[emu26]

Actually Ed I have to agree with ktronic and brad on this one.

Not sure what buttons you're pressing on the calculator but $420 for the top kit less 20% only comes to $336. It should also be noted that is Aussie dollars which, whilst unusually high against most currencies at the moment, means its even less for those OS.

If you compare it against most other "name brand lights" with a similar spec, and by that I don't mean ones that are being sold out of china under about 20 different names, then it is quite reasonably priced.

as a complete package I don't think its too bad a deal, particularly for those that don't have confidence in electronics or access to a neighbours lathe

 

[yetibetty]

That's not a bad price for us in the UK at around £210. When you consider that they have to pay staff etc

 

[chelboed]

Okay...help me out here then...the way I'm calculating from Cutter's website...the 7up is about $300 USD.

Why would I pay $336 for a 600 lumen triple when a 1700lm G/E board 7up is $300? Okay...I still gotta build a battery for the 7up, right? Still...you're getting 3x the light.

 

[chelboed]

Oh yeah...and I'm retracting post #5, LOL. I have realized that there's no way that I can hack out DIY's for people with the equipment that I've got...I'll leave that to people with experience who have it perfected. Not that what I've produced can hang anyhoo. Fun hobby though.

Maybe in another decade when I am better equipped and have more knowledge...I could do what I thought...but definitely not after dabbling in it a bit.

 

[brad72]

That's not a bad price for us in the UK at around £210. When you consider that they have to pay staff etc

In our Australian factory we pay unskilled process workers about $17/hour (£10.37) and our fitters $30/hour (£18.30) plus penalties. A standard machine shop will charge $75/hour (£45.70) for machining plus materials and consumables . Makes you realize why things start to add up.

We cannot make products for the price they can be imported from the UK due to wage differences etc

 

[emu26]

Okay...help me out here then...the way I'm calculating from Cutter's website...the 7up is about $300 USD.

Why would I pay $336 for a 600 lumen triple when a 1700lm G/E board 7up is $300? Okay...I still gotta build a battery for the 7up, right? Still...you're getting 3x the light.

The dog star is $372A including tax but you still need a battery and switches (I think), and wiring and thermal paste etc etc. The 7 up is $355A (about 340US) at current rates with the best leds and leads but you still need a battery, switch, thermal paste etc. They are both plus shipping and you still need to build both of them which for a lot of people takes it off the shelf straight away. Don't get me wrong, I think they are both great products from Cutter but I don't think you are comparing apples with apples. If you want to do that then you need to be comparing against complete light units. That includes batteries, chargers, mounts, complete lights, something "professional" looking to store it all in, POS packing and most importantly, warranty.

apples with apples Ed and DIY out of pocket expenses will nearly always be cheaper and make commercially available lights look expensive, but thats only if you have the ability / skill/ patience and tools to DIY and don't count your labour costs.

 

[chelboed]

Ahhh...wasn't aware of those other details. Thanks...I get it.

 

[gticlay]

El34 has his diy to done kits with marwi and p7 dosent he?

 

[Cat-man-do]

Ahhh...wasn't aware of those other details. Thanks...I get it.

The final price of the Pygmy is somewhere around $325.30 once the AUD conversion is done and the final discount is applied. Of course you still have shipping and conversion cost if you are using a credit card. I believe the Pygmy is now using XP-G ( not confirmed ) but lumen output on the site listed the Pygmy at 1000. That is somewhat the standard output for an XPG triple. The Lumen8R quad on the other hand is still using Cree R-2's. I asked Daniel the other day why no upgrade for the L8R. In a nut shell he doesn't think the available optics are focused enough to make the upgrade worthwhile ( for helmet use that is ).

I bought my Lumen8R more than a year ago when the Cree XR-E R-2 was the hottest thing going. It is a very nice helmet light ( close to 1000 lumens ) even by today's standards. When I bought mine I got a super deal as the price was much less than what they are now. At that time the US $ was WAY less than the AUD $.

