threaded battery compartment instead of bayonet base and a keychain lug. My understanding is that lamp bulb bases clamp/solder onto a ceramic base attached to the glass bulb. Is that neat enough for your purposes? Only you know. This might simplify the machining, but may not help the cost.

By the way - these could be a steampunk version of tritium-vial necklaces. In a personal mission, I've been looking for ways to make the smallest one possible (Large resistor, LED, and two tiny hearing-aid batteries) and a very small pulsing circuit - a 'breathing' pattern for a small, dim light. So far those have all had runtimes in hours, not in months.


----------



## nein166

I cut glass tubes at work for sight glasses and we use a cutter with a small diamond wheel that goes into the tube, not sure you'd find one that will fit in whatever the ID tube you have, makes a really clean break when you heat the tube and dip it in cool waterup to the stress point.


----------



## calipsoii

nein166 said:


> I cut glass tubes at work for sight glasses and we use a cutter with a small diamond wheel that goes into the tube, not sure you'd find one that will fit in whatever the ID tube you have, makes a really clean break when you heat the tube and dip it in cool waterup to the stress point.



Hmm, regular glass or tempered borosilicate (pyrex)?

I used a diamond cutter to score the tubing fairly deep, then heated it until it was glowing and dipped it in cold water and it didn't even budge.

The tempered Pyrex is made to withstand very high heat without fracturing so I don't know if the hot->cold trick works.


----------



## ^^Nova^^

Wow, these are looking sweet. Having the renders here would be good. 

How are you sealing the ends of the tube? Are the batteries going to be replaceable?

Cheers,
Nova


----------



## nein166

not really sure of the type, theres someting writen on the tubes I'll check, probably not pyrex though they like to buy the cheap stuff we use it on the vacuum side of a steam turbine so its usually not over 150F


----------



## mcbrat

anything ever happen with this?


----------



## calipsoii

mcbrat said:


> anything ever happen with this?



No, not yet.

That's not to say I've been standing still. I've just been doing a lot of learning.


----------



## tylernt

Thats's an unusual tool post. It have a name?

Also, that's a really big Lamplighter you have chucked up.  Nice surface finish though.


----------



## calipsoii

tylernt said:


> Thats's an unusual tool post. It have a name?
> 
> Also, that's a really big Lamplighter you have chucked up.  Nice surface finish though.



You know tylernt, I have no idea! It's not my lathe, it's the one I'm learning on in the course I'm taking. All I know is that it's a quick-change toolpost.

The course is a blast so far though. We finished hand tools a while ago and we're doing basic lathing now. Advanced lathing followed by milling is up after that.

Currently learning boring:


----------



## fantuzzi

Is there a machined prototype?


----------



## calipsoii

fantuzzi said:


> Is there a machined prototype?



Hey fantuzzi,

Not yet. I have the list of tooling I need to purchase but haven't had a chance to order it. It's also been -30 in my garage for what seems like forever, so I've been spending a lot of time indoors coding instead of outside on the lathe. 

Thanks for asking though!


----------



## Clarity

calipsoii said:


> 33 feet of Pyrex tubing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Pyrex is a real pain in the butt. It doesn't "score and snap" like your standard glass tubing does, it shatters irregularly around the score line. Even a wet-cut tile saw chips the edges all to heck.



You might have luck with a M17 Penett glass cutter from MDI Schott in Germany.
It's basically a serrated cutting wheel where the "points" drive a deep fracture into the glass.
Cleaving a straight line on Pyrex wafers can't be done with regular glass cutters, but one can with this tool.


----------



## calipsoii

Clarity said:


> You might have luck with a M17 Penett glass cutter from MDI Schott in Germany.
> It's basically a serrated cutting wheel where the "points" drive a deep fracture into the glass.
> Cleaving a straight line on Pyrex wafers can't be done with regular glass cutters, but one can with this tool.



Oh man Clarity, that looks perfect. Going to try and find a distributor and maybe pick one up.

:welcome: btw!


----------



## Clarity

calipsoii said:


> Oh man Clarity, that looks perfect. Going to try and find a distributor and maybe pick one up.
> 
> :welcome: btw!



Thanks calipsoii for the welcome aboard and making my 1st official post memorable. 
Also, thanks for your excellent mini build logs.
Hopefully it can help you out with the Pyrex, but I suspect you'll still need to flame the ends smooth.


----------



## Illum

Must it be glass though....

