# Sticky  The Ultimate Home-Made swirl spotting torch



## Nanoman

Last updated 15.5.2012
First of all if you don't know what the SunGun is click here . It's (until now) the best swirl-spotter money can buy. Roughly £400 to buy. £50 for a new bulb. £70 for a spare battery.

The good news is that there's no patent for the SunGun only the light source. You can buy the light source for a few pounds. This means you can make your own SunGun with identical light output for swirl spotting very cheaply.

The Solux bulb I bought for £8.95 + P&P is the one mentioned in the 3M patent for the SunGun! Edit: the bulb is nearer £20 but still worth it.

Check out patent number 5418419 (just type it into google) for the bulb and click here for the SunGun patent application. http://www.google.com/patents/downl...light_assembly.pdf?id=X5WcAAAAEBAJ&output=pdf

Check out page 7, 2nd paragraph of 'Detailed Description of the Invention'.

Second of all thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge in this thread...

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=202530

I took the basic idea and developed it with the ultimate aim of dropping the voltage down to safer levels, battery/external power from home/car, being as cheap as possible. This can be made by anyone who can wire a plug with basic tools. **Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle** I have left my guide below but to be honest all you need is the guide Bero made.

In my opinion this is what DW is all about - sharing ideas and helping each other.

Zero helpfully made a fantastic build guide which is below. I have taken this a step further with some ideas I had for external power sources. My latest design can go toe-to-toe with the SunGun and win under any circumstances. *Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle*

Estimated build cost is £18 for Zero's version or £26 (edit: now near £40 due to bulb price increases) with a colour-corrected bulb with the same characteristics as the real SunGun.

My version costs roughly £45. It could be a bit more or less depending what you've got rattling around in the back of the garage/cupboards.

Here's a teaser for you guys while I type this guide up. It might not be complete tonight so please be patient.

*Spec (My Design)*
Power
14.4v on-board battery
12v from car via lighter socket
12v direct from a 12v external battery
12v from mains using transformer
Switchable between internal/external power for safety
*Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle*

Bulb
12v
4700k
35w
35 deg
99% CRI
[^Same as SunGun]
MR16 GU5.3 connector

Other
Variable brightness using trigger switch
Carry Case

Notes
If you make one please test it before using it and I'd highly recommend not putting in a locking 'on' switch. I've kept mine of for more than 12 mins at full power and there was no sign of heat damage/melting. It's unlikely you'll have it on for longer than 30-60 seconds in practice.

Teaser pic:








Note internal/external power switch on the back and DC-in connector on the top. It's difficult to see on this pic but you'll see below that the big cable connects to any of the 3 connectors using a quick-release connector.
**Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle**








There's even room for a spare bulb.








Note internal/external power switch on the back and DC-in connector on the top.

Here it is working off battery power to prove it's real.









There are lots of different possibilities with this but hopefully between Zero and I you will have enough information to make one of these yourself.

Feel free to share pictures of your own and specs in this thread to help others and show off your work.

Let's start off with Zero's helpful guide based on the 12v £9.99 drill from B&Q.



ZERO said:


> ZERO's "SolarGun" DIY
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> Firstly I would like to say thank you to Angajatul, Grantwils, Nath69uk and everyone else in this thread for all their input (Apart from Mr.Cooper....no soup for you ).
> 3M - I have no personal vendetta against you, I just don't like feeling ripped off. In other words, please don't kill me....:thumb: *pew pew
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> DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any damage that may be caused to you, your property or your collection of white snake posters by following this DIY; you do this at your own risk.
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> Anyway, lets cut to the chase.
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> On arriving at the drill section in B&Q I was presented with many options, however there was only one logical choice for the job.
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> You can buy either, it really just depends on how fancy you want your paper weight to be. (An internet high five to the person who can think of a detailing use for it )
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> Included with the drill is charger, battery and screwdriver bit.
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> The tools required are
> A Philips head screwdriver (I had a box of precision flatheads nearby so I made do)
> A fine nose pliers (a snips and a crimper would have been better, but again, it was nearby)
> superglue (... nearby but hot glue would have been better)
> and a file eek: I had to leave the room to get this; stress of life :lol
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> The bounty within includes a trigger switch, a battery connector, a DC motor, 8 philips head screws and the soul of a deceased Japanese shogun warrior (Your poltergeist may vary).
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> The bulb was then pushed into it's holder and then using the forward/reverse slider which is no longer needed, I propped the bulb up against the end wall.
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> It was then glued as per where the arrows indicate.
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> So that's everything; a DIY "SolarGun" for the low low price of €27.60. While it may lack a feature or two of the 3M Sun Gun, for 5% of the price it does 90% of the job.
> I hope that these photos and accompanying DIY have in some very small way paid back to the community for all the information and help I have gathered from it since joining the board :thumb:
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> Happy Modding,
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> Paul.


I'll add my guide below. Just need to get the pics sized up and remember the steps I did it in.

Suppliers

B&Q - donor drill, bulb holder, 12v transformer, cable
Maplin - DC-in connectors, quick release connectors, alligator clips for car battery
*Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle*
Svenlight - Colour-corrected bulb

Here's pretty much all the components you'll need if you want the same things mine has.








You don't have to have it all. You can pick and choose the features you want. You might only need one option for external power instead of all 3 options etc.

The key things are:
Donor drill
Wire/cable
Bulb holder
Bulb
Something to hold bulb in place with
Connectors (You can choose from crimps, blocks, solder, tape, etc)

For external power you'll need a power cable & your chosen connection method e.g. transformer, cig lighter, car battery. 
*Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle*

I have a hot glue gun and soldering iron in there which come in handy but aren't necessary.

Here's some of the extra components in detail.








Top right in the Solux box we have the colour corrected bulb.
Below that we have 4 battery type connectors (3 female & 1 male). These will be used to quick-connect the 12v mains transformer, car battery or cig lighter connection to the power cable. If you only want one external power option you don't need these bits. Likewise you can use another connector of your choice.
To the left of these I have car cig lighter plug.
Below the cig lighter we have heatshrink to keep things professional.
To the right of that we have a mini DPDT toggle switch to switch between internal or external power. Again this is optional but I'd recommend it.
To the right of that we have the male and female DC connectors. Not in my final version I have a different female connector which was more simple to mount. Again there are other ways of making this connection so feel free to make your own mind up.

Let's get started...








The first thing to do is unscrew the cover and pull it apart to see inside.

This is what you get...








The first thing to do is cut the red and the black wire which connects to the drill motor. Cut it as close to the motor as you can. I used pliers.

You're left with this.









At this point all you need to do is connect the bulb using crimps (as per Zero above) or solder. I used crimps to begin with as my soldering iron was kaput. You don't need to solder them but tbh buying a solder iron and some solder is as cheap as buying crimps and crimping tool. It's a bit more professional.
Hey presto!








You can check it works but putting the clip over the battery (make sure it's charged) and pulling the trigger.

If you don't want to add external power just jam the bulb in using whatever you have to hand (I used a hot glue gun) you're off! Congratulations. Remember you might have to change the bulb at some stage so try and keep it flexible so you don't have to get your glue out again. It shouldn't need changed often (if at all) but it's worth bearing in mind.
**Edit: Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle**
**That's it done! Don't bother with any of the below**

Here's an internal pic of how the bulb sits.









*Switch & External power connection instructions to be added here*
You should end up with something like this once all your soldering is done (I know I've got some crimps in there still, it'll be sorted.








It's not the best pic but coming down from the top is the power cable with the DC in jack. You can see the toggle switch is connected to the internal battery contacts, the DC jack with power going to the main trigger switch.
Slightly clearer here. You can also see how I have glued the bulb holder in place with a piece of aluminium I had lying around.









Next you need to drill the holes to take the toggle switch and DC jack.
Check your fitmet inside the drill to make sure they'll fit in where you want them and that you can run the cables within the housing. Mark the outside of the drill so you know where to put the hole. Screw the casing back together then drill each hole. I think it's 8mm or 6mm but it tells you on the pack. Be careful not to slip here and go gently. 









Once the holes are drilled and connections made it's just a case of fitting the switch & DC jack to the hole. You might need to do some very minor trimming for a good fit. I just used a craft knife. Here's a pic of mine before I tidy up the connections and shorten the wires etc.









You can see my 3 external connections here. The mains transformer came with the B&Q bulb holder for £8 - you just need to connect the plug & cable. I used an old power chord I had in the loft and just cut the end off it. It took two minutes.









Edit: Had some issues with the bulb running off the transformer but it works fine off the car battery. Never actually used the external power source so I probably wouldn't bother next time. Left instructions up just in case anyone wants to know how to do it.

Finally tested the normal B&Q halogen bulb in a home-made version alongside the Solux bulb in the home-made version. What a difference! Here's some pics of the Solux bulb in action...














































If any traders want to know where to import the bulbs from PM me. For single purchases I recommend searching for Svenlight. Just make sure it's the Solux one with the same qualities as detailed above i.e. 36 degree, 35 watt, 12v, 99CRI (all solux bulbs have 99CRI).


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## TheGav

WOW...
Im going to make one now..cheers for the idea


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## Hair Bear

Fair play mate, that is excellent :thumb:


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## PJM

would it not be easier to modify a cordless torch?


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## Gaz_Ek4

You made a torch?


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## Nanoman

PJM said:


> would it not be easier to modify a cordless torch?


You can modify a plank of wood to do this - seriously. Most torches aren't 12v-14v and don't have the variable brightness. It's up to you so to answer your question 'it might be depending on the torch'.



Gaz_Ek4 said:


> You made a torch?


Yes. Feel free to spend £400 on the branded one which doesn't have as many features ;-)


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## Andrew M

Love it !!!!!!

Thanks for working this out and posting it. 

This is def on my "jobs to do" list.

Andy


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## HornetSting

Thats brilliant, I would throw someone some money to do this for me, I wouldnt really have the confidence to do this. Brilliant idea, fair play to you, very impressed.


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## Eric the Red

Why not have a look at this on amazon US

Brinkmann 800-2280-0 Tuff Max LED Spotlight


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## stewartmak7

Nice one mate ! Loved the prototype when I saw it yesterday ! Definatley gave me the confidence now to go and do it ! Thanks mate


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## Nanoman

Eric the Red said:


> Why not have a look at this on amazon US
> 
> Brinkmann 800-2280-0 Tuff Max LED Spotlight


Just to clarify... The key thing about this and the SunGun is the light output. Unless it's the same as I have mentioned above it's not the same as the SunGun. LED won't give you the same output as the SunGun.

I'm not trying to make a random swirl-spotter here. I'm making something with the same output as the SunGun which is recognised by the detailing community including amatures and pros alike as the best device for checking your work.


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## CraigQQ

saw the prototype yesterday and it really is amazing. deffinately gonna make one myself grant.

thanks for showing us it yesterday and the guide :thumb:


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## Jordan

Grant, how's the backspacing from the light to the rear of the case?

enough to get a little fan in there so amiller wont have a leg to stand on? :lol:

fantastic work mate, can you PM me where you got the light from?


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## Leemack

Nice work mate.


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## Martin_HDI

Very impressive, I'd also liked to know where you got the bulb 

Cheers!


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## Guest

Very interesting.


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## terrymcg

Martin_HDI said:


> Very impressive, I'd also liked to know where you got the bulb
> 
> Cheers!


Does nobody ever read threads! It clearly states at the bottom the bulb was supplied by Svenlight!


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## Spoony

Brilliant work grant.

Jordan, why do you want a fan? It don't matter if the sun gun has one but for nearly 10% of the price grant has made a cracker! I would never in a million years have bought a sun gun, especially given the price. But this I'd buy/make?


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## Buck

Top work - I've been following the other thread and it is amazing how something so simple has come to this - spot on


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## ZERO

Thanks for posting this up Grant, saves me the effort of having to create a separate thread of my own 

The 14.4v light is now very tempting...


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## Martin_HDI

terrymcg said:


> Does nobody ever read threads! It clearly states at the bottom the bulb was supplied by Svenlight!


aye aye, see it now - kinda skipped past that bit after seeing the guide...


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## R0B

Excellent work fella :thumb:


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## dwmc

gotta funny feeling B&Q are gunna be sold out of 12v corsdless drills soon :thumb:


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## -damon-

im going to make one tomoz,cheers for that


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## Mirror Finish Details

I used it in anger today and what a difference it made compared to small LED torches.

Mine only has the B&Q bulb at the moment, but even not colour corrected showed up everything I needed. Now to order the correct bulb.

At last I could leave the halogens at home.

No pics I'm afraid as I was at a main dealers and was politly asked not to use my camera.


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## dwmc

only problem i got is finding out who borrowed my cordless drill :lol:


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## *MAGIC*

Well if my sun gun ever dies I know who I will be PMing :lol: :thumb:


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## Tweak

On the Svenlight website, there's an option for 35w and 50w. I know its wattage, but what difference does it make? Lol I'm thick =[
Would the 50w work better?

Oh, and muchas gracias amigo, awesome thread :thumb:


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## HornetSting

Can someone make me one please? :argie:


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## Nanoman

HornetSting said:


> Thats brilliant, I would throw someone some money to do this for me, I wouldnt really have the confidence to do this. Brilliant idea, fair play to you, very impressed.


It really is easy. It's about as complicated as wiring a plug. They teach 8 year olds to do this kind of stuff in schools.



Jordan said:


> Grant, how's the backspacing from the light to the rear of the case?
> 
> enough to get a little fan in there so amiller wont have a leg to stand on? :lol:
> 
> fantastic work mate, can you PM me where you got the light from?


I've added more pics which should show you the space - still got more to add. There's room for a litte fan but not really req'd.



Spoony said:


> Brilliant work grant.
> 
> Jordan, why do you want a fan? It don't matter if the sun gun has one but for nearly 10% of the price grant has made a cracker! I would never in a million years have bought a sun gun, especially given the price. But this I'd buy/make?


I think the fan is just to **** Amiller off! ;-)



Tweak said:


> On the Svenlight website, there's an option for 35w and 50w. I know its wattage, but what difference does it make? Lol I'm thick =[
> Would the 50w work better?
> 
> Oh, and muchas gracias amigo, awesome thread :thumb:


I've decided to use a bulb with identical characteristics as the SunGun - I assume it's so expensive because they spent so much time testing different bulbs. I'm pretty sure a pack of MR16 bulbs from poundland are fine to be honest but I originally set out to make something to match the SunGun. I wasn't sure if it was possible but I think this beats it to be honest. If 3M start making one with external power options I'd buy it (if it was about £80 - £100).

The SunGun bulb is 35w.


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## gleaming

^^^^ as above please cash a waiting :thumb:


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## HornetSting

grantwils said:


> It really is easy. It's about as complicated as wiring a plug. They teach 8 year olds to do this kind of stuff in schools.


Thats me knackered then. Anyone do a proper PDF write up or something with step by step destructions?! I would maybe try it, but Im not very confident with electrical stuff.


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## dwmc

HornetSting said:


> Thats me knackered then. Anyone do a proper PDF write up or something with step by step destructions?! I would maybe try it, but Im not very confident with electrical stuff.


follow instruction in 1st post . looks a peice of **** to do . basicly removing motor and replacing it with light . can`t do any damage on a 12v drill :thumb:

i know i`ll be doing this soon


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## Nanoman

HornetSting said:


> Thats me knackered then. Anyone do a proper PDF write up or something with step by step destructions?! I would maybe try it, but Im not very confident with electrical stuff.


It's only £18 to get it working. Try it with battery only first.
Step 1 - unscrew 8 screws.
Step 2 - cut black wire.
Step 3 - cut red wire.
Step 4 - connect blue wire to black wire.
Step 5 - connect red wire to brown wire.
Step 6 - glue bulb holder in.
Step 7 - put 8 screws back in.
Step 8 - Light it up!

I'm sure once you've done that you'll feel like trying the other bits. You don't have to do it all at once - just add the extra features as you need them.

FYI if it's only running off the battery you couldn't electrocute yourself if you tried!

Seriously if you can wire a plug you can do this.


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## mr cooper

*MAGIC* said:


> Well if my sun gun ever dies I know who I will be PMing :lol: :thumb:


Don't think you'll be needing one anytime soon. The 3M sun gun is extremely well made and has been tried and tested by many professionals. There is only one originator:thumb:


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## paranoid73

Well done Grant :thumb:, I'm going to get my stuff at the weekend and try and machine up a bulb holder then I may be able to run a few off.


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## The Cueball

Looks like a great idea, well done for getting this all set up...

Always trolls though...they just can't shut the  up.... 



:thumb:


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## gally

Grant just out of curiosity how long would the battery hold up on it's own?

I'm lucky enough to have constant access to a Sungun but I could rattle one together and save me taking an expensive Sungun home.


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## wookey

grantwils said:


> Bulb
> 12v
> 4700k
> 35w
> 35 deg
> 99% CRI
> [^Same as SunGun]
> MR16 GU5.3 connector


Apologies if I'm being blind, but I can only find 35w 4700K 36deg bulbs on the Svenlight website. Are these the correct ones?

Thanks for the write up and effort in putting all this together :thumb:


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## James0911

I'm definitely going to he trying this when funds / SWMBO allow it... Really cant justify £300 for a torch lol, that really would be the final straw lol


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## Pezza4u

What a fantastic guide, going to try this...thanks for sharing :thumb:


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## Nanoman

mr cooper said:


> Don't think you'll be needing one anytime soon. The 3M sun gun is extremely well made and has been tried and tested by many professionals. There is only one originator:thumb:


You can't let it go can you Mr Cooper. With all due respect can you refrain from posting in this thread if you're just going to tell us how good the SunGun is? We all know how good the SunGun is - for £400 it better be brilliant. I'm just pointing out that there is a far cheaper alternative that can be just as good for far less cost. I'm also showing people (with help from other members) how to make it. I think I've also pointed out a few things 3M could do to improve their version.

If you would like to put one of these to the test against a SunGun I'm more than happy to accommodate. FYI I'm working on getting this made to comply with all regulations. If it goes ahead (cost V's benefit/risk) what will your thoughts be? Are you a badge snob? If so I'll happily give you the pleasure of naming it so you can have your very own badge on there!



gally said:


> Grant just out of curiosity how long would the battery hold up on it's own?
> 
> I'm lucky enough to have constant access to a Sungun but I could rattle one together and save me taking an expensive Sungun home.


As above I've ran mine for 12 minutes before I got bored and turned it off - I don't know how long it would have gone on for. I was surprised to be honest. A couple of guys have done 2-3 cars without charging so far.



wookey said:


> Apologies if I'm being blind, but I can only find 35w 4700K 36deg bulbs on the Svenlight website. Are these the correct ones?
> 
> Thanks for the write up and effort in putting all this together :thumb:


Here's the bulb I recommend if you want to go for colour-corrected bulb.


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## CraigQQ

grant, call it "Grant's much better alternative to the sun gun" :lol:
not quite as catchy as sun gun, but conveys the message..

USC? ultimate swirl checker? :lol:


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## mopardave

*diy sun gun*

Grant.........absolutely top effort mate! I can't believe people are knocking your efforts here! I would like to thank you for taking the time and trouble to share it with us.........I think even a total spanner like me could manage this (well, the battery only version!) thanks to your guidance!

Keep up the good work mate........ah, making stuff.......that's what us Brits do best!:wave:



grantwils said:


> You can't let it go can you Mr Cooper. With all due respect can you refrain from posting in this thread if you're just going to tell us how good the SunGun is? We all know how good the SunGun is - for £400 it better be brilliant. I'm just pointing out that there is a far cheaper alternative that can be just as good for far less cost. I'm also showing people (with help from other members) how to make it. I think I've also pointed out a few things 3M could do to improve their version.
> 
> If you would like to put one of these to the test against a SunGun I'm more than happy to accommodate. FYI I'm working on getting this made to comply with all regulations. If it goes ahead (cost V's benefit/risk) what will your thoughts be? Are you a badge snob? If so I'll happily give you the pleasure of naming it so you can have your very own badge on there!
> 
> As above I've ran mine for 12 minutes before I got bored and turned it off - I don't know how long it would have gone on for. I was surprised to be honest. A couple of guys have done 2-3 cars without charging so far.
> 
> Here's the bulb I recommend if you want to go for colour-corrected bulb.


----------



## Steve valentine

I'm still confused as to how the 3m version is 400 quid?

Case - battery - charger - bulb and holder - 400 quid?

As has been said, badge snobbery, the home made version looks very professional.

I did have initial concerns about heat from the bulb causing distortion to the case but it seems with a test run time of 12 minutes it works well.

But, me being anal on these things, if I were to make one, I would fit a small PC case fan in there.

Well done to the inventors


----------



## dooka

Nice write up Grant ..

Anyone interested in sorting a group buy on bulbs..


----------



## HornetSting

paranoid73 said:


> Well done Grant :thumb:, I'm going to get my stuff at the weekend and try and machine up a bulb holder *then I may be able to run a few off*.


That mean for a nominal charge you will get some made for the lads? :thumb:


----------



## PaulN

This is Great.... Very very impressive and theres plenty of room in the market for a top end and budget light gun to keep everyone happy. 

Id happily pay good money for the DIY version to be fair.

Cheers

PaulN


----------



## chillihound

Made mine last week from a new Dewalt and it's the dogs danglies, not gonna bother with the external power source stuff as I have 2 batteries but I have included a push button switch so I can use the trigger or as hands free.


----------



## amiller

I might as well pipe in hear with my thoughts on this. :wave:

I bought my 3M Sun Gun as it is the best light for highlighting paint defects. To that end, there is no still better light source for spotting this defects. :speechles

However, this new device (with the correct bulb) is just as good at defect spotting. Not better, not worse; it is exactly the same as it uses the same bulb at the same voltage. The only differences are the 3M branding and the £380 price difference. When compared side by side (and I used both individually on Sunday) there was NO difference at all. I do personally think there was a substantial difference between the ‘correct’ £8 bulb and the standard build that was originally used, so well worth upgrading. :thumb:

Personally, I wouldn’t use the 12v adaptor or the 240v adaptor, as the battery whilst only lasting an hour or so is plenty for me. 

Hope that comes across as an honest review/comparison. :thumb:


----------



## PJM

grantwils said:


> You can modify a plank of wood to do this - seriously. Most torches aren't 12v-14v and don't have the variable brightness. It's up to you so to answer your question 'it might be depending on the torch'.


Sorry I meant one like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Makita-ML180-...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a63b02ce0


----------



## Millz

amiller said:


> I do personally think there was a substantial difference between the 'correct' £8 bulb and the standard build that was originally used, so well worth upgrading. :thumb:


That's good to know. Think i'll order the 'correct' bulb for mine now. Cheers


----------



## chillihound

I think Mr Cooper is either a worried 3M employee or major upset that he spent £400+ on £30 quids worth of gear.

Our Solar Gun is as good as a Sun Gun no question.


----------



## dominic84

Excellent thread, I love stuff like this :thumb:



> *I'm still confused as to how the 3m version is 400 quid?*
> 
> Case - battery - charger - bulb and holder - 400 quid?
> 
> As has been said, badge snobbery, the home made version looks very professional.


You're just paying for the brand imo - the same as a 'Snap On' branded Karcher puzzi carpet cleaner costs a lot more than the same Karcher branded one... same machine, different brands.


----------



## Nanoman

Group buy on bulbs is being looked into. 
Also looking at a group buy on home made SunGun's but there's a whole heap of litigation avoidance to go through first. Watch this space...


----------



## alan hanson

is ity worrying that at 27 i cant wait to do this, it slike going to toys r us and getting a lego set all over again.

qucik question the white bulb connection/holder can these be bought seperate? just guessing i need this bit if i were to buy the bulb sperate rather than the spot light housing kit from b&q?


----------



## Guest

Finally got a chance to read both threads thoroughly. I'd just like to thank Angajatul for coming up with the original idea and Nath69uk and Grantwils for enhancing it. I think this is a great bit of inventive DIY and something I will definately be making. A Solar Gun is born :thumb:.


----------



## eddiel34

I have an 18V cordless drill. Is this going to be a problem?


----------



## Nanoman

PJM said:


> Sorry I meant one like this:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Makita-ML180-...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a63b02ce0


It's currently nearly £10 on ebay inc postage with no battery or charger and still needs customised..? I'm not sure why you would bother...



eddiel34 said:


> I have an 18V cordless drill. Is this going to be a problem?


I'm not qualified to advise but if it was me i'd give it a go. Bulb might blow on full power. It's 50% more than it's designed to handle. You can quickly try it by connecting a bulb directly to the battery terminals without having to modify the drill in any way. Let us know how you get on - take sensible precautions.


----------



## Steve valentine

grantwils said:


> It's currently nearly £10 on ebay inc postage with no battery or charger and still needs customised..? I'm not sure why you would bother...
> 
> I'm not qualified to advise but if it was me i'd give it a go. Bulb might blow on full power. It's 50% more than it's designed to handle. You can quickly try it by connecting a bulb directly to the battery terminals without having to modify the drill in any way. Let us know how you get on - take sensible precautions.


Just been to the garage, 18v battery and 12v bulb (only had 20w to hand)

Result - very bright bulb, not sure on the longevity of the bulb but it lasted a good couple of minutes before I got bored, tried a quick succession of on/off/on/off and it still didn't blow.

So, it would work, but, it may get a little hotter, after all, you're putting 50% more voltage through it.

I do these experiments, so you don't have to


----------



## Spuj

Steve valentine said:


> I do these experiments, so you don't have to


I'm sure Brainiacs has copyrights on that line :lol:


----------



## chillihound

Phisp said:


> Finally got a chance to read both threads thoroughly. I'd just like to thank Angajatul for coming up with the original idea and Nath69uk and Grantwils for enhancing it. I think this is a great bit of inventive DIY and something I will definately be making. A Solar Gun is born :thumb:.


I also would like to thank Angajatul for coming up with the original idea and Nath69uk and Grantwils for enhancing it as well as those that offered side by side comparison opinions with the sun gun. I'd also like to thank all that posted ideas - this really has developed into a community project. I'm chuffed to bits that my Solar Gun moniker has been picked up on, it seems a few are now refering to the project as Solar Gun.

Enjoy all the benefits of Sun Gun without the obscene expense 

Gonna be posting mine as soon as I have perfected my bulb holder.


----------



## thejagtech

alan hanson said:


> is ity worrying that at 27 i cant wait to do this, it slike going to toys r us and getting a lego set all over again.
> 
> qucik question the white bulb connection/holder can these be bought seperate? just guessing i need this bit if i were to buy the bulb sperate rather than the spot light housing kit from b&q?


Yes you can see here!:
http://www.onlinelighting.co.uk/sho...e&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=onlinelighting


----------



## Steve valentine

lamp holders;

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_...kw=mr16+lamp+holder&_sacat=See-All-Categories


----------



## tom-225

I made mine last night must say its great. Wil try and get some pics up tonight if any one wants one give me a shout im more than happy to knock a couple up.


----------



## Nanoman

tom-225 said:


> I made mine last night must say its great. Wil try and get some pics up tonight if any one wants one give me a shout im more than happy to knock a couple up.


Mods are (rightfully) not willing to allow these home-made devices to be traded on the forums at this point in time.


----------



## chillihound

thejagtech said:


> Yes you can see here!:
> http://www.onlinelighting.co.uk/sho...e&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=onlinelighting


They can be bought separately but are more expensive than buying with a bulb in B&Q, on their own the lamp holder is about £7 - with a bulb but no transformer about £3.50.


----------



## ceepee777

Just finished completing mine, works an absolute treat.

Top guide guys!!


----------



## chillihound

Can't post my howto, my Macbook Pro just gone in for a warranty repair  but it gives me some detailing time


----------



## alan hanson

coolio, anyone going to customise the casing? think of what to do it


----------



## [email protected]

http://www.svenlight.co.uk/index.php?cPath=24_27&osCsid=e969f626318bcc0d5df531bd84d2a3d3

which one of these bulbs is it?? im no bulb expert


----------



## Elliott19864

Great topic, will be doing this no doubt in the future.


----------



## Scott Harris

4pm Read Post

4.45pm Trip to B&Q

5.15pm Proud owner of a SOLAR Gun 

Thankyou OP Brilliant Post :thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

jonto said:


> http://www.svenlight.co.uk/index.php?cPath=24_27&osCsid=e969f626318bcc0d5df531bd84d2a3d3
> 
> which one of these bulbs is it?? im no bulb expert


http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=24_26&products_id=44

See link or just look for the one with the spec as per my post. CRI is always 99% with Solux.



Scott Harris said:


> 4pm Read Post
> 
> 4.45pm Trip to B&Q
> 
> 5.15pm Proud owner of a SOLAR Gun
> 
> Thankyou OP Brilliant Post :thumb:


That's what it's all about! Thanks for sharing!


----------



## ZERO

Great work Grant, although I can't help but feel a little bit cheated out of all the thanks i'm not getting for my work :wall::lol:

Saying that, your guide has gone above and beyond that explained in mine and I'm really quite tempted to build a 14.4v light now. I look forward to seeing the comparison shots between the three (12v, 14.4v and the sungun)


----------



## amiller

^^ :lol:


----------



## JJ_

Grant what are those plastic terminal connectors called? I need me some lol.


