Cree light kit for DIY

[WillemT]

Also got some alluminium tubing and plate to make the housing from.

[Speedi]

have you decided on a price yet willem?

[Speedi]

for the cree kit, that is

[WillemT]

I'll have to finish mine first and get the price of the machined housing. Also still need a bracket that I can order from somewhere.

[WillemT]

My plan was initially to build a 700 lumen light but i'm thinking of making a single Q5 LED light aswell. You'll be able to make it very small and light, get good battery life and still get up to 230 lumens of light.

A friend of mine bought a light for R2200 and it only gives 140 lumens.

[mountain_lion]

 

Well I got my components in the mail so i'll start with the housing over the weekend and see when I can pick up the package from the post office.

Also found another two distributors for Cree components.

 

Will post some pics once I have the light finished.

 

Where did you order what from?

 

 

[WillemT]

I ordered  it from a place in Australia. www.cutter.com.au They're more expensive than the other possible suppliers but not too bad and they do have good customer service. They also have some very nice drivers that I want to test!! Postage and tax are a lot!! The components itself isn't that exspensive as I thought it would be!! The best postage option runs at around $50 for my order. almost as much as the order itself!!! cheaper options is available though. It just take time!!!!

 

[WillemT]

I waited more than 2 weeks for the package and still have to go collect it in cape town, very absurd!!, don't know why they couldn't send it to Stellenbosch!! Don't know exactly what the tax would be but I guess it will be quite a few bucks from past import experience.

[WillemT]

ML do you live in stb?

[Dirty Twin]

So have you managed to work out the cost of the kit?

[WillemT]

Hopefully i'll have it done by next saturday or so, have to go to capetown to get some prices on aluminium and a few other parts, writing exam tom and work during the week. Wil keep you posted as I make progress with the building of the light ect.

[mountain_lion]

Yes, I am in Stellenbosch.

 

I am also considering getting some stuff from Cutter. If I had known you were ordering from them, we could have shared shipping costs.

Not sure if I should get one of their kits or only some drivers and lenses.

I have some Cree XR-E Q5s on order from Kaidomain. Will have to see how long it takes to get here. They are cheaper than Cutter, but customer service is not great, info on their website is incomplete and they don't stock the better drivers which Cutter has.

 

 

[WillemT]

Well I chose cutter because I felt sure that I was going to get the right stuff. Found another supplier in the USA that's very cheap and looks reliable but you have to send your order via e-mail or phone and do a bank transfer but if going to order a lot of stuff it will defenitly be from them, i thinnk... I got two types of lenses to experiment first. Postage goes up the more stuff you order so you it doesn't really matter, tried it and asked them... What did you pay for your Q5's if I may ask?

 

The cutter website impressed me cause it's very well organised and complete.

[WillemT]

I'll let you know when I get my components of you want to have a look at the lenses...

night tider2008-06-20 15:29:26

[WillemT]

looked at the site, doesn't look bad, the only thing that I don't like is the lack of tech specs. How do you know what bin Q5 you get and stuff like that, very incomplete but cheaper yes, not cheapest... hehe

 

found a possible supplier in SA but they do not work over the internet at all. Will maybe try them out some time. The optics they have is a little bigger though. the thing about importing is that you wait a long time and you spend quite a bit of money on shipping and import taxes!!

[mountain_lion]

I ordered 5 Cree Q5 WC stars from kaidomain.  http://kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4760

I took the free shipping option. Will have to see how long it takes. Website say it has been shipped. Hope I recieve it OK; still has to go through the SA customs and postal service etc...

 

I did not order lenses from them since they only have the Quad lens that is specified to be Cree compatible.

 

An SA supplier sounds good.

Let me know when you have your stuff from Cutter. Would like to see.