telf Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Yes - come on you lot, waiting with bated breath here. I'll be out with mine tonight but since I would appear to be blowing my own trumpet I'm not going to tell you how I get on in the field. The best I have yet is that when I got in from work at about 3AM this morning I lit up the furtherest house I can see out the back, set back beyond the street light bathed patch at about 120 yards. I was surprised to see that there was still plenty of red in the beam so it looks like the 'yellow' centre beam might be a close up aspect. its up to you for the results dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Hello Dave Waiting to receive the AH modification kit - thank you for keeping me informed that this has been posted. I will add my experience as soon as I receive my torch..............yes I know I have done this backwards... Cheers L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbus Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Hi Dave if you have a spare 1 i will take it mate. Chubbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LXX73 Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 If you have a spare 2 I'll take one as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) None spare, sorry guys, all the ones I have will get used. I have these lamps on 3 rifles and want at least one for NV IR use. Maybe Ash will let us know how many he has have left and someone could run another group buy. My internet is not up to much and any time 3 or 4 emails back up they clog up my server - or whatever it is. Nightmare panics then ensue so I have to say it might be better if someone else who has a good int speed offers to run the next one . I compared both out in field conditions this morning and would say that Ash was spot on when he suggested his might provide something like 40% better performance than the DX version. I'd say the Ahorton version is a 150/170 yard lamping torch. Edited July 9, 2012 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahorton Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I'm glad you're all enjoying them. I've got about 25 left at the moment, but I can always like more later. I also have a friend in the UK who distributes the lenses: http://troutie.com/Products/Detail/--Aspheric-lenses-By-Ahorton-Candlepowerforums- At the moment he doesn't have the spacers. So if you can make your own (eg, by modifying a reflector) then he might offer a quicker and cheaper solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) Thanks very much Ash. There ya go lads, get your "I want one's" going on the thread again, you can update the list yourselves by copy/pasting it in to your post then add you own request at the bottom. This saves doubling the post count with me confirming the request and updating it. It really needs to be done by someone with a good internet connection speed to be able to handle all the PM's as the time for payment arrives. This time round the list may become a good price quicker once we get the feedback in from those who have already bought them. I'm a bit surprised that some people bought them without yet buying a torch host. Regarding the reflectors, the ahorton version doesn't bottom out as quickly as the DX version - so the ahorton one is more focusable, and they are anodised black instead of sprayed. Edited July 9, 2012 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) For those about to focus their lenses... I found a drop of Superglue does the job nicely - but you need to know how superglue works first, and have the antidote available. The antidote is acetone - widely available as nail varnish remover. It's correct name is Cyanocrylate adhesive. It is an oxygen exclusion adhesive. That means if you exclude air from the liquid it will self activate using the hardner that is already mixed into the liquid. If you ever wondered why a bottle of 'superglue is not full - it's because oxygen prevents the hardner from activating. It was apparently first evolved for the vietnam war to glue troops up until they could get better attention. The trick is to wack the glue in and press the skin tissues together which excludes oxygen from the liquid. It then gets hot and hardens almost spontaneously. There are also activator solutions or 'kickers that can be sprayed onto the glue to activate it. Warning, although it will glue most things it was actually designed to glue skin - it does that very very well so do not glue your fingers together. For our purposes, get the focus just right, apply a drop of superglue to the thread and slightly screw and unscrew the thread a very tiny amount to wick a smidgin of glue between the threads. If you got it wong a dab of nail varnish remover will release it so you can try again. Edited July 9, 2012 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) For the more adventuous fiddlers only. I have done away with the front spacer on the first one I have completed so that I could re-use the original thin lens retainer to restore the heat path to the torch body. This involved stretching the contact springs, carefull with the small one it's only retained with solder! EDIT: It's probably better to extend the small spring with a very small screw instead. Of course if you choose to go that route the lens retainer shifts the lens about 1mm further from the emitter. I resolved that issue by removing about 1mm from the base (small end) of the shaped ahorton lens to bring the emitter 1mm closer again. Be sure to use the retainer while setting up your focus. Edited July 9, 2012 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I tried mine out last night and the farmer where I have one of my permissions couldn't believe. He thought it probably cost 300 quid!!. On a white torch We could clearly see it move across a house 300 yrds away. The IR torch made a huge difference to my night sight range, well over 150 yrds wheras before 90 max. Great job thanks Dave for all your effort and Ahorton for the ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I tried mine out last night and the farmer where I have one of my permissions couldn't believe. He thought it probably cost 300 quid!!. On a white torch We could clearly see it move across a house 300 yrds away. The IR torch made a huge difference to my night sight