----------



## CraigQQ

nice to see andrew admit it was as good as his sun gun on sunday :lol:

gonna build one at the weekend i think.. or maybe next week if i dont get time this weekend.


----------



## Davemm

The plastic conectors I've always known as tamiya battery conectors. They aren't the best with high load but that shouldn't be to much of a problem.


----------



## Nanoman

ZERO said:


> Great work Grant, although I can't help but feel a little bit cheated out of all the thanks i'm not getting for my work :wall::lol:
> 
> Saying that, your guide has gone above and beyond that explained in mine and I'm really quite tempted to build a 14.4v light now. I like forward to seeing the comparison shots between the three (12v, 14.4v and the sungun)


Ha ha. Never thought about that. Thought it was best to have it all in one thread.



JJ_ said:


> Grant what are those plastic terminal connectors called? I need me some lol.


The red ones I call crimp connectors, the white ones with red & black cables are just battery connectors from Maplin.



Davemm said:


> The plastic conectors I've always known as tamiya battery conectors. They aren't the best with high load but that shouldn't be to much of a problem.


Yeah, They're fine for this application.


----------



## stewartmak7

Well that's me made mine today , the cheaper one not your great effort ! Took me half an hour and all I need to do now is wait on my colour corrected bulb from my local electrical wholesalers , my mates the manager. 
Thanks for putting the write up on.


----------



## CraigQQ

im also making the battery only version.. for now thats enough for me! 

great idea and thanks to everyone involved including your zero :lol:
a special thanks to grant as i wasnt even thinking of attempting this after seeing the other thread until the CG open day when he showed us his.


----------



## ZERO

grantwils said:


> Ha ha. Never thought about that. Thought it was best to have it all in one thread.


Haha, no problem mate. Youre right though, its best to have them both together so that they don't disappear into the depths of the forum.

Helping to stop the 3M rip off is as much thanks as I desire


----------



## MellowYellow

Awesome thread! Been following the other thread since it started. Ordered 5 gu5.3 lampholders today and just finding out if any mates want one so i can order multiple bulbs and save on the postage, then i shall crack on with mine. Not decided what drill case to use yet!

Gav


----------



## tom-225

Cant put mine down, by e way guys b&q do a gu5.2 holder and bulb for £3.50 that doesnt come witha facia or a transformer thatis what i have used, my total cost came to £13.50 so really cant complain.


----------



## alan hanson

its the bulb im waiting on seeing if the group buy comes good as the bulb costs more than the drill at the mo.


----------



## Martin_HDI

Anyone had any trouble with the battery going back into the drill?

I think i've c*cked mine up...


----------



## Nanoman

Martin_HDI said:


> Anyone had any trouble with the battery going back into the drill?
> 
> I think i've c*cked mine up...


Post pics & description of problem and I'll try to help. It looks like you're nearby so I'm happy to help if req'd.


----------



## Martin_HDI

grantwils said:


> Post pics & description of problem and I'll try to help. It looks like you're nearby so I'm happy to help if req'd.


Cheers, just noticed what it is - i had the battery terminal bits that clip onto the battery inside the drill were too far down so it wasn't letting the battery go fully in sorted it now... hopefully this works... doubt it though :lol:

so far i've got a few screws holding it in incase it doesn't work 

edit:

like my cavalier, it's held together by tape LOL

Edit again:

Can the bulbs go into the wee holder the wrong way? if they can I've probably done it... ahaha


----------



## Tim186

I love threads like this i have been looking for a light like this for ages. Was thinking of actually getting this drill from screw fix as it comes with two batteries and and the charge time is 3 hours as opposed to 5 plus its only an extra fiver over the other one.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/69670/Power-Tools/Cordless-Drills/Direct-Power-CDT05144-14-4V-Drill-Driver

As the drill is a 14.4v will i need to use a transformer or will the bulb allow for 14.4 of power?


----------



## Nanoman

Tim186 said:


> I love threads like this i have been looking for a light like this for ages. Was thinking of actually getting this drill from screw fix as it comes with two batteries and and the charge time is 3 hours as opposed to 5 plus its only an extra fiver over the other one.
> 
> http://www.screwfix.com/prods/69670/Power-Tools/Cordless-Drills/Direct-Power-CDT05144-14-4V-Drill-Driver
> 
> As the drill is a 14.4v will i need to use a transformer or will the bulb allow for 14.4 of power?


Looks like you're onto something there. The bulb will function at 14.4v. That looks ideal to be honest. 2 batteries would minimise the need for external power and it comes will a carry-case. I would go for it if I were you let us know how you get on with it!


----------



## Steve valentine

Tim186 said:


> I love threads like this i have been looking for a light like this for ages. Was thinking of actually getting this drill from screw fix as it comes with two batteries and and the charge time is 3 hours as opposed to 5 plus its only an extra fiver over the other one.
> 
> http://www.screwfix.com/prods/69670/Power-Tools/Cordless-Drills/Direct-Power-CDT05144-14-4V-Drill-Driver
> 
> As the drill is a 14.4v will i need to use a transformer or will the bulb allow for 14.4 of power?


the bulb will be fine for 14.4 volt mate


----------



## Tim186

sorted off i go to get one tomorrow then:thumb:


----------



## ianFRST

awesome

im a brand snob, so id have to buy a makita / dewalt cordless drill :lol: :lol:

which would then defeat the object of the cheap sun gun replica


----------



## Martin_HDI

It's official I've managed to  mine up lmao >.>


----------



## Nanoman

****Post updated with patent details explaining why the SunGun is so expensive even though you can buy the identical bulb mentioned in the patent which is the Solux one I linked to***

That should convince the haters out there. It's official... the home made devices for a few quid have the EXACT SAME light output and are therefor exactly matched for swirl/defect finding ability to the £400 3M version!

I rest my case.*

Feel free to comment Mr Cooper. Particularly regarding your comment along the lines of 'nothing is as good as the original SunGun'. :lol:

Edit: LoL>>> just realised that someone has added the tag... 'wtf 3m' to this thread! Brilliant!


----------



## Martin_HDI

Alright, I need a bit of help my bulb won't light up, tried the wires both ways and also the bulb holder with the bulb in it and i've put the wires against the charge + and - 

the bulb works...


----------



## Jordan

I vote for this thread to be stickied!


----------



## Martin_HDI

Jordan said:


> I vote for this thread to be stickied!


I vote for it to be sent to 3M via email :lol:

also stickied


----------



## Nanoman

Martin_HDI said:


> It's official I've managed to  mine up lmao >.>





Martin_HDI said:


> Alright, I need a bit of help my bulb won't light up, tried the wires both ways and also the bulb holder with the bulb in it and i've put the wires against the charge + and -
> 
> the bulb works...


You got pics? Is the battery charged? Have you tried the battery? Just put the bulb in the holder then hold the bare wires against the terminals of the battery.


----------



## Martin_HDI

grantwils said:


> You got pics? Is the battery charged? Have you tried the battery? Just put the bulb in the holder then hold the bare wires against the terminals of the battery.


Battery has been charged, I've also tried putting bulb, hold with blue and brown wires into the charging terminal and get nothing from the bulb... i believe zero in the first one wired the wires wrongly... o.o maybe thats why, cause i copied him LOL

[pic from zero btw not mine]









black to blue 
red to brown?


----------



## superdoug

grantwils said:


> ****Post updated with patent details explaining why the SunGun is so expensive even though you can buy the identical bulb mentioned in the patent which is the Solux one I linked to***
> 
> That should convince the haters out there. It's official... the home made devices for a few quid have the EXACT SAME light output and are therefor exactly matched to the £400 3M version!
> 
> I rest my case.*
> 
> Feel free to comment Mr Cooper. Particularly regarding your comment along the lines of 'nothing is as good as the original SunGun'. :lol:
> 
> Edit: LoL>>> just realised that someone has added the tag... 'wtf 3m' to thisthread! Brilliant!


I'm no lawyer, but as yours doesn't use a fan, has dual power supplies and variable light output trigger; is it not a different device?


----------



## Nanoman

JJ_ said:


> 3m have a lot of money if they take any of this as slander Grant. Just a wee heads up.





> Defamation-also called (for transitory statements), and libel (for written, broadcast, or otherwise published words)-is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government, or nation a negative image. *It is usually a requirement that this claim be false *and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed (the claimant).


I don't think I have said anything that is false or negative. 3M own the patent so can charge as much as they like for the SunGun. The bulb is mentioned in the patent and can be bought by anyone. The output of the bulb is the same according to 3M spec sheet. Making one yourself isn't illegal. Showing others how to make one for their own use isn't illegal.

Thanks for the heads up though - I appreciate your concern.

I was have been looking into getting these made but wanted to make sure I wouldn't be getting myself into any trouble so obviously this won't be happening now. However, anyone making these to sell will be infringing the patent though.



Martin_HDI said:


> Battery has been charged, I've also tried putting bulb, hold with blue and brown wires into the charging terminal and get nothing from the bulb... i believe zero in the first one wired the wires wrongly... o.o maybe thats why, cause i copied him LOL
> 
> [pic from zero btw not mine]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> black to blue
> red to brown?


TBH it doesn't make a difference which colour goes to which in this case.

So if nothing happens when you hold the wires against the battery terminals then it must be either the battery, the bulb holder or the bulb. I would take the bulb out the holder and connect it directly using just the wires i.e. hold the wires on the battery terminals and the metal bits sticking out of the bulb at the same time. You might need a hand with this. If the light comes on it's your bulb holder that's faulty. As I said if you're nearby I can try and help if we can't get it sorted remotely.



superdoug said:


> I'm no lawyer, but as yours doesn't use a fan, has dual power supplies and variable light output trigger; is it not a different device?


I'm afraid I'm not willing to take on 3M and find out.

Edit:

Just read this on BBC news...


> Patent rows between technology firms are nothing new but tend only to be played out among big firms with deep pockets.


----------



## Jordan

Martin_HDI said:


> black to blue
> red to brown?


Other way about?

generally blue is a live feed and brown is a negative


----------



## superdoug

Martin, did the drill work before you took it to bits? Sounds like your battery isn't holding a charge or you've popped the lamp?


----------



## Steve valentine

Martin_HDI said:


> Battery has been charged, I've also tried putting bulb, hold with blue and brown wires into the charging terminal and get nothing from the bulb... i believe zero in the first one wired the wires wrongly... o.o maybe thats why, cause i copied him LOL
> 
> [pic from zero btw not mine]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> black to blue
> red to brown?


little switch for forward/reverse, it's not in the middle is it? needs to be to one side.

Doesn't matter which wire goes to which side of the bulb, they are not pole sensitive.


----------



## Spoony

Right, whats the best one of these to make then Grant? Too many pages and versions here I'm getting awfully confused lol. Can you sling me a PM with some links to parts? Not sure if I'll be able to build it but I will try! Just before this thread grows legs and I can't keep up!


----------



## Martin_HDI

superdoug said:


> Martin, did the drill work before you took it to bits? Sounds like your battery isn't holding a charge or you've popped the lamp?


dunno, wish i tried it LOL.

the bulb defo works but between the holder and going to open terminals on the battery charger, I don't see how it's not working, could the holder be goosed?


----------



## superdoug

Jordan said:


> Other way about?
> 
> generally blue is a live feed and brown is a negative


Jordan I hope you don't wire plugs!


----------



## Martin_HDI

Steve valentine said:


> little switch for forward/reverse, it's not in the middle is it? needs to be to one side.


... I snapped mine... does that still work?


----------



## superdoug

What steve said!


----------



## Jordan

superdoug said:


> Jordan I hope you don't wire plugs!


advice my dads gave me who's spent 25 years in car audio!!!

:lol:


----------



## Steve valentine

Martin_HDI said:


> dunno, wish i tried it LOL.
> 
> the bulb defo works but between the holder and going to open terminals on the battery charger, I don't see how it's not working, could the holder be goosed?


could be the holder, have you got a spare to try just in case?


----------



## superdoug

Jordan said:


> advice my dads gave me who's spent 25 years in car audio!!!
> 
> :lol:


I'm a sparky!


----------



## Martin_HDI

nope, don't have a spare holder, can you buy them seperately? rather than the bulb and wee bit?


----------



## Steve valentine

Martin_HDI said:


> nope, don't have a spare holder, can you buy them seperately? rather than the bulb and wee bit?


Pm me your address, I have a spare in the garage, I'll get it in the post tomorrow :thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

Spoony said:


> Right, whats the best one of these to make then Grant? Too many pages and versions here I'm getting awfully confused lol. Can you sling me a PM with some links to parts? Not sure if I'll be able to build it but I will try! Just before this thread grows legs and I can't keep up!


It's up to you. I'd go for 14.4v so either the £19.99 B&Q one I used or the screwfix one in the earlier link with two batteries - I can't guarantee the screwfix one is suitable until someone else gives it a go though. Both come with a trendy carry-case. If you can't be bothered with external power then I'd go for the screwfix one (I'd wait to make sure it's suitable to me modded though).


----------



## superdoug

Jordan said:


> advice my dads gave me who's spent 25 years in car audio!!!
> 
> :lol:


I was quite the car audio fan. Old fords did use brown as the earth. But iso colours are black for ground and red and yellow for live and switched live.

Sorry to hijack the thread guys...


----------



## Martin_HDI

Steve valentine said:


> Pm me your address, I have a spare in the garage, I'll get it in the post tomorrow :thumb:


Cheers steve, pmed :thumb:


----------



## [email protected]

bought the b&q one tonight and ordered bulb and holder of ebay cant wait to get it sorted and in action


----------



## Spoony

grantwils said:


> It's up to you. I'd go for 14.4v so either the £19.99 B&Q one I used or the screwfix one in the earlier link with two batteries - I can't guarantee the screwfix one is suitable until someone else gives it a go though. Both come with a trendy carry-case. If you can't be bothered with external power then I'd go for the screwfix one (I'd wait to make sure it's suitable to me modded though).


My big problem would be knowing how to wire the external power!


----------



## Nanoman

Spoony said:


> My big problem would be knowing how to wire the external power!


Looks like it's the Screwfix number then.


----------



## ZERO

Spoony said:


> Right, whats the best one of these to make then Grant? Too many pages and versions here I'm getting awfully confused lol. Can you sling me a PM with some links to parts? Not sure if I'll be able to build it but I will try! Just before this thread grows legs and I can't keep up!


To be fair the 14.4v version, if you don't mind the initial increased cost, is a much better drill for the job. The bulb fits in nicely, it comes with a carry case and all that is on top of the voltage advantage...I might consider building one myself soon enough, but for now the 12v is more than adequate.


----------



## CraigQQ

now we just need to find a way to turn a torch into a paint depth gauge :lol:

then we have a reduced price detailers kit!


----------



## shine247

Thanks for taking the time to show this. Will be having a go shortly. Brilliant.:thumb:


----------



## josh263uk

Thanks to all who have experimented, I will be trying this. Hope to go to a DIY store later to search my products. 

Ill post some pics as am when.


----------



## dominic84

I've just read the patent comments in this thread. I would say that the patent is extremely dubious (imo) because they have just stuck off the shelf bits together... I can't see anything inovative about this at all.

Also, the patent app is for the US, is it confirmed that it was granted, or even covers the UK?


----------



## Nanoman

dominic84 said:


> I've just read the patent comments in this thread. I would say that the patent is extremely dubious (imo) because they have just stuck off the shelf bits together... I can't see anything inovative about this at all.
> 
> Also, the patent app is for the US, is it confirmed that it was granted, or even covers the UK?


I'm still looking into it but I am not willing to fund any specialist resource and I am not exactly up to speed with current patent law. It seems that many patents are dubious at best which is why you get multi-million legal arguments - I don't have the funds to take on 3M!

The only innovative bit as far as I'm concerned is the bulb!


----------



## CoopersE91

Blasted delivery charges - forgot about that - just made a £8.95 bulb a £14.70 bulb 

Has anyone who has already bought a couple in Glasgow area want to sell me a bulb for £8.95 + the division of the postage? Happy to meet to collect!

Cheers

CE91


----------



## Nanoman

CoopersE91 said:


> Blasted delivery charges - forgot about that - just made a £8.95 bulb a £14.70 bulb
> 
> Has anyone who has already bought a couple in Glasgow area want to sell me a bulb for £8.95 + the division of the postage? Happy to meet to collect!
> 
> Cheers
> 
> CE91


I'm speaking to the manufacturer about a bulk purchase for a group buy. Probably doing a couple for around £20 inc postage within UK although I have a feeling they might be experiencing a bit of a spike in demand right now!


----------



## Tim186

yeh i got clobered for nearly 15 quid, delivery is ridiculous, was going to see if i could find the same one in a electrical shop somewhere. or if we could get a group buy going even better. i think you could order 30 bulbs and still pay only £5.75 postage


----------



## chillihound

Just got my Solux bulb, it's awsome - crisp white light.


----------



## MellowYellow

I think the fact i have hung back and not made mine until i have seen the rest of the efforts is probably a good call, but damn i'm getting impatient lol. Plus i'm a cheapskate so holding out on a good deal for a drill.

Gav


----------



## 3M UK

Just stumbled across this...we certainly don't try and rip you off and believe me there was a lot of work that went into the Colour Check Light (sun gun) and the electronics. For instance and for those that are interested the light is primarily used in bodyshops for paint colour matching before spraying. Most bulbs go dim when the battery runs down and ours does not, which guarantees an accurate colour match each time until it goes flat and saves £'000's in rework from not having to respray by choosing the wrong paint colour.

Anyway, it's an interesting thread and at the end of the day, if you're not infringing any patents and providing a valuable service and new product, that's your perogative I'd think. As said, most people think the sun gun is a valuable tool but it was never intended just for detailing due to the price, it just happened to have these extra benefits for polishing.

Shall I check what the patent attorneys think just in case...???!!!


----------



## Nanoman

3M UK said:


> Just stumbled across this...we certainly don't try and rip you off and believe me there was a lot of work that went into the Colour Check Light (sun gun) and the electronics. For instance and for those that are interested the light is primarily used in bodyshops for paint colour matching before spraying. Most bulbs go dim when the battery runs down and ours does not, which guarantees an accurate colour match each time until it goes flat and saves £'000's in rework from not having to respray by choosing the wrong paint colour.
> 
> Anyway, it's an interesting thread and at the end of the day, if you're not infringing any patents and providing a valuable service and new product, that's your perogative I'd think. As said, most people think the sun gun is a valuable tool but it was never intended just for detailing due to the price, it just happened to have these extra benefits for polishing.
> 
> Shall I check what the patent attorneys think just in case...???!!!


Thanks for posting in this thread - it's very interesting to hear your thoughts on the subject.

To be honest I think the people who would have bought or would buy a SunGun will continue to do so. I think we've cleared up a few myths and mysteries regarding the SunGun and given weekend/enthusiast detailers access to a very useful tool.

I'm pretty sure your patent guys will not say 'sure - go and make a much cheaper version we don't mind'. At the end of the day patents are there to protect investment in innovation - the world would be far worse off without it!


----------



## JJ_

WTF man look at those tags ! haha


----------



## terrymcg

3M UK said:


> Just stumbled across this...we certainly don't try and rip you off and believe me there was a lot of work that went into the Colour Check Light (sun gun) and the electronics. For instance and for those that are interested the light is primarily used in bodyshops for paint colour matching before spraying. Most bulbs go dim when the battery runs down and ours does not, which guarantees an accurate colour match each time until it goes flat and saves £'000's in rework from not having to respray by choosing the wrong paint colour.
> 
> Anyway, it's an interesting thread and at the end of the day, if you're not infringing any patents and providing a valuable service and new product, that's your perogative I'd think. As said, most people think the sun gun is a valuable tool but it was never intended just for detailing due to the price, it just happened to have these extra benefits for polishing.
> 
> Shall I check what the patent attorneys think just in case...???!!!


Im sold! My drill is in the bin and I'm buying a SunGun:thumb::lol:


----------



## MellowYellow

Good of 3M to post i think! As said, i don't think we've troubled the sales of the sun gun too much, as the amount of detailers that will buy them compared to bodyshops is miniscule. What we have done though is provide an alternative option and something that does a far better job than a brinkman for around the same money. 
As far as the electronics is concerned and other features such as the fan and turbo mode, for detailing they aren't really necessary (although i am gonna have a go at fitting a fan in mine lol) as long as the correct bulb is used. 
I don't think it would be really worthwhile anyone going to the trouble and expense of trying to get these made in bulk and approved for sale as the market for them isn't that big.

Going to B&Q tomorrow to get some bits and then ordering my bulbs


----------



## MellowYellow

PS: wonder if a capacitor could be utilised on the power for a more constant and stable voltage??? (in the same way as a power cap keeps audio amplifiers juiced up for heavy basslines)


----------



## chillihound

MellowYellow said:


> Good of 3M to post i think! As said, i don't think we've troubled the sales of the sun gun too much, as the amount of detailers that will buy them compared to bodyshops is miniscule. What we have done though is provide an alternative option and something that does a far better job than a brinkman for around the same money.
> As far as the electronics is concerned and other features such as the fan and turbo mode, for detailing they aren't really necessary (although i am gonna have a go at fitting a fan in mine lol) as long as the correct bulb is used.
> I don't think it would be really worthwhile anyone going to the trouble and expense of trying to get these made in bulk and approved for sale as the market for them isn't that big.
> 
> Going to B&Q tomorrow to get some bits and then ordering my bulbs


Good post, I agree.


----------



## amiller

Dont forget that the Lenser P7 at circa £30 is a very very good light source for detailing. :thumb:


----------



## MellowYellow

amiller said:


> Dont forget that the Lenser P7 at circa £30 is a very very good light source for detailing. :thumb:


Yes a very good torch IMO, had one for a while now!


----------



## CraigQQ

the lenser p7.. is that the little torch you had with you at the open day andrew?


----------



## amiller

CraigQQ said:


> the lenser p7.. is that the little torch you had with you at the open day andrew?


Sure is. You saw for yourself that it does 95% of the Sun Gun and you can still you use as a torch without people thinking you have a drill with a light in it! :lol:


----------



## geoff.mac

For those interested, the bulbs in question can be bought for £5.40 each if you buy 5
So its £27 for 5 plus delivery. Alot cheaper than buying singles 
http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=61&osCsid=5e1e3df5c0f9d18a0bb1179a98fc2534


----------



## geoff.mac

Just looked again and its only 3500k
so no good :sad:


----------



## CraigQQ

amiller said:


> Sure is. You saw for yourself that it does 95% of the Sun Gun and you can still you use as a torch without people thinking you have a drill with a light in it! :lol:


yeah it worked very well.. and :lol: don't think anyone goes looking for their garage keys in the dark with a sun gun andrew :thumb:


----------



## MellowYellow

geoff.mac said:


> Just looked again and its only 3500k
> so no good :sad:


Think when i looked it worked out at £39.** something + delivery for 5. Certainly not cheap!


----------



## CoopersE91

Bulb not dimming when battery level decreases eh? Sounds like the next step in Grants development plans.........

In all seriousness, that in itself can't be patented either, it is relatively simple electronics just need to speak to my electronic engineer mate(nuclear industry, brainiac and enthusiast diy electronics hobbiest etc)

In the end, it would have taken quite a bit of R&D to get the best overall solution for the purposes of paint matching etc so in the end 3M can charge their price. Plus it stops every tom dick and harry saying they are a pro sprayer and 'look at the hi tech gear I've got pal, means i'm dead good me..'

Truth of that is, that big burning thing in the sky doesn't come out enough to allow folk to do proper analysis of paint matching in this country but it is and always will be the best way to spot mis matched panels. Plus it doesn't fit in workshops so a sun gun will have to do instead


----------



## Tim186

Well bought me drill from screwfix with two batteries, gotta wait till friday for them to order it in got the mr16 bulb holder as well from them for £1.29. so for the bulb, drill batteries and holder, all done for just under 35 quid. gotta see if it will work with that drill first though


----------



## toni

One thing should be noted about the donor drill.

There are available 14.4V and 12V cordless drills. Both have the batteries rated accordingly. Since we are powering the bulb directly from the battery the voltage across the bulb will vary depending on the what type of donor drill is going to be used.
I notice that Grant used a 14.4V drill and Zero used a 12V drill.
I know you can vary the light output depending on how much you press on the drill's trigger but I think you should be aware of this "issue".

The 3M SunGun has a 14.4V battery, but also has a dual light output mode depending on how many time you press on the trigger button.
I suspect that in normal mode the bulb is powered from 12V by the internal electronics and in turbo mode the bulb is powered directly from the battery (14.4V). This could also explain how the 3M SunGun can have the same light output (in normal mode) even if the battery gets slightly discharged.
This feature could be added to those who use a 14.4V donor drill by using a voltage regulator to step down the voltage from 14.4V to 12V. You just have to find a 12V output, 3+Amps and less than 1.5-2V voltage drop regulator.


----------



## 3M UK

Perhaps we should do a video test/review and put it up on our YouTube channel!


----------



## CoopersE91

3M UK said:


> Perhaps we should do a video test/review and put it up on our YouTube channel!


Only if you BYO...."Build Your Own" Solar Gun (c)2011  and show us your build pictures!


----------



## CraigQQ

its difficult to do this test without someone from 3m and someone building there own gun, 
if its done by one or the other not both, then you will still get people saying its not a fair test.

such as, if 3m build thier own and test next to sungun, then some people might claim they have made a lower quality gun to make the sungun look better, and vice versa, if you got someone with sungun and build your own like we did at the chem guys open day, then some people will claim it wasnt a fair test on the sungun, be it, conditions, battery power, mode ect ect.. its just too many variables without both parties present.


----------



## JJ_

3M UK said:


> Perhaps we should do a video test/review and put it up on our YouTube channel!


There is a scientist doing a test for c quartz just now from Poland who is very thorough. All we would need is one of the converted drills ready to go.

Obviously the torch you supply because of the costs would need to be returned or if you have a demo one also returnable that would be ideal.

If the bulb is the same and you can use an external power source then they're won't be a difference.


----------



## Guest

MellowYellow said:


> PS: wonder if a capacitor could be utilised on the power for a more constant and stable voltage??? (in the same way as a power cap keeps audio amplifiers juiced up for heavy basslines)


Is it the battery giving an unstable voltage or the switch (which will probably be a variable resistor)? I haven't played yet, but I'm pretty sure NiCd's give a fairly constant voltage output until they need recharging, then they drop off pretty rapidly. Cheap variable resistors are, IME, not very good at giving a constant setting especially when used as something like a trigger switch.

Looking at the specs for the 3M Sun Gun, I would definately suspect some sort of microprocessor based control. The switch will just be an input to the uP and it will, in turn, control a voltage regulation circuit/device to switch between a constant 12V/14.4V.

The specs for the Solux bulb are available from their website. They give overdrive information up to 16V. At 14.4V, the 12V bulb shifts colour temperature from 4700 to 5200 kelvins, as well as an increase in brightness.


----------



## Nanoman

3M UK said:


> Perhaps we should do a video test/review and put it up on our YouTube channel!


I would suggest that's a very brave move. Considering it's the same light source - and it's the light source that matters I believe that having more variable brightness and external power options the home made version owuld give the SunGun a good run for it's money and might even come out on top... especially where price is concerned...


----------



## stantheman

I think this a fantastic idea and a great solution to owning a expensive tool for a modest outlay. I am thinking of building one myself but slightly modified, I am going to use a mr16 cool/day light LED lamp with approx 320 lumwen output which only consumes approx 4Watts (which is the equivelant of a 50 watt halogen lamp in brightness), this should make the battery last a lot longer.Dependant on battery capacity e.g. 1.2 amphour etc the halogen bulb would only last a few minutes of continuous use, which is why you need the external power supplies, a 35 watt halogen lamp takes about 3 amps and will soon flatten 1.2 amp battery.
Thanks to the original posters Zero and grantwils!:thumb:


----------



## 3M UK

For an occasional use DIY swirl spotter then it may give it a good run, but the Sun Gun is aimed at the professional sprayer/bodyshop who would use it on every spray job every day, so things like CE marking, regulatory compliance, durability etc are essential in order to sell into that market. Plus ours comes with a warranty and manufacturer support and some people will always want that. The value these guys get from not having to respray is huge so the price (although we aren't taking advantage - our costs are nowhere near like yours...I wish they were!) is less sensitive there.

As I say, the benefit of swirl spotting is additional and we know that's it's a very expensive option for home users. So, if you've done them a favour then fair enough but our sun gun sales to enthusiasts may go down a bit...

Either way it's an interesting concept and I might get our tech guys to make one up or have a go myself!


----------



## JJ_

Yeah if the tech guys make one that would be a good test. 

Your right though for proper manufacturing and to make it a contender you would need various kite marks and it would need a purpose built or adapted holder. You are completely right there.