I did have some problems with my battery but Daniel was quick to resolve the problem and sent me a new one - no charge. The issues with the old batteries were fixed. Daniel even called me at home to make sure I was satisfied! From half way round the world I would have to say, "That's Damn Good customer service". :thumbsup:

 

[brad72]

Oh yeah...and I'm retracting post #5, LOL. I have realized that there's no way that I can hack out DIY's for people with the equipment that I've got...I'll leave that to people with experience who have it perfected. Not that what I've produced can hang anyhoo. Fun hobby though.

Maybe in another decade when I am better equipped and have more knowledge...I could do what I thought...but definitely not after dabbling in it a bit.

I certainly wouldn't be discouraged. If you lights work, are reliable and fill a niche why not market them.

 

[Ofroad'bent]

Oh yeah...and I'm retracting post #5, LOL. I have realized that there's no way that I can hack out DIY's for people with the equipment that I've got...I'll leave that to people with experience who have it perfected. Not that what I've produced can hang anyhoo. Fun hobby though.

Maybe in another decade when I am better equipped and have more knowledge...I could do what I thought...but definitely not after dabbling in it a bit.

Don't sell yourself short. Your lights look like works of art, and should pack a lot of punch into a tiny package. Maybe not set up for mass production, but what artist is?

 

[brad72]

I do like your housing mathewm.:thumbsup:

 

[El34]

I have parts, but nothing that is a kit or super easy to slap together

It still takes a bunch of DIY skill to assemble the Marwi lights

 

[BrianMc]

I have parts, but ...It still takes a bunch of DIY skill to assemble the Marwi lights

Don't let EL34 scare you off if you actually know one end of a screwdriver from the other. If you have some mechanical, soldering, woodworking, plumbing, electrical repair skills and the basic hand tools to do them around the house, you can build one. You may have to learn or relearn some skills, but that's part of the fun. You can pick and choose parts for your Marwi 'kit' and so use anything you already own to make it. You can be successful without a huge effort but proper attention to details. No PITA Chinglish manual (actually no manual at all). No lathe, Mill or CNC machine required. End product looks and performs great , or if it doesn't it's your fault. (Happy owner of 4 modded Marwi housings.) It's too bad they didn't also make MR16 sized light units to stuff three Reginas into. That would be a sweet helmet light.

If you are tool inept or deprived (and you know it if you are), buy a completed commercial light system or a turnkey system from a member here. You will be happier.

 

[[email protected]]

Time to throw my hat into the ring. Especially now that safety concerns seem to have reduced the Bastid's market share

I've been building lights for a couple of local mtn biking clubs I belong to, maybe it's time to broaden my market.

These: http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=57778 are based on the Citizen Kane Easy DIY design. They use two 750 lumen M bin CREE MCE LEDs and a driver of my own design. They are simple looking. They don't have the level of polish or bling you'll find with Troutie's and others lights, but they are real bright, pretty bombproof, and inexpensive. The beamshot uses the standard mtbr diy photo settings. The ramp in the trail is about 50 yards from the bike. I've ridden downhill with the previous version of these lights (K bin, so maybe 1100 lumens?) at speeds in excess of 35 mph and felt pretty comfortable with my ability to see what was coming.

I sell them with NiMh batteries or without. I have directions on my web page (http://www.hahntronix.com) on building your own LiIon battery pack.

 

[laxman2001]

Hey Loco:

OreO does!

(but seriously, **** that guy. Not all his fault but he was a jackass about the whole process and could have prevented the ****up about 10 different ways)

 

[rob1111]

I am
short facts:
4 MC-E M-bin
available with different LM1 and Boom optiks
4600mAh 14,4V battery
charger

If you are interessted please PM.

 

[franza]

Roberts beamshot is at F4 2seconds compared to the beamshot thread F4 -6 seconds!

 

[fujio001]

Rob, tell us more details on price and anything else you can think of. Looks great!

 

[laxman2001]

I am
short facts:
4 MC-E M-bin
available with different LM1 and Boom optiks
4600mAh 14,4V battery
charger

If you are interessted please PM.

price? Lumens?