as I was lying on the floor trying into see in a dark place, lifting my flashlight, judging the location, inserting the screw driver hoping i’d hit the screw, trying again etc
made me wonder. what do others use for a flash light, portable light for working?
I have been using regular type flashlights but some things on the market look interesting, but not sure they aren’t just gadgets.
I use D cell, C cell and AA cell maglights.
bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe’s BT Forum cheat sheet
Replies
I use mostly maglites; D, AA. Also use the 18V light that came with my Milwaukee combo.
Other junk: Have a head band that'll hold a AA minimag for hands free light. Also have a dedicated "miner's lamp" style headband by I think Eveready, bought at HD. Takes 4 AA, a bit heavy but it puts light where I want better than the minimag head band. For area task lighting, I have a 4-D cell flourescent that I'm real pleased with. I had to do some wiring in a main panel at about 3-4 AM, so no other lights available at all. Was enough to do the job safely/adequately until power back on. Also a squarish 4-D cell light (about 6" square by 2" thick) that can do the spot/flood adjustment, and can stand on its own.
If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
im really switching over to the new LED style flashlights. brinkman makes one thats two AA but its bright. Not heavy and uses little juice.
Im really impressed with the trend of LED flashlights. No need to buy the old bulb style anymore IMO.
Let us know what the cost is, and how you like it long term.
I've been seriously considering getting some LED flashlights. The battery life is phenominal compared to standard flashlights. I really wonder how long it'll take for costs to come down so these become standard.
My FIL is a serious spelunker, and it seems like a good LED headlamp would really be a good thing for him. If he could find it more then once anyway.
i paid 11bucks for the flashlight at h3ll-mart. I own 4 of them. One for each car (2) my toolboxes (the other 2)
The light it puts out is blueish. However its bright and serves its purpose when i need it.
If i could find it in an all aluminum shell it would be fool proof. Brinkman claims 100k hours on the LED the diode can take a better shock then the old style bulb. Plus it doesnt weigh a ton with those D cell batteries.
Here's another LED from Lee Valley
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=45176&category=2%2C40731
NB, make sure you set the currency switch to your country's ..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I have a screw driver with removable tips. It has a light in the handle that shines right down the shaft of the driver...very handy!
First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!
I have a (flame suit on) DeWalt (flame suit off) 12V driver. DeWalt also makes a flashlight that takes the 12V batteries from the driver. The light has a flexible neck and the heft of the battery gives it a pretty good base. The neck of the light can be twisted/turned/distorted in any direction to give light right where you need it. I like it for those times when I'm working in tight areas. Rechargeable and works well.
For general flashlights, it's 3 & 4 D-cell mags. I know PC makes a flashlight that takes their driver batteries, don't know if they make one with the flexible neck like the dewalt though.
Bob,
I've been using an LED headlamp for over a year. The model I use is Moonlight by Black Diamond, a mountainerring outfitter. It has 4 LED's and on the 3 AAA batteries it will supply about 70 hours of light, and I use it all the time. The light is way more than enough for close quarters work and I never worry about the batteries going dead on me. Battery life and hands-free operation were important factors in my decision to go LED.
I paid just about the full $35.00 price, but I have gotten promotions from Black Diamond since selling them for $25. It was absolutely the best use of $35 I have ever made. The rig is lightweight, secure and compact.
The light is also more than enough for rescue work, which is what I got it for. I am a National Ski Patrol member and got stranded atop the hill one evening in a driving snow/rain storm when a truck took out a power pole near the ski area. The cheap wal-mart head lamp I had with me could not even light up the snow in front of me. If I'd had the Moonlight then, I could have skied out even in that storm. I ordered mine the next week.
One reference:
http://www.backpacker.com/article/0,2646,3485,00.html
BlackDiamond:
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/
There are others:
Petzl:
http://www.petzl.com/petzl/home
Princeton:
http://www.princetontec.com/entry.html
Edited 5/8/2003 1:54:08 PM ET by WFLATHER
I use a headband model from Streamlight. It uses 2 AAA batteries, has 2 LED ligts and one regular bulb, and is switchable for combinations. I usually just have the 2 LED's burning.
No more ext. cords, hot halogens or dim flourescent portables. It is perfect for setting interior doors, running baseboard in closets and coon hunting.
About $25 bucks.Derrell Day
Dayco Construction, Inc.
http://www.streamlight-flashlights.com/bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
Thanks for your recomendations.