----------



## chowie

What a great idea, I ordered a P7 torch last week


----------



## scratcher

I thought I'd pop up my home made jobbie. As much as I understand the 3M one is a brilliant bit of kit and tried one in a body shop, it's just too expensive for me personally so this is the next best thing 

Started off with an old drill I had from starting my apprenticeship.
Gutted it, cleaned it up a little.
Popped into the wholesalers earlier and got a lamp and holder for £2.40 :thumb:

I bent up the lamp bracket that came with the lamp holder and fixed it to the gear selector of the drill. This way it slides in and out if the lamp needs changing 
Crimped some connectors on and jobs a good'n 



















Lamp in (needs fine adjustment to get centred)









Lamp popped out for changing


----------



## CraigQQ

cool idea with the pop in and out lamp for changing :thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

toni said:


> One thing should be noted about the donor drill.
> 
> There are available 14.4V and 12V cordless drills. Both have the batteries rated accordingly. Since we are powering the bulb directly from the battery the voltage across the bulb will vary depending on the what type of donor drill is going to be used.
> I notice that Grant used a 14.4V drill and Zero used a 12V drill.
> I know you can vary the light output depending on how much you press on the drill's trigger but I think you should be aware of this "issue".
> 
> The 3M SunGun has a 14.4V battery, but also has a dual light output mode depending on how many time you press on the trigger button.
> I suspect that in normal mode the bulb is powered from 12V by the internal electronics and in turbo mode the bulb is powered directly from the battery (14.4V). This could also explain how the 3M SunGun can have the same light output (in normal mode) even if the battery gets slightly discharged.
> This feature could be added to those who use a 14.4V donor drill by using a voltage regulator to step down the voltage from 14.4V to 12V. You just have to find a 12V output, 3+Amps and less than 1.5-2V voltage drop regulator.


Thanks for posting. I'm not sure what the "issue" is that you're talking about. People can choose whether to use the 12v or 14.4v option. I think there's a few people using 18v for really bright bulbs.

Also "in normal mode the bulb is powered from 12V by the internal electronics and in turbo mode the bulb is powered directly from the battery" what's the difference between internal electonics and the battery? It's simple. It works the same way the variable trigger works.

The 3M SunGun switch is a 12 position voltage regulater which selects either 12v or 14.4v. The home made version uses a trigger switch which has a variable voltage regulater. Using the 12v or 14.4v home made version there is no noticeable difference in brightness as the battery gets discharged. It may be a different story when using the very last drops of juice but I'm not sure that's an "issue".

Hope that clears it up a bit as I think you've over complicated things a lot more than they need to be.


----------



## titanx

Thank you so much for this fantastic DIY project, just completed mine using the 14.4 donor drill but with no internal inputs. All i need now is a group buy on the correct bulb (using normal halogen at mo) again many thanks.
:thumb:


----------



## toni

grantwils said:


> Thanks for posting. I'm not sure what the "issue" is that you're talking about. People can choose whether to use the 12v or 14.4v option. I think there's a few people using 18v for really bright bulbs.


It's really an issue, hence the quotation marks in my post  Just wanted to be sure everyone is aware of this.



grantwils said:


> Also "in normal mode the bulb is powered from 12V by the internal electronics and in turbo mode the bulb is powered directly from the battery" what's the difference between internal electonics and the battery? It's simple. It works the same way the variable trigger works.


The difference is that a voltage regulator will supply a constant voltage for as long as the battery has a minimal charge; this means constant light. Without a voltage regulator,(bulb powered directly from the battery) the bulb voltage will decrease, since the battery voltage drops while discharging; this makes the light dim over time.
The variable trigger is just a variable resistor actually. This only modifies the voltage across the bulb. Consider you need the trigger pressed 1/2 to get 12V across the bulb with the battery charged. After the battery gets discharged you will need to press the trigger 3/4 to get the same light output (it's just an example, not actual facts).
I hope you get my point now...


----------



## Guest

toni said:


> The difference is that a voltage regulator will supply a constant voltage for as long as the battery has a minimal charge; this means constant light. Without a voltage regulator,(bulb powered directly from the battery) the bulb voltage will decrease, since the battery voltage drops while discharging; this makes the light dim over time.
> The variable trigger is just a variable resistor actually. This only modifies the voltage across the bulb. Consider you need the trigger pressed 1/2 to get 12V across the bulb with the battery charged. After the battery gets discharged you will need to press the trigger 3/4 to get the same light output (it's just an example, not actual facts).
> I hope you get my point now...


NiCd batterys maintain roughly 1.2V per cell throughout the whole discharge cycle, unlike say an alkaline battery which does reduce.


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

Been using it most of the week and only gone flat today. it has seen some heavy use as well.


----------



## MellowYellow

Been working on mine today and put alot of thought into how the lamp will sit. Gonna be some messing around with a hack saw anda file but hopefully it will make it a little more rugged when changing the bulb. A fan is going in too.

Will share when its sorted


----------



## Nanoman

toni said:


> It's really an issue, hence the quotation marks in my post  Just wanted to be sure everyone is aware of this.
> 
> The difference is that a voltage regulator will supply a constant voltage for as long as the battery has a minimal charge; this means constant light. Without a voltage regulator,(bulb powered directly from the battery) the bulb voltage will decrease, since the battery voltage drops while discharging; this makes the light dim over time.
> The variable trigger is just a variable resistor actually. This only modifies the voltage across the bulb. Consider you need the trigger pressed 1/2 to get 12V across the bulb with the battery charged. After the battery gets discharged you will need to press the trigger 3/4 to get the same light output (it's just an example, not actual facts).
> I hope you get my point now...


I'm assuming this is lost in translation because I still don't know what this 'issue' is and don't have a clue what your point is. I'm not really sure there is a relevant point.

EDIT (after reading this over several times): 
If your point is that a 12v drill won't be as bright as a 14.4v drill then yes you're correct but I'm sure the people reading this thread worked that out. I also pointed it out in the thread. 
The 12v drill will have the same output as the SunGun does in normal mode. The SunGun steps up to 14.4v in 'Turbo' mode so you can only get this from a 14.4v battery.


----------



## thejagtech

Made my "gun" today. Argos 14.4 volt drill , half price at £9! Holder for £1.15 from screw fix and a solux bulb for 8 plus postage! Can't say fairer than that!! As a bonus for lesser skilled peopled, it turns out that the hole where the chuck used to be is a perfect size for the gu5.3 bulb, so it actually holds the edge of the bulb secure without any further brackets or fixings when you close the two halfs of the casing! Brilliant. Simply cut the two wires to the motor, remove motor and chuck, connect bulb holder to drill wires using supplied connector block and fit bulb! Brilliant!


----------



## CraigQQ

gonna order my bulb tonight.. although its annoying that the postage costs almost as much as the bulb.. but this is life lol.. had a look for similar bulbs with no sucess.
and the difference between the normal bulb and the correct one when i seen grants, you REALLY need the 99CRI solux one.

might pick up a drill on sunday and get to work.


----------



## thejagtech

It's so brilliant I might say brilliant again, brilliant!!


----------



## CraigQQ

thejagtech said:


> Made my "gun" today. Argos 14.4 volt drill , half price at £9! Holder for £1.15 from screw fix and a solux bulb for 8 plus postage! Can't say fairer than that!! As a bonus for lesser skilled peopled, it turns out that the hole where the chuck used to be is a perfect size for the gu5.3 bulb, so it actually holds the edge of the bulb secure without any further brackets or fixings when you close the two halfs of the casing! Brilliant. Simply cut the two wires to the motor, remove motor and chuck, connect bulb holder to drill wires using supplied connector block and fit bulb! Brilliant!


can you post a link to the drill mate.. cant see it on argos website.


----------



## marty j cdti

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7112946.htm?_$ja=tsid:11527|cc:|prd:7112946|cat:garden+and+diy+/+power+tools+/+cordless+drills+and+screwdrivers+/


----------



## nicp2007

these look spot on :thumb:

i know a few have asked but i will ask again,

does anyone fancy making me one???

would be willing to pay cash, detailing goodies or some detailing work perhaps :thumb:


----------



## CraigQQ

Seen that one Marty but jagtech says 14v one half price £9....


----------



## Martin_HDI

Pride & Performance said:


> does anyone fancy making me one???


Have a go mate, ONLY I can **** these things up and I did as I wired the bulb up the wrong way to the drill wires it must have blew the bulb housing, then in an attempt to cut the white bit for the reverse forward drill action i managed to break the trigger LOL.

Soooo, mine is now wired from the bulb holder directly to the prongs at the bottom that attatch to the battery. (when I plug in the battery the bulb comes on... not as flash as all the others but will do!)

I'm crap at this kinda stuff 

Cheers steve for the spare holder! :thumb:


----------



## CoopersE91

thejagtech said:


> Made my "gun" today. Argos 14.4 volt drill , half price at £9! Holder for £1.15 from screw fix and a solux bulb for 8 plus postage! Can't say fairer than that!! As a bonus for lesser skilled peopled, it turns out that the hole where the chuck used to be is a perfect size for the gu5.3 bulb, so it actually holds the edge of the bulb secure without any further brackets or fixings when you close the two halfs of the casing! Brilliant. Simply cut the two wires to the motor, remove motor and chuck, connect bulb holder to drill wires using supplied connector block and fit bulb! Brilliant!


Thanks mate, I haven't taken my Argos one apart yet and am glad I don't need any other gubbins for the bulb holder and it fits perfect! Off to screwfix this afternoon :thumb:


----------



## CoopersE91

CraigQQ said:


> Seen that one Marty but jagtech says 14v one half price £9....


Mate, on the orginal romanian sun gun thread I posted the link there - but it was pretty much out of stock everywhere in the country, maybe 10 or so left.

You'll be lucky to get on but go to that thread and get the item code and put it in icheckstock.co.uk and it'll search all the argos's in Scotland - maybe a relative can get you one?


----------



## CraigQQ

thanks coopers.


----------



## Nanoman

Martin_HDI said:


> Have a go mate, ONLY I can **** these things up and I did as I wired the bulb up the wrong way to the drill wires it must have blew the bulb housing, then in an attempt to cut the white bit for the reverse forward drill action i managed to break the trigger LOL.
> 
> Soooo, mine is now wired from the bulb holder directly to the prongs at the bottom that attatch to the battery. (when I plug in the battery the bulb comes on... not as flash as all the others but will do!)
> 
> I'm crap at this kinda stuff
> 
> Cheers steve for the spare holder! :thumb:


Where about in Glasgow are ya buddy? I can get a switch out of Maplin then meet up with you and wire it in.


----------



## nicp2007

Martin_HDI said:


> Have a go mate, ONLY I can **** these things up and I did as I wired the bulb up the wrong way to the drill wires it must have blew the bulb housing, then in an attempt to cut the white bit for the reverse forward drill action i managed to break the trigger LOL.
> 
> Soooo, mine is now wired from the bulb holder directly to the prongs at the bottom that attatch to the battery. (when I plug in the battery the bulb comes on... not as flash as all the others but will do!)
> 
> I'm crap at this kinda stuff
> 
> Cheers steve for the spare holder! :thumb:


honestly mate i would probably set myself on fire if i mess about with electrics :wall:


----------



## CoopersE91

CraigQQ said:


> thanks coopers.


http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...:11674|prd:1546795&referrer=COJUN&cmpid=COJUN

Found it....not sure you'll have luck


----------



## CraigQQ

CoopersE91 said:


> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...:11674|prd:1546795&referrer=COJUN&cmpid=COJUN
> 
> Found it....not sure you'll have luck


you a lifesaver lol... looked back your old posts, couldnt find the one you mentioned and was just gonna get the 12v one
reserved one in livingstone, there was one in kirkaldy aswell if anyones looking for one near there


----------



## CraigQQ

not going to bother with the livingstone one, the 14.4v is only £19.95 anyway so once you factor in the extra petrol cost and time wasted, would need to pick up tommorow and the utd v liverpool game is on, your looking at very little saving compared to my local argos lol

so if anyone wants a reservation number to pick up the 14.4v drill for £8.99 before monday, pm me and ill send you the number to get it (its the last in the store)


----------



## Elliott19864

Just made mine waiting for the glue to set. Thanks to the op :thumb:


----------



## Spoony

This is now a next months project for me, unless I sell more detailing goodies. Budget constraints till payday!

Also wonder how it'll work on my new silver car.


----------



## Nanoman

I just put together another one based on the 12v drill using a switch from Maplin. For anyone who broke the trigger switch the maplin one is brilliant - slots in nicely. The only thing is you don't get variable brightness. Here it is...









And here it is next to it's big brother.









I've only got the normal bulb in the 12v. Want to compare it with the Solux bulb.


----------



## thejagtech

CoopersE91 said:


> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...:11674|prd:1546795&referrer=COJUN&cmpid=COJUN
> 
> Found it....not sure you'll have luck


Yeah that's the one, shame there's limited stock!! I must have been lucky! 
A warning with the fittings at screwfix, It took 4 attempts to get one that was complete in the box, toe rags probably removing bits they want then taking then gettin a refund! Saying that it's probably due to the rather crappy area screwfix was in!


----------



## Elliott19864

Here's mine, very easy to make.


----------



## Martin_HDI

grantwils said:


> Where about in Glasgow are ya buddy? I can get a switch out of Maplin then meet up with you and wire it in.


I live in baillieston... not the nicest area haha. As long as it's not a hassle as it does go on and off :lol:

:thumb:


----------



## nixon

For those that arent into electrics just find a lamp that can hold a MR16 bulb with the correct transformer for the bulb. I quite like this - a light for the pond that is submersible! about £25 quid - sure I can find it cheaper


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

Pride & Performance said:


> these look spot on :thumb:
> 
> i know a few have asked but i will ask again,
> 
> does anyone fancy making me one???
> 
> would be willing to pay cash, detailing goodies or some detailing work perhaps :thumb:


I'll knock you one up Nic. :buffer:


----------



## CoopersE91

CraigQQ said:


> you a lifesaver lol... looked back your old posts, couldnt find the one you mentioned and was just gonna get the 12v one
> reserved one in livingstone, there was one in kirkaldy aswell if anyones looking for one near there


No probs mate, I realised I wasn't specific enough about where to find the post in the original thread so when I was on the laptop I hoked it out and fired it up on here in case you managed to find one (which somehow you did!), and seeing your latest post re the distance vs petrol cost you are dead right, better just get the £19.99 one, it looks similar to the 3M on in colouring too!

Thanks Jagtech for the info re the contents of the holder packs from screwfix - I wouldn't think to check before leaving then find out when I get home and get really pissed off! Don't worry though it's not just the Screwfixs in the dodgy areas (are there any that aren't?!), they are all like that TBH, staff who don't give a damn and a no quibble returns policy = lots of stock issues.

I never managed to get to Screwfix today, got waylayed at Halfords umming and ahhing over the 3 for 2 offer and what to get instead. Will try to get to screwfix tomorrow instead.


----------



## CraigQQ

yeah i like the look of the greyish coloured one, looks more like a certain colour matcher/swirl finder we can't name for legal reasons :lol:


----------



## MellowYellow

for those that have built one from the cheaper drill, is it awkward to change the bulb? If it sits behind the lip but the bulb holder is glued in place i'm wondering if it wont crack in time. Currently looking at ways to hold the bulb in place so the lampholder will just push on the back. As i'm putting a fan in there's not much room for bracing.


----------



## CraigQQ

was gonna say a piece of styrofoam shaped to the drill case with a grove for the holder... but then the fan would be pointless :lol:


----------



## alan hanson

hey peeps any news on the group buy for bulbs?


----------



## Nanoman

alan hanson said:


> hey peeps any news on the group buy for bulbs?


There is a feeler thread here http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=205887


----------



## atomicfan

After testing longer with Makita 14,4V i can say that 14,4v is too much. The colour inside the bulb on some parts has gone away. I only use it with 12 V Makitas


----------



## Nanoman

atomicfan said:


> After testing longer with Makita 14,4V i can say that 14,4v is too much. The colour inside the bulb on some parts has gone away. I only use it with 12 V Makitas


Can you explain what you mean? Which bulb are you using?


----------



## amiller

CoopersE91 said:


> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...:11674|prd:1546795&referrer=COJUN&cmpid=COJUN
> 
> Found it....not sure you'll have luck


There are 3 in Newcastle. I am happy to buy them and take the 2 spares up to Edinburgh or Fife for people? I would have to charge £9 for this though.


----------



## CoopersE91

I was in Darnley B&Q in the south side of Glasgow yesterday and thought I would pop by the drills - all the £20 and under B&Q specials and the grey and red ones have sold out!! I saw one chap take the last 12v one and then I saw him up at the halogen fittings bit about 2 minutes later!! haha!! Who was it on here or a lurker??

I thought I would stand nonchalantly beside and whisper _"DW Romanian Solar Gun eh??"_ and wink but thought that might be taken a bit wrong and get myself punched.

There is a spare 14.4v battery for the black drills for £10- in the bargain bucket section just beside the drill aisle if anyone wants a spare battery. I know it's only 1/2 the cost of the £20 drill itself but if you didn't want to make another solar gun or have spare gubbins lying around or whatever. Oh and the manager of that store is known to discount things again if he fancies you......


----------



## CraigQQ

lol coopers, how do you know he wasnt just fitting halogen spotlights in his house so needs a drill to install them :lol: i wish you had said it... and it was someone just buying a drill and lights for his house :lol:

on another note. you could actually buy the £10 and modify a plank of wood to be a solar gun... just need the light fixed and connected to battery. 

not as elegant as the drill would be but would work none the less lol


----------



## Flair

CraigQQ said:


> lol coopers, how do you know he wasnt just fitting halogen spotlights in his house so needs a drill to install them :lol: i wish you had said it... and it was someone just buying a drill and lights for his house :lol:
> 
> on another note. you could actually buy the £10 and modify a plank of wood to be a solar gun... just need the light fixed and connected to battery.
> 
> not as elegant as the drill would be but would work none the less lol


Or get one of these for £17, 12v water proof and comes with a mains transformer.


----------



## CoopersE91

Oh that's a point, I didn't consider the mains aspect of that one Flair - no need for battery recharging and could just clamp it on to a handle of something if you wanted rather than on to a site light frame.

You might be able to fit it on to the removable handle you get on heavy duty drills (like SDS or the bigger masonry drills), loosen the collar and fit the light roundel inside it.....

.....and there goes more drills out the doors of B&Q......


----------



## Flair

CoopersE91 said:


> Oh that's a point, I didn't consider the mains aspect of that one Flair - no need for battery recharging and could just clamp it on to a handle of something if you wanted rather than on to a site light frame.
> 
> You might be able to fit it on to the removable handle you get on heavy duty drills (like SDS or the bigger masonry drills), loosen the collar and fit the light roundel inside it.....
> 
> .....and there goes more drills out the doors of B&Q......


Am thinking of getting a cheaper bicycle mount to be able remove it now.


----------



## Flair

CoopersE91 said:


> You might be able to fit it on to the removable handle you get on heavy duty drills (like SDS or the bigger masonry drills), loosen the collar and fit the light roundel inside it.....


You meen like this a handle off like a rotary, just need to go find a nut for the top.


----------



## CoopersE91

CraigQQ said:


> lol coopers, how do you know he wasnt just fitting halogen spotlights in his house so needs a drill to install them :lol:


He just was, I _*KNOW*_ he was......

you can spot an OCD a mile off... confidently picking up a drill and marching of, feeling very manly for buying a drill....but you wouldn't dare tell anyone what you are going to do with it for fear of a  look on their face and them questioning your previous manlyness actions....furtively opening packages of halogen lights to see if it is the right connector, mooch down the car cleaning aisle, scowling at the turlewax products until you come to the Autoglym and acknowledge the red and white wall of bottles with a silent nod of respect, mentally totting up your collection of products and wonder if you need anymore SRP????..but then you remember it's only £11 for 1ltr at Halfords and they have the 3 for 2 on, coz that fella CoopersE91 from DW.co.uk said so.....

....now where are those clear buckets everyone bangs on about...


----------



## Flair

Some action shot on on thet v surround.

First pic is about 30CM ish away, second picture is about a meter and half away, this is with a B&Q 50W.


----------



## Guest

atomicfan said:


> After testing longer with Makita 14,4V i can say that 14,4v is too much. The colour inside the bulb on some parts has gone away. I only use it with 12 V Makitas


Is this with a proper Solux bulb? The Solux 35W 12V bulb specification certainly indicates that driving it up to 16V is possible.


----------



## atomicfan

yes i use the solux bulb. Inside the bulb the blue and gold colour was like running away after 3minutes


----------



## Pezza4u

Can I use a 14.4v drill then? I have a challenge one that I don't use so might as well use it for this.


----------



## Flair

Pezza4u said:


> Can I use a 14.4v drill then? .


Yes, My drill one is 14.4V.


----------



## CoopersE91

maybe the reason for the fan is to cool the bulb ....not the housing. although as a clever person pointed out the bulb can be drivenn to 16v so it shouldnt degrade


----------



## Flair

I doubt running 14.5v for such a short period as a torch will do any harm atall. These bulbs are made to be running constantly in house, may be only 12v but they would normaly run for 12 or so hours day, I don't know anyone with fans behind there downlights in there house.


----------



## Nanoman

Flair said:


> I doubt running 14.5v for such a short period as torch will do any harm atall. These bulbs are made to be running constantly in house, may be only 12v but they would normaly run 12 or so hours day, i dont no anyone with fans behind there downlights in there house.


I bet AMiller does. I also bet he paid £2000 for them when he could have bought them for £400. ;-)

:lol:


----------



## MellowYellow

*My "solar" gun *

Well here's my effort.

Kit laid out:








Modified the torque selection cover, with cooling vents and a groove top and bottom that holds it in to the drill case. The cuts on my hand are thanks to stabbing myself with the pointy ends of the files lol.

























Inside the case: Wires were soldered and heat shrinked (shrunk?), the fan is a 12v 40mm pc fan (£5 from maplins), the white thing is actually a ceiling rose fitting i added to help guide the air from the fan onto the back of the bulb. The bulb is held in by some wire (came from the packaging of a kids toy) through 4 1.5mm holes drilled into the case about 5mm from the edge. These will be replaced by a clip of some kind. 
















The finished article and proof it works! This is using a cheap 20w bulb so should be awesome with the solex.









































Hope you like! Comments welcome


----------



## Nanoman

MellowYellow said:


> Well here's my effort.
> 
> Hope you like! Comments welcome


Loving the fan - AMiller will be having a fit. Brilliant work and well done for taking the ingenuity/design to a whole new level!


----------



## CraigQQ

+1 to what grant said.


----------



## amiller

grantwils said:


> Loving the fan - AMiller will be having a fit.


:devil:

:thumb:


----------



## BAXRY

Great idea, I will be trying this.

However you should put a little disclaimer on the bottom of the post in case some poor sod blows his fingers off or something and tries to blame you (funny world but it happens)

Barry.

EDIT -

Just read 3M's response to this, I think there well out of line you can't enforce a patent on something that isn't being sold, if I wanted to go make my own coca cola to there exact recipe they cant legally do anything unless I am trading it.

I could be wrong but I'm sure you cant patent putting a light bulb in a drill the patent will extend to the mechanism's involved, so if anything the drill manufacturer should check there patent not 3M.


----------



## Nanoman

BAXRY said:


> Just read 3M's response to this, I think there well out of line you can't enforce a patent on something that isn't being sold, if I wanted to go make my own coca cola to there exact recipe they cant legally do anything unless I am trading it.
> 
> I could be wrong but I'm sure you cant patent putting a light bulb in a drill the patent will extend to the mechanism's involved, so if anything the drill manufacturer should check there patent not 3M.


Am I missing something here? I went back and read the '3M UK' responses in case they'd been editted or I'd missed one.

I don't think there's anything wrong with their responses...


3M UK said:


> Just stumbled across this...we certainly don't try and rip you off and believe me there was a lot of work that went into the Colour Check Light (sun gun) and the electronics. For instance and for those that are interested the light is primarily used in bodyshops for paint colour matching before spraying. Most bulbs go dim when the battery runs down and ours does not, which guarantees an accurate colour match each time until it goes flat and saves £'000's in rework from not having to respray by choosing the wrong paint colour.
> 
> Anyway, it's an interesting thread and at the end of the day, if you're not infringing any patents and providing a valuable service and new product, that's your perogative I'd think. As said, most people think the sun gun is a valuable tool but it was never intended just for detailing due to the price, it just happened to have these extra benefits for polishing.
> 
> Shall I check what the patent attorneys think just in case...???!!!





3M UK said:


> For an occasional use DIY swirl spotter then it may give it a good run, but the Sun Gun is aimed at the professional sprayer/bodyshop who would use it on every spray job every day, so things like CE marking, regulatory compliance, durability etc are essential in order to sell into that market. Plus ours comes with a warranty and manufacturer support and some people will always want that. The value these guys get from not having to respray is huge so the price (although we aren't taking advantage - our costs are nowhere near like yours...I wish they were!) is less sensitive there.
> 
> As I say, the benefit of swirl spotting is additional and we know that's it's a very expensive option for home users. So, if you've done them a favour then fair enough but our sun gun sales to enthusiasts may go down a bit...
> 
> Either way it's an interesting concept and I might get our tech guys to make one up or have a go myself!





3M UK said:


> Perhaps we should do a video test/review and put it up on our YouTube channel!


----------



## james_death

100% as stated 3M built theres for saving £0000 when the bodyshop is trying to colour match.

If you have a bodyshop the 3M is the daddy but is overkill for the hobbyist most are on here the home made sun gun is spot on for what we need.:thumb:


----------



## BAXRY

grantwils said:


> Am I missing something here? I went back and read the '3M UK' responses in case they'd been editted or I'd missed one.
> 
> I don't think there's anything wrong with their responses...


it was the bit at the end that is out of line the

"shall we contact the patent attorneys"

I think that is a disgusting way to go on in response to someone trying to help others achieve better results from there hobby


----------



## Nanoman

BAXRY said:


> it was the bit at the end that is out of line the
> 
> "shall we contact the patent attorneys"
> 
> I think that is a disgusting way to go on in response to someone trying to help others achieve better results from there hobby


I took that as tongue in cheek. I'm confident that no-one is breaking any patent laws here. TBH - I'm yet to find out if the patent for the SG was granted or not. I can only see the application...

If it wasn't... role on the £50rrp sun gun!


----------



## Celtic Dragon

Baxry, I think that is meant very tongue in cheek.


----------



## BAXRY

grantwils said:


> I took that as tongue in cheek. I'm confident that no-one is breaking any patent laws here. TBH - I'm yet to find out if the patent for the SG was granted or not. I can only see the application...
> 
> If it wasn't... role on the £50rrp sun gun!


It may have been tongue in cheek but I would expect more from a company like 3M, I would expect them to conduct there self's with a certain level of professionalism when using there company name, especially when you consider the amount of money we put into there pockets, I know I go through at least 400 quid just on polish every 6 month.

EDIT-
I would hate to think if I found an alternative to there product they would carry on like that.
Maybe its just me but if one of my customers found an alternative to my services I wouldn't turn around and joke about contract law and jokingly say they will hear from my solicitor, its just bad representation.


----------



## MellowYellow

Personally i think its great that someone from 3M has come on and had some banter with us, instead of posting defensive and argumantative comments like some companies would if we were "bad mouthing" them.

Anyways....I felt like i needed to injure myself a little more so decided to mod my gun again lol. This time i've taken the gubbins out the charger and installed it in the back of the gun instead 
Unfortunately it is very dim without the battery in (think the transformer doesnt flow enough amps) but at least will now allow me to put on charge and use on the fly when it runs low. Enjoy!


----------



## The Cueball

grantwils said:


> I took that as tongue in cheek. I'm confident that no-one is breaking any patent laws here. TBH - I'm yet to find out if the patent for the SG was granted or not. I can only see the application...
> 
> If it wasn't... role on the £50rrp sun gun!


I can't see any patent for the UK, and the US - despite what they think - don't own the world... 

Maybe call yours the Suun Guun though... :lol:

:thumb:


----------



## Martin_HDI

These would sell out in scotland, people up here don't know what the sun is... could be misleading...


----------



## 47p2

Reading through the 3M™ PPS™ Sun Gun™ instruction manual I can find no reference to any patent. It does state that 3M™ PPS™ Sun Gun™ are registered trade marks of 3M which we already know.


----------



## Nanoman

Interesting. 

There was an International Patent Status Report produced today for the SunGun or 'Inspection Light Assembly' at the patents office...

...I'm not sure what that means to be honest.

EDIT: Just read more.

From what I can gather the patent apllication for the 'Inspection Lamp Assembly' was refused! I've still got someone looking into this.


----------



## calum001

this just got extremely interesting.......

do you know when the patent was applied for grant ?


----------



## stantheman

The Cueball said:


> I can't see any patent for the UK, and the US - despite what they think - don't own the world...
> 
> Maybe call yours the Suun Guun though... :lol:
> 
> :thumb:


Or maybe 'Sun of a Gun'.......:lol::lol:


----------



## The Cueball

grantwils said:


> Interesting.
> 
> There was an International Patent Status Report produced today for the SunGun or 'Inspection Light Assembly' at the patents office...


I wonder who that was...... :tumbleweed:

:devil:


----------



## calum001

just a thought but if it was found that 3M don't have any patents and these can in theory be made and sold on....

you would then have to find a suitable 'donor' housing for the light gun, would there be any possible copyrights or anything else the manufacturer of the 'donor' could object to considering you are using and modifying their product and selling it on ?

is the International Patent Status Report the initial steps in applying for the patent or just a part of the process and it was started before this then ?