range, well over 150 yrds wheras before 90 max. Great job thanks Dave for all your effort and Ahorton for the ideas. Cool - which nite sight and which IR mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetAfiX Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Thanks ever so much Dave, the kit arrived this morning and I'll fitted it shortly. Can't wait to test it on the wabbits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Glad you are all liking it so far.... we need feedback laaaadddddzzz. And a volunteer for the next group buy, there must be someone who wants a couple or more for themselves who will get to buy theirs at cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky610 Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) Dave, been working too hard to do any serous testing but last night I managed to fit the kit to my Solarforce 3w IR pill with three little led's just to prove it can be done. Heres a little video of the results............ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7ohIHHd8i4 I left it with a nice tight focus just to show what could be done but to make it more usable you just need to unfocus it a little to make one big blob of light. The quility aint that great as I was being lazy and just set my camcorder up looking at my low res screen instead of capturing the signal straight out of the Watec. Oh and everybody check out my you tube channel for more fun video's Edited July 11, 2012 by Marky610 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Super Brilliant Wicked stuff thanks Mark, above and beyond mate. I'm lovin the spook music too. For those who have not recorded low light video's before, a recorder shows less than what can be seen on a plain monitor screen. Bear in mind also that Marky is using a 3W triple emitter IR drop in unit rather than a single 5W emitter that is now commonly available. I'm assuming it's an 850nm drop-in Marky?, I have an old solarforce one too but they don't indicate the wavelength of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldy Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) Is there any benefit by using 3 LEDs instead of a single one Cheers Edited July 11, 2012 by baldy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Is there any benefit by using 3 LEDs instead of a single one Cheers None that I'm aware of but Ash would probably know more about that. There are 5W 4x emitter ones on the bay at 940nm but they are more covert and therefore only illuminate lower ranges, if you have a decent camera setup. The Watec camera that Marky used in that video is one of the lowest light digital camera's available and the NV unit will be a homebrew one. Probably well suited to 12ftlb air rifle ranges - enabling the shooter to get into range without spooking bunny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky610 Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Super Brilliant Wicked stuff thanks Mark, above and beyond mate. I'm lovin the spook music too. For those who have not recorded low light video's before, a recorder shows less than what can be seen on a plain monitor screen. Bear in mind also that Marky is using a 3W triple emitter IR drop in unit rather than a single 5W emitter that is now commonly available. I'm assuming it's an 850nm drop-in Marky?, I have an old solarforce one too but they don't indicate the wavelength of it. 840 bud, I don't bover with the longer wavelength's, never had a problem with bunnies or fox's shooting back, or spooking for that matter Is there any benefit by using 3 LEDs instead of a single one Cheers It makes for a better 'flood' for spotting, I recon it will be up to rimmy rangers but have to try it on open groud. If the weathers not too bad at the weekend I should get out after dark to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldy Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Sounds good think I'll invest in one.. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahorton Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 As you can see in the video, three emitters will produce 3 distinct beams. If you want a long range, you need to get as much light as possible into a single beam. 4 emitters (dice) at 5W means 1.25W to each emitter (die). So if you can find a 2W or 3W single-emitter (single die), then you'll get a much stronger beam even though the total power is less. Similarly an LED with a smaller die will be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Oi you lot. This is two nights following that we've had decent lamping weather. C-mon mow don't be shy and tell us all about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbus Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Ok lads. I have just orderd lenses from Ash but they wont be available to anyone on here yet for a few weeks. Anyone interested in wanting a set let me know in the near future. Chubbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LXX73 Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Ok lads. I have just orderd lenses from Ash but they wont be available to anyone on here yet for a few weeks. Anyone interested in wanting a set let me know in the near future. Chubbs. Spacers as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted July 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Seems we have a volunteer to host the next group buy, thanks chubbus. To fully explain my internet issues let me point out that I lose connection about three times a week and often then get capped to about 2.5mb because "my connection is unstable" Further, we probably all get the usual spam from "banks, building societies, failed parcel deliveries, canadian chemists etc. When these back up my mail server spits it's dummy out and fails to download maybe the second or third of say six emails. Then the emails from paypal, members telling they have paid yada yada. Over to chubbus now then lads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbus Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Hi Dave. No prob mate , i wanted some and i am hoping that some others will want some and you did your bit. Beetween you & Ash supplied us all with a lot of good info. Chubbs. Spacers as well? Yes spacers as well mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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