Went over to REI and the selection was huge. Settled on the Black Diamond. Wow what a difference.
I like mine, used it this evening to re-do the computer wiring...
Looks like some kind of new age G-string. A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.
Quittin' Time
he he, those lights are like the landing strip lights on a runway, they help guide you in :)Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
Some things you do by feel...
Use the brail system.. More fun.
G-strings with approach lights. There is a patent in there somewhere.
I have lots of flashlights. For crawl spaces, attics or tight places and task lighting I use a AA Maglight and a Nightize headband. Unlike the dedicated headlamps the light hangs out in its included nylon sheath on my tool belt and the headband is wrapped around the tool belt or stuffed into a pocket. Everything nicely tucked away until needed. I have a half dozen of these units scattered around.
Not strong enough for spotting routes through a long attic they are fine for arms length work. As a back up I keep an Infinity light LED unit. About the size of a roll of LifeSavers it disappears into a pocket until the main light goes dead. Not much light it is still enough to spot the ceiling joists and route find to get out.
For general inspection, where spot light range is needed I keep two, tool box on truck and at front door at home, HubbelLite, model 3003-C, three 'C' cell flashlights. Their Xenon lamps are powerful, A lineman thought a truck was coming around the corner, but the light itself is compact and hangs off a belt from the handy clip on the units body.
A bonus, vital in some cases, is that these units are approved for hazardous locations. Using the wrong flashlight in a gas plant can get you killed. They also seem reasonably water tight. Taken down to 12' in a pool, had to check the ground connection, it didn't leak.
For spotting street addresses at night I keep a 5D cell Maglight in the cab. It will produce a strong, enough to blind a person for several minutes, beam for a long time and makes a very convincing club should the the dogs, four or two legged variety, get aggressive.
I also keep a cheap industrial 2D model in the glove compartment of each vehicle. They seldom get used so the lithium cells stay strong for years.
Around the house I keep a few 3D cell industrial, simple, powerful when fitted with a xenon lamp and durable, models for outages. Bedroom, kitchen, living room and shop area all have one handy. They get well used. A flashlight makes checking the golden brown of the roast and getting stuff out of dark closet corners easier.
Sorry, I think patents aren't (supposed to be) issued for ideas that are common knowledge in the industry, or something like that.
WARNING: This link contains content that may be of an offensive nature. It deals with the concept of lighted g-strings, so you can likely imagine what you'll find.
http://www.sonies.com/dancebrasets8.htmlIf everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
Damn that stuff is expensiveNever be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
Ah, but I believe it is geared towards the "pros". They should view it as a bus. expense, much as you might in buying a $$$ Milw. drill instead of the $ Crapsman.If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
that put into persepctive oddly enoughNever be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
All prices are in Canadian dollars, if that helps you out any. So that makes them about half off, which aint too bad.
The Makita flashlight that came with my 14.4 drill has proven to be handy. Decent output, stands by itself, and the head is adjustable. Also have a Mini Maglite. Comes with a little holster .........easy to carry around. On the subject of light, what does everyone use for site lighting? Got some halogen lamps- any difference between brands?
FWIW, a home inspector's most important tool is his flashlight, and Streamlights are very popular among HI's
_______________________
10 .... I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11 For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have--Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11
im with frontier, have 3 makita 14.4 drill/drivers for cabinet installations, got the last one with the flashlight by mistake
turns out to be the best investment i ever made
never run out of batteries, really bright, swivel head perfect for working under a countertop, inside cabinets etc etc
I've done a lot of caving (and we have long dark winters up here).
Any headlight by Petzl is good. They have quite a range and the box will describe what you're getting in terms of battery life, useful range, bulb type, etc. They are weatherproof and sturdy enough for backpacking and camping.
The handbands for AA minimaglites are great IF you get the stretchy ones. The rigid nylon webbing ones are crap - they don't stay on your head.
Cordless tool flashlights (mine 12-volt DeWalt) throw a lot of light that you're not afraid to use because the batteries are rechragable.
LED are great for long bulb life, long battery life and toughness. TO throw a lot of light they need 7 or 9 or 13 LEDs but up close the 1 or 3 LED units are good. REI has some of the better ones like Black Diamond.
If you need a light in the cold (below 20F), get lithium batteries. $5 for a pair of AA but they last twice as long as alkaline (and are lighter). I don't use them routinely, but there's a lithium mini-maglite in every car of ours because a -30F night is a time when you really might need a light and no other battery works then. Otherwise you have to put it on/in some warm part of your body for a long time to warm it up. Which I, personally, don't enjoy.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
I am attracted to flashlights. This goes back to childhood for some reason. I guess they remind me of walking through the eastern kentucky mountains with my grandma at night...
