The Glowworm (aka a new Tritium-Lantern)

[ANDYLASER]

I am sure Toby will enlighten us as to the price, in a specific sales thread at the appropriate time.

[toby_pra]

I will do

For now, please lets discuss only about the Glowworm.
After all i am glad these will be produced,
because its quiet difficult, because the design is very complex.

[Saint-Just]

Since you ask for an opinion...

Design-wise it is a nice bit of work on a piece of Titanium. As you say it is probably quite complicated to manufacture.

However I, along with a few here cannot see ANY use for it other than a pretty Ti dangler on a keychain. The vial on their own are reasonably bright in the dark, but not so in twilight unless your eyes are well dilated. masking over 75% of the vial area with titanium will make it virtually invisible but in total darkness, and even there you'll only see it if the angle of vision is right.
In this respect calling it a lantern is a bit deceptive... but I suppose it is called "marketing" nowadays

Of course it should not detract anyone from buying one, since most of the kit purchased is hardly used anyway...

[toby_pra]

Thanks for your opinion.

As with my Bead-Bomb i will offer a unique piece of titanium.
When i compare to similar products, mine are different and
and complex in the design.

As for the use...you can use a cheap knife for daily use
or a unique custom, sure much more expensive. But like a normal
Lantern it can be used as a locator on your keyring, your backpack
or your clothe, knife or wherever you want. For sure it has a use...

As for the brightness, vials in this size can be seen in the night
very good and also in the twilight its still bright enough. I will take
some pics, when the lantern is finished.

masking over 75% of the vial area with titanium will

Sorry but thats not right! More than the half of the vial can be seen.
As aleady mentioned, there are 48holes with a diameter of 2mm. MOST
of the vial can be seen by best protection. And for sure you can seen
it from each angel. For these reasons we created such a complex design,
ta make it bright by best protection.

[scrubber]

Since you asked for peoples opinion in your original post, here is mine. You should keep the original design but connect the holes to form large longitudinal slits, this would surely improve the brightness of your design, so that it would more look like a "Lantern" - as this seems to be its original reason of being. That's my two Eurocents worth anyhow.

[toby_pra]

If i connect the holes the lantern would be unstable.

We calculated a stability of 30kg per square millitmeter.
Therefore we decied also to use Grade5 instaed of Grade2.

[scrubber]

Unstable : then perhaps you could connect every 2 or every 3 holes. The meaning or purpose of a lantern (of any kind !!) should primarily be to shed light, as much light as technically feasible given the materials used in your concept. In my modest, but honest opinion, you are making a big design error from the start onwards. You seam to be missing the major purpose of your concept, though several other people have pointed you to it.
I sincerely hope you succeed in your quest and design.

[FGYT]

Trit 3mm dia by 22.5mm has a side view area of 67.5mm2 2mm dia hole has an area of 3.1mm2 6 on the side have a total of 18.6mm2 viewable

so 18.6mm / 67.5mm = 0.27 so yes St J was wrong its 73.5% covered not 75%

works out better if you do the whole thing as the side view is effected by the curves but it is what happens in reality

[toby_pra]

I think we have different opinions in this way.

This is not a normal lantern, this is a tritium-lantern.
And as all the other nice lanterns are outthere, you NEED to
consider to protect the vial from keys or other stuff in a
homogeneously game with most brightness, what was done
here.

This is no design error, that was planned in this way. As i already
mentioned the pics might be a little irritating, but these holes
are big enuogh to let the vial shine bright.

It was the intention also to safe the vial for a long time. If i have
a slot of 2mm it is NOT pretected well. And as far as i compared
to other lanterns, this design gives most brightness.

[toby_pra]

Trit 3mm dia by 22.5mm has a side view area of 67.5mm2 2mm dia hole has an area of 3.1mm2 6 on the side have a total of 18.6mm2 viewable

so 18.6mm / 67.5mm = 0.27 so yes St J was wrong its 73.5% covered not 75%

works out better if you do the whole thing as the side view is effected by the curves but it is what happens in reality

I do not really understand your calculation. It does not matter from which point you
have a look at the lantern, you will see at least 12holes...

This is the sideview...do you see only 6 holes, no at least 12

[toby_pra]

Some honest words...

This is not a little project. We planned this
one for weeks and work together with a
renowned milling department. Every thuoght
was considered and also tried to implement.

It lasts some weeks to get this result and i am
very happy with it. Also the design is firm, as the
production starts soon.

[scrubber]

Some honest words...

This is not a little project. We planned this
one for weeks and work together with a
renowned milling department. Every thuoght
was considered and also tried to implement.

It lasts some weeks to get this result and i am
very happy with it. Also the design is firm, as the
production starts soon.

Why on earth would you want our opinions then? Just say so from the start and don't take this wrong, but I consider your post as a publicity stunt in disguise. Your plan was not to get our honest opinions, but to make us aware of a new gadget you are building. Sorry again if this is inappropriate, but again, these are my personal feelings about this - and I will no longer post in your thread.

[earthman]

As for the brightness, vials in this size can be seen in the night
very good and also in the twilight its still bright enough. I will take
some pics, when the lantern is finished.

Yes, please do post plenty of pictures, we can all then make up our own minds about how much light it actually puts out.

[FGYT]

I do not really understand your calculation. It does not matter from which point you
have a look at the lantern, you will see at least 12holes...

This is the sideview...do you see only 6 holes, no at least 12

yes

i see 6 holes straight on so ok but they are 2mm holes and hte trit is only 3mm wide ( actually smaller as the glass has a thickness which wont glow)

the ribs look to cover the 0.5mm per side but yes i can see the other side of the next row of 2mm holes unless your mirror polishing the sides of the holes light bounced of this surface will be minimal

you have a 3d model spin it round to look face on see how much blue is visible square on

I would do it but havet the time to redraw it for you on my CAD




BTW Fared used to do these on here they where £50 ea but made them himself in small numbers with i think bigger trits are yours Gardener Max ones




ATB

Duncan

[toby_pra]

but again, these are my personal feelings about this - and I will no longer post in your thread.

Its up to you not to post here anymore. I am thankful for any opinion, as long as it is one.

This

The meaning or purpose of a lantern (of any kind !!) should primarily be to shed light, as much light as technically feasible

is not an opinion to me but the more a blanket statement.

It is not only a purpose to shed light imo, i also NEED to consider a good protection for the vial!
I am selling these, and i dont want a buyer gettin back to me, with a broken vial after some
time of use. That also has to be cosidered, a sitified buyer and the best compromiss between
protection and light.