# Got one of George's HBflex drives now what



## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

what stupid bright bike light to build with it 

Yep don't need any brighter than a triple but when has need got in the way of a 
bright light .


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## Toaster79 (Apr 5, 2010)

How about one of those 7up XM-L ledt-tech modules on copper PCB. That should be stupid bright.  And polymer optics might provide a decent beam.


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## kwarwick (Jun 12, 2004)

Agree with Toaster, the 7up XML on copper is the obvious partner in crime for that HBFlex. If I had the skills to make my own housings that's what I'd be building right now...


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

I'm speechless! Troutie, the almost undisputed king of crazy bright lights, failing to serve us the insanely overpowered light we need/ demand! I need to go stick my head in a bucket of fish.


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## Toaster79 (Apr 5, 2010)

mattthemuppet said:


> I'm speechless! Troutie, the almost undisputed king of crazy bright lights, failing to serve us the insanely overpowered light we need/ demand! I need to go stick my head in a bucket of fish.


Matt, you just made me wet my pants :smilewinkgrin:


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

mattthemuppet said:


> I'm speechless! Troutie, the almost undisputed king of crazy bright lights, failing to serve us the insanely overpowered light we need/ demand! I need to go stick my head in a bucket of fish.


:blush::blush:lol @matt
I do have a cunning plan for an eight up bar light using various different lenses aspherics amongst them .but have no time at the moment.
it was a request to see what others had in. the pipeline mainly


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

but Troutie, that's like the Messiah asking his devout followers "so, extra chillis in the curry, yes or no?". This whole leader-follower thing just isn't going to work if we actually have to start thinking for ourselves 

Now my wife's cross that I've spoiled dinner and I can't get the smell of fish out of my nose <grump>


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## cloroalcubo (May 12, 2011)

Toaster79 said:


> How about one of those 7up XM-L ledt-tech modules on copper PCB. That should be stupid bright.


...I have to agree! 
just amuse us with the totally useless bright gadget we all crave 

as far as i'll reach sufficient 'credits' i'll post mine too...


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## Goldigger (Nov 6, 2009)

I've got a couple of b3flex..I've not even thought about what I could use them for..
The 7up was tempting but cost is a factor..that PCB isn't cheap..

The only thing that did cross my mind was using that quad XT-E board..but that doesn't have much.appeal..

Looking forward to your crazy idea Chris..


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

I think we need to see at least a double 7-up with single XM-L pods+aspherics off the side _at least_


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## Road_Runner (Mar 31, 2009)




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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Road_Runner said:


>


Highbeams on please.


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

I never liked 7Up but for some reason I have a yearning for it now


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## deesta (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm planning a 7-up XM-L copper board light when I get a chance to do some machining and have the money to do it..:thumbsup:


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

OK made a start last night with the old hacksaw 
not yet sure on what is going to happen just letting my imagination loose and see what appears.


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

making lights with a stanley knife is pretty hardcore you know Troutie. If we go too far down that road people will end up having to use their teeth


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

I think Chris you will need to strap a fire extinguisher to your bike for safety purposes if this light is going to be as bright as I think it is.


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)




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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

Bugger I had a brain fart and started to machine on the wrong face which screwed the plan a little , Had to go for a revision and replan

here is what has developed today after much twiddling of the mill wheels.




























Yep its going to be another stem light only brighter


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

Very nice machine work Chris. Looks like the rotary table got a good workout.


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## tanner72 (Sep 28, 2008)

I can feel the bar going up again.....!

Great work Troutie.


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

tanner72 said:


> I can feel the bar going up again.....!
> 
> Great work Troutie.


Ta dont know about raising the bar 
its not going to be a good looker in fact a bit of a Franken-light :eekster:

all machining finished and left with a very strange shaped lump of metal 
now to set too with the files and sandpaper




























weighs in at 165 grams at the moment


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

Wow Chris, is this light going to have 5 additional leds fitted? She's going to be bright little bugger.


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

brad72 said:


> Wow Chris, is this light going to have 5 additional leds fitted? She's going to be bright little bugger.


Yes wanted to doe George's new driver a good workout so it had to be seven LEDs

A triple for the base flood. two aspherics for the throw. and undecided as to the optics in the sides I have a couple of eliptics for the near ground .

might even double as heated bars


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

troutie-mtb said:


> might even double as heated bars


If you run all the leds at 3A you'll need to wear welding gloves and replace you rubber grips with high temp silicone


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## emu26 (Jun 23, 2008)

Mate you are going to incinerate that farmhouse from a mile away.

Pity the poor hound while you are testing this one


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

true, I think it's time for a flame proof doggy jacket and a set of dog sized welding goggles


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

Well its assembled and fits on the bike and it works 
cant say what the beam is like as its still daylight


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

scherweet! That thing looks seriously alien, like some sort of mutated spider.


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## Goldigger (Nov 6, 2009)

Chris your a nutter.. :thumbsup:
Can we have some close ups of the light porn please?

Looking forward to the beam shots..

Might be an idea to move them brake lines out of harms way before they get smoked, and you end up with no brakes


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

Goldigger said:


> Chris your a nutter.. :thumbsup:
> Can we have some close ups of the light porn please?
> 
> Looking forward to the beam shots.


Closeups not good its a tad non shiney and rough machining / filing but heres a few


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

You know chris my biggest concern is it might not be bright enough....

Looks really good mate. I love the stem integrated lights:thumbsup:


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## emu26 (Jun 23, 2008)

troutie-mtb said:


> Closeups not good its a tad non shiney and rough machining / filing but heres a few


Troutie, are you wearing a snuggie? If so please take it off before you turn on the light, I believe they are highly flammable.

I can't believe you have it finished already but where are the beamshots, it's late afternoon here so has to be dark over your neck of the woods.