I've been trying to make something like this... using thru-hole parts.
I'm using 10ml screwtop vials, Karter Scientific 207B3 measuring 16x100mm





Might be easier to cut down but installation will be limited to press fit. :green:


----------



## nxtreme

I know bringing old threads up can be rude in "forumish," but I'm really curious as to what happened to this project! Did you ever end up getting anything machined, or has that been shelved for now? And are you planning on pasting and reflowing the boards, or doing them all by hand? Neat project, keep it up!


----------



## Illum

calipsoii said:


> This entire assembly would fit comfortably inside a 10mm LED (with room to spare) :devil:



:twothumbs:


----------



## DrafterDan

I just look at this as a really long build log. Kinda reminds me of Elon Musk: "hey, I want to found a rocket company. I'd better go learn rocket science."

~D


----------



## calipsoii

nxtreme said:


> I know bringing old threads up can be rude in "forumish," but I'm really curious as to what happened to this project! Did you ever end up getting anything machined, or has that been shelved for now? And are you planning on pasting and reflowing the boards, or doing them all by hand? Neat project, keep it up!



Not rude at all nxtreme, in fact thank you for commenting! I never did have a machine shop build the hosts, no. I got cold feet at the thought of spending so much money on something when I didn't know how it'd turn out and whether anyone would even buy enough to justify the run. I was also starting to get the feeling that the quote was low and that it'd cost a lot more than that by the time it was done. A machinist once asked me if I knew the tolerances to put on my blueprints and I didn't know what he was talking about. He then looked at the jagged line I'd drawn and asked what kind of threads I wanted and I replied "I'm not sure... the kind that screw together?". I looked it up that evening and realized just how little I knew about manufacturing, which in turn made me realize that I'd be paying someone else to fill in all the blanks for me. It came down to spending a ton of money on an unproven design or spending the same money learning how to do it myself and the answer seemed pretty clear.

The 1.5V Project came out of all that. It was a way to learn both electronics and machining while building the light that was missing from my pocket. I don't know if you've followed that thread at all but it somehow consumed my free time, most of my money and no small part of my sanity. It's where I've been focusing my efforts and it's the reason the Lamplighter thread has been gathering cobwebs.

That's not to say this project is forgotten though! In fact I came across the most spectacular thing while we were out on vacation in BC:





I felt an electric thrill surge down my spine when I saw it sitting on the shelf. It instantly rekindled my desire to finish this project and I've been working on new blueprints whenever I find time. I have a lathe now devil and the absolute ton of knowledge I've learned from building my brass pocket light so a prototype _will _be coming, it's just a question of when. You'll see a keychain picture here when that happens. 



DrafterDan said:


> I just look at this as a really long build log. Kinda reminds me of Elon Musk: "hey, I want to found a rocket company. I'd better go learn rocket science."
> 
> ~D



Remind me again how you know of my love for Elon Musk? The man's amazing and I could talk about him for too long. 

You are right though - this project was the kick-off into a serious session of learning. It's taken a _long_ time but I'm at the point now where a couple Lamplighter prototypes are a real possibility and that's really exciting. Stay tuned.


----------



## ForrestChump

*I WANT THIS NOW. *:rock:

If your checking out this thread and are interested, it wouldn't hurt to post some morale support so we can buy this thing!

Excellent work, now get it done!


----------



## IgwanaRob

ForrestChump said:


> *I WANT THIS NOW. *:rock:
> 
> If your checking out this thread and are interested, it wouldn't hurt to post some morale support so we can buy this thing!
> 
> Excellent work, now get it done!




I think this falls into the "Take my money, now!" category :twothumbs


----------



## Illum

Till he gets around to cutting pyrex correctly I'd keep my pants on if I were you 

Pyrex is going to be /THE/ bugger for awhile,


----------



## calipsoii

*checks thread start date*

2011! 

Would it be considered necromancy to post a project update 4 years later? :thinking: 

So what's been happening in the last little while?

*√* Learned basic engineering
*√* Learned basic machining
*√* Learned basic electronics
*√* Acquired lathe
*√* Built flashlight
*√* Had a kid

_... and last but not least ..._

*√* Returned to the Lamplighter project
















I couldn't resist sharing a sneak peek with you guys right now. More details to come soon! :devil:


----------



## mcmc

Wait dude, what?? So awesome looking!
I was there when this thread first started =)

How long of runtime? How powered? How much? When when when?? =)


----------



## Nitroz

What he said!!! I never was lucky enough to get one.

Congratulations on the kid! I managed to get a lathe and have plans to build and program some drivers. This is an expensive hobby, as my Wife tell me.


----------



## nein166

Wow totally worth waiting for that looks great


----------



## Icarus

:wow: it looks very nice! ... Now,  tell us the details........