Well anyway, I use a D-cell maglite mostly, with a aftermarket high power halogen lamp. Sometimes the switch is hard to find.
Also have a hubbellite 3 c cell that is tough, blindingly bright, bright flourescent color is easy to find, has a lot of clips to attach to my belt etc, but has a hard to work switch.
Have used a mini mag, but dont like the twist on-off operation. An engineer friend converted his to LED with a kit that has 3 white leds. Very cool, bright, and tremendous battery life. Also no more blackened or blown lamps.
I carry a CMG infinity ultra LED flashlight all the time. It uses one AA (I use lithium, but works fine on alkaline). It's an amazing little light. Made from aircraft aluminum, with a DC-DC converter to raise the battery voltage enough to light a white LED. The light output is pretty good for a single LED, but it's measley compared to the halogen maglite. This light is said to be twice as bright as the original infinity, which is still sold. Battery life is about 12 hours continuous then the light starts to fade, but the manufacturer says 25 total hours of light.
The headlamp I am considering is the Princeton Tec Aurora. Texas Tactical Supply has it, but I haven't used them before. They are highly spoken of on some other forums I visit though. They also carry the Infinity ultra, and other nice lights. Also handcuffs, knives, tactical lighting for your firearms etc. http://www1.ecxmall.com/stores/texastacticalsupply/Detail.bok?searchpath=d8346805f50a955d0768&category=Led+Lights&price=All&start=9&total=16&no=124
I keep a 3-d mag by the driver's seat of my truck. By far the light I use the most is a AAA maglite solitaire, about five bucks, that's on my keychain.
For me, the LED's are great in the hard dark, I hike/climb with a LED headlamp, but in dim light, where you just need a higher level of light to see a little sharper, they can't cut it.
I gave up on the solataires. The switches get intermittent. There are some really bright led lights now. The luxeon star led is incredibly bright, but actually LEDs are not much more efficient than incandescents. None seem to throw the light in a beam either, they are more of a flood beam. The really bright lights tend to eat batteries fairly quick. The CMG reactor (luxeon star) 3 aaa flashlight is pretty bright for a single (huge) LED. One advantage to a LED is they get dimmer as the batteries drain, but they stay white, not true for incandescents.
Mark-
I have the Aurora 3-LED. Three brightness levels and two different flashing speeds. Elastic band fits easily around my baseball cap and the light swivels up and down to right where I want it. Usually use it for electrical work. Great unit, has a place in my elec. bags.
Ken Hill
Bob,
Try the Streamlight Sceptor. Seven LED headlight, with pushbutton switch that cycles through one, three, or seven LEDs on. Three AAA cells for power.
Great for attics, crawl spaces, dimly lit phone closets. Good enough color rendition to sort 25-pair cable pairs.
I've found the Streamlight polystinger is a fantastic hand light. Especially if you get the kit with that'll charge the light and spare battery pack at the same time.
For area light, I like the DeWalt lantern (18V) with the flex neck.
Cliff
http://www.surefire.com 800-828-8809
I have the E2e Executive Elite about 4" long and 1" dia. As bright as most flashlights twice its size. About $70 ordered direct and worth every penny. Mine is an aluminum body, they do sell other sizes and some less expensive models that aren't aluminum. They very popular in the military and police sectors.
Petzyl Tikka is the one we prefer the most. It revolutionized mountain climbing as a set of batteries will last 4 days, as opposed to 4 hrs with an incandescent bulb.
The Pelican Tacker is a small AAA flashlight that will clip to the brim of a baseball cap to act like a headlamp in close quarters.
Pelican also makes 2 and 4 cell AA halogen lights that are a much less expensive alternative to surefires for compact size and lots-o-light.
Dispite all the DeWalt bashing that goes on, they were one of the first ones to offer flashlights that use the cordless batteries.
(At least they are the first ones that I noticed.)
I've been using the 12-V as well the 18-V flashlights.
Rugged and very bright with good head tilt design.
They served me well over the years for many many projects.
Excellent for tight spots and under-sink work.
Great emergency light during power outages.
The 18-V , with the wide base/heavy battery, is a great portable worklight. ("Heavy" and "portable" aren't necessarily oxymorons....)