----------



## Nanoman

calum001 said:


> just a thought but if it was found that 3M don't have any patents and these can in theory be made and sold on....
> 
> you would then have to find a suitable 'donor' housing for the light gun, would there be any possible copyrights or anything else the manufacturer of the 'donor' could object to considering you are using and modifying their product and selling it on ?
> 
> is the International Patent Status Report the initial steps in applying for the patent or just a part of the process and it was started before this then ?


I think it's just to check if a patent has been granted.

*IF* there is no patent then there is nothing to stop them being made for sale. The device would however have to pass current safety legislation and relevant type approval to be legally sold in the UK.


----------



## Steve valentine

grantwils said:


> Interesting.
> 
> There was an International Patent Status Report produced today for the SunGun or 'Inspection Light Assembly' at the patents office...
> 
> ...I'm not sure what that means to be honest.
> 
> EDIT: Just read more.
> 
> From what I can gather the patent apllication for the 'Inspection Lamp Assembly' was refused! I've still got someone looking into this.


very interesting *strokes chin* :lol:


----------



## Flair

stantheman said:


> Or maybe 'Sun of s Gun'.......:lol::lol:


Sunshine Gun ....


----------



## 47p2

If you are looking for a name you want to stay as far away as possible from the original name. As this is a detailing torch it should be something suitable like 'Swirl Finder'


----------



## Bratwurst

Right that's it, decision made, I'm off at the weekend to get me a drill and get my name on the group buy for a few bulbs! 

Many, many thanks to everyone involved who took the time to post the instructions and pictures, and also the people who had problems and fixed them!!! :thumb:

Surely this thread will go down in legendary DW folklore?...

Hopefully by Saturday lunchtime I'll have my very own 'Defect Detector'


----------



## CraigQQ

i was gonna go buy a drill tommorow but without the bulbs and holder from the Group buy theres not much point in a drill sitting about lol..

thanks to everyone whos contributed to this project. especially grant, for the group buy and the demonstration of his home made sun gun at the open day.

and legendary DW folklore? i think so!! :thumb:

also.. still waiting on someone turning a laser pointer into a paint depth gauge :lol:


----------



## ZERO

3M UK said:


> Just stumbled across this...we certainly don't try and rip you off and believe me there was a lot of work that went into the Colour Check Light (sun gun) and the electronics. For instance and for those that are interested the light is primarily used in bodyshops for paint colour matching before spraying. Most bulbs go dim when the battery runs down and ours does not, which guarantees an accurate colour match each time until it goes flat and saves £'000's in rework from not having to respray by choosing the wrong paint colour.
> 
> Anyway, it's an interesting thread and at the end of the day, if you're not infringing any patents and providing a valuable service and new product, that's your perogative I'd think. As said, most people think the sun gun is a valuable tool but it was never intended just for detailing due to the price, it just happened to have these extra benefits for polishing.
> 
> Shall I check what the patent attorneys think just in case...???!!!


Thank you for having some input into this thread  
My comment about 3M ripping people off was not meant to be as wide sweeping as it came across, it was more so meant in terms of the DIY weekend detailer polisher, where €500 for a swirl spotting light would seem ridiculous.
Obviously it is a moot point as bodyshops and professional detailers will still be inclined to go with 3M due to trust, warranty, CE certification and customer support.
I'm studying industrial design at the moment and know very well that these aspects, outside of the physical product itself are the true causes of high prices and not necessarily a company trying to take advantage, so my apologies if you took offense to what I said.

In terms of sales I think you have very little to worry about, as in general, the people who are building the DIY version were most likely never going to buy a genuine item in the first place; if anything a positive response to the DIY version may incline someone to consider a genuine item in the future.

Again, as I think I have mentioned before, I would never wish any harm or illl effects upon ANY business, I simply have a huge interest in everything DIY 

Thanks again for your input.

Paul


----------



## mr cooper

ZERO said:


> Thank you for having some input into this thread
> My comment about 3M ripping people off was not meant to be as wide sweeping as it came across, it was more so meant in terms of the DIY weekend detailer polisher, where €500 for a swirl spotting light would seem ridiculous.
> Obviously it is a moot point as bodyshops and professional detailers will still be inclined to go with 3M due to trust, warranty, CE certification and customer support.
> I'm studying industrial design at the moment and know very well that these aspects, outside of the physical product itself are the true causes of high prices and not necessarily a company trying to take advantage, so my apologies if you took offense to what I said.
> 
> In terms of sales I think you have very little to worry about, as in general, the people who are building the DIY version were most likely never going to buy a genuine item in the first place; if anything a positive response to the DIY version may incline someone to consider a genuine item in the future.
> 
> Again, as I think I have mentioned before, I would never wish any harm or illl effects upon ANY business, I simply have a huge interest in everything DIY
> 
> Thanks again for your input.
> 
> Paul


Wow thats sum back peddling. lol


----------



## James0911

mr cooper said:


> Wow thats sum back peddling. lol


Thanks for your productive input to this thread. :wall:
Cheers to everyone who took the time and effort to do this in the first place


----------



## alan hanson

Haha true though


----------



## mopardave

How about a competition to name this marvellous piece of "garden shed" ingenuity..........when I make mine, I'm gonna call it the "Fun Gun"............any advances on that boys? :thumb:

Just need to dig out my stick on beard and rain coat and head for B and Q......see you all down there!:lol:



The Cueball said:


> I can't see any patent for the UK, and the US - despite what they think - don't own the world...
> 
> Maybe call yours the Suun Guun though... :lol:
> 
> :thumb:


----------



## mopardave

Having said all that, I'm no sparky so if I go for the mains option, I may end up calling mine the "Stun Gun"! :thumb:


----------



## ViewWise

So I can buy those 10 quid bulbs for my 3m sungun instead?


----------



## CraigQQ

no, 3m have the same bulb manufactured by that company with a different connection, the connection is the bit they have a patent on iirc, so there is no other option to the sungun bulb.


----------



## 47p2

CraigQQ said:


> no, 3m have the same bulb manufactured by that company with a different connection, the connection is the bit they have a patent on iirc, so there is no other option to the sungun bulb.


Not quite true......Yes the Sun Gun has a different fitting to the Solux lamps on the website, but they are standard GU10 fittings and I doubt if 3M would have a separate patent on something that is after all a standard lamp fitting. In the picture below the fitting on the left is the Sun Gun lamp, on the right is a standard GU10 halogen bulb.










I see no reason why you could not replace the end of the Solux lamp with the ceramic two pin assembly and save a fortune.

Or easier still replace the lamp holder in the Sun Gun to take the push in fittings of the Solux lamps......simples :thumb:


----------



## CraigQQ

i stand corrected then.. i was only told it was a different fitting, not seen pics or explanation on whats different so thanks.

also i would try and change the fitting on the bulb.. if your sun gun is in warrant it would be voided by changing the bulb holder.. so not a good idea as part of the reason they are so expensive is the fact your get the warrant and aftersales ect with 3m


----------



## 47p2

Just sent payment to Grant for a couple of bulbs and holder, for £20 it has to be worth a try before splashing out £45 for a single bulb


----------



## JJ_

mr cooper said:


> Wow thats sum back peddling. lol


Thanks for being part of the thread your statements alone have made this worth subscribing.

Mr Cooper I salute you

NOT REALLY


----------



## ZERO

mr cooper said:


> Wow thats sum back peddling. lol


Wow, that is some back peddling.

Learn to write English and maybe then we will discuss whether or not I was back peddling.
Spelling and gramatical errors have been underlined for your convenience, maybe next time you will form a well structured sentence; unlikely though if your previous effort and subsequent failed editing is anything to go by


----------



## Steve valentine

ZERO said:


> Wow, that is some back peddling.
> 
> Learn to write English and maybe then we will discuss whether or not I was back peddling.
> Spelling and gramatical errors have been underlined for your convenience, maybe next time you will form a well structured sentence; unlikely though if your previous effort and subsequent failed editing is anything to go by


No one likes the grammar police, especially the back peddling grammar police :lol:


----------



## ZERO

Back peddling? Me? Never...:lol:

I usually don't pack my grammar nazi uniform, however engaging in pedantries seemed all the more appealing than humoring his ill conceived notions of "back peddling". 
I stand by what I have said, both in the guide and in my response to 3M, citing that I was simply trying to clarify that no personal offense was intended.
I'm happy to be a contributing member of the community and if I can do so without offending anyone or stepping on anybody's feet then all the better for it; unfortunately not every member of the community has this same attitude.


----------



## CoopersE91

Guys, let's not marr what is a perfectly good and helpful thread- with lots of folk trying to help eachother out for the greater good - with a load of bickering. Sure there can be idiots sometimes, and I know it can be hard to resist, but leave them to it.


----------



## Martin_HDI

Lol, check the tags...


----------



## CraigQQ

Martin_HDI said:


> Lol, check the tags...


yep somepeople will never grow up, and just like to act like idiots.

i added the "ultimate swirl finder" one to add more good tags than the idiots with thier negative comments


----------



## mr cooper

ZERO said:


> Wow, that is some back peddling.
> 
> Learn to write English and maybe then we will discuss whether or not I was back peddling.
> Spelling and gramatical errors have been underlined for your convenience, maybe next time you will form a well structured sentence; unlikely though if your previous effort and subsequent failed editing is anything to go by


If you're going to highlight grammatical errors, perhaps spelling grammatical correctly would give more weight to your point.


----------



## Nanoman

Please keep this on topic folks...


----------



## 80skid

Great thread lads, this is one of the reasons why I love the internet, Im going to be getting myself a chepo cordless drill asap (dont fancy dismantling my Bosch one!) great DIY hack, nice one.


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

Used it today with the colour corrected bulb for painting interior doors white, really showed up the possible areas I missed.

Have two of these now, one with a standard buld and one colour corrected.

Still amazes me how good it is.


----------



## MellowYellow

I can't wait to use mine! Just waiting on the bulb now in th GB


----------



## Ultimate

I have a knackered 18v drill (motor gone), is that voltage within the spec of the bulb, I notice 14v been used , is 18v pushing it? If so any cheap way to step it down ?


----------



## Nanoman

Ultimate said:


> I have a knackered 18v drill (motor gone), is that voltage within the spec of the bulb, I notice 14v been used , is 18v pushing it? If so any cheap way to step it down ?


I'm pretty sure it's been done with 18v with no problems.


----------



## super_cds

do screw fix sell the mr16 gu5.3 connector, that the bulb pushes in to?
can find it on the site?


----------



## amiller

Still laugh when I read the tags! :lol:


----------



## Rust.Bucket

amiller said:


> Still laugh when I read the tags! :lol:


Yeah why is one if the tags '***** checker'...


----------



## Nanoman

Can't believe how good this is with the proper Solux bulb. Wouldn't bother with the external power source if I was doing it again. Definately a huge difference between the cheap bulbs and the Solux bulb (still cheaper than the identical 3M bulb which is made in the same factory!).

Action pics added...


----------



## chelt 1

*which is best*

dont like the idea of using a brand new drill, so which would be the best second hand unit to use?
What is the best voltage?
Higher the better?
Great thread to:thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

chelt 1 said:


> dont like the idea of using a brand new drill, so which would be the best second hand unit to use?
> What is the best voltage?
> Higher the better?
> Great thread to:thumb:


A new one is £10-£20. Choose whatever 2nd hand one you like but why bother?
14.4V seems to be the best.
Not really.
Correct.

:thumb:


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

Looking good.


----------



## BestGear

Thanks for putting the thread together...

I picked up my Performance Pro drill today (on in case at start of thread) and havethe lamp ordered.

Great stuff... its what DW is all about!

David


----------



## chelt 1

one of the best threads, well done


----------



## Ninj

Apologies if anyone has posted this link but how about these plus the bulb of your choice?


----------



## Alan W

Here's my DIY Sun Gun made using a B&Q 14.4V Performance Power drill (£19.98) that only required minimal cutting of the casing to secure the bulb. 

The wiring was de-soldered from the motor and soldered to the bulb holder wiring before being protected with heatshrink tubing.

It works, and very well! :thumb:

Thanks again Grant!

Alan W

Finished Swirl Spotter









Wiring









Minimal Cutting


----------



## ad172

Just to say a huge thanks to Zero and the OP of this thread. 

Just made mine up although I had to trek to three B&Qs to find a drill. 

This is what this forum is all about. 

Thanks

Adam


----------



## CraigQQ

im gonna be making a second one up for another member(FOC so not selling it, so no legal problems there.), 
these are top notch.


----------



## Colt Man

why does my bulb spin round when i pull the trigger?

only joking, quality thread lads i shall be building my own very soon


----------



## BestGear

*Made one... very neat...*

Guys

A big thanks to those that set this ball rolling... and a few pictures of mine... made from the same drill as Grant's - which is great regarding size, weight and a nice case to keep it in.

I also added a wee fan to keep it cool - if you are interested, a Maplin RY85G fits perfectly..... and costs £3.49.



















David

PS - lamp looks discoloured - it is not...just the flash makes it look that way!


----------



## Kev Lewis

Thanks for this thread it brillinat.

Any chance of another group buy on these bulbs please?


----------



## mrbloke

I made mine last night using various bits from around the house and garage. Feels like a right MacGyver moment as it all fits together perfectly first time!

Many thanks to the thread starters and contributers


----------



## MellowYellow

think Thats the exact same fan i put in mine bestgear. Quick tip, could do with some kind of vent around the back of the bulb to help expell the heat. Half a dozen 5mm holes drilled each side would probably do. I like that casing, might use one for my next build!


----------



## stuart1164

Pure genius.

It's amazing how some people can just look at something and know how to do the same thing cheeper.

Brilliant, I'm so impressed.

Stuart.


----------



## gtimad73

does anyone know if the solux 50w bulb would work better? or is the 35w bulb all thats needed. Im in the process of making mine and just wondering what bulb to order


----------



## Nanoman

Am more than happy with 35W. Haven't tried 50w.


----------



## gtimad73

cool will go with the 35w then


----------



## Nanoman

gtimad73 said:


> cool will go with the 35w then


It would be good to hear from someone that has tried 35 and 50w solux bulbs.

What effect does it have on swirl spotting, battery life and heat output?


----------



## Pezza4u

Tim186 said:


> Well bought me drill from screwfix with two batteries, gotta wait till friday for them to order it in got the mr16 bulb holder as well from them for £1.29. so for the bulb, drill batteries and holder, all done for just under 35 quid. gotta see if it will work with that drill first though





super_cds said:


> do screw fix sell the mr16 gu5.3 connector, that the bulb pushes in to?
> can find it on the site?


Did you guys find the bulb holder at screw fix, got a link? I'm going tomorrow so if I can get them there rather than make a detour to B&Q it would be better.

Are these the right bulbs?


----------



## prideinyouride

Made mine a few weeks back. Works incredibly with just a 35w 12v downlight. Very impressed. Thanks for the how to.


----------



## Bratwurst

Saw Billys the other night - outstanding!


----------



## Modmedia

Just after making one. Quite proud of myself lol 

Doesn't work on my silver car though


----------



## wookey

prideinyouride said:


> Made mine a few weeks back. Works incredibly with just a 35w 12v downlight. Very impressed. Thanks for the how to.


Waiting until you put a colour matched bulb into it! It'll be even better! :thumb:


----------



## prideinyouride

wookey said:


> Waiting until you put a colour matched bulb into it! It'll be even better! :thumb:


Shame it's such a **** around to replace the bulb. What more can you ask for £20!?


----------



## Andy from Sandy

I purchased these bulb holders

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290558270839&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT


----------



## wookey

prideinyouride said:


> Shame it's such a **** around to replace the bulb. What more can you ask for £20!?


It takes me less than 1 minute to change the bulb.


----------



## prideinyouride

wookey said:


> It takes me less than 1 minute to change the bulb.


Show off.


----------



## wookey

lol

The torches are brilliant for checking glass as you clean it, need to get a spare battery for mine.


----------



## prideinyouride

Even if you buy another drill for the battery, £40 for an incredibly effective swirl spotter, 2x batteries and a spare drill is a bargain!


----------



## paranoid73

prideinyouride said:


> Shame it's such a **** around to replace the bulb. What more can you ask for £20!?


Not as if you need to change the bulb everyday though!


----------



## mejinks

Went and ordered my bits from the bay. Have chosen to use a standard 12v drill because it was £10. I can't believe you can buy a drill for £10.


----------



## mejinks

prideinyouride said:


> Even if you buy another drill for the battery, £40 for an incredibly effective swirl spotter, 2x batteries and a spare drill is a bargain!


A Vikan brush with a broken handle inserted in the end of the drill may make a good wheel cleaner...... :speechles


----------



## prideinyouride

mejinks said:


> A Vikan brush with a broken handle inserted in the end of the drill may make a good wheel cleaner...... :speechles


Good god 


----------



## pete911

this is a great thread and I shall definitely be making one of these. Can I ask what difference there is, if any, between chooseing the £9.99 versus £24.99 donar drill?


----------



## gtimad73

i think the 24 quid one just looks better. thats the one i got. cant believe the light it puts out with the solux bulb in it.


----------



## Nanoman

pete911 said:


> this is a great thread and I shall definitely be making one of these. Can I ask what difference there is, if any, between chooseing the £9.99 versus £24.99 donar drill?


14.4v battery instead of 12v - better light output.
Looks better
Comes with a case
Some come with 2nd battery as well



gtimad73 said:


> i think the 24 quid one just looks better. thats the one i got. cant believe the light it puts out with the solux bulb in it.


----------



## Chufster

The motor is going in my 14.4v cordless drill. I was on the market for a new drill. Now the old one can be recycled!!!

Will done grantwils, top thread.


----------



## CraigQQ

i made a second one yesterday for gally, gave him my other bulb from the group buy, cost £30 all in, B&Q drill £25, and £5 for the mr16 holder with a halogen bulb as b&q dont sell the holder on its own that i could find.
took me 20 minutes start to finish (and 5 minutes of that were looking for the wire connectors in the garage :lol


----------



## gally

Ooooooooooooooooo look what I got... I looks so good, I think because it's sun gun colours! 














































Poor iPhone pics!

I just want to say a massive thank you to Craig, true gent who saved me from setting myself on fire!

The light output is incredible. I'll get a comparison with the sungun at work at some point.

Thanks mate, hopefully I can repay the favour sometime. 
Now where will I get a solax bulb from and how easy is it to change!


----------



## Bratwurst

Oh aye Kevin, that looks magic! :thumb:

I'm sure Billy's got the same drill/light as you. Saw it last week all made up it feels, and looks, proper quality.

Happy lighting


----------



## gally

It feels proper, Dennis and I've used the 3m one a lot. Very happy with it I must say!

Guys... 4100k solax or 4700k?

http://www.svenlight.co.uk/index.php?cPath=24_26&osCsid=406835c5dc67a481da2f2df82918e9fb


----------



## CraigQQ

4700k solux.. thats the one thats in your light kev.


----------



## CraigQQ

its very simple to change mate.. take out the screws, lift the casing off, pop the bulb from the holder, put the other in, screw the case back together.

pretty sure this is the exact bulb from the group buy
http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=406835c5dc67a481da2f2df82918e9fb

35w 4700k 36degree light output.


----------



## gally

So my one has a solax bulb?

I thought I had a normal downlighter?


----------



## CraigQQ

no i got the 2 in the group buy, and i gave you my spare bulb :thumb:


----------



## calum001

exact same as mine Gally :thumb:

i've still got my spare bulb from the GB aswell, will be keeping hold of it though to save the hassle incase it blows


----------



## Alan W

Looks exactly like mine Kev!  LINK

Nice one Craig! :thumb:

Alan W


----------



## davesei

briliant thread guess where im off to :wave::car::detailer:


----------



## CraigQQ

calum001 said:


> exact same as mine Gally :thumb:
> 
> i've still got my spare bulb from the GB aswell, will be keeping hold of it though to save the hassle incase it blows


yeah, it was after seeing yours and i liked the look of the grey casing.. its similar to the 3m look. thats why i got that one for kev instead of the one i used (which was £5 cheaper at the time, and the black and blue design i liked.. but i don't like it so much now :lol: but not changing.


----------



## gally

CraigQQ said:


> no i got the 2 in the group buy, and i gave you my spare bulb :thumb:


Superb mate, thanks again!



calum001 said:


> exact same as mine Gally :thumb:
> 
> i've still got my spare bulb from the GB aswell, will be keeping hold of it though to save the hassle incase it blows


Fantastic mate.



Alan W said:


> Looks exactly like mine Kev!  LINK
> 
> Nice one Craig! :thumb:
> 
> Alan W


I missed that one Alan! Looks great!

Did you get the solax one aswell Alan?



CraigQQ said:


> yeah, it was after seeing yours and i liked the look of the grey casing.. its similar to the 3m look. thats why i got that one for kev instead of the one i used (which was £5 cheaper at the time, and the black and blue design i liked.. but i don't like it so much now :lol: but not changing.


The grey does look really good I must say. Cracking piece of kit.

I'm sure 3M are chuffed to bits with this thread!

To be fair the sungun was never made for detailers, it was for bodyshops!


----------



## CraigQQ

gally said:


> I'm sure 3M are chuffed to bits with this thread!
> 
> To be fair the sungun was never made for detailers, it was for bodyshops!


well they have been involved with it, checked the legalities i believe,
but i don't reckon it will effect thier sales much.. the people who require the assurance it will work everytime and that guarantee that it will stand up to heavy use (ie bodyshops ect) will still buy a 3m one,


----------



## kingtheydon

Anyone got a spare bulb they want to send my way??

Been meaning to make one of these for months and finally getting my **** into gear to do it.


----------



## Alan W

gally said:


> I missed that one Alan! Looks great!


Thanks! 



gally said:


> Did you get the solax one aswell Alan?


Yes , thanks to Grant! :thumb:

Alan W


----------



## BlackCat

kingtheydon said:


> Anyone got a spare bulb they want to send my way??
> 
> Been meaning to make one of these for months and finally getting my **** into gear to do it.


Sorry bud. Out of the 2 I got, 1 wasn't working. 
Pretty miffed tbh but hey, it has to happen to someone and that someone is usualy me :wall:

Pau


----------



## scp-cheshire

Just done the cheap version, now after some of the colour matched bulbs (3 or 4) so can do a mk2.


----------



## Alan W

Just made another one of these today for a Forum member. 

You know who you are and can collect anytime! 

Alan W


----------



## nope-mx5

Ordered 2 MR16 holders on ebay, less than $2 shipped.
Solux bulb from local shop.

Just need to get a hotglue gun and a 14.4v cheap drill 
Fun and pretty easy project 

-n


----------



## minimadgriff

This thread is awesome. Well done to the chaps who started this idea. The grey B&Q Fun Gun Sun Swirl Finder, looks bloody brilliant!


----------



## CraigQQ

they are great minimadgriff..
ive made one for me and one for another member, very simple and work great.


----------



## Alan W

minimadgriff said:


> The grey B&Q Fun Gun Sun Swirl Finder, looks bloody brilliant!


Doesn't it just, and I chose it for the rear facing cooling fins that should let some heat out. :thumb:



nope-mx5 said:


> *Just need to get a hotglue gun*.............


You don't need a hotglue gun if you use the 14.4V Performance Power drill from B&Q! 

Alan W


----------



## nope-mx5

Alan W said:


> You don't need a hotglue gun if you use the 14.4V Performance Power drill from B&Q!
> Alan W


It`s a bit of a hassle to go to England just to get a drill since I`m in Norway 
A hot glue gun is nice to have either way though 

-n


----------



## Bratwurst

Try amazon then, some cheap drills there. Or eBay.

Nobody knew you're in Norway coz your profile at the side doesn't say. Never really understood why folk don't fill that bit in, but different strokes for different blokes I suppose...


----------



## nope-mx5

wee_green_mini said:


> Try amazon then, some cheap drills there. Or eBay.
> 
> Nobody knew you're in Norway coz your profile at the side doesn't say. Never really understood why folk don't fill that bit in, but different strokes for different blokes I suppose...


Seems I forgot to enter Location when I joined.
Fixed now 
We got 14.4v drills for less than 20GBP here aswell, so I get the proper charger etc 

-n


----------



## pete911

i found an old drill in the garage but the battery doesnt hold a charge. seems like batteries are all different formats so getting a replacements is always tricky. think ill get a new drill from b n q. at least everything will be starting with everything shiny new.


----------



## supercharged

what a fricken rip off real 3m sun gun is...they call it "competative pricing"...


----------



## getthewheelsinl

Anyone tried the 18V Performance Power drill from B&Q? Looks very similar to their 14.4V! Could get my hands on a damaged one if it's been tried...


----------



## CraigQQ

supercharged said:


> what a fricken rip off real 3m sun gun is...they call it "competative pricing"...


well their isnt a competitor? so it is competitive lol.
but in all honesty, with the 3M sun gun its not a rip off, for amatuer detailers ect. its priced too expensive.
but for the pro's and bodyshops who need a guarantee, and the knowledge its a tried and tested product, also the aftersales i've been told is fantastic.
lets not slate 3M in this thread please, without them, there wouldnt be this thread.
as there wouldn't have been a product to simulate/make a similar one.



getthewheelsinl said:


> Anyone tried the 18V Performance Power drill from B&Q? Looks very similar to their 14.4V! Could get my hands on a damaged one if it's been tried...


i do believe someone tested it, and it did work but we were unsure if it would shorten the life of the bulb.:thumb:


----------



## Bratwurst

nope-mx5 said:


> Seems I forgot to enter Location when I joined.
> Fixed now
> We got 14.4v drills for less than 20GBP here aswell, so I get the proper charger etc
> 
> -n


Nice one, happy building!


----------



## getthewheelsinl

CraigQQ said:


> i do believe someone tested it, and it did work but we were unsure if it would shorten the life of the bulb.:thumb:


thanks for the info Craig, had guessed it may have an effect on bulb! Might just head to B&Q today & pick up a 14.4v!


----------



## Steve valentine

CraigQQ said:


> i do believe someone tested it, and it did work but we were unsure if it would shorten the life of the bulb.:thumb:


Yup, it worked, but by god it was bright :lol:


----------



## DrDax

Now I know what to do with my old cordless drills.
Excellent mod.. 

P1000 GB Overcome 2.0.x


----------



## paranoid73

supercharged said:


> what a fricken rip off real 3m sun gun is...they call it "competative pricing"...


I think you have to remember the cost of development, patents and tooling for injection moulding ect, and the fact it only sells in small numbers to specalists, not millions like the DIY market. All those costs have to absorbed in the pricing.


----------



## paranoid73

When to get the parts for one this weekend and can't get a 14.4v B&Q performance drill in east anglia as all branches are all out of stock!


----------



## nope-mx5

paranoid73 said:


> When to get the parts for one this weekend and can't get a 14.4v B&Q performance drill in east anglia as all branches are all out of stock!


Seems it`s a lot of people building sunguns 

-n


----------



## Steve valentine

paranoid73 said:


> I think you have to remember the cost of development, patents and tooling for injection moulding ect, and the fact it only sells in small numbers to specalists, not millions like the DIY market. All those costs have to absorbed in the pricing.


It's still a only a £400 torch


----------



## Andy from Sandy

> can't get a 14.4v B&Q performance drill in east anglia as all branches are all out of stock!


I got one from Milton Keynes on Sunday and there was more on the shelf. Curiously I read somewhere that cordless tools should now be using Ni-Mh or Li-Ion batteries and not Ni-Cd as the B&Q performance drill uses.

On a side note the 14.4Volt battery is going to be 18 to 19 volts hot off the charger so it might be wise to not pull the trigger fully for the first few seconds.


----------



## paranoid73

Steve valentine said:


> It's still a only a £400 torch


I agree its still a £400 torch but the cost is spread over 1000s of units not millions like a domestic torch. Its not a mass market item which makes it more expensive to produce.


----------



## mejinks

Well finally got around to building mine today. Being lazy, I used a couple of drops of superglue to hold the bulb in place. It took literally 5 minutes 
to put together.

I went out and was testing it on my car and got into a conversation with a sprayer in the units behind my house. Next thing you know, hes a happy fun gun owner... Now I have to make another 

On the plus side, he also bought some mf towels and some cg new car smell air freshener off me. I might have missed my calling as a salesman lol.


----------



## nicp2007

i know i have asked before but i am going to ask again 

*can someone please build me a couple of these???*

i am willing to pay for all parts and of cause some beer tokens for your time too :thumb:


----------



## prideinyouride

Pride & Performance said:


> i know i have asked before but i am going to ask again
> 
> *can someone please build me a couple of these???*
> 
> i am willing to pay for all parts and of cause some beer tokens for your time too :thumb:


Where abouts are you?


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

Pride & Performance said:


> i know i have asked before but i am going to ask again
> 
> *can someone please build me a couple of these???*
> 
> i am willing to pay for all parts and of cause some beer tokens for your time too :thumb:


I'll sort you out Nick. I'm at B&Q tomorrow and see what drills are available.