----------



## archimedes

Yes, it looks fantastic !


----------



## KuanR

That looks great! I'm interested to know more about the latest setup


----------



## mcbrat

nice. a copper one of those with that warm glow would be awesome!


----------



## calipsoii

Thanks for all the interest guys! It's super busy in my household and my updates might be a little slow so bear with me. 

The LED is a 2x1mm SMD suspended on tiny wires inside 8mm glass tubing. I temporarily abandoned the Pyrex tubing since it was too hard to cut and switched to laboratory "soft glass". I've done all I can to harden the glass and it's caged on all sides by metal so we'll see how durable it is. I've dropped my keys a couple times with no problem but testing will continue.

The circuit draws 35μA from 4x LR41 cells. It could be much more efficient, longer running and cheaper if I switched to LR44's but I don't like their larger diameter. The fob is exactly as wide as I want it to be right now so I'm willing to buy $4 worth of cells every 6 months.






The LED's glass chamber is capped on both ends by white plastic which helps reflect the light and does a great job lighting the entire window. At night on my bedside table it glows like a tiny campfire and I really enjoy the look.





There are a few things on my To-Do list for the next one:

Increase internal battery chamber diameter slightly 
Aquarium caulking on both ends of the window to help seal against water/dust 
Reinforce wires so they don't buckle under the stress of assembly 
Destructive testing (read: throwing this thing at my driveway over and over) to see how sturdy the glass window is 
 I'm really excited about having a working prototype and it makes me very proud to see it hanging from the ignition when I'm driving home in the dark. I hope to have a 2nd one built soon for testing and then I hope to make a few for anyone on here who would be interested.

Stay tuned!


----------



## DrafterDan

I like the 'caged' look, very unique.


----------



## mcmc

That is so awesome and what a marvel of engineering!
I also agree with you on thinner being worth the couple bucks a year =)

I know it would require some additional engineering but maybe you could offer different sizes for different batteries?

Also - have you thought about burying the SMD in Norland61? That would take care of sturdiness issues!


----------



## gunga

That is sooo cool. Just a mini keychain oil lantern...


----------



## bmetcalfe28

I WANT ONE or MORE. Great work man keep after it I agree with above post on the Copper also.


----------



## sassaquin

That is wicked cool. :thumbsup:
And yes, I am interested in purchasing one.


----------



## KuanR

I'm definitely interested and this will be worn around my neck! Please put me down for one


----------



## Icarus

Can you post a close-up of the LED please? :thanks: 

I like that it is made from brass! :twothumbs


----------



## Mr. Nobody

I want one !


----------



## calipsoii

mcbrat said:


> nice. a copper one of those with that warm glow would be awesome!



C101 copper almost tore my old lathe apart. I haven't tried it on the new one but that experience scared me enough to have a healthy respect for it. May give a shot in the future but not right now. I _have_ been working in bronze though! Little redder than brass and looks better than copper when tarnished.







mcmc said:


> Also - have you thought about burying the SMD in Norland61?



Filling the glass tube with Norland would probably cost a couple hundred dollars! It does a great job securing things in tiny spaces but it's not economical to use in large quantities. As for potting just the emitter in epoxy, it's not really needed as the solder holds it plenty tight. The wires are my problem - keeping them taut is a challenge.



Icarus said:


> Can you post a close-up of the LED please?



Please disregard the curly wire - one of them snapped loose during final installation and I have no way to fix it on this prototype.


----------



## bmetcalfe28

Man these are really awesome. Hope you will be releasing before too long.


----------



## Icarus

calipsoii said:


> As for potting just the emitter in epoxy, it's not really needed as the solder holds it plenty tight. *The wires are my problem - keeping them taut is a challenge.*
> 
> 
> 
> Please disregard the curly wire - one of them snapped loose during final installation and I have no way to fix it on this prototype.



Thank you very much for posting those pictures! They are very good! :thumbsup:

As for the wires to the LED, I see that both wires are going to the top of the tube. It might be easier to keep the wires straight and holding the LED in place when you add a thin brass disk at the top and bottom of the glass tube and run/solder the wires from the LED through a hole in the center of the brass disk.


----------



## calipsoii

Icarus said:


> solder the wires from the LED through a hole in the center of the brass disk.



No can do my friend, the wires are carrying the current to the LED. Soldering them to a disk would cause an electrical short which is why I'm using white Delrin. A think a bit of tape or some caulking would do the trick though!