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

emu26 said:


> Troutie, are you wearing a snuggie? If so please take it off before you turn on the light, I believe they are highly flammable.
> 
> I can't believe you have it finished already but where are the beamshots, it's late afternoon here so has to be dark over your neck of the woods.


Nope not a snuggie a Fleecy jacket bought for winters in the shed .
Its supposed to be mid summer here but temperatures are winter like and it just rains 
all the time , If I had the cash I would emigrate somewhere warmer

Took 2 whole days to make should have spent another day smoothing and polishing but the shape was so complex I lost the will to live after an hour or so .

Fell asleep waiting for the darkness so beamshots will have to wait , I have a feeling it should make a good video light for the Gopro but be a little antisocial on the road

Oh and 7 XMLs is not a good number to run from a 5 cell battery pack on the lower settings but seems to be OK on a 4 cell pack but not yet sure if the battery protection circuit will let out enough amps for full power


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## Goldigger (Nov 6, 2009)

It impresses me how quick you knock your lights up Chris..I spend to much time looking at the piece and the mill thinking about how I'm going to do the next bit..

Looks good even it isn't polished to high heaven..I'm sure if your happy with it MK2 will get the full treatment..


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

Goldigger said:


> It impresses me how quick you knock your lights up Chris..I spend to much time looking at the piece and the mill thinking about how I'm going to do the next bit..
> 
> Looks good even it isn't polished to high heaven..I'm sure if your happy with it MK2 will get the full treatment..


Got a few days with no flooring work to do and its pissing down so spending them in the garage making swarf.

still no beamshots due to the weather but starteded on project no 2 for a HBflex 
not a bike light not really sure why as its gonna cost a packet in leds and the optics but been wanting to do a killer lamp for a while now .


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## emu26 (Jun 23, 2008)

"killer lamp"? More like death ray


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

emu26 said:


> "killer lamp"? More like death ray


Gonna be one mean dog walking light 



















Sadly wont be able to power it up as need to order another HBflex from George


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## OldMTBfreak (Apr 8, 2006)

Well, here in always sunny NW Florida it's hot as hell and raining. Chris, the bar light looks dope! I have dreamed about having the talent to machine "stuff" like you. With 9 watts per XML, you will need about 63 watts for each hour of operation. This battery at 148 watt/hours will give couple hours of operation (with a little spare) Customize Polymer Li-Ion Battery: 14.8v 10Ah (148 Wh, 7A rate) - UN Approved How will you you space the aspherics for focusing? I need/want a killer diving light and that 7 aspheric light just gave me a woody. No heat sink requirement with a dive light. Just expose the mounting surface to the water. Keep up the good fight. James


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

troutie-mtb said:


> Gonna be one mean dog walking light


Holy crap.....it's going to be like a scene out of War of the Worlds as the beam vaporises everything it touches


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

OK been a naughty lad today and robbed the HBFlex out of the bike light to get the seven up working .



















and a few pics of it finished



















James Gonna be doing a dive light for my mate probably be a five up if it works out Be happy to do you a housing as long as you are not in a rush .


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## m0ngy (Dec 22, 2005)

troutie-mtb said:


> Gonna be one mean dog walking light


Hey Chris, they look great man, keep up the good work.


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

Daniel 

OK I have no real answer to your question 
except that I suffered a major computer failure last month and lost all my data / emails / and 18 gig of photo s .

I have only just got my computer back last week with a new hd installed .
and only just got around to going through a whole months worth of emails sifting out the ones not spam so will search out for yours and address them tonight .
Sorry for any inconvenience


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## m0ngy (Dec 22, 2005)

no worries man, cheers. i've pm'd you.


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## KBARK (Aug 7, 2007)

Hi Troutie, what switch are you using on that bike light? Very nice design.


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## troutie-mtb (Sep 20, 2007)

KBark its an APEM switch the exact model I forget.

Beam shots 

OK just back in from its first night of darkness 
I used the MTBR setting of f4 and 6 seconds.

Google earth says its 169 metres to the barn










five pics from low to the full 3 amps














































And as I was walking back saw this vantage point










280 metres to the barn so gave it a whirl










My impressions of it are AWESOME


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

Chris that is just awesome. Fantastic light mate:thumbsup:

Has the local news crew been out to investigate the burnt strip of land up to the barn 

I have 7 aspherics sitting on my desk that might have a new home.


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## KBARK (Aug 7, 2007)

troutie-mtb said:


> KBark its an APEM switch the exact model I forget.


Holy crap those are some expensive switches. I'll just stick with these, Momentary N.O. Raised Push Button Switch Black 060-642


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

KBARK said:


> Holy crap those are some expensive switches. I'll just stick with these, Momentary N.O. Raised Push Button Switch Black 060-642


Nice looking switch. No mention as to waterproof rating though.........

Do you know if they have a rating?


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## KBARK (Aug 7, 2007)

Vancbiker said:


> Nice looking switch. No mention as to waterproof rating though.........
> 
> Do you know if they have a rating?


They are not waterproof, hence the price I suppose...


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## emu26 (Jun 23, 2008)

KBark, I use these  and have never had a problem with them


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## brad72 (Jun 12, 2009)

These Buy Push Button Switches Pushbutton switch,solder tab,blue LED ITW 48-1-RB-B-BK-B online from RS for next day delivery. aren't as cheap but they are IP67 rated and have an integrated led that is great for the STAT indicator on the Taskled drivers


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## Clipless in PA (May 27, 2009)

Ok -that light's insane. Spent the last week contemplating a design for my next light, but now I just feel inferior. It was only going to be a 2 XML, on a sled with finning Odtexas style 

I bet you could cook post-ride hot dogs in front of that thing!


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