----------



## nicp2007

prideinyouride said:


> Where abouts are you?


i'm in preston mate :thumb:



Mirror Finish said:


> I'll sort you out Nick. I'm at B&Q tomorrow and see what drills are available.


thanks mate :thumb:

i really can't do fidley taking things apart it will just end in disaster :wall:


----------



## mejinks

Pride & Performance said:


> i'm in preston mate :thumb:
> 
> thanks mate :thumb:
> 
> i really can't do fidley taking things apart it will just end in disaster :wall:


8 screws, some glue and 2 electrical connectors? :doublesho


----------



## nicp2007

to some, cutting pads, harsh compounds and soft paints would mean disaster but to me it is a daily task, 

we all have some strong points and some weak points :thumb:


----------



## prideinyouride

I'm a bit out your way fella. Mirror finish will sort you out.


----------



## ross-1888

has anyone looked at the tags for this thread.....


seriously tho. great guide. im of to b&q


----------



## mejinks

Sorry, didn't mean to sound patronizing.


----------



## Tom_watts

I've got an old drill I will be giving this a go.


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

Pride & Performance said:


> to some, cutting pads, harsh compounds and soft paints would mean disaster but to me it is a daily task,
> 
> we all have some strong points and some weak points :thumb:


Do you want a small one or a big one....12v or 14v.

Local B&Q is out of all at the moment, delivery expected Monday.

Cost wise.

12v about a tenner
14v about 20 quid ish.

The bulb is the expensive bit £15 delivered.


----------



## CraigQQ

doesnt he want 2 steve? (makes the postage cost on the bulb not so harsh)


----------



## Modmedia

What bulbs are you guys using? I have the B&Q one at the moment.

Got any links? If not allowed to post then please PM.


----------



## CraigQQ

http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=fea51872900ffacbe39a019c6f0e9ee0

this is the bulb


----------



## ak07

CraigQQ said:


> http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=fea51872900ffacbe39a019c6f0e9ee0
> 
> this is the bulb


Are you referring to the 5pack deal


----------



## CraigQQ

that page takes you straight to the single pack bulb at £9.45,


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

i have a cordless drill witch says it is 18V, can i use a 12v light or a 220w with no problem? or do I need to conect some power trasformer? 

thanks


----------



## Nanoman

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> i have a cordless drill witch says it is 18V, can i use a 12v light or a 220w with no problem? or do I need to conect some power trasformer?
> 
> thanks


18v works the 12v bulb OK but will shorten the life of the bulb - won't be too much of an issue though. don't think u meant 220W - that'll melt the drill and likely blind you! If you meant 230v it won't work with an 18v drill. The bulbd details you're after are in my original post.


----------



## chopperRB320

I made one of these torches the other day. Bought the suggested solux bulb and it works great. How come the 3m replacement bulbs are £70?


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

grantwils said:


> 18v works the 12v bulb OK but will shorten the life of the bulb - won't be too much of an issue though. don't think u meant 220W - that'll melt the drill and likely blind you! If you meant 230v it won't work with an 18v drill. The bulbd details you're after are in my original post.


yes i meant 50w - 230V, my mistake , 220W is too much obvious :wall:
If the only problem is the live shorten of the bulb I will try with the 12v bulb. I will post some photos after. 
Thanks very much  :thumb:


----------



## atd

I've already done one with the £9.99 drill and Solux bulb - it works very well, but battery life is a little poor (these cheap drills only have 1200mAh batteries, which by my calulations when I built it offered around 30minutes constant use, however voltage drop and thus a drop in brightness become an issue before the 30 minutes).

I have an 18V Einhell drill I'm going to try it on next, probably dropping the voltage down to 14v (perhaps switching this reduction for the ability of an 18v turbo function  )


----------



## paranoid73

Finally managed to get hold of a performance power 14.4v drill and Solex bulb and have built my Sun Gun!

I have also discovered if you insert a small electrical screw driver behind the wire in the switch there is a small spring clip that retains the wire, ease the clip towards the centre of the switch and the cable can be pulled out and the replacement cable pushed in with no need for splicing.


----------



## Spoony

I've also got mines built thanks to Alan W who put it together for me. It is awesome


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

Hi.

I tryed today to make my Sun Gun  the photos attached is my result.

photos are with bad focus :S 

















but I have some questions, I tryed first with an 50W - 12V and the light was impressive  but everytime I turn on the light I hear some noise like piiiiiii.... so i decided to use a 20W - 12V light, and the light still very good. But why did the 50w bulb noise? to much power?

2º i used hot gun to fix the bulb, but as the light heats, will that heat melt the glue I used?

3º I tryed the gun in my car that have a lot of swirls, but with the sun gun i couldnt see to many. Does de distance between the sun gun and the car surface make diference?

sorry if my english is not the best.

Best Regards


----------



## Nanoman

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> Hi.
> 
> I tryed today to make my Sun Gun  the photos attached is my result.
> 
> photos are with bad focus :S
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but I have some questions, I tryed first with an 50W - 12V and the light was impressive  but everytime I turn on the light I hear some noise like piiiiiii.... so i decided to use a 20W - 12V light, and the light still very good. But why did the 50w bulb noise? to much power?
> 
> 2º i used hot gun to fix the bulb, but as the light heats, will that heat melt the glue I used?
> 
> 3º I tryed the gun in my car that have a lot of swirls, but with the sun gun i couldnt see to many. Does de distance between the sun gun and the car surface make diference?
> 
> sorry if my english is not the best.
> 
> Best Regards


I don't have a scientific explanation for the noise it makes with 50w bulb but this is normal.

It should *not *get hot enough to melt the glue.

Order the Solux bulb with the specification mentioned in my post and you will notice a big difference. Solux bulb is the best for spotting swirls.


----------



## BRUNBERG

Anyone fancy making me one of these with a solux bulb?? I'm absolutely useless with anything electrical! Obviously I would cover all costs and beer tokens


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

grantwils said:


> I don't have a scientific explanation for the noise it makes with 50w bulb but this is normal.
> 
> It should get hot enough to melt the glue.
> 
> Order the Solux bulb with the specification mentioned in my post and you will notice a big difference. Solux bulb is the best for spotting swirls.


i will try with the 50w light to see if there is some diference, as it is a diference mark. I dont finde Solux bulb in Portugal :S

I will have to figure out how to solve the heat problem now, I dont want to take out all the glue, and do the job again :S lol

and thanks for the reply


----------



## ross-1888

Well guys i build 2 of these the othery day one for me and one for a mate. I also used the solux buld in the ones i build. 

Lucky enough for me my mate has the proper sungun and when youu put them side by side the solux bulb is identical the built version goes a little brighter due to the 14.4v So well worth the money. drill bulb and fitting plus other bits n bobs £45 and just as good as a sun gun


----------



## [email protected]

I was thinking about doing one of these just not got round to it yet lol


----------



## Nanoman

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> i will try with the 50w light to see if there is some diference, as it is a diference mark. I dont finde Solux bulb in Portugal :S
> 
> I will have to figure out how to solve the heat problem now, I dont want to take out all the glue, and do the job again :S lol
> 
> and thanks for the reply


Sorry Pedro. I meant to say 'it should *not* get hot enough to melt the glue'. If you really want to some others have added a small fan designed for inside PC's or laptops available for a small charge from your local computer parts supplier.


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

oh ok. thakns


----------



## Pezza4u

I still haven't got around to making this, not had the time to get to B&Q so I'm going to get the bits off ebay. The bulb holders were linked earlier on in the thread and the same seller is selling a pack of 8 bulbs for a fiver, I just want to check these are the right ones? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250827436949&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

If I start using it alot then I'll get the Solux one.


----------



## mejinks

Pezza4u said:


> I still haven't got around to making this, not had the time to get to B&Q so I'm going to get the bits off ebay. The bulb holders were linked earlier on in the thread and the same seller is selling a pack of 8 bulbs for a fiver, I just want to check these are the right ones? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250827436949&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
> 
> If I start using it alot then I'll get the Solux one.


To be honest, its no point in buying those bulbs, you will have a very handy torch, but not a swirl spotter.


----------



## Nanoman

Pezza4u said:


> I still haven't got around to making this, not had the time to get to B&Q so I'm going to get the bits off ebay. The bulb holders were linked earlier on in the thread and the same seller is selling a pack of 8 bulbs for a fiver, I just want to check these are the right ones? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250827436949&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
> 
> If I start using it alot then I'll get the Solux one.


The bulbs holders were linked to on ebay - the bulbs are not on ebay as far as I'm aware. The type of bulb you need to buy is the Solux one. The only UK supplier I have found is Svenlight. You'll struggle to buy one bulb for less than £12-£15 including postage.


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

about solux bulbs, 35W is enough, or 50w is better? and I saw that they have difference beam angle, what's the difference and what's best for this case? 

and what about led bulbs? are they better or equal to see better the swirls? because led bulbs use a lot less power so the battery will take longer.

thanks


----------



## Pezza4u

mejinks said:


> To be honest, its no point in buying those bulbs, you will have a very handy torch, but not a swirl spotter.





grantwils said:


> The bulbs holders were linked to on ebay - the bulbs are not on ebay as far as I'm aware. The type of bulb you need to buy is the Solux one. The only UK supplier I have found is Svenlight. You'll struggle to buy one bulb for less than £12-£15 including postage.


Thanks...but I thought the difference between the Solux bulbs and the normal ones was it shows the colour better? The normal bulbs will still show up swirls like in the photos on the first post? Or have I read that wrong, I'll have to check the others posts.


----------



## Nanoman

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> about solux bulbs, 35W is enough, or 50w is better? and I saw that they have difference beam angle, what's the difference and what's best for this case?
> 
> and what about led bulbs? are they better or equal to see better the swirls? because led bulbs use a lot less power so the battery will take longer.
> 
> thanks


35w and 36deg beam angle Solux is the one that seems to give best result for spotting swirls. Feel free to use whatever you like.



Pezza4u said:


> Thanks...but I thought the difference between the Solux bulbs and the normal ones was it shows the colour better? The normal bulbs will still show up swirls like in the photos on the first post? Or have I read that wrong, I'll have to check the others posts.


It's not just colour about colour - beam angle also helps.

Just to confirm - nothing anyone has found to my knowledge shows up swirls better than the 35w, 12v, 36 deg Solux bulb.


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

the color temperature can be any one right?


----------



## Nanoman

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> the color temperature can be any one right?


4700k seems to be good.


----------



## stealthwolf

This place is really bad. 

I had planned to polish the wing mirrors after I'd filled in some scratches and wet sanded them down. My garage lighting isn't very bright for polishing and I'd been relying on torches.

Have been toying with the idea of building a DIY sungun as posted here and in the other thread.

Made a quick note of what I needed and headed down to B&Q. But life is never easy. The 35W bulbs had all been fiddled with - the seals on the boxes were broken and in two boxes, the bulbs were missing! Grabbed a 50W set and then grabbed the cordless drill. This was the only uncomplicated thing. £14. Needed a glue gun but the loctite one for £11 was out of stock so had to buy the Stanley one for £25.

Reached home and eagerly ripped apart the cordless drill. Lined the bulb up and stripped the wires to join them on. That's when I realised I'd forgotten the bulb holder.  The car had been parked in the garage and I didn't want to get it out for a third time that day, so I carried on. Could not for the life of me find my soldering iron either! 

Attached the wires to the bulb and used the glue gun to attach them. Without returning anything to the case, I attached the battery to the switch. No go. Then tried the battery the other way round and it worked.

Quickly reassembled everything. I used the selector switch thing to hold the bulb in place. Didn't need to file it down - just held it in place and stuck some hot glue on the end. Very sturdy.

Played around with the sun gun and it works awesomely. Problem is that it became so hot, it melted the hot glue!  Had to disassemble and rejoin the wires.

By using it for brief seconds at a time, I managed to keep the thing cool enough for use.

Does anyone else's torch make a whining sound if you press the switch at anything less than fully in?

Plans are to buy a bulb holder! :wall:
Thinking about a fan for the bulb. A small one for the motherboard chipset - they can come in 17mm and 25mm sizes but can't recall if this is the fanblade diameter or the entire thing. Should be small enough to fit into the drill case.

Will also look into the Solux bulb but to be honest, the 50W bulb does it's job and does it well.

Not bad for a total of £45 or so.


----------



## DrDax

Led maglite works ok too if working in a garage.

Not as good as the DIY sunlight though lol
_______
Mustang GT V8 500HP Roushcharged
(sent via Galaxy Tab...)


----------



## paranoid73

Anyone else that wants to make a sun gun, you do not need to cut the cables just put a small electrical screw driver into the switch and relase the cable.
Use a dremil or needle file to cut the raised lip of plastic away to locate the bulb, there is no need to glue anything, as the bulb is held tight in the casing. Your just spending extra money for no reason, put that money towards a Solex bulb.


----------



## Stomper

*grantwils* , sorry for my ignorance . The bulb holders have little sockets for the bulb to lock into , but the bulbs on the site seem to just have pins , not the little locks like standard downlight bulbs .
I need to order my bulb asap but dont want to order them until i clarify this .
Thanks in advance
Mark

ps , if anyone wants to come in with me on the bulbs , if a multipack is cheaper let me know.


----------



## Nanoman

The puns on the bulb just slot in. It's the MR16 GU5.3 fitment you want not the locking ones.


----------



## Stomper

Hmm , might have made an error there . Bought my drill And these after I was drunk last night .
These are gx 5.3 are they correct . I'm guessing not :wall:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280697551515&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_842wt_107


----------



## Nanoman

Stomper said:


> Hmm , might have made an error there . Bought my drill And these after I was drunk last night .
> These are gx 5.3 are they correct . I'm guessing not :wall:
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280697551515&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_842wt_107


They look fine.


----------



## getthewheelsinl

paranoid73 said:


> Anyone else that wants to make a sun gun, you do not need to cut the cables just put a small electrical screw driver into the switch and relase the cable.
> Use a dremil or needle file to cut the raised lip of plastic away to locate the bulb, there is no need to glue anything, as the bulb is held tight in the casing. Your just spending extra money for no reason, put that money towards a Solex bulb.


This!! Made mine tonight - no crimping or glueing. Used dremil to trim away strengthing ribs - tested and works a treat with the Solex bulb!! Good job guys!!:thumb:


----------



## Andy from Sandy

Maybe not important for this application but I purchased what this seller describes as the new regulation spec bulb holders

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-MR16-CERAMI...6266083?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&hash=item3a636e2563

To make the postage look more reasonable I purchased two solux bulbs so I have a spare.


----------



## Stomper

All the gear and no idea . :newbie:
I didn`t actually need this , but i love making things and i`ll use it for other stuff too , also who could resist at that cost . About £22 so far , just to order my bulbs now .
This is with regular of the shelf bulbs .


----------



## Stomper

Oh , and thanks for all the superb advice during this thread . 
Top Class :thumb:


----------



## P90PTS

Anyone want one? PM me


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

I forgot to show my son gun, so here is my sun gun 










i bought sloux bulb and i could see improvement between my other bulb, thanks for the tips.

I now will see the batery life, if it runs out quickly i will adapt direct to the power plug.


----------



## Jared1

Won't the heat of the halogen bulb melt or distort the plastic around it?


----------



## Nanoman

Jared1 said:


> Won't the heat of the halogen bulb melt or distort the plastic around it?


I don't think there's been any reports of this.


----------



## lois97

GREAT thread easy to do ,even put the fan from maplins in  as was slightly concerned about the heat .....also wrapped some tin foil around the back of the bulb to stop heat transfer and cut down on light bleed through body :thumb:
Just awaiting delivery of solux bulbs now.Thanks again for a great write up guys


----------



## MrHeuft

Just got mine done yesterday. This is the first version and just wanted to see how does the bulb fit in. Next i'm going to order Solux bulb and couple of switches and gonna add a possibility to use cigarette lighter for power source.


----------



## shaun-b

Excellent thread. Just completed my own using the cheap B&Q 12v drill driver and one of their GU5.3 bulb & connector kits. No cutting of wires or gluing used - fixed bulb using double sided, foam backed mounting tape to allow easy replacement. Total cost todate: £12.46. Just need to order the Solux bulb. ;-)


----------



## davZS

Brilliant thread top respect for taking the time to make this and post it up, have we got a deffinate shopping list of required parts and where to buy? I'm sure over the many pages from the first post people have improved things. Any help is greatly appreciated.


----------



## daz74

Excellent work.I just went to BQ got a the parts,got home and had it done in 10mins.Away to order the solux bulb. Big :thumb:


----------



## *Das*

chopperRB320 said:


> How come the 3m replacement bulbs are £70?


Greed............

BTW check the tags at the bottom of the page, WTF :lol:


----------



## Mr Face

DasArab said:


> Greed............
> 
> BTW check the tags at the bottom of the page, WTF :lol:


Whats a doofus drill 

:lol:

:lol:

:lol:


----------



## Pandy

I saw this when it was in its early stages and thought nothing of it. Now im sat with a brilliant 'Solar Gun' next to me looking forward to a detail ive got in tomorrow 

Its already been said but massive thanks to everyone who has been involved in this, fantastic :thumb:

It cost me £32.96 exactly, and i used the free toolkit from the Evo subscription someone linked on here so when people moan that DW costs them money this is one instance where it can save you a fortune!

I will be investing in the colour corrected bulb soon but for now it will do just perfectly.


----------



## Raymond

Going to try make one


----------



## slim_boy_fat

^^ Do it!! 

I made mine in very little time using a new B&Q drill, all the bits cost c. £20 iirc.


----------



## Raymond

Can't get mine to work :S... not a clue what I'm doing wrong?


----------



## Raymond

Raymond said:


> Can't get mine to work :S... not a clue what I'm doing wrong?


So I got the downlight kit from local Homebase. It included a GU10 50w bulb. Is this too much/whats wrong?

The drill is just my local Argos one, £9.99 haha. 12v.

Everything correct? But I wire everything together it doesn't work?


----------



## Bratwurst

Bad connection?
Charging problem?
Bust bulb?
Broken switch?

Could be any number of things really. Try a spare bulb to rule that out. Check your wiring, battery and switch with a multimeter, if possible.


----------



## Bratwurst

A good in-depth visual check of your connections is also well worth doing if you don't have access to a meter.


----------



## Raymond

wee_green_mini said:


> Bad connection?
> Charging problem?
> Bust bulb?
> Broken switch?
> 
> Could be any number of things really. Try a spare bulb to rule that out. Check your wiring, battery and switch with a multimeter, if possible.


Battery can power the drill so battery and switch is fine.

I don't have another bulb :/...

Bulb holder specs: 250v/100w... could this be a problem?


----------



## Bratwurst

I would have thought that was its maximum capacity, but I'm no electrician, so maybe someone else can help.
Could it then be the wiring going into the bulb-holder is the problem if it all works as a drill?
Worth checking that I reckon...


----------



## PrestigeChris

GU10 50w bulb. is that a 12v version?


edit seen this Bulb holder specs: 250v/100w... could this be a problem?






that is your problem mate, thats mains voltage. needs to be one for a step down transformer


----------



## Raymond

wee_green_mini said:


> I would have thought that was its maximum capacity, but I'm no electrician, so maybe someone else can help.
> Could it then be the wiring going into the bulb-holder is the problem if it all works as a drill?
> Worth checking that I reckon...


Hmm... would putting the live wires onto the bulb itself work? I've tried that and it still does not light the bulb .



PrestigeChris said:


> GU10 50w bulb. is that a 12v version?
> 
> edit seen this Bulb holder specs: 250v/100w... could this be a problem?
> 
> that is your problem mate, thats mains voltage. needs to be one for a step down transformer


So its the bulb holder? I've not a clue what the bulbs are. I've tried another bulb I found. Its a 220-240v 50w and still didn't work.


----------



## Bratwurst

If it's the rating's the problem , then changing the bulb to a 12v one should sort you. 12v will go through the bulb holder ok so I don't reckon you'd need to change that too. Tesco do very cheap halogens which for the sake of a pound or two will at least give you something.


----------



## Raymond

wee_green_mini said:


> If it's the rating's the problem , then changing the bulb to a 12v one should sort you. 12v will go through the bulb holder ok so I don't reckon you'd need to change that too. Tesco do very cheap halogens which for the sake of a pound or two will at least give you something.


Tesco is unfortunately miles away! I'm going to have a shop around... Poundshop here I come!

So what spec bulb do I need to buy?


----------



## Bratwurst

A 12v one, not a 240v one.
It'll say on the box.


----------



## PrestigeChris

jut make sure the bulb has the right fitting for your holder. iirc the 240v gu10 has a bayonet style fitting on it and the 12v version is a 2 pin prong type. This will mean your bulb holder will be incorrect also

240v
http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets...tml?_$ja=tsid:11518|cat:16338786|prd:16338786

12v
http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/12v-halogen-lamp-mr16-20w-pk-of-3.html


----------



## Bratwurst

I stand corrected - apologies


----------



## PrestigeChris

wee_green_mini said:


> I stand corrected - apologies


i think im right lol. just didnt want the guy wasting his money! :thumb:


----------



## Bratwurst

Hey no problem man :thumb:


----------



## PrestigeChris

These downlight fixtures are in the lighting aisle and not in the same aisle as the bulbs. There are two options for what to buy here; both include a 35 Watt MR16 GU 5.3 bulb, a 240v to 12v transformer (which isn't needed but can be used for creating a mains supply for the "SolarGun"), instructions for it's "proper" use and either a fixed or tilting ceiling mount.
You can buy either, it really just depends on how fancy you want your paper weight to be. (An internet high five to the person who can think of a detailing use for it




thats from the original post


----------



## SteveyG

PrestigeChris said:


> i think im right lol. just didnt want the guy wasting his money! :thumb:


Yes, you're correct. GU10 and GZ10 are mains lamp holders. You need an MR16 lamp and lamp holder.

edit: Just noticed the tags for this thread at the bottom of the page :lol:


----------



## Raymond

Looks like I need to buy a new bulb holder . Let's see if I can get a refund on this...absolutely destroyed it but you know haha!


----------



## Alant86

I just joined the forum this morning and have already made myself one of these! Couldn't wait so just nipped to B&Q an hour ago.

Total cost = £18.96


----------



## NissanMan

I use my 4 led cycle light, 1700 lumens on full power, turns night into day and will spot any swirl :thumb: So bright and brand new on the market it even has an angle to stop dazzling oncoming cars :driver:


----------



## Raymond

http://search.diy.com/search#w=downlight 12v

Anyone of these will do?


----------



## PrestigeChris

Raymond said:


> http://search.diy.com/search#w=downlight 12v
> 
> Anyone of these will do?


http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10867758&fh_location=//catalog01/en_GB/categories%3C{9372013}/categories%3C{9372029}/categories%3C{9372110}/specificationsProductType=spotlights___downlights/specificationsSpecificProductType=downlights

ean number EAN: 0000005276905


----------



## PrestigeChris

after not getting round to buying the bits i went last night, bought the drill and bulb holder. 20 minutes 1 finished torch :thumb:


----------



## Raymond

Really? That's all I need!? Haha


----------



## Coxy914

SteveyG said:


> .
> 
> edit: Just noticed the tags for this thread at the bottom of the page :lol:


:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Raymond

35 miles to local B and Q and I'm hoping to god it works this time round!


----------



## 888-Dave

Unbelievable! Just done mine... The grey professional range one.
20 something quid, 15 mins... DONE!

Result :thumb:

Can anyone confirm that the Solux bulb is in a different league to the standard homebase jobbie? if so I'll get that aswell.


----------



## CraigQQ

definitely a different league mate..

brighter, but also much more natural light.. instead of a yellow glow..

the normal bulb is more like a halogen, than a sun gun.


----------



## 888-Dave

Cheers Craig just what I wanted to hear :thumb:

Solux bulb ordered


----------



## CraigQQ

although this isn't on a car ect :lol: far from it.. it does show the difference in lighting on the objects here is more in line with natural light than the standard mr16 bulb









i bought a lamp recently.. for the living room and its mr16 and im contemplating getting a solux bulb for it lol


----------



## Stewart H

Thanks Grant, a great idea and so simple. I knocked one up this morning using the same drill as you did.

For anyone else making one I thought it might be worth adding that you might have to trim the ribs inside the casing (just behind where the lamp fits) to get the casing to close properly with the lamp installed.

Just need to order the Solux lamp now.


----------



## Stomper

For anyone interested .
ASDA have a special just now . 
A 14.4v draper drill at only £20
Would make a nice tasty swirl spotter.
http://direct.asda.com/Draper-Cordless-Drilldriver/001230968,default,pd.html


----------



## the_names_james

Made mine last week. It's based on a 12v homebase special (found here)










Cheers OP :thumb:


----------



## CraigQQ

i have the 14.4V version of that drill converted for mine james..

used the b&q grey 14.4v one to make one for gally though.


----------



## jas07

Thanks to the OP for this, made one today and worked like a charm!


----------



## Stewart H

I was talking to a *professional lighting designer* about this today (what a full and exciting life I lead)

His view was that 3M *might* have missed a trick here, or maybe when they first patented the Sun Lamp, the product was not readily available. Firstly he said that the Solux CRI figure was a bit of a red herring because the Colour Rendering Index of any Halogen light source is virtually 100 *i.e. 98 or more and according to the 3M technical data sheet for the Sun Gun "Having a light source with a CRI near 100 is necessary but is not sufficient to perform accurate 
color matching. This is because the sample colors are measured then averaged , so a light might 
have spectral output that is deficient in some parts of the spectrum and in excess in others. When 
then numbers are averaged, it is possible to have a CRI of 100 with light that is totally inadequate 
for color matching. The emission spectra of the 3M Sun Gun (with a CRI of 99) nearly 
duplicates that of sunlight over the entire range of visible wavelengths of light."*.

More interestingly, he also said that the colour temperature of sunlight is actually 5300 K and that if you allow for the "blue influence" of the sky, the colour temperature of natural daylight is nearer to 6000 K.

He did agree that a flood light beam angle (i.e. the 36 degrees) was more appropriate than a narrower, spot light, angle because of the light dispersal but *in his opinion* that if I wanted something *that might* out perform the Sun Gun, then to buy a lamp as close to 5300 K as possible - not that 4700 K was bad. Apparently, there are a few manufacturers making a 5300 K lamp.

I hope this is of some help and when I track one down, I'll give it a whirl (or should that be a swirl - )


----------



## davZS

Stewart H said:


> I was talking to a partner from one of the leading lighting design companies about this today (what a full and exciting life I lead)
> 
> His view was that 3M might have missed a trick here, or maybe when they first patented the Sun Lamp, the product was not readily available. Firstly he said that the Solux CRI figure was a bit of a red herring because the Colour Rendering Index of any Halogen light source is virtually 100.
> 
> More interestingly, he also said that the colour temperature of sunlight is actually 5300 K and that if you allow for the "blue influence" of the sky, the colour temperature of natural daylight is nearer to 6000 K.
> 
> He did agree that a flood light beam angle (i.e. the 36 degrees) was more appropriate than a narrower, spot light, angle because of the light dispersal but thought that if I wanted something to out perform the Sun Gun, then to buy a lamp as close to 5300 K as possible - not that 4700 K was bad. Apparently, there are a few manufacturers making a 5300 K lamp.
> 
> I hope this is of some help and when I track one down, I'll give it a whirl (or should that be a swirl - )


Interesting post let us know if you can find one,

Cheers for all the info made mine today costing £20 and taking 15 mins :thumb:


----------



## Stewart H

davZS said:


> Interesting post let us know if you can find one,
> 
> /QUOTE]
> 
> I've done a quick search on Google and have come up with 3 suppliers.
> 
> http://www.cp-lighting.co.uk/BLV-12V-35W-Whitestar-5-300K-36-Degrees
> 
> http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bu...en-Spotlight-NDL-5-3K-35W-36-Deg-M281-FMW-BLV
> 
> http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=22352


----------



## Stomper

Stewart H said:


> I've done a quick search on Google and have come up with 3 suppliers.
> 
> http://www.cp-lighting.co.uk/BLV-12V-35W-Whitestar-5-300K-36-Degrees *2 bulbs inc shipping Total £16.92*
> 
> http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bu...en-Spotlight-NDL-5-3K-35W-36-Deg-M281-FMW-BLV* 2 bulbs inc shipping Total £22.60 *
> 
> http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=22352 *2 bulbs inc shipping Total £18.56*


Done a quick comparison with all 3 suppliers for 2 bulbs inc shipping to UK .


----------



## Dingo2002

Very inspirational thread. So inspirational in fact that I dragged the family around B&Q today to get the bits needed :thumb:

In total this has cost me £12.47...

Drill - £9.99
MR16 GU5.3 fittment and bulb - £2.48

The finished article










And a quick test on a panel from the Corsa I'm currently working on.

The Sun 









The Solar Gun









I'll be ordering the Solux bulb but for now the cheap one will suffice. Even the missus was impressed and said it'll make a great torch for camping :speechles


----------



## kieran1980

Hey folks, i am needing a little help, i have the proper bulb and i have also got the drill, What and where do i get the part that the bulb goes into that connects to the wires that i have cut on the drill side. i.e the down light that the bulb attaches too, sorry for sounding a bit thick but i cant remember the proper name of it
Cheers
kieran


----------



## Stewart H

Kieran. B&Q now sell their downlights in component form. The item you want is a MR16 lamp holder which comes with a 25 Watt lamp for £2.48 The picture on their web site is not easy to see but this is it

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10867758&fh_location=//catalog01/en_GB/categories%3C{9372013}/categories%3C{9372029}/categories%3C{9372110}/specificationsProductType=spotlights___downlights/specificationsSpecificProductType=downlights


----------



## Stomper

kieran1980 said:


> Hey folks, i am needing a little help, i have the proper bulb and i have also got the drill, What and where do i get the part that the bulb goes into that connects to the wires that i have cut on the drill side. i.e the down light that the bulb attaches too, sorry for sounding a bit thick but i cant remember the proper name of it
> Cheers
> kieran


Kiernan , i bought 5 and have only used 2 . If you PM me i can send you one .