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## Icarus

Supposing the brass housing is connected to the - of the batteries, the bottom brass disk could be connected to the - of the LED and make contact with the bottom of the lantern. The top brass disk connected to the + of the LED could have a brass nippel to make contact with the + of the battery. I don't know how the lantern looks inside but if necessary a delrin disk + brass nippel could be used as the top disk of the glass tube. Then there is no risk for an electrical short.


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## nfetterly

Add me to your list. I subscribed to the thread a few days ago. Love bronze, have 2 watches made from bronze.


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## Nitroz

Encapsulating that in clear resin or epoxy would be nice, and would add protection to the wires and the LED.

Put me on the list for a brass.


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## Illum

Nitroz said:


> Encapsulating that in clear resin or epoxy would be nice, and would add protection to the wires and the LED.
> 
> Put me on the list for a brass.



one possible problem with that is that as resin cures it produces quite a bit of heat. Whats the word of that wreaking havoc on an SMT LED?


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## maverick06

highly interested, been following this for a long time. All depends on the pricepoint, but very interested, likely a buy. (not a 14 year old's "interested" either)


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## FRITZHID

Illum said:


> one possible problem with that is that as resin cures it produces quite a bit of heat. Whats the word of that wreaking havoc on an SMT LED?



Those cure temps aren't typically high enough to effect the LED in any significant way. There are heated potting compounds that are used every day on all manner of electronics, incl LEDs, both smd and thruhole.
It's a shame that so many of them yellow/discolor over time and plastic injection stands a good chance at overheating the LED.
Another option would be to use Lucite or other optical plastic instead of glass tube. Maybe machine a section to house the LED and then fill small area with loca?


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## samobaggins

calipsoii said:


> No can do my friend, the wires are carrying the current to the LED. Soldering them to a disk would cause an electrical short which is why I'm using white Delrin. A think a bit of tape or some caulking would do the trick though!



Why not look at a varnish finish to the wire to stop any shorts?!


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## calipsoii

Hey guys, I've been mighty quiet in this thread so I just wanted to pop in and post a quick update. Between a full-time day job and an 8 week old kid I've been pretty darn busy so progress has been a bit slow (as you might imagine!). Currently working on a very small run of Lamplighters and making good headway:






The one on my keychain is still looking great despite being dropped onto concrete a dozen or more times so I'm pretty happy with the design. I don't think the glass is any more likely to break on this fob than it is when I drop any of my glass-lens flashlights. Still glowing nicely on my bedside table too.  More updates to come!


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## KuanR

Thanks for the update, I'm still committed to buy one when you are ready!


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## mcmc

Yes - if my earlier post wasn't clear, I am in for one  I think I have a post to that effect maybe a few years ago too


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## Icarus

calipsoii said:


> Hey guys, I've been mighty quiet in this thread so I just wanted to pop in and post a quick update. Between a full-time day job and an 8 week old kid I've been pretty darn busy so progress has been a bit slow (as you might imagine!). Currently working on a very small run of Lamplighters and making good headway:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The one on my keychain is still looking great despite being dropped onto concrete a dozen or more times so I'm pretty happy with the design. I don't think the glass is any more likely to break on this fob than it is when I drop any of my glass-lens flashlights. Still glowing nicely on my bedside table too.  More updates to come!



Looks good! :twothumbs Can you shine some light :naughty: on the driver in the photo?


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## cnjl3

I would like to add my name in the hat. I want/need one lamplighter maybe two?


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## calipsoii

Thanks for the interest guys! I'm excited as all heck about this project and trying hard to get Lamplighters into the hands of anyone who wants one. Life is still crazy busy in this household so progress is frustratingly slow - in the last 2 weeks I've found (maybe) 4.5 hours to work on it? The good news is that I don't have any major changes to make to the design so I have my portfolio of drawings ready to take around to the machine shops in town. Hopefully someone will be able to do the metalwork for a fair price and eliminate the largest part of my workload. I'll keep you in the loop!

Icarus: the driver is just a simple PCB with a few components on it. Touched on it here. As Dr. Jones mentioned it's not super efficient and a plain 'ol resistor would probably work equally well. But now I have the boards so I've been putting them to use. 

A glassblower in town let me in her little secret - a carbide cutting tool that she swears by for glass snapping. I purchased one and gave it a shot on my Pyrex rod with very good results! I need practice but the cuts are clean enough and within tolerances for use.





The Pyrex makes a really nice flame as you polish it. Please disregard the specks in the video as my iPhone has dust inside the camera lens.


This weekend I completed assembly on #003. It's a gift to my coworker and shares the same serial # as the Spyglass flashlight I made him a few months ago.