----------



## kieran1980

Stomper said:


> Kiernan , i bought 5 and have only used 2 . If you PM me i can send you one .


A true gentleman thank you very much put you address on the envelope and will get a little something back in the post to you :wave:
you have pm :thumb:


----------



## StevenW007

This is a great thread although it took a long time to read it all. Just been to B&Q today and bought a drill. Got the 14.4V version. Now I was just about to place an order for the bulbs but the £5 odd postage is just madness. Before I buy any and as I have missed out on the group buy does anyone want to chip in for the 5 pack? Would be ideal if someone who's interested is near MCR airport like me as we could save on postage. PM me if anyone is interested.

Ste


----------



## Stomper

kieran1980 said:


> A true gentleman thank you very much put you address on the envelope and will get a little something back in the post to you :wave:
> you have pm :thumb:


Did you get your holder mate .


----------



## kieran1980

Stomper said:


> Did you get your holder mate .


Yes mate thanks was just coming on to pm you, my wife received it she asked what the hell have you been buying now  they just dont understand.
Did you stick your address in the envelope if not pm me mate as i will be getting something back in the post to you when i get off the rig at the start of the week :thumb:
and thanks again:thumb:


----------



## crf529

Big ups to all the contributors on this! Ultimate DIY! A sun gun was always going to be an ridiculously unjustifiable purchase, but I'll be off to Bunnings/Aldi tomorrow to source myself a solar gun!

This forum is effn awesome!


----------



## Stomper

kieran1980 said:


> Yes mate thanks was just coming on to pm you, my wife received it she asked what the hell have you been buying now  they just dont understand.
> Did you stick your address in the envelope if not pm me mate as i will be getting something back in the post to you when i get off the rig at the start of the week :thumb:
> and thanks again:thumb:


No need mate seriously . 
If I ever need an oil well drilled one day I'll give you a shout .
Happy building


----------



## Dingo2002

Ordered a 5300K 36deg 50watt halogen bulb and had it delivered today :thumb:

I was going to go with the Solux but knowing that it's not quite the same temp as sunlight I thought I would get as close as possible and that is around 5300K

Fitted into the solar gun to assess what difference it made over the cheapo bulb from the B&Q kit.

It's much brighter and in person it was clear that swirls were more visible but from my pics it might not be as clear, i was in a rush so the exposure is not quite the same in both pics.

Cheap bulb:









5300K bulb


----------



## Nanoman

Dingo2002 said:


> Ordered a 5300K 36deg 50watt halogen bulb and had it delivered today :thumb:
> 
> I was going to go with the Solux but knowing that *it's not quite the same temp as sunlight I thought I would get as close as possible and that is around 5300K*Fitted into the solar gun to assess what difference it made over the cheapo bulb from the B&Q kit.
> 
> It's much brighter and in person it was clear that swirls were more visible but from my pics it might not be as clear, i was in a rush so the exposure is not quite the same in both pics.
> 
> Cheap bulb:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 5300K bulb


I don't mind you posting in this thread but what you are saying is innacurate.

If the Solux bulb isn't the closest to natural sunlight you might want to call the Patent office and just about every expert in the field.

Colour Temperature is not as important as CRI when it comes to colour matching which is what a SunGun is for. I vaguely remember seeing someone posting about all halogen bulbs having 99CRi - again you might want to contact the Patent office and just about every expert in the field.

EDIT: You might be referring to this post which I think started the misinformation:



Stewart H said:


> I was talking to a partner from one of the leading lighting design companies about this today (what a full and exciting life I lead)
> 
> His view was that 3M might have missed a trick here, or maybe when they first patented the Sun Lamp, the product was not readily available. Firstly he said that the Solux CRI figure was a bit of a red herring because the Colour Rendering Index of any Halogen light source is virtually 100.
> 
> More interestingly, he also said that the colour temperature of sunlight is actually 5300 K and that if you allow for the "blue influence" of the sky, the colour temperature of natural daylight is nearer to 6000 K.
> 
> He did agree that a flood light beam angle (i.e. the 36 degrees) was more appropriate than a narrower, spot light, angle because of the light dispersal but thought that if I wanted something to out perform the Sun Gun, then to buy a lamp as close to 5300 K as possible - not that 4700 K was bad. Apparently, there are a few manufacturers making a 5300 K lamp.
> 
> I hope this is of some help and when I track one down, I'll give it a whirl (or should that be a swirl - )


3M do not have a patent on the 'Sun Lamp'. The patent 3M refer to is a 'patented bulb' which the company that makes Solux own the patent on. The comments aobut any halogen light source having 'virtually' 100 CRI is quite frankly wrong.

If anyone has compared bulbs with the Solux and found something which is obviously better for swirl spotting I'm keen to hear about it.

I don't think anyone wants this useful thread descending into that kind of discussion so please start another thread and PM me if you want to discuss it.



> SoLux™ is a patented technology, that has two key characteristics to enable it to produce a full spectrum, 99 CRI light source.
> 
> The filament (which produces the light) is positioned so it extends vertically from the reflector. This means that 98% of the light emitted by the filament must go through the reflector before being emitted from the lamp.
> 
> The reflector has been carefully constructed with a special coating to manipulate the light so it more closely matches the spectrum emitted by the sun (i.e. natural daylight).


----------



## Dingo2002

grantwils said:


> I don't mind you posting in this thread but what you are saying is innacurate.
> 
> If the Solux bulb isn't the closest to natural sunlight you might want to call the Patent office and just about every expert in the field.


Fair enough, though im not serious enough about this to start arguing with "experts".

You're correct I was steered by the post regarding 5300K bulbs and that led me to order the 5300K bulb rather than the Solux. I would be interested in seeing a comparison of the two and may even go so far as to order the Solux bulb for myself though if I am honest I would not expect a hugely noticeable difference, if any, in spotting swirls. There was actually very little difference between the standard low temp bulb and the 5300K one which did surprise me.

Whether i'm interested on your opinion of me posting in this thread is not really worth going into, needless to say I am not. Especially as you neither own the design you have put forward nor any patents related to the idea you took your design from.

I am of course, as everyone else in this thread is, very greatful to the ideas you have started. and would not want to step on your toes in anyway or upset you either so I apologise if I have done so.


----------



## Nanoman

Dingo2002 said:


> Fair enough, though im not serious enough about this to start arguing with "experts".
> 
> You're correct I was steered by the post regarding 5300K bulbs and that led me to order the 5300K bulb rather than the Solux. I would be interested in seeing a comparison of the two and may even go so far as to order the Solux bulb for myself though if I am honest I would not expect a hugely noticeable difference, if any, in spotting swirls. *There was actually very little difference between the standard low temp bulb and the 5300K one which did surprise me. *
> Whether i'm interested on your opinion of me posting in this thread is not really worth going into, needless to say I am not. Especially as you neither own the design you have put forward nor any patents related to the idea you took your design from.
> 
> I am of course, as everyone else in this thread is, very greatful to the ideas you have started. and would not want to step on your toes in anyway or upset you either so I apologise if I have done so.


I'm trying to help here. I'm not trying to be an 'expert' or create an 'argument'. It's frustrating that the thread can get to 47 pages then it goes this way. I wasn't going to start a debate about Stewart H's comments but when it means people are buying bulbs of the wrong type because the statements are incorrect I felt I should step in.

You have stated there was 'little difference' between the bulbs. As far as I'm aware everyone who has tried the Solux bulb has seen a very noticeable difference. This would confirm that the statements previously made on the matter are innacurate and unhelpful.

Stewart and I are chatting via PM so hopefully we'll get this resolved quickly and any innacurate statements removed to prevent further confusion.

Thanks.


----------



## Dingo2002

grantwils said:


> Stewart and I are chatting via PM so hopefully we'll get this resolved quickly and any innacurate statements removed to prevent further confusion.
> 
> Thanks.


I've sent you a PM as I don't want to drag this on any further really as all I did was buy a 5300K bulb rather than the one used in the Sun Gun 

As far as I can see though the only way of clearing this up is to test these side by side. I'll order a solux bulb, set my DSLR up correctly and run some test shots and the post them in a seperate thread if you like.

No reason for anyone to feel threatened through this though. At the end of the day we may or may not see an improvement in the spotting of swirls, without testing though we simply won't know.


----------



## Nanoman

Dingo2002 said:


> I've sent you a PM as I don't want to drag this on any further really as all I did was buy a 5300K bulb rather than the one used in the Sun Gun
> 
> As far as I can see though the only way of clearing this up is to test these side by side. I'll order a solux bulb, set my DSLR up correctly and run some test shots and the *post them in a seperate thread if you like*.
> 
> No reason for anyone to feel threatened through this though. At the end of the day we may or may not see an improvement in the spotting of swirls, without testing though we simply won't know.


I don't think there's any need for a seperate thread. The only thing I don't think anyone wants is misinformation as that isn't helpful. You discovered why this is an issue when you took the advice and bought a bulb that made 'little difference' when everyone I'm aware of who has bought a Solux bulb (and there's lots of them) and has posted has noticed significant differences. At no point has any of this been a dig at you for taking advice or at Stewart for trying to be helpful.

The post has been editted to be a little bit better and I don't see any need for further discussion and hopefully we can keep it back OT developing the Detailing World Jobby Colour Checker.

Looking forward to seeing your test results.


----------



## Dannbodge

Got my solux bulb and holder yesterday and bought the drill earlier. Going to solder in together tomorrow at work. Can't wait to use it. 

Sent from space


----------



## badman1972

Brilliant post and work guys, I bought the bits and made one yesterday, absolutely excellent, looks factory made and works perfectly. What a bargain :thumb:


----------



## Dingo2002

Right... so because of the discussion earlier in the thread between myself and Grantwils i decided that the only way to settle which bulb was best was to purchase a Solux bulb to go along with my other 2, a B&Q standard bulb and a 5300k dichroic bulb.

So on to the tests. 
My camera was placed on a tripod and set to full manual control. Exposure was set to 1/50 @f9 and I used my Tamron 90mm Macro lens at a distance of about 75cm.

First up the basic 35watt Halogen bulb from B&Q. 









Next up the 5300K 50watt, 36deg dichroic bulb 









Finally the Solux 50watt 4700k 36deg bulb









Results....

The B&Q bulb spread light further across the panel than the other two but did show up swirls clearly around the reflection of the bulb. The yellow hue of the bulb made lighter swirls harder to see but they were definitely there.

The Dichroic bulb didn't throw as much light across the panel but kept most of it focused in the centre. This made seeing swirls easier and the higher colour temperature added extra contrast to the refracted light on the swirls making smaller ones visible.

The Solux bulb is clearly a lower temperature than the dichroic bulb but swirls show up clearly and stand out better than those highlighted by the B&Q bulb due to the extra contrast gained by the temp. There seems to be less general marring shown by the bulb but swirls seem about as clear as those highlighted by the dichroic bulb

Conclusion...

It's clear to me that more swirls are evident in the dichroic bulbs reflection, with it showing denser marring just outside the main reflection of the bulb. However the darker image could make spotting fainter swirls a little tougher in stronger light conditions. The Solux bulb performed almost as well but seems to struggle giving definition to lighter swirls which is evident when you compare the top left of each bulbs reflection close to the main bulb. 
The B&Q faired well considering it was about 15% the cost of the other two and came with the GU5.3 fitting as well :thumb:

I think its down to personal choice really and to a certain degree budget. The dichroic was about £4 cheaper than the Solux once postage was taken into account. The dichroic bulb is back in my gun and will be used this Sunday on my next detail, a solid red Leon Cupra R.

Hope its been (or will be useful)


----------



## badman1972

Dingo2002 said:


> Right... so because of the discussion earlier in the thread between myself and Grantwils i decided that the only way to settle which bulb was best was to purchase a Solux bulb to go along with my other 2, a B&Q standard bulb and a 5300k dichroic bulb.
> 
> So on to the tests.
> My camera was placed on a tripod and set to full manual control. Exposure was set to 1/50 @f9 and I used my Tamron 90mm Macro lens at a distance of about 75cm.
> 
> First up the basic 35watt Halogen bulb from B&Q.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up the 5300K 50watt, 36deg dichroic bulb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally the Solux 50watt 4700k 36deg bulb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Results....
> 
> The B&Q bulb spread light further across the panel than the other two but did show up swirls clearly around the reflection of the bulb. The yellow hue of the bulb made lighter swirls harder to see but they were definitely there.
> 
> The Dichroic bulb didn't throw as much light across the panel but kept most of it focused in the centre. This made seeing swirls easier and the higher colour temperature added extra contrast to the refracted light on the swirls making smaller ones visible.
> 
> The Solux bulb is clearly a lower temperature than the dichroic bulb but swirls show up clearly and stand out better than those highlighted by the B&Q bulb due to the extra contrast gained by the temp. There seems to be less general marring shown by the bulb but swirls seem about as clear as those highlighted by the dichroic bulb
> 
> Conclusion...
> 
> It's clear to me that more swirls are evident in the dichroic bulbs reflection, with it showing denser marring just outside the main reflection of the bulb. However the darker image could make spotting fainter swirls a little tougher in stronger light conditions. The Solux bulb performed almost as well but seems to struggle giving definition to lighter swirls which is evident when you compare the top left of each bulbs reflection close to the main bulb.
> The B&Q faired well considering it was about 15% the cost of the other two and came with the GU5.3 fitting as well :thumb:
> 
> I think its down to personal choice really and to a certain degree budget. The dichroic was about £4 cheaper than the Solux once postage was taken into account. The dichroic bulb is back in my gun and will be used this Sunday on my next detail, a solid red Leon Cupra R.
> 
> Hope its been (or will be useful)


Thanks for sharing that mate, good info :thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

Dingo2002 said:


> Right... so because of the discussion earlier in the thread between myself and Grantwils i decided that the only way to settle which bulb was best was to purchase a Solux bulb to go along with my other 2, a B&Q standard bulb and a 5300k dichroic bulb.
> 
> So on to the tests.
> My camera was placed on a tripod and set to full manual control. Exposure was set to 1/50 @f9 and I used my Tamron 90mm Macro lens at a distance of about 75cm.
> 
> First up the basic 35watt Halogen bulb from B&Q.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up the 5300K 50watt, 36deg dichroic bulb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally the Solux 50watt 4700k 36deg bulb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Results....
> 
> The B&Q bulb spread light further across the panel than the other two but did show up swirls clearly around the reflection of the bulb. The yellow hue of the bulb made lighter swirls harder to see but they were definitely there.
> 
> The Dichroic bulb didn't throw as much light across the panel but kept most of it focused in the centre. This made seeing swirls easier and the higher colour temperature added extra contrast to the refracted light on the swirls making smaller ones visible.
> 
> The Solux bulb is clearly a lower temperature than the dichroic bulb but swirls show up clearly and stand out better than those highlighted by the B&Q bulb due to the extra contrast gained by the temp. There seems to be less general marring shown by the bulb but swirls seem about as clear as those highlighted by the dichroic bulb
> 
> Conclusion...
> 
> It's clear to me that more swirls are evident in the dichroic bulbs reflection, with it showing denser marring just outside the main reflection of the bulb. However the darker image could make spotting fainter swirls a little tougher in stronger light conditions. The Solux bulb performed almost as well but seems to struggle giving definition to lighter swirls which is evident when you compare the top left of each bulbs reflection close to the main bulb.
> The B&Q faired well considering it was about 15% the cost of the other two and came with the GU5.3 fitting as well :thumb:
> 
> I think its down to personal choice really and to a certain degree budget. The dichroic was about £4 cheaper than the Solux once postage was taken into account. The dichroic bulb is back in my gun and will be used this Sunday on my next detail, a solid red Leon Cupra R.
> 
> Hope its been (or will be useful)


Thanks for taking the time to test and post results. I'd be keen to see it on a range of colours if you get the chance 

Black, white and some in betweens ideally.

This is the kind of stuff that makes DW so valuable. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Dingo2002

grantwils said:


> Thanks for taking the time to test and post results. I'd be keen to see it on a range of colours if you get the chance
> 
> Black, white and some in betweens ideally.
> 
> This is the kind of stuff that makes DW so valuable. Thanks for sharing.


That's exactly what I'm thinking :thumb: I personally have a white car and light metallic green car which I can test it against and I should be doing a solid red Leon tomorrow so I'll repeat the tests then. I also have a metallic black Audi coming up in the next couple of weeks which I can try it against.


----------



## raysrt8

Bought the bits and bobs today, took about half an hour to do and it works great, all I need to do now is order the new bulb. Great write up and saved me a fortune.


----------



## ianFRST

did mine today too  and didnt use a bulb holder










works a treat  currently on charge

pikey gun next to sun gun  :lol:


----------



## Liam_89

Did mine today too turned out well ,
Should of posted it in this thread but here it is :

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=228304


----------



## kimandsally

Been looking for a cheap drill to do one of these but I can't find one any ideas where to get a cheap suitable 12v drill please?


----------



## Rogc

kimandsally said:


> Been looking for a cheap drill to do one of these but I can't find one any ideas where to get a cheap suitable 12v drill please?


Try This 12 V Drill


----------



## badman1972

Rogc said:


> Try This 12 V Drill


Thats the one I got and is also the one used in the demo on how to make them at the beginning of this thread (on first page 'Zero's solar gun', works well and easy to do :thumb:


----------



## kimandsally

Thanks I don't know why but when I looked at B&Q I couldn't find them ust started at £25


----------



## sean20

i was looking at that drill the other day and the battery charging time is 3-5 hours and that put me off getin it so used a old drill from the garage but would like to make a tidy one with a new drill case


----------



## kimandsally

Bought a drill and all the bits yesterday and ordered the good bulb from Svenlight Online Lighting Store - Solux for UK & Ireland

3 hours after ordering I get this:

Many thanks for your. We are awaiting stock of this item so it will despatch early next week to you

kind regards
Svenlight Team



Your order has been updated to the following status.

New status: Pending

Please reply to this email if you have any questions.


Made me fed up I have arranged to look at my mates classic Porsche on Sunday  they charge nearly £6 to send one bulb and it will arrive a week later:devil:


----------



## myke

kimandsally said:


> Bought a drill and all the bits yesterday and ordered the good bulb from Svenlight Online Lighting Store - Solux for UK & Ireland
> 
> 3 hours after ordering I get this:
> 
> Many thanks for your. We are awaiting stock of this item so it will despatch early next week to you
> 
> kind regards
> Svenlight Team
> 
> Your order has been updated to the following status.
> 
> New status: Pending
> 
> Please reply to this email if you have any questions.
> 
> Made me fed up I have arranged to look at my mates classic Porsche on Sunday  they charge nearly £6 to send one bulb and it will arrive a week later:devil:


Yeah I noticed that the shipping cost is extortionate so that's put me off buying from there but it seems that's the only place to get the bulb. I've made mine today, thanks for the thread, using the cheap bulb that came with it at the mo, still really handy. Just going to wait and see about the solux/see if anyone has one for sale or anything.


----------



## Dingo2002

sean20 said:


> i was looking at that drill the other day and the battery charging time is 3-5 hours and that put me off getin it so used a old drill from the garage but would like to make a tidy one with a new drill case


I went to B&Q yesterday and because of the charge time on my recently built solar gun i brought another 12V drill for £9.99 :thumb: Now I have a spare battery I can take with me on details "and" a reasonably good drill/driver I can use around the place.

I'm not "pro" poor work conditions or poor materials but at the same time these sort of bargains simply can't be missed. :lol:


----------



## badman1972

Dingo2002 said:


> I went to B&Q yesterday and because of the charge time on my recently built solar gun i brought another 12V drill for £9.99 :thumb: Now I have a spare battery I can take with me on details "and" a reasonably good drill/driver I can use around the place.
> 
> I'm not "pro" poor work conditions or poor materials but at the same time these sort of bargains simply can't be missed. :lol:


Great idea mate and as you say, at that price it is well worth it :thumb:


----------



## Deeg

Just want to say to all the guys who came up with this idea a big thank you, I've finally gotten round to building mine today, just waiting on the colour corrected bulb arriving.


----------



## StevenW007

It's a shame that the bulbs cost so much to post out from that company. When I bought mine I bought a pack of 5 with the intention of making a saving myself and also passing on this saving to any other DW members building a sun gun. If anyone wants a bulp let me know.

Ste


----------



## mistryn

i would be interested in a bulb, what is the price?


----------



## Stomper

Yeh mate , id be up for one too . LET ME KNOW .
Thanks Mark


----------



## StevenW007

I currently have 3 left and can do them for £11.50 including postage. Send me a PM if your interested.

Ste


----------



## nick_mcuk

Well thanks to this post I went to B&Q this avo and bought the £9 12v cordless drill they have (no fancy carry case but that doesn't bother me) the 12 bulb from the ceiling light.

Took it all apart glued the bulb in with some araldeite....and put it all back together....hey presto all working and took all of 20 mins to do! 

Thanks OP for putting this guide up!


----------



## StevenW007

Just got the 1 bulb left now if anyone wants it?

Ste


----------



## PAA

I just built one of these ( pics to come) and now the wife wants to steal it as the home torch. Amazingly simple and effective.

Cheers Rhys


----------



## craig1989

hi all will this drill be fine?????? its a drill driver not a power drill??????????

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...sProductType=cordless&fh_eds=ß&isSearch=false


----------



## Bratwurst

I'm sure I've seen that made into one yeah


----------



## Leemack

PAA said:


> I just built one of these ( pics to come) and now the wife wants to steal it as the home torch. Amazingly simple and effective.
> 
> Cheers Rhys


Pics or it didn't happen


----------



## Andy from Sandy

craig1989 said:


> hi all will this drill be fine?????? its a drill driver not a power drill??????????
> 
> http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...sProductType=cordless&fh_eds=ß&isSearch=false


That seems to be the favourite as it looks similar to the real 3M sun gun, even if only by colour.


----------



## nick_mcuk

Andy from Sandy said:


> That seems to be the favourite as it looks similar to the real 3M sun gun, even if only by colour.


Or do what I did and buy the £9.xx one they do! Ok it's black and doesn't have a fancy carry case.

Does the job perfectly. Made mine in less than 20 mins!!!


----------



## Nanoman

craig1989 said:


> hi all will this drill be fine?????? its a drill driver not a power drill??????????
> 
> http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...sProductType=cordless&fh_eds=ß&isSearch=false


That's the one I used on post 1 of this thread.


----------



## jamesmut

Finally got round to making one of these! £20 and 10 minutes work - think I was in B&Q longer than it took me to put it together!!


----------



## Johnnyopolis

What a fantastic thread! 

If it isn't already sticky'd it should be :thumb:


----------



## Keir

I'm off to get some bits


----------



## Keir

I found these earlier, not sure if there any good, but for 99p certainly worth a try. *(From Home Bargins)*


----------



## james_death

Finally got round to getting the £10 B&Q 12volt one and making mine having had the bulb etc for months...:lol:

Finally decided i needed to while waiting for the sun to poke through to try and get a 50/50 shot....:lol:

Would prefer a 14 volt but more than double the money... not much more i know but i have to watch the pennies...:thumb:


----------



## nick_mcuk

Keir said:


> I found these earlier, not sure if there any good, but for 99p certainly worth a try. *(From Home Bargins)*


Wrong connectors on the base


----------



## Andy from Sandy

> Wrong connectors on the base


And more importantly the wrong voltage as well.


----------



## Mirror Finish Details

james_death said:


> Finally got round to getting the £10 B&Q 12volt one and making mine having had the bulb etc for months...:lol:
> 
> Finally decided i needed to while waiting for the sun to poke through to try and get a 50/50 shot....:lol:
> 
> Would prefer a 14 volt but more than double the money... not much more i know but i have to watch the pennies...:thumb:


If you have the Solus bulb, they don't recommend putting 14v through it.


----------



## james_death

Mirror Finish said:


> If you have the Solus bulb, they don't recommend putting 14v through it.


Thanks Steve...:thumb:
Thought they were good to 14 but no more?
Mind they do say 12 on the bulb box.


----------



## Dingo2002

Keir said:


> I found these earlier, not sure if there any good, but for 99p certainly worth a try. *(From Home Bargins)*


I have a 5300k bulb in mine at present which if you go back to around page 46 of the thread I've done a comparison on against the Solux and the B&Q bulb. However I also brought some pound shop bulbs (with the correct voltage and connectors) just as spares in a dire emergency. The light will be very yellow tinted, more so than the B&Q ones but at a £ I thought why not. I would always use the 5300K where possible and the Solux as my backup!

I have found that on a full days detail the battery starts to run down towards the end but then I also brought a second drill and charge a spare battery the night before. :thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

Keir said:


> I found these earlier, not sure if there any good, but for 99p certainly worth a try. *(From Home Bargins)*


Wrong connection and wrong voltage so they won't work.



Mirror Finish said:


> If you have the Solus bulb, they don't recommend putting 14v through it.


I'm sure I posted on here that Solux bulbs are good to 16v according to manufacturer. The MTBF comes down though as you use a higher voltage so it might fail a bit sooner. I'm not sure if this will affect most hobbyist users.
See  overdrive data here Bear in mind it's the same bulbd in the SunGun which boosts to 14.4v.

Also - to reduce battery issues look for a cheap drill with lithium ion battery rather than Ni-Cad or Ni-Mh.


----------



## Keir

StevenW007 said:


> Just got the 1 bulb left now if anyone wants it?
> 
> Ste


Still got this? you cannot receive any more PM's


----------



## Keir

I've made mine now 
I've made a bulb holder out of thick card it seems to be fine with the heat I wont bore you all with pics, we all know what this looks like by now 

Fantastic tool though.


----------



## StevenW007

Keir said:


> Still got this? you cannot receive any more PM's


Sorry mate I haven't. All gone now.

Ste


----------



## HeavenlyDetail

http://s115.photobucket.com/albums/n296/vxrmarc/Training Day 2/?action=view&current=P1010085-1.mp4


----------



## Keir

StevenW007 said:


> Sorry mate I haven't. All gone now.
> 
> Ste


ok dude, thanks for he reply anyway :thumb:


----------



## craigblues

Anyone got a Solux bulb spare or for sale?


----------



## craigblues

Well I built mine and its great!!  Works a treat!

If anyone hasn't got the time, I don't mind building them one for a few swaps and the cost of parts.


----------



## nick_mcuk

craigblues said:


> Well I built mine and its great!!  Works a treat!
> 
> If anyone hasn't got the time, I don't mind building them one for a few swaps and the cost of parts.


Ditto. Haven't bothered with the fancy bulb just the STD B&Q one. Works a dream also useful in the garage when you need to look for something in the dark!


----------



## nifreaky

Just made one from the Performance Power drill. Also ordered a bulb from svenlight. Anyone know how quick their delivery is?


----------



## ercapoccia

Which is the best option 12V or 14.4V battery?


----------



## craigblues

ercapoccia said:


> Which is the best option 12V or 14.4V battery?


14.4V I would say! Just looks and feels nicer! 

Plus you get a nice little carry box.


----------



## nick_mcuk

I went for the Value 12v one and its just fine...ok you dont get a fancy case but who cares!


----------



## ercapoccia

I ask because the original 3M Sun Gun is dual mode 12V (normal) and 14.4V (turbo)


----------



## ercapoccia

I've read all the tread again and i've understood that the Solux bulbs give 4700k at 12V, but the visible sunlight is actually close to 6000K. The solux bulbs give more K with an higher voltage and at 14.4V it should be around 5300K. I stand to be corrected.


----------



## Nanoman

ercapoccia said:


> I've read all the tread again and i've understood that the Solux bulbs give 4700k at 12V, but the visible sunlight is actually close to 6000K. The solux bulbs give more K with an higher voltage and at 14.4V it should be around 5300K. I stand to be corrected.


This thread is about creating a swirl spotter to match the (widely recognised) best swirl spotter out there. We're using an identical light source. The colour temp isn't the most important thing. It's a combination of beam angle, CRI and colour temp that makes it good for spotting swirls. 
I'd be over the moon if ee could improve this but I think it does a fantastic job for less than 10% of the SunGun cost.


----------



## ercapoccia

Nanoman said:


> This thread is about creating a swirl spotter to match the (widely recognised) best swirl spotter out there. We're using an identical light source. The colour temp isn't the most important thing. It's a combination of beam angle, CRI and colour temp that makes it good for spotting swirls.
> I'd be over the moon if ee could improve this but I think it does a fantastic job for less than 10% of the SunGun cost.


Assuming that the 3M SunGun is the best swirl spotting ever made i'd try to go as close as possible to that torch. That's way i belive that the 14.4v drill is the best option over the 12v because the sungun is actually 14.4 for a brighter light. That was i meant in my previous post.


----------



## Nanoman

ercapoccia said:


> Assuming that the 3M SunGun is the best swirl spotting ever made i'd try to go as close as possible to that torch. That's way i belive that the 14.4v drill is the best option over the 12v because the sungun is actually 14.4 for a brighter light. That was i meant in my previous post.


I'm not sure if something has been lost in translation here... The first post in this thread is full instructions about how to build the closest thing possible to a SunGun. The light source, power source and form factor are the same. I don't think it could be made any more like the 3M SunGun.


----------



## Dingo2002

I did a test in this thread a few pages back on the solux, b&q and a 5300K bulb and found the latter to be better at creating contrast on swirls and scratches. This is with the 12V drill so I can't vouch for the 14.4 though logic dictates that more power = brighter light. In mine I use the cheaper (though only slightly) 5300k bulb this one and keep my solux for spare.

As far as I know i'm the only one to do the test on all 3 bulbs.


----------



## Big Buffer

Got a donation of a draper 14.4 drill to be converted to a lamp.

Specifics more or less the same with a few little alterations but will post results.


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

I used my sun gun this week, and in 2 days my 2 bulbs get fused, is that because my battery is 18V and the lights 12V?


----------



## Nanoman

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> I used my sun gun this week, and in 2 days my 2 bulbs get fused, is that because my battery is 18V and the lights 12V?


it's rated to 16v but even that shortens the lifespan of the bulb. Looks like 18v just blows it.


----------



## mr cooper

Pedro.Malheiro said:


> I used my sun gun this week, and in 2 days my 2 bulbs get fused, is that because my battery is 18V and the lights 12V?


Looks like you should of bought a sun gun.


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

think i will unmount my father 12v drill


----------



## -Kev-

made mine 














































swirls on the laptop 

close up..









about two feet away..









will give it a good work out on a car im doing on sunday


----------



## superscrub

*Just made mine today*

Hi all

I bought a the Mac 12v from B&Q because it has a quick 1 hour charge time and a battery indicator advising on the power left on the battery!.

list below

MAC 12v £20 B&Q
30x30x10 Cooling fan maplin £5
Solux £9.45 +p&p waiting for delivery
Bulb holder £1.50

Tools used, Dremel, hot air gun, soldering iron had these already







Will look a lot better when the solux bulb arrives the LED currently works better for lighting up swirls!


----------



## mike-g

-Kev- said:


> made mine
> 
> swirls on the laptop
> 
> will give it a good work out on a car im doing on sunday


going to give this a try


----------



## GSiFan

I went to B&Q on Saturday and got:

12 volt cordless drill, 1 off - £12.98
GU10 bulb holder and transformer/rectifier, 1 off - £3.48

I have crimp fittings and a ratchet crimper but prefer soldering my joints. I already have a soldering iron, solder, flux and heat shrink tubing. 

My question is will the GU10 bulb be okay? I see that others in this thread are using MR16 bulbs that are a push fit, whereas mine are a bayonet fit. Will I be able to get colour corrected GU10 bulbs? If so, where from?

Any advice would be welcome before I start my build. I can easily enough get a hold of an MR16 bulb holder otherwise.

Thank you in anticipation. This is a great thread! :thumb:

Paul


----------



## stantheman

Ditch the gu10 as they are for 240v mains, whereas mr16 are 12volt afaik.


----------



## Nanoman

stantheman said:


> Ditch the gu10 as they are for 240v mains, whereas mr16 are 12volt afaik.


^^^^^^^^^What he said.


----------



## GSiFan

:thumb: Thanks, chaps. I shall get myself a MR16 bulb and get building.

Paul


----------



## Nath

I made mine last week.

B&Q 12v jobbie
Holder
40w bulb (two were cheaper than two 35w bulbs)

I'm ordering the proper bulb at the beginning of next week.

It took me 5 minutes to make it - 4 of those were looking for my toolbox.

I'll upload some photos tomorrow, its in the van as i took the dog for a walk earlier and used it to literally light up the whole field!

Thanks for everyone's input in this thread, without it i would have never ever thought or tried doing it.


----------



## Nath

VectraGSiFan said:


> :thumb: Thanks, chaps. I shall get myself a MR16 bulb and get building.
> 
> Paul


You will need to get the GU5.3 holder. In B&Q it comes with a 25w bulb.


----------



## GSiFan

H2Auto said:


> You will need to get the GU5.3 holder. In B&Q it comes with a 25w bulb.


Thank you. By coincidence, I got one earlier, together with a power supply for mains running.  I've only got the 25W bulb for now but shall order a colour corrected one (or two) soon.

Paul


----------



## Matt-

Out of interest, can you not just use a colour correcting Gel like you do flash units? apologies if this has been posted earlier?


----------



## Nanoman

Matt- said:


> Out of interest, can you not just use a colour correcting Gel like you do flash units? apologies if this has been posted earlier?


I'm confused about how a colour correcting gel helps spot swirls?


----------



## GSiFan

I was wondering whether or not a colour corrected bulb was entirely necessary. Any thoughts? :speechles Surely it would not help with swirl spotting.

Paul


----------



## Nanoman

VectraGSiFan said:


> I was wondering whether or not a colour corrected bulb was entirely necessary. Any thoughts? :speechles Surely it would not help with swirl spotting.
> 
> Paul


As has been said many times that particular solux bulb is recognised as the best.


----------



## LudwigVonSpork

Nanoman speaketh wise words!


----------



## CM TDI

Made mine the other day! from a homebase drill. It cost 19.99 for the 14.4v but thought it would be worth it. very easy to do. I used the sonux bulb as well.









Bit of swirl spotting on a spare pannel in the garage.


----------



## Keir

I took mine on a Halloween walk on Monday, and it was amazing.


----------



## Big Buffer

Keir said:


> I took mine on a Halloween walk on Monday, and it was amazing.


same here warped me thinks but i no care :thumb:


----------



## Renegade

Many thanks for this thread!

I have just finished building my one, ITS GREAT!!

Just a note, if you have an electrical wholesaler, such as City electrical, you can buy a GU5.3 bulb and holder for £2ish!!

Thanks again
Ren


----------



## Eurogloss

*Great Thread , very informative :thumb:

Thanks for sharing :wave:

Mario*


----------



## Big Buffer

Ok guys with the purchase of a Drill for around £30.
Bulb and fitting toghether £2.50.

Put it all together and you have Swirl spotting lamp.
Also works fine with 25w bulb shows up swirls a treat.


----------



## Wills.WinsNWhls

Hey all,

From the U.S here. Came across this thread and looks like an awesome fix to the crazy amount of $ 3M wants for their SunGun. I have a 150 lum. LED flashlight ive been using, along with a brinkmann dual xenon rechargeable light...both of which cost about $30 u.s. Looks like i could build one of these for the same price or cheaper!

What i wanted to know is, since i live in the u.s and have different drills than you guys, does an 14.4 volt work? Secondly, any ideas/links as to where i could get the sonux bulb? Im not sure if this is the right one or not Amazon.com: EiKO 18003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 50 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin: Home Improvement

Also what 'holder' are you guys talking about? I didn't read ALL 56 pages but i read quite a few, guess i missed that part. Thanks for the help all! :thumb:


----------



## fr92

I need make one for myself , I think.


----------



## Wills.WinsNWhls

fr92 said:


> I need make one for myself , I think.


I know i want to,i just need to make sure i'm getting the right bulb...im in the US so...need a little help.


----------



## Bratwurst

The bulb you need is for a 12v system, and they come with a different connection than the 240v types. Over here they do anyway. I'm sure if you go to your local electrical store and have a look around or ask someone you'll get what you need. All you need is the bulb, a holder/connector for it and a rechargeable 12-14.4v drill/driver kit. All of it will be under the one roof if you pick the right store. Any big DIY shop should do.


----------



## Bratwurst

You maybe mean k value of the bulb...
The easiest way to get the correct value is use the link at the start of the thread which is the bulb straight from the manufacturer. Then you only need the holder and drill kit. Some folk have been finding the 'normal' halogen bulb works fine, some prefer the first one as it's light is a sort of 'daylight' light. It might all come down to cost and easiness. If it was me making one I'd be buying the colour corrected one, because while postage may be a bit steep, you're still going to have a sun gun equivalent for a huge amount less than an original.


----------



## Wills.WinsNWhls

wee_green_mini said:


> You maybe mean k value of the bulb...
> The easiest way to get the correct value is use the link at the start of the thread which is the bulb straight from the manufacturer. Then you only need the holder and drill kit. Some folk have been finding the 'normal' halogen bulb works fine, some prefer the first one as it's light is a sort of 'daylight' light. It might all come down to cost and easiness. If it was me making one I'd be buying the colour corrected one, because while postage may be a bit steep, you're still going to have a sun gun equivalent for a huge amount less than an original.


Thanks for the help. So which one is the 'color correct' one?


----------



## Bratwurst

The one at the start of this thread. Svenlight from memory. Have a read through the first pages. There's links there, pictures and typed help for everything you need.


----------



## Wills.WinsNWhls

These are the ones that come up in my search: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_s...11&h=17bd97aed15d7c39d7172a9a700df6604e58a45e

Dont know if they are correct and if they are, which one to get...and i dont see any holders lol


----------



## Nanoman

Wills.WinsNWhls said:


> These are the ones that come up in my search: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_s...11&h=17bd97aed15d7c39d7172a9a700df6604e58a45e
> 
> Dont know if they are correct and if they are, which one to get...and i dont see any holders lol


Amazon.com: EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin: Home Improvement

That one.


----------



## Wills.WinsNWhls

Nanoman said:


> Amazon.com: EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin: Home Improvement
> 
> That one.


Thanks man. Do you know where i can get the 'holder' for this one? And it says its a 12v bulb, but a 14.4 bolt drill will be ok to use with this?

Thanks again for the great write up on this and all the help.


----------



## Nanoman

Any MR16 bulb connector will do. Should be about $1 on ebay. 14.4v is fine.


----------



## Wills.WinsNWhls

Nanoman said:


> Any MR16 bulb connector will do. Should be about $1 on ebay. 14.4v is fine.


Very cool. So this guy should work? http://www.ebay.com/itm/GU5-3-MR16-...169?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4154c06511


----------



## Nanoman

Wills.WinsNWhls said:


> Very cool. So this guy should work? http://www.ebay.com/itm/GU5-3-MR16-...169?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4154c06511


Indeed.


----------



## Derekh929

Hi i was looking at this bulb say it at good price would that be close to solux one as they are now £13.23 plus high shipping , thanks
http://www.energybulbs.co.uk/products/1658200028


----------



## Nanoman

Derekh929 said:


> Hi i was looking at this bulb say it at good price would that be close to solux one as they are now £13.23 plus high shipping , thanks
> http://www.energybulbs.co.uk/products/1658200028


That might not be too bad.


----------



## Derekh929

Nanoman said:


> That might not be too bad.


Thanks but i have just noticed it is open bulb might be a problem i got 5700k florescent 6 feet for garage they are excellent day light tubes i was only £2.10 plus vat for them great


----------



## Derekh929

Found another to see if that is better option
http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=22352&cat=754


----------



## Nanoman

Derekh929 said:


> Found another to see if that is better option
> http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=22352&cat=754


Probably a better option than the first one. Let us know how you get on.


----------



## lowejackson

What is the significance of the angle of the beam i.e 36 degrees in the diy torch? Looking at this http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightinganswers/mr16/needToKnow01.asp it seems to me that a narrow beam would be better. I can see how for colour matching a broad beam would be good but is this a good thing for swirl spotting.

Or I am missing something


----------



## frankiman

I'm confused now...

There's like 5 differents light, however the sungun have only one. So there's actually one light that is a ''REAL'' 3m sunlight.

Could someone with more knowledge tells me which one should be bought? From what I understand the bbq light should be the one but for some reason the silenvlight with color-corrected is better !? I'm sooo confused haha!


----------



## Pezza4u

I had to go to B&Q yesterday so finally got a holder and bulb. Made my torch tonight and I think it's brilliant, can't believe how easy it was. Although having said that don't use a challenge drill cos the screw holes are too close to where the bulb sits and I had to shave alot off so it would fit ok. Just need to get the better bulb now :thumb:


----------



## WP-UK

Brilliant idea, thanks! I just built mine now, yet to test it but looks fab :thumb:


----------



## Pezza4u

Anyone had issues with condensation inside the bulb after using it? When it's been on for a while I noticed it inside. When left to cool most of it disappeared. This is with the B&Q 25w bulb.


----------



## jcrease

Pezza4u said:


> Anyone had issues with condensation inside the bulb after using it? When it's been on for a while I noticed it inside. When left to cool most of it disappeared. This is with the B&Q 25w bulb.


Made my sun gun today but using a cheap dichroic bulb at the moment. When turning off I noticed clouding around the edges don't know if it's condensation though. Anybody else experienced this problem. Maybe because it's a cheap bulb?


----------



## member23.08

Whats the best and cheapest swirl torch on the market at the moment, coming out of retirement and rebuilding tool stock...mine all a bit dated, thanks in advance
Scooby


----------



## srhutch

bought two of the 35w bulbs today.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lig...tor+Lamp+35w+36+Clear+Back/d220/sd3278/p85879

hopefully keep the inside of the drill case a bit cooler.

Just nee dot buy the drill now


----------



## jcrease

member23.08 said:


> Whats the best and cheapest swirl torch on the market at the moment, coming out of retirement and rebuilding tool stock...mine all a bit dated, thanks in advance
> Scooby


Make your own sun gun as per topic.


----------



## stealthwolf

I bought a 30mm motherboard fan and have now stuck that into the back of the B&Q drill. It's attempt to provide some cooling for the bulb for prolonged use.

Only crap thing is that it will only work at full power, so you need to squeeze the trigger fully.

Anyway I now have two - one at 50W and one at 35W.


----------



## markdraper

This maybe a silly question, but can I use an old 18v drill to convert to a sungun?


----------



## markdraper

no one?


----------



## Bratwurst

I'd reckon 18v is just a too much for a 12v bulb. It might not last too long. Have you read through the full thread to see if anyone else has tried it?


----------



## Nanoman

markdraper said:


> This maybe a silly question, but can I use an old 18v drill to convert to a sungun?





markdraper said:


> no one?





wee_green_mini said:


> I'd reckon 18v is just a too much for a 12v bulb. It might not last too long. Have you read through the full thread to see if anyone else has tried it?


As WGM sys the answer is in the thread. You can use 18v but don't expect the bulb to last.


----------



## Gaz1962

great post


----------



## Gaz1962

great post mate


----------



## Lupostef

Why have I only just noticed this? What a cracking thread and guide, maybe something to keep me entertained and in the shed over Christmas :lol:


----------



## mainsy

Finally got round to making this today, easy peasy and it works brilliantly :thumb:


----------



## GLN

Ace idea going to B&Q tomoro to get parts for this allways wanted sun gun but grudged the price :thumb:


----------



## powersteam

*Home-Made swirl spotting torch*

Here's my Home-Mede Sun Gun- made using a Mc Kenzie 14.4V Reversible drill (69.eur)+2 Batteries including + that minimal cutting of the casing the bulb.:thumb::lol:
Finished Swirl Spotter:thumb:





The correct bulb I bought a forward-order at this time used the usual light bulb that remained after repairs in the apartment.
Price for the most minimal drill I could find in our city-dreel B & Q unsold in Portugal and ordered two drills (to have 2 batteries), and send me out edentichnaya price.
Sorry for my bad English ...

Swirl Spoter torch works very well!

Thanks again Grant!:thumb::detailer:

Oleg Ponomarov

Portugal . Clean&Detail em Portimão.


----------



## Gully

I just wanted to show my appreciation for this thread and thank the guys behind this idea:thumb:

I made my homemade "Gun of Sun" on Boxing day and it cost me £17 for all the bits.

Here it is and a pic of it doing it's job(Not very good at capturing swirls with a camera, soz!!)




























Thanks again!!


----------



## NissanMan

Just bought myself the bits today, as the above post i paid the same with the same drill, not sure about the colour corrected bulb though? I just bought the standard bulb.


EDIT, it took about 15 mins, im not going to secure the bulb properly as i have ordered a colour corrected one


----------



## Monk

guys thanks both zerp and nanoman...call me stupid i always go with 3m- meaning i have the 3m--BUT i hate my self i got it 500 euro from my country meaning? i am SOOOO stupid , BUT i made one myself and if someone needs to know...i find it better and lighter! common i admit...i am goin to make and hang them on the self. becoz i have more than 12 drills on my self with burned motor...so thanks for the idea...if no solux available can i use anything?


----------



## NissanMan

As long as the bulb is a 12v two pin type, I'm using a standard bulb at the moment until the proper one is delivered and it's still great!


----------



## Monk

NissanMan said:


> As long as the bulb is a 12v two pin type, I'm using a standard bulb at the moment until the proper one is delivered and it's still great!


i do to use a standard on just asked for some encouraging like if someone else is satisfied by standard and i really thank you...i dont have the ability to get one because i live on an island with limited imports...i will stick with this...and its better than the 3M because you feel the achievement of making it joy! right!!! how can i get the proper one as well if anyone can help please!


----------



## NissanMan

Monk said:


> i do to use a standard on just asked for some encouraging like if someone else is satisfied by standard and i really thank you...i dont have the ability to get one because i live on an island with limited imports...i will stick with this...and its better than the 3M because you feel the achievement of making it joy! right!!! how can i get the proper one as well if anyone can help please!


This will be no good to you then;

http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=22166eca524a204f96a5e65823d20884

They only ship in UK and ireland


----------



## Monk

NissanMan said:


> This will be no good to you then;
> 
> http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=22166eca524a204f96a5e65823d20884
> 
> They only ship in UK and ireland


as u said no good to me...only locals and ireland


----------



## Nanoman

Monk said:


> as u said no good to me...only locals and ireland


Perhaps if you told us where you actually live someone might be able to help. Apologies if I have missed it.


----------



## NissanMan

Cyprus:thumb:


----------



## Monk

NissanMan said:


> Cyprus:thumb:


good to go man thanks...yeap Cyprus...small dot island on the map...

But guys i wanna tell you something its 12 o clock midnight and someone just called me if i can detail his car...and listen the fun part he wants me to do it because he is cheating on his wife and he went into a swamp or something and shes suspicious..he could say just went hunting or fishing...anw its holidays we need the money ye?:lol::detailer:

plus he gave me to much info he didnt need to let me know..
i know its stupid but made me luf my a** off and wished to share even here


----------



## NissanMan

Monk said:


> good to go man thanks...yeap Cyprus...small dot island on the map...
> 
> But guys i wanna tell you something its 12 o clock midnight and someone just called me if i can detail his car...and listen the fun part he wants me to do it because he is cheating on his wife and he went into a swamp or something and shes suspicious..he could say just went hunting or fishing...anw its holidays we need the money ye?:lol::detailer:
> 
> plus he gave me to much info he didnt need to let me know..
> i know its stupid but made me luf my a** off and wished to share even here


:lol:


----------



## WhiteDK

Thanks guys, made mine last night! The clear guide made it easy and simple to do. Now can't wait to try it out tomorrow!


----------



## 20vKarlos

I've done mine and it really doesn't take that long.
the trickiest part for me was finding a way i could glue the holder for the bulb in place and still get the bulb outif needed, but if it comes to it i can always unstick the platform and then refit it if needed.

this thread has been brilliant. thanks again


----------



## Wozski

http://direct.asda.com/Draper-Cordless-Drilldriver/001230968,default,pd.html

For anyone interested - slighly better than the B&Q brand....


----------



## 20vKarlos

That one looks a lot better too!


----------



## nick_mcuk

I actually need a new drill so might just get one for its intended purpose. 

I have made my swirl torch out of the B&Q value drill may only be 12v but works perfectly. 18v seems a bit of overkill surely???


----------



## Nanoman

nick_mcuk said:


> I actually need a new drill so might just get one for its intended purpose.
> 
> I have made my swirl torch out of the B&Q value drill may only be 12v but works perfectly. 18v seems a bit of overkill surely???


I wouldn't recommend anything about 14v


----------



## JakeWhite

I'm in the process of building mine  but I have a question, I scoured the lighting section at my local B&Q but couldn't find the bulb 'kit' so had to settle for this:
http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/lighti...ogen-Start-Lightbulb-10855-2-Pack-35w-9279694
And it looks like it has the bulb holder bit built onto the bottom? So I can't strip the wires that should be there as per your pictures, surely it will be ok to just wire up to each prong on the end? But how do I know which way to connect each wire? I.e how do I know which side to connect the black and the red? thanks


----------



## Nanoman

If it's just that bulb you've bought it's not good news. That looks like a 230v bulb so it won't light up from a battery. eBay is your friend for a bulb holder and get a 12v bulb.


----------



## NissanMan

JakeWhite said:


> I'm in the process of building mine  but I have a question, I scoured the lighting section at my local B&Q but couldn't find the bulb 'kit' so had to settle for this:
> http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/lighti...ogen-Start-Lightbulb-10855-2-Pack-35w-9279694
> And it looks like it has the bulb holder bit built onto the bottom? So I can't strip the wires that should be there as per your pictures, surely it will be ok to just wire up to each prong on the end? But how do I know which way to connect each wire? I.e how do I know which side to connect the black and the red? thanks


Need to get yourself to a B&Q depot, the smaller B&Q's dont stock them ( i tried) as for the wires jusy connect them and put the battery in the torch before screwing it all back together, if it doesnt work swap the wires and all will be fine.

Like the poster above, look for the 12V bulb not the 230/240V:thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

NissanMan said:


> Need to get yourself to a B&Q depot, the smaller B&Q's dont stock them ( i tried) as for the wires jusy connect them and put the battery in the torch before screwing it all back together, if it doesnt work swap the wires and all will be fine.
> 
> Like the poster above, look for the 12V bulb not the 230/240V:thumb:


LoL. It's not an LED so it'll work whatever way you connect the wires (as long as it's a 12v bulb).


----------



## Wozski

Just about to build mine - i have block connectors to join the wires up. Will these be ok? I last used these to connect some speakers cables together...


----------



## Nanoman

Wozski said:


> Just about to build mine - i have block connectors to join the wires up. Will these be ok? I last used these to connect some speakers cables together...


Block connectors will be more than fine on a wee 12v device like this.


----------



## JakeWhite

I've gone and swapped for a proper kit with the holder, bulb is 25w though but I'll be getting a solux soon and it was only £1! all working now


----------



## bigshoetimmy

great thread, would rather buy one off someone tho because i dont think i cud do all that. Anyone wanna? lol


----------



## NissanMan

bigshoetimmy said:


> great thread, would rather buy one off someone tho because i dont think i cud do all that. Anyone wanna? lol


Ill do one for you, but it really is that easy. PM if you do want one done and no one else offers :thumb:


----------



## butlerlm

Might have to give this ago.


----------



## kingtheydon

Found another supplier of a lamp...

http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Halogen-Spotlight-NDL-5-3K-35W-36-Deg-M281-FMW-BLV

£8.61 delivered if you use a code.


----------



## kingtheydon

Derekh929 said:


> Found another to see if that is better option
> http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=22352&cat=754


The bulb I linked above this is exactly the same as this one just cheaper (with delivery)


----------



## Clyde

Great idea. Just looking around for the bulb online i came across this:

http://www.fug5.com/shop.php?i=B002JM0JJE

Anyone know if this or something similar would be just as effective?

Ta


----------



## Nanoman

Clyde said:


> Great idea. Just looking around for the bulb online i came across this:
> 
> http://www.fug5.com/shop.php?i=B002JM0JJE
> 
> Anyone know if this or something similar would be just as effective?
> 
> Ta


Looks fairly unsuitable TBH.


----------



## Clyde

Nanoman said:


> Looks fairly unsuitable TBH.


What's so different?


----------



## Nanoman

Clyde said:


> What's so different?


LoL. I wouldn't recommend looking closely at the reflection from a 1m candle power torch! What that phrase about a sledgehammer and a walnut?


----------



## Clyde

Ok, maybe thats a bad example  but there are a few already on the market that's all I was getting at. Anyway thanks for your help


----------



## Nanoman

Clyde said:


> Ok, maybe thats a bad example  but there are a few already on the market that's all I was getting at. Anyway thanks for your help


In 629 posts there have been a few people suggesting things like that. As has been said many times... it's all about the bulb (that's why 3M charge £60+ for it and £400 for the sungun it fits in - and also why this thread is so popular).


----------



## trigger26

Brilliant thread. I have an old makita cordless drill I think the motor is on its way out. It's an 18v one would this be ok to convert?


----------



## 888-Dave

The bulb that goes into these are 12v mate so putting 18v through it will burn it out pretty quick. 

The B&Q jobbie is a 14.4v and so far about 6 months in, it's doing nicely :thumb:


----------



## Mattb23

i made mine today

1 old drill, minus drill bit.
abit of wire.
1 bulb

and 2 of these










and jobs a good'un


----------



## Uri

Thanks Nanoman and Brautomobile, Angajatul for the awesome info and Nanoman for his latest version using the drill. Also the superb instructions and pics. I had good fun tonight taking part the drill I bought for AUS $30 from my local hardware and all went smooth  Even down to the way the inner housing had a channel perfect for holding the globe in place. No glue or plastic support required. Just got rid of the first row of plastic threads for the two screws on either side and the globe fitted in a treat. I will now hunt for the appropriate globe. Once again. Thanks guys  Here's a pic of the finished product. Battery only at this stage. But I may add the other power mods later. BTW my first real post on the forum nd first pic upload. Hopefully it works


----------



## walker1967

Is there a nack to get the bulb to sit perfect in the centre as mine if off centre an looks  Is there a better way of securing it??


----------



## Nanoman

Uri said:


> Thanks Nanoman and Brautomobile, Angajatul for the awesome info and Nanoman for his latest version using the drill. Also the superb instructions and pics. I had good fun tonight taking part the drill I bought for AUS $30 from my local hardware and all went smooth  Even down to the way the inner housing had a channel perfect for holding the globe in place. No glue or plastic support required. Just got rid of the first row of plastic threads for the two screws on either side and the globe fitted in a treat. I will now hunt for the appropriate globe. Once again. Thanks guys  Here's a pic of the finished product. Battery only at this stage. But I may add the other power mods later. BTW my first real post on the forum nd first pic upload. Hopefully it works


TBH I've never used the external power. It's more hassle than it's worth. Just buy another drill so you get a spare battery and a working drill. 2 birds & 1 stone so to speak.


----------



## NissanMan

walker1967 said:


> Is there a nack to get the bulb to sit perfect in the centre as mine if off centre an looks  Is there a better way of securing it??


I had the same issue, i used a hot glue gun to re do mine, dry fit the bulb into the drill and take a mental note of where the edge of the bulb sits when its center, that way when the drill is in half you will know where to line it up.....either that or dry fit and felt tip pen around the lense so you know where it needs to sit.


----------



## Uri

Nanoman said:


> TBH I've never used the external power. It's more hassle than it's worth. Just buy another drill so you get a spare battery and a working drill. 2 birds & 1 stone so to speak.


Thanks, I had thought about how often I would actually switch to using the other power. I'll take your advice and not bother. The fact is I don't have a battery powered drill. So for me it makes even more sense to buy another. Cheers


----------



## vRS Carl

I might be being a bit of a muppet here (more than likely)

But do i need to put the on off switch on the outside? Or can i make this so that is solely runs from the trigger?


----------



## stealthwolf

Carl, mine runs just from the trigger without the rest of the paraphenalia.

EDIT: This is my drill: clicky and this is the bulb + holder clicky

Other things I needed to buy were a gluegun, a brighter bulb (35W or 50W) and some electrical tape.


----------



## pxr5

My mate gave me an old 14.4V drill he didn't need anymore. Still held its charge OK so I got the connector and bulb from B&Q for £2.48 and 20 minutes later had myself a (tatty) lookin sun gun. The drill was old and the bulb rim was a tiny bit too large for the neck of the end of the drill, which meant there is a very slight gap down one edge. But it works absolutely great, even with only a 25W bulb - but the 14.4 volts helps somewhat. Chuffed to bits and all for £2.48 and an old bit of choc-bloc I already had. Thanks to the OP for the inspiration and guides. Just need to get a better bulb when this one eventually goes.


----------



## Chicane

Are these bulbs any good? Just found about 5 of them in the cupboard


----------



## BYGino

This is a great idea, I've got lots of bits of old drills and stuff kicking about, I must make myself one of these.


----------



## srhutch

Finally got mine finished tonight, used a slither of a CC on both side of the drill case. Cut two groves in each to locate and glued just to make assembly easier. Little fiddly getting the second half in place due to the CC but still only took seconds.


----------



## Nanoman

LoL. Love the credit card idea!


----------



## SurGie

Brilliant stuff.

The battery power source bit looks a bit more complicated, so i wont bother with that part of it I'll just buy another battery for the drill if needs be, although i wont be using for very long anyway.


----------



## jlw41

finished mine today, cheers for the guide!


----------



## turboDean

Awesome thread this, defo gonna make one of these with the Solux bulb


----------



## martinclarkie

Thanks you guys for all this info I've also made my own too now and i must say its very good.

Comes complete with a 3 year warranty lol.


----------



## gordon26

Made 1 today, great piece of kit for £15. Thanks DW


----------



## Bkjames

Here's mine


























Best £34 i spent in ages, just need the correct bulb

Brian


----------



## bigshoetimmy

Made my the other day. Cheers the guide. Where can I buy the proper build used in the 3M sun gun?