Stay tuned guys, the pace may be slow but I assure you they're worth waiting for. I still get a little thrill every night I see it glowing on my bedside table - too cool.


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## archimedes

I'm in for a matching serial number, too ...


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## mcbrat

if you ever do them in bronze or red brass I'd be in for one of those....


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## calipsoii

mcbrat said:


> if you ever do them in bronze or red brass I'd be in for one of those....



The one on the right in the above picture is 660 bronze. I love the metal and was totally excited to see what it looked like but the end result was a little disappointing. On such a small piece the rich bronze color is lost and it just looks faded. Side-by-side the brass looks nicer, which is not something I expected to say. I still think a bronze pocket light would look amazing but for a tiny keychain fob something with more vibrant color like brass or copper would probably look best.


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## mcbrat

Copper would actually be my first choice


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## Icarus

Brass for me!


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## calipsoii

Hey guys! Just a quick update since this thread has been pretty quiet. It's still crazy busy in my household but instead of napping I've been sneaking out to my workbench instead :devil: so we're still pushing forward.

Just a lot of fine tuning going on right now. I learned to snap the Pyrex (which is good) but it has a larger inner diameter (which is bad) so some parts didn't fit quite right:





I'm still trying to work out how to keep the wires straight during assembly. So far every single fob has had slightly bent wires and I'm just not having a lot of luck avoiding it. Will keep trying.

I also learned the hard way to tighten the gibs on my mill once in a while. Luckily nobody was hurt when the brass decided to grab the endmill and just start sucking it in.





That fob was still assembled though and looks pretty nice riding around on my wife's keychain. She's slowly building a collection of all my character pieces.

The next one turned out a lot nicer.  Just needs electrical innards and some glass and then we're cooking!










42 days in and the Lamplighter on my keychain is still glowing (about ~65% brightness) so I'm just going to let this runtime test go and I'll chime back in with a final runtime hopefully far in the distant future. 

Cheers!


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## KuanR

I look forward to your updates on this project. If it hasn't been accounted for, can I call dibs on #6 or #9 ??


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## calipsoii

Hi all!

They say haste makes waste... so I guess I should sloooow down while working on the machines?





That's not to say the project is standing still though! For each destroyed one a few nice-looking ones have rolled off the line. 





My keychain Lamplighter is picking up a nice pocket-tumbled patina!





And two months onwards we're still going strong on the first set of batteries. :thumbsup:





Now. Who wants to babysit so I can finish a few more? :naughty::mecry:


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## maverick06

I have a 3 year old and a 2 year old... its hard, 2 isn't twice as hard, its an exponential function. they get to be fun when they turn 2.... its gets better! haha The first year is the shortest year, made up of the longest days.


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## gunga

These are very cool! BTW, what happened to the Spyglass project?


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## calipsoii

maverick06 said:


> I have a 3 year old and a 2 year old... its hard, 2 isn't twice as hard, its an exponential function. they get to be fun when they turn 2.... its gets better! haha The first year is the shortest year, made up of the longest days.



Hah, thanks maverick. It's a lot of fun but free time sure evaporates!



gunga said:


> These are very cool! BTW, what happened to the Spyglass project?



They take a really long time to make. Time has become a precious commodity lately so I'm focusing on the Lamplighters as I can complete them more quickly. I'll gladly make a Spyglass for anyone who wants one but the price is going to scare a lot of people away so we'll call them "commission" pieces for now. 

I have a new circuit & pill design in my head for the light that will reduce the manufacturing time/effort (and increase performance) but a full R&D cycle will take many months that could be spent making sweet keychain fobs instead.

If only there was a way to eliminate the need for sleep? :thinking:


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## Icarus

I like this project but would like to see you post more pictures.


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## calipsoii

Icarus said:


> I like this project but would like to see you post more pictures.



As you wish!


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## MrJino

These are just too cool.
I would definitely want one, or a few. They'd make excellent gifts!


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## Icarus

:thanks: for posting new photos. :thumbsup:


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## calipsoii

Hi guys,

Looks like these will run just shy of 3 months on a set of batteries. My keychain one abruptly dropped out of regulation last night and has been dimming to a tiny spark ever since.





Unfortunately the batteries in that one were installed with a hammer so it's a museum piece now. :laughing:


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## datiLED

calipsoii said:


> Unfortunately the batteries in that one were installed with a hammer so it's a museum piece now. :laughing:



Chuck it into your lathe, and drill them out. Then you can bore the tube for more clearance.

BTW, nice work.


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## mcmc

I just received mine - number 007 =) this thing is awesome!! Thanks CalipsoII!


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## Zandar

I'm still loving your 2 great homemade projects. Can you put me down for 2 lights please? I'd like to have one, for my brother the engineer's birthday, at the end of October if possible. Thanks Zandar


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## calipsoii

Hi guys, thanks for continuing to follow along! I love the feedback and find it very motivating. 

I've been making these as time permits. With the little dude in the house now I get maybe 2-3 hours a week and it takes 8-10 hours to make one so you can see where that's going. #009 is about 50% complete.

Since more than a few people have expressed interest I think it makes sense to post a few details here. These are the key points I've been sending to each person who buys one, so if you've already read this, please skip over! If you haven't, it might influence your decision.


They're splash-resistant but not waterproof so no swimming or showering with it. 
They're machined by hand on a manual lathe/mill and will likely have some tooling marks to reflect that. 
The LED suspension wires will be a bit bent in all models; it's unavoidable. 
They have a piece of Pyrex tubing in them. In 3 months of daily abuse I've never broken mine but the possibility is there. 
The spring is not attached in the tail so twist it open slowly so it doesn't shoot out (I'll send a couple spares just in case). 
They're really quite dim during the daylight hours. 
 There are some pretty awesome points to note too!


Everything from the housing to the circuit board to the glass envelope is handmade. 
Lovingly handstamped with a unique serial number. 
Just shy of 3 months of 24/7 runtime on 4x SR41 batteries. 
The unlacquered brass will pick up a nice patina in your pocket. 
At night the orange LED looks like a tiny campfire spark captured on your keychain. 
You can pick up genuine Energizer SR41's on DigiKey for $0.80 each 
 Price for the Lamplighter without shipping is *$85USD*. Shipping charges vary based on your location:


USA/Canada with tracking & insurance in 7-10 business days: *$15* 
Int'l/Overseas without tracking or insurance in 2-3 weeks: *$10* 
Int'l/Overseas with tracking & insurance in 6-10 business days: *~$40* (I can get an exact quote once I know your country) 

So there you go! I have a small list of people who said they were interested. My goal has been to make enough of these to get one to each person. If you're on here and are no longer interested that is no problem at all, just PM and let me know! If you're not on here and want to be, post below or send me a PM. bmetcalfe28
sassaquin
KuanR
Mr.Nobody
nfetterly
Nitroz
maverick06
cnjl3
Icarus
maxspeeds
zandar
Neg2LED
mk2rocco ​ 
Cheers all, enjoy your weekend!


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## Zandar

Calipsoii, So, that everyone has a fair shot at getting a lamplighter in a reasonable amount of time, I'd like to cut back my request to just 1 light, please. Thank you. Zandar


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## calipsoii

Hi Zandar,

That's no problem. I realize progress is slow so I hope it's not too frustrating. I just don't have the time I used to.

A bit of a status update:
- #009 is done and I'm 25% into #010
- I'm out of converters and need parts to build more so I have to put in an order to Digikey
- I'm going to do the next few in a batch to hopefully speed things along - we'll see if it helps!


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## cnjl3

Good! I see that i'm on your list. I will take one. Will i get a pm or email when it is ready?


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## calipsoii

cnjl3 said:


> Good! I see that i'm on your list. I will take one. Will i get a pm or email when it is ready?



Of course cnjl3. Waiting on electronic components right now.


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## mcmc

I've had mine on my keychain ever since receipt late May. Holding up fantastic and I love that little warm spark in the night =)


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## calipsoii

That's great to hear mcmc, thanks for checking in. I'm really glad you are EDC'ing it - please keep me in the loop on how it holds up and any feedback you have!

Still working on these in my spare time guys. I'm finding it easier and much more efficient to do the work assembly-line style, so I'm currently working on parts for 12 Lamplighters. I'd say they're ~20% complete? Going to keep hammering away at them and should (hopefully) have a dozen ready in a month or so here.


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## Icarus

:thanks: for the update. Was #009 not meant to be mine?


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## calipsoii

Icarus said:


> :thanks: for the update. Was #009 not meant to be mine?



That it is! Sitting downstairs on my workbench beside its shipping box. I'm waiting on a shipment of o-rings so that I can include a spare for you. Once they arrive I'll send a PM.


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## Icarus

Great! :thumbsup:


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## maxspeeds

I can't wait for #010 to be complete! I'm looking forward to hanging this on my keys with my McG sapphire. Does anyone know of an additional source to Digikey where we can purchase the SR41 batteries in bulk?


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## calipsoii

Icarus said:


> :thanks: for the update. Was #009 not meant to be mine?



PM sent!


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## mk2rocco

I'm in for one! This and your 1.5v project are so cool [emoji106]

Edit: looks like I got number 13! That's my birthday so if so it works out well.


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## calipsoii

Thanks for the post mk2rocco, I'll put you down on the interest list! The numbering hasn't worked quite like that so I make no guarantee which serial # you'll wind up with. 

This thread may be pretty quiet but things are still happening with this project. Our little guy is finally going to bed at a decent time which (sometimes) gives me a free hour in the evenings to putter. I haven't been posting updates because it's been rather boring work. Being a build log though I should probably post more frequently and let you guys decide if it's boring or not.  I'll try to snap a few pics of what I've been doing tonight!


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## mk2rocco

No problem, I'll just be excited to receive one of these! I'm sure everyone here would be interested in whatever kind of updates you post.


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## cnjl3

What happened to the build pic's?


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## Icarus

cnjl3 said:


> What happened to the build pic's?


No idea what you mean because (at least for me) the pics are still here. :thinking:


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## cnjl3

calipsoii said:


> Being a build log though I should probably post more frequently and let you guys decide if it's boring or not.  I'll try to snap a few pics of what I've been doing tonight!



I checked the first post and nothing new on it and then nothing posted after his above quote. I just thought that he implied that he might post some recent update(s). I know everyone loves pictures with a paragraph or two. Maybe I misunderstood?


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## Icarus

I agree, new pics would be great. But I understand the maker is very busy.


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## ID01

cnjl3 said:


> I checked the first post and nothing new on it and then nothing posted after his above quote. I just thought that he implied that he might post some recent update(s). I know everyone loves pictures with a paragraph or two. Maybe I misunderstood?



Thanks, that definitely saved me a bunch of time going through the pages since the first page actually looked really interesting. Always wanted to do something like this for a fallout get up, without the actual radiation, that is.


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## calipsoii

ID01 said:


> Thanks, that definitely saved me a bunch of time going through the pages since the first page actually looked really interesting. Always wanted to do something like this for a fallout get up, without the actual radiation, that is.



You'd be doing yourself an awful disservice by not checking out the middle pages of this thread ID01. Significant progress has been made and several CPF'ers have Lamplighters in their hot little hands.



cnjl3 said:


> I checked the first post and nothing new on it and then nothing posted after his above quote. I just thought that he implied that he might post some recent update(s). I know everyone loves pictures with a paragraph or two. Maybe I misunderstood?



I did not get the time to take pictures before leaving for a short holiday cnjl3. As soon as I'm unpacked I'll post a bigger update. As Icarus mentioned, my household is very busy lately so I'm doing my best. 

Although.... I guess I do have one picture... I wonder if I should post it...






Another update with more details coming "soon". :devil:


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## cnjl3

Nice! Hope you enjoyed your vacation. I hope mine is included in that photo. Thanks for the teaser.


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## Icarus

:wow: they look great! I cannot wait to get mine! :twothumbs


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## ID01

Oh wow you are right, why did that guy said you didn't post anything after? ;

Nice work calipsoii!


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## calipsoii

You guys like sneak peeks at sample prototypes, right? :naughty::naughty::naughty:

Things like 3 window Lamplighters? :devil:









No?!?!? :shrug: Hmmm... well, what if they were machined by one of CPF's finest?





Ah. NOW I have your attention.  :devil: 

Gotta hit the hay but I will post a longer update soon so stay tuned. Long story short, there is the distinct possibility that the most time-consuming and error-prone part of making a Lamplighter (the machining) could be done by a professional who does absolutely incredible work. This would leave me with just the glasswork, electronics and assembly, allowing me to produce them much more quickly than I could before. It also opens the door to more options like 2 or 3 window bodies or even different metals. There's still much work to do but the next step is to gauge interest (people other than those I already have on my list) so that I can size the run appropriately. This is probably best done in the CPF Custom forum where it will get more eyeballs so I'll let everyone know once I'm ready to start a post there. In the meantime, pop by this thread once in a while - things are getting exciting!


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## KuanR

You have my attention. Chris does incredible work.

Depending on price and different materials I am interested in another one.


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## sassaquin

Machining by Ogaz sounds great!

I'm on the list for a brass Lamplighter, but would love to also buy one made of copper if offered.


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## thomas_sti_red

Looking good!


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## Icarus

It is getting better and better. The 3 windows version looks stunning! :wow: :goodjob: :twothumbs


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## calipsoii

Icarus said:


> It is getting better and better. The 3 windows version looks stunning! :wow: :goodjob: :twothumbs



It's _really_ nice in person. It was Chris' idea, not mine, so he deserves the credit. I'm not sure which style I like better to be honest: they're both good in different ways. The 2-window exposes much more of the LED but the 3-window adds a nice 3D depth that looks really good as you rotate it.

I'm super excited by the possibility of having the machine work done professionally (in case you can't tell). I just can't find the time to stand out in the garage for 3-4 hours per Lamplighter. It would take forever to make even a dozen of them at that rate and that's assuming no scrapped pieces. I _can _find the time to assemble the glass/electronic envelopes however, so I think this is a great way to be able to offer these to anyone who wants one within a timeframe that doesn't stretch into 2016. Plus his machine work is so much cleaner than mine.

I did mention different metals, right?





I really dislike prepays (we've all seen how sideways those can go) so I plan to bankroll this initial run completely out of pocket. It's not a small amount of money (especially for a dude with a new kid) so it's important to me that we make enough for everyone but not so many that I can't sell them. Right now the price I posted earlier in the thread is still my target, so if you're wondering what they'll cost, it's right around that.


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## cnjl3

I totally agree that the "three windows" looks stunning! I wonder which version would do a better job of preventing the glass breaking in a "Oops, I dropped my keys" scenario? Should we stock up on button cells? I really like the copper three windows one. Looks like your first run will be brass or copper. I would prefer a copper one if available.


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## calipsoii

Hi all,

Ok, with no small amount of trepidation I've hit "Post" on the official sales thread over in the WTS Custom forum. I'm going to maintain the interest list over there now. If you've expressed interest and I have you on my list, please reply in that thread or send me a PM with your body material and body style. 

If I have you on the list and you're no longer interested please let me know via PM.

Cheers!


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## PointyOintment

First, these look fantastic, including the original PVC tube prototype. Now I want to make one with some tiny solar panels (BPW34 or similar) so it recharges itself, with either supercapacitors or polyacene cells for energy storage. Also only turn on in the dark, using either the solar panels or the LED as a light sensor.



calipsoii said:


> As much as I might pine for one, I do not own a metal lathe, nor have I ever even operated one. I imagine the noise of one in full operation is probably somewhere between a Saturn V launch and a car accident, so I don't know how much my neighbours would appreciate me placing one in my backyard.



As you probably know by now (having taken a machining course and done lots of turning), a lathe should generally be pretty quiet in operation. If it's making a loud noise, you're doing something wrong (cutting too aggressively/not aggressively enough, not using enough lubricant, etc.).



calipsoii said:


> That's it for pictures right now. I'm currently working out a graceful way to remove the batteries. It's possible right now, but it's somewhat... violent.



Isopropyl alcohol usually dissolves hot glue.



calipsoii said:


>





calipsoii said:


>


Blur your keys!!



calipsoii said:


> You can see how spending $3600 on 100 pieces of a product that I don't even know if I can sell is a pretty tough pill to swallow though, eh? I've thought about starting a feeler thread to gauge interest, but haven't had a chance to yet. Maybe I should post a couple renders and see what people think of the design...
> 
> Anyways, I've saved 70% of the amount so far, so we'll see how long it takes to hoard the rest. I'll be sure to update the thread when we get there!



The Kickstarter community would love this project. (Machined metal: check. Steampunk-ish: check. Durable: check. EDC: check. Useful for one tiny purpose and nothing else: check. Etc.) I know you said you want to pay for it out of pocket so nobody else loses money if it goes bad, but I think you've proven that you can deliver. If you do put this on KS, make sure your campaign page looks somewhat slick, because most backers (including me) very quickly disregard any campaign whose page looks like it was put together carelessly.


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## calipsoii

Hi all!

Just a quick reminder that I'm doing a run of these and today's the last day to get in on it! If you're interested check out the details over here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?404448-Lamplighter-LED-keychain-lanterns

Happy August long weekend to all my fellow Canucks :wave:


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## KuanR

Hi Mike,

I finally got my hands on the Lamplighter and it's a cool piece! I put it on my necklace and it now resides around my neck 

Thank you for letting me have #006!


----------



## calipsoii

Awesome Ryan, I hope it treats you right and glows well into the night for you.


----------



## firefly99

Sorry to dig up this old thread, cannot help noticing our similiarity.


calipsoii said:


> I'm a flashlight enthusiast who's been dabbling in hobby electronics lately.
> 
> Buying sprees of surface mount components


I am building an inventory of surface mount components. I should have over 9000 LED after the next shipment of 3000+ LED is received.


----------