----------



## Will_G

bigshoetimmy said:


> Made my the other day. Cheers the guide. Where can I buy the proper build used in the 3M sun gun?


Guessing you're meaning the bulb, details are on the first post at the bottom

http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=96b798308cf4aec28c2fe8dff22b5ccd

hopefully points you in the right direction


----------



## PABLO1977

Here's my 'grey' effort



















Now I am useless at this sort of thing, so anyone who's not sure, just crack on, it really is simple. Thanks to OP and all contributors.


----------



## Chrish SRi

Gonna have to go make me one of these now.....Trip to B&Q come payday... will let you know the outcome..

Great thread thanks to ALL involved..


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

well I made some upgrade to mine 

as the battery was 18v and the batery life was not good, I decided to do some upgrade, now it's 2.0 










































I used some old pait that I got and decided to try something...

























well the paint is not so good, and got some orange peel... but its the first paint job I have done :lol:


















final shots


----------



## Browser

ooo is that a old challenger 14.4v drill i see in the shed!!!!! Not for long tho as im on my way to B&Q  Great thread and thanks for the info! great idea!


----------



## xlfive

Forgot about this thread,I made mine a while back,I used to keep it in my van for use as a torch whilst working in dark cellars but the down side is mine keeps shattering the bulbs 
any idea's chaps


----------



## djbarren

Bulb can be bought here. http://www.sadbox.co.uk/solux-daylight-dichroic-24deg-4700k-p-54.html


----------



## Nanoman

djbarren said:


> Bulb can be bought here. http://www.sadbox.co.uk/solux-daylight-dichroic-24deg-4700k-p-54.html


They don't stock the 35w 36deg 4700k which is the one in the sun gun. Svenlight is your best bet.


----------



## djbarren

My bad, doh could have swore they had it earlier.


----------



## M44T

Made mine today


----------



## shaunwistow

Just made mine & cost less than £21, thanks to Zero & B&Q


----------



## tictap

Has anyone tried this with a 9.6v drill as i've got an old one at home?


----------



## traplin

Think im gonna try this!


----------



## Dingo2002

tictap said:


> Has anyone tried this with a 9.6v drill as i've got an old one at home?


You could try it but the bulbs are rated at 12v so I suspect the brightness would be affected. I did mine with the 12v drill from B&Q but I noticed Sainsbury's currently have a very similar drill in 14.4v form reduced from £25 to £12.50. Might be worth a look.


----------



## tictap

Just been to b&q and bought the 12v one, can't be robbed for the money :thumb:


----------



## nick_mcuk

tictap said:


> Just been to b&q and bought the 12v one, can't be robbed for the money :thumb:


If that's the black basics one they do I made my one from that and it works fine!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## traplin

Does anybody know why the 35w bulb is preferred to the 50w bulb?...thought the 50w would be brighter?


----------



## tictap

Just made mine, it's mint :thumb:


----------



## lisaclio

just made mine, i bought the cheap one. works a treat can't wait for the weather to improve so i can use it.


----------



## traplin

traplin said:


> Does anybody know why the 35w bulb is preferred to the 50w bulb?...thought the 50w would be brighter?


anyone?


----------



## buck-egit

Just made mine in 15 mins.... first class.... My sister is in the Police and she has got me to buy her a drill and maker her one for finding baddys... she reckons it will blind them lol:doublesho:doublesho:doublesho


----------



## lowejackson

traplin said:


> Does anybody know why the 35w bulb is preferred to the 50w bulb?...thought the 50w would be brighter?


I found the 50w bulb to be too bright, it just saturated the paint with bright light.


----------



## Nath

Alright, own up, who is knocking these up and selling them for £77 on ebay?

edit: Actually, i've just noticed another for £101!!!!!


----------



## Nanoman

Nath said:


> Alright, own up, who is knocking these up and selling them for £77 on ebay?
> 
> edit: Actually, i've just noticed another for £101!!!!!


You have to admire them LoL.

I still don't understand why no traders are interested in stocking the bulb. I can get them for a fraction of the cost in bulk but can't be bothered with a group buy.


----------



## fraz101

I made my sun gun to the exact spec as the OP and works fine.....The only problem i'm having is in the actual paint inspection....I know for a fact my car and my old mans is covered in swirls (seen it in direct sunlight) but i cannot get them to show up using the sungun? They are both silver cars
Is there a certain technique,angle,distance that i should use to inspect the paint?


----------



## fraz101

Anyone?


----------



## Pedro.Malheiro

could be because of the light bolb, the light could be not so strong


----------



## Dingo2002

fraz101 said:


> I made my sun gun to the exact spec as the OP and works fine.....The only problem i'm having is in the actual paint inspection....I know for a fact my car and my old mans is covered in swirls (seen it in direct sunlight) but i cannot get them to show up using the sungun? They are both silver cars
> Is there a certain technique,angle,distance that i should use to inspect the paint?


Silver can be really difficult to assess even in direct sunlight let alone with a sun gun. With my homemade light i would say 2-3ft away is the optimum distance but even then on silver I do struggle to pick them out.


----------



## xScotty

Dingo2002 said:


> Silver can be really difficult to assess even in direct sunlight let alone with a sun gun. With my homemade light i would say 2-3ft away is the optimum distance but even then on silver I do struggle to pick them out.


This, I've looked at mine and just got the deep scratches out with a da and left the rest


----------



## .Z.R.

Just done mine for under £15 


DIY sungun by PSJHodgson, on Flickr


----------



## Nanoman

.Z.R. said:


> Just done mine for under £15
> 
> 
> DIY sungun by PSJHodgson, on Flickr


I'm not sure if you are having a laugh here but I think that has the potential to kill the user... just saying...


----------



## .Z.R.

Lol how? It Works a treat 


Detailing by PSJHodgson, on Flickr


Detailing by PSJHodgson, on Flickr


----------



## Nanoman

.Z.R. said:


> Lol how? It Works a treat
> 
> 
> Detailing by PSJHodgson, on Flickr
> 
> 
> Detailing by PSJHodgson, on Flickr


I really hope you're taking the ****. The whole point of this thread is making something safe. I'd honestly say that is a death trap! Seriously.


----------



## shaunwistow

shaunwistow said:


> Just made mine & cost less than £21, thanks to Zero & B&Q


pics now added, works a treat & it won't kill me!!


----------



## digitaluk

thanks all mine works a treat, only problem i found was that i super glued my fingers together lol. overall though all good and has saved me £££££


----------



## Garybmw320d

Made mine in ten minutes really easy but rather than buy full light with holder and transformer just buy the connector for a lot less mine came to £16 as already had glue!


----------



## bildo

Seems to be lots of different variations on how to do this now, I tried reading the thread but got a bit lost.

If I was to get the cordless drill and this bulb http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...id=44&osCsid=96b798308cf4aec28c2fe8dff22b5ccd

What else is required other than that? Not being lazy, just wondering if people improved on what was decided initially.


----------



## Priory Mews

*Draper X-drill now torch with spirit level and bit holder!*

First post, had the Draper drill and the lamp holder, easy to solder the four wires together, had to remove about ten screws to get the case apart, so in total I would say twenty minutes to make, only have to buy the correct lamp now! but works fine with the 20watt bulb.

How do I use a torch with a spirit level? normally have a spirit in a glass:lol:

Thanks for all the info on this thread.


----------



## nicks16v

*Securing the bulb*

Great thread, can i ask what you use to secure the bulb on the grey drill. The OP says he used hot glue. But what if you need to change the bulb. Is it the bulb you glue or the holder ? Thats the only bit confusing me at the moment. Th bulb seems to fit in that little slot, but what do you all use to secure it in place, but also be able to change the bulb later without too much grief.


----------



## The Cueball

Is it just me, or has the price of the "correct" bulb jumped up quite a bit!!!

:doublesho


----------



## Jaywoo

Going to be making one ok these very soon, Excellent guide.


----------



## Nanoman

The Cueball said:


> Is it just me, or has the price of the "correct" bulb jumped up quite a bit!!!
> 
> :doublesho


Looks like it has. Still surprised that no traders have asked me for the details of the distributor that can supply these at a fraction of the current cost if bought 50+ at a time!


----------



## Mac T5

Great guide, just knocked mine up took 10 minutes and wired straight in to the block. thanks to all great piece of kit for very little money. :speechles


----------



## Hercs74

This is a great thread, and excellent product by the OP... I've ordered my bulb and will be heading to Tesco as much nearer than B&Q, and do exactly same drill for same price... I have however possibly found a cheaper option for bulb connector. Especially if people getting the better bulb and dont need the B&Q one... Take a look let me know if its feasiable...

http://www.lyonlighting.com/acatalog/info_HOLDER_MR166.html

regards


----------



## Nanoman

Hercs74 said:


> This is a great thread, and excellent product by the OP... I've ordered my bulb and will be heading to Tesco as much nearer than B&Q, and do exactly same drill for same price... I have however possibly found a cheaper option for bulb connector. Especially if people getting the better bulb and dont need the B&Q one... Take a look let me know if its feasiable...
> 
> http://www.lyonlighting.com/acatalog/info_HOLDER_MR166.html
> 
> regards


That'll do the trick but with delivery probably cheaper on ebay.


----------



## sideshowbob

Just read this thread this morning. Have now been to B&Q and gone a bit crazy.....








......yes, thats 3 cordless drills to convert!


----------



## No.25

Had my shopping list ready to go but found this, so far as I can tell this may just need a change of bulb. I don't get the fun of building my own but I get more time to polish my car:

http://www.diy.com/nav/build/motoring-workshop-tools/lighting/spot_lights/Black-and-Decker-Corded-Spot-Light-11248233

This may not be acceptable if you want the torch for colour correction as the bulb fitting is H3 (automotive) not MR16 so the same Solux bulb is not available, but for swirls I reckon this'll do just fine though the reflector is part of the torch not the lamp as with a dichroic - shouldn't make a difference.

Any thoughts welcome...


----------



## Nanoman

No.25 said:


> Had my shopping list ready to go but found this, so far as I can tell this may just need a change of bulb. I don't get the fun of building my own but I get more time to polish my car:
> 
> http://www.diy.com/nav/build/motoring-workshop-tools/lighting/spot_lights/Black-and-Decker-Corded-Spot-Light-11248233
> 
> This may not be acceptable if you want the torch for colour correction as the bulb fitting is H3 (automotive) not MR16 so the same Solux bulb is not available, but for swirls I reckon this'll do just fine though the reflector is part of the torch not the lamp as with a dichroic - shouldn't make a difference.
> 
> Any thoughts welcome...


For swirl spotting I don't think it'll be very good. You could wire in an MR16 fitment but you're not getting battery power so might as well do a drill for the same (or less) money and same hassle.


----------



## Hercs74

Made mine yesterday..

Drill £11.49 @ Tesco
Bulb £13.33 from Svenlight
ME16 connector £0.42p @ tool station 

Total build cost £25.24....

Job done and works a treat...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Kobeone

Come on Dave, dont be a tease, you know we like pics


----------



## Hercs74

Mate I'm working all weekend.. Had to fly out the door when I finished it..

I'll do pics tomorrow... Just for u.. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## No.25

Nanoman said:


> For swirl spotting I don't think it'll be very good. You could wire in an MR16 fitment but you're not getting battery power so might as well do a drill for the same (or less) money and same hassle.


You're right. Went to B&Q bought the £13 drill, and I'm using one of my spare stock of 35W 36degFL Dichroic, connected with spade crimps and held in place with an old plastic card cut to size. Works a treat and I don't need color matching for paint corrections.

So easy, so satisfying. :thumb:


----------



## Hercs74

As Promised....lol
























:thumb: :lol: :wave:


----------



## sideshowbob

No.25 said:


> You're right. Went to B&Q bought the £13 drill, and I'm using one of my spare stock of 35W 36degFL Dichroic, connected with spade crimps and held in place with an old plastic card cut to size. Works a treat and I don't need color matching for paint corrections.
> 
> So easy, so satisfying. :thumb:


I normally use an LED Lenser P7 for spotting swirls and other defects but decided to make a couple of these.








So far ive found that they are nowhere near as good at picking up defects as the LED Lenser. Im pretty sure this has everything to do with the colour temperature of the bulb (im currently using a standard bulb from B&Q) as well as the other qualities that the solux bulb has.
You may not need the solux bulb for colour matching but im pretty sure you are losing out a great deal by not using it for paint correction.
I would be really interested to know what others think about this?


----------



## Nanoman

sideshowbob said:


> I normally use an LED Lenser P7 for spotting swirls and other defects but decided to make a couple of these.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So far ive found that they are nowhere near as good at picking up defects as the LED Lenser. Im pretty sure this has everything to do with the colour temperature of the bulb (im currently using a standard bulb from B&Q) as well as the other qualities that the solux bulb has.
> You may not need the solux bulb for colour matching but im pretty sure you are losing out a great deal by not using it for paint correction.
> I would be really interested to know what others think about this?


I'm not aware of anyone that has come up with anything better than the solux bulb for swirl spotting. No detailer would be paying £400 for a Sun Gun if a £30 torch did the job. I've compared cheap bulbs with Solux bulbs and with various torches including the lenser and nothing comes close. There's still a place for multiple light sources though, I still use halogens for example.


----------



## sideshowbob

Nanoman said:


> I'm not aware of anyone that has come up with anything better than the solux bulb for swirl spotting. No detailer would be paying £400 for a Sun Gun if a £30 torch did the job. I've compared cheap bulbs with Solux bulbs and with various torches including the lenser and nothing comes close. There's still a place for multiple light sources though, I still use halogens for example.


Sorry Nanoman my original post was very badly worded. What i meant to say was that i have made one of these drill torches and it only uses a standard MR16 35w bulb from B&Q. Because of this it isnt as good as my LED Lenser for swirl spotting. But if i fitted the proper solux bulb then it should be far superior to the Lenser.
I believe it is the solux bulb that makes the "solar gun" what it is, and by not using it No.25 is missing out on the potential of his torch. I have made 2 of these drill torches now and they are an exceptionally clever idea but they really need the solux bulb to work properly.


----------



## No.25

sideshowbob said:


> I believe it is the solux bulb that makes the "solar gun" what it is, and by not using it No.25 is missing out on the potential of his torch..


I will order the Solux bulb and let you know how I get on. It's a shame that the Black Back version isn't available in the UK as I reckon it might reduce the amount of heat build up through the back of the dichroic reflector nto the 'torch' body.

I am still doubtful that colour temperature and colour rendering aid swirl spotting, technically speaking colour tempertaure just changes the colour appearance of the light emitted and colour rendering (Ra) references the ability of an artificial light source to replicate the full colour spectrum of the sun and thereby to show colours in their truest representation - most critical for colour matching but not for defect spotting.

I am intrigued and do understand that the thread is to replicate the sun gun at an affordable price which is exactly what you achieve with the OP method. :thumb:. There's not a lot to lose in going for the Solux bulb so I'll grab one and see.


----------



## Greboth

Looking at making one of these, looks interesting and as long as it does a semi decent job then it is better than having no light for spotting swirls.

I picked up the cheapo drill earlier but was looking at the lights I couldn't make my mind up. So how important is it for the light to be as per the OP? Reason being about the best fit I could find at homebase ( no B&Q near me) was a 12v 35W Halogen bulb, GU5.3, 36 degrees and 3000k. Common sense would say No.25 above is right about the colour temperature but this is quite unknown subject to me. Also how important is it for the bulb to be mr16? as I could not find any that were.

Already taken drill apart, just need a bulb and a little soldering and it will be done. Pictures to follow.


----------



## No.25

Greboth said:


> No.25 above is right about the colour temperature but this is quite unknown subject to me. Also how important is it for the bulb to be mr16? as I could not find any that were.


The base type (MR16 or GU5.3) is not the critical factor but you'll find that this is the base type for LV Tungsten Filament Halogen Lamps. The other typical base type for lamps that look the same is GU10 but they are a push and twist fit and run direct from 230-240V AC. The LV versions are 12VDC which is what you'll need if you want to convert a drill and run them from a battery source.

Colour temperature will affect only the colour appearance, most standard applications are in the order of 2700-3000K to replicate the same colour temperature from an incandescent filament lamp (standard good olf fashioned light bulb) which has a colour temperature of around 2700K. Fluorescents vary from say 2,700K to replicate standard (yellowish) light bulbs through 3500-400K for general office applications to 6,000K or even 8,000K for a very blueish light which are often used in clinical environments to make the clean white surfaces appear very sterile (think operating theatres etc...).

Colour temperature affects the ambient feel of the light and is used to create mood. As an example McDonalds might use a 'warmer' more calming appearance light source (2700K) for people waiting in line to be served and then use a Cool White say 4,000K for the dining area so as not to create a cosy place to be and encourage a fast (eating) food restaurant which isn't overcrowded by people lounging around.

Colour rendering however is critical to view the correct colour as represented in sunlight. This is why New Look for example would have HID lamps (same as Xenons in a car) with very high colour rendering ability (Ra98-99) in their stores so you get a better idea of how the clothes would actually look. Ever bought an item of clothing and been surprised by the actual colour when you come to wear it? Or, why butcher's counters have a special type of fluorescent which gives out more of the red spectrum to make the meat look really fresh and enticing. Sodium lighting is really bad at rendering colour, old style street lamps (lamp posts) have sodium lighting which is very efficient but dreadful at rendering colour - it's very difficult to distinguish a brown car from a red one or even a green one at night under the yellow lights of a lam post.

This is why I think for swirls that to some degree colour temperature is not critical and to almost every degree colour rendering is irrelevant. The Sun Gun however is sold as a colour matcher, and for these reasons the Solux lamp is critical.

Lesson over.


----------



## Nanoman

Greboth said:


> Looking at making one of these, looks interesting and as long as it does a semi decent job then it is better than having no light for spotting swirls.
> 
> I picked up the cheapo drill earlier but was looking at the lights I couldn't make my mind up. So how important is it for the light to be as per the OP? Reason being about the best fit I could find at homebase ( no B&Q near me) was a 12v 35W Halogen bulb, GU5.3, 36 degrees and 3000k. Common sense would say No.25 above is right about the colour temperature but this is quite unknown subject to me. Also how important is it for the bulb to be mr16? as I could not find any that were.
> 
> Already taken drill apart, just need a bulb and a little soldering and it will be done. Pictures to follow.


That lamp sounds pretty good. I'd be interested to see the difference between that bulb and the Solux... I think beam angle is possibly the key thing for swirl spotting.


----------



## lowejackson

I do wonder what the proprieties of a yellow street light are and why this seems to be the best way to spot swirls on my car

I also wonder about the advantages of using two light sources. If two lights at a certain angle can highlight both sides of the groove would this not be the ideal lighting

It goes without saying that I have no technical knowledge in this area


----------



## No.25

I think you're right, the degree of flood, in this case, 36 will have a significant bearing on the ability to spot swirls as will the wattage. If it's too bright the reflection and light intensity will mask out the imperfections. This is why it's also important to hold the lamp at different distances and angles. All we're trying to do is use the different angles of surface reflections to highlight those imperfections.

A 36deg beam must be the one which gives the best mix of light spread and light intensity at the most natural working distance. Otherwise you could use a narrower beam and move the lamp further away to give the same spread but not the same lux. 

I think that's why the 35watt lamp with a 36deg beam works best in this application where the distance between light source and landing object is determined by the natural working distance for this application over a small variance in range. 

It's only my opinion but I think any 35W, 36deg halogen reflector lamp will spot swirls well enough but only the Solux lamp can render colour as high as Ra99 across the visible spectrum at a colour tempertaure closely matched to daylight. There are very similar halogen lamps that provide high colour temperatures at a fraction of the price but after reviewing the technical spec of the Solux there are some neat touches such as the filament angle which is unique, not to forget the importance of the arrangement of the dichroic reflector. Not to mention the superior benefits of the lamp's colour rendering and thereby doubling up as colour matching light.

Pretty much most halogen lamps would highlight surface imperfections - you only need to look at all the 50/50 pictures on this site taken with halogen task lamps to know that's true. Then all you would need would be some ceramic metal halides (CMH) for the most excellent colour rendering from artificial light (by the way, you've probably noticed over the years that lighting for filling station forecourts has moved from the old yellow sodium lamps to the very white and excellent colour rendering CMH lamps - this helps them capture the most accurate CCTV footage). However, the Sun Gun type accessory with a Solux lamp does both in a convenient portable appliance!!

I still need to order a Solux. £15 seems steep when it's a third of this in the States but I would like to make a comparison so will get one in time.

It's been interesting to read everyone's opinion on this thread.


----------



## No.25

lowejackson said:


> I do wonder what the proprieties of a yellow street light are and why this seems to be the best way to spot swirls on my car


Street lighting lamps are just gas discharge lamps (as are fluorescents, high intensity discharge (HID - xenons), etc). The reason for the colour they give out is the way they produce it. (fluorescents vary mostly by varying the mix of phosphor properties in the tube coating). The yellow ones you see will be low pressure sodium vapour lamps which give out the yellow colour when the sodium particles are excited and vapour off resulting in a yellow light (as opposed to mercury vapour which is whiter). It makes sodium lamps incredibly efficient - they give off the most amount of light per watt but their colour rendering ability is the most poor. This is beacuse the light source produced is only over a very narrow bandwidth and makes the area being lit very monochromatic - like making a sepia photograph from a colour one by narrowing the colour range.



lowejackson said:


> I do wonder what the proprieties of a yellow street light are and why this seems to be the best way to spot swirls on my car


It's not actually, but it is good because of the vast amount of light being produced which enables you to see all the reflected light from the surface imperfections.



lowejackson said:


> I also wonder about the advantages of using two light sources. If two lights at a certain angle can highlight both sides of the groove would this not be the ideal lighting


No. Because you would be casting light over all the shadows the first is creating and also drowning all the reflections in more light. Obscuring both. That's why photographers use many point source of light, especially in portraits, to reduce highlights and shadows - but you're looking to do the opposite - we want to see the imperfections. Models don't.


----------



## Greboth

I guess you studied or do something to do with lights as damn you know alot haha.

I went and got the 35 watt bulb and put it all together. I got just the buld thinking I could solder on the wires to the switch, I was soooo wrong haha got it done in the end though. Slight downside to mine though is that the drill has two screw points right at the front meaning the bulb doesn't sit in like the others - In the end I just glued it in place. It will be a pain to change but mean time between failures is 1000 hours so shouldn't be anytime soon.

Sorry for the crappy photo camera is dead so taken with phone. Picked up some proper polish earlier too so all going well should have some horrible swirl photos for you all tomorrow along with some nice smooth ones too.


----------



## lowejackson

No.25 said:


> ....It's not actually, but it is good because of the vast amount of light being produced which enables you to see all the reflected light from the surface imperfections.


Very interesting, thanks for your comments.

The reason I mention the street light is my DIY Sun Gun and halogen flood light do not seem to be as effective at highlighting swirls as my local street light



No.25 said:


> .....No. Because you would be casting light over all the shadows the first is creating and also drowning all the reflections in more light. Obscuring both. That's why photographers use many point source of light, especially in portraits, to reduce highlights and shadows - but you're looking to do the opposite - we want to see the imperfections. Models don't.


Fair enough. What is the logic of the Brinkman lights whereby two lamps are used but spaced very closely

Once again, thanks for your insights :thumb:


----------



## No.25

lowejackson said:


> What is the logic of the Brinkman lights whereby two lamps are used but spaced very closely
> 
> Once again, thanks for your insights :thumb:


I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with the product. I'm not a pro detailer just an enthusiast and I happen to be a lighting design engineer. From your description it seems that the lamps are projecting light at the same angle (???) so not combating eachother, just increasing the surface area of inspection. I may have completely misunderstood how the lamp works but I'll take a look and give my opinion of you have a link to the product. But I fear we may be wandering OT??


----------



## No.25

Greboth said:


> Slight downside to mine though is that the drill has two screw points right at the front meaning the bulb doesn't sit in like the others - In the end I just glued it in place. It will be a pain to change but mean time between failures is 1000 hours so shouldn't be anytime soon.


Don't worry of it doesn't sit flush with the housing - it won't matter. The capsule which holds the filament is already inside a fitting, the dichroic reflector so you will actually get the perfect spread of light just as the manufacturer intended. I have noticed that some of lamps on these homemade guns sit some way inside the drill casing and are not central (dropped) which will of course affect the throw of light.

You shouldn't expect the lamp to last as long as the manufacturer recommends. That's under perfect running conditions. It's far from perfect in our case because we are constantly turning the lamp on and off which is a VERY bad thing for lamp life, it's why as kids we're told not to keep switching the lights on and off, it makes the very thin metal filament go hot and cold which stresses the material and causes premature failure.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the quality of light output will degrade way before the lamp fails so I'd say it's worth a periodic planned change of lamps rather than wait for failure - you may have noticed this end of life colour change yourselves, if you have a multi-lamp (say 5-way) fitting and need to replace one bulb, the colour output never matches the remaining four. The new one will be white and the old ones will be tending toward yellows, pinks and purples before dying. (you should also make sure all bulbs in a fitting are the same colour temperature or they will NEVER match).


----------



## Greboth

The problem I had is that to sit the bulb in the housing like other people have done (one on previous page) the build would be bout half an inch back into the housing. Whereas the bulb sits naturally where it is now as the sides of the bulb housing rest on screw mount and the glue just stops it fallin out.

I don't expect anywhere near the 1000 hours but while I will clean the car through the year and re wax etc I plan on only swirl hunting once a year, maybe twice if it gets really bad so should last a few years worth of polishing


----------



## bradbury

Just made the sun gun today! Well impressed ;-), this is a great d.i.y on the cheap anyone can do it!


----------



## BigAshD

Made mine today. Awesome. £22 for both drill and downlight from B&Q. In fact, I spent more buying a hot melt glue gun (had other uses too) than on the swirl finder, but I'm glad I did because it was useful for setting the bulb securely in a way that can be easily replaced. Soldered and shrink wrapped too. Great post


----------



## zachtdi

Thanks guys, made mine today from the b&q special

Gave it some plastidip for the more industrial feel


----------



## SimonVTR

Made Mine today 

Used the B&Q drill
http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...dless-Drill-Driver-10957593?&_requestid=64229

And the 25W bulb and connector kit
http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...dless-Drill-Driver-10957593?&_requestid=64229

I soldered and heat shrunk the joints instead of using crimps/connectors










Now I'm happy it all works fine, I will order a Solux bulb
http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=44&osCsid=96b798308cf4aec28c2fe8dff22b5ccd


----------



## Spudey

Made mine last week. B&Q drill and found spare connectors and bulb in the shed. Just going to test it when I get home from offshore before getting solus bulb.

I fitted the bulb with the face protruding from the front of the drill to get the intended bulb spread and easy bulb replacement. Although restricting the beam by mounting deeper in the housing may be better for swirl spotting?

Anyway I used a small rattle-can lid to brace the bulb holder and found some crimp connectors before I found the soldering iron so used them instead.























Should get on Wednesday, might pop in to Polished Bliss on the way up the road to pick up some new goodies and then try it out


----------



## Lupostef

Why have I only just noticed this:doublesho!! Fantastic guide as well. 
Going to give this a go next week as I've got some time off, can the bulbs be bought from B&Q or do they have to be ordered?


----------



## Bill58

Lupostef said:


> Why have I only just noticed this:doublesho!! Fantastic guide as well.
> Going to give this a go next week as I've got some time off, can the bulbs be bought from B&Q or do they have to be ordered?


B&Q don't have the bulb but you can get the bulb from Svenlight


----------



## Lupostef

Cheers pal


----------



## Will_G

You can still use the b&q bulb of similar type rating just you might not get the full effect


----------



## Lupostef

Ok cheers anyone got a link to where to buy?


----------



## rs_si

Just ordered my bulb, now to get a suitable drill!

Bulb was bought from this link http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=44&osCsid=96b798308cf4aec28c2fe8dff22b5ccd


----------



## Lupostef

That's pal :thumb:


----------



## RyG

Clever


----------



## bigshoetimmy

Hi, am I right in thinking that I can buy the right bulb (same as the 3m torch) and just fit it into my home made torch. I bought the drill from b and q, it's just the basic drill.

Cheers


----------



## browner01

you can buy a halogen torch from ebay, could you not just swap the bulb?


----------



## Nanoman

browner01 said:


> you can buy a halogen torch from ebay, could you not just swap the bulb?


Try it and let us know. Any 12v feed with the correct bulb works.


----------



## bigshoetimmy

Anyone answer my question 2 above please.


----------



## Will_G

If you've followed this thread and built the torch using the standard B&Q bulb and cheapo drill then yes you can purchase the proper bulb from svenlight and install it instead.


----------



## Damien

Made my own today. 10 minutes max and that was letting the soldering iron heat up! Homebase £15 12v drill but only just ordered the Solux buld so using a 110 lumen LED bulb until it arrives. Real good guide. Can't wait to get using it.

Cheers to the OP :thumb:


----------



## VenomUK

All the pics have been taken down?


----------



## Z4-35i

Great how-to :thumb: going to pick up a B&Q drill this week as a base for this.

I've not read all the pages and posts of this thread yet, but has anyone tried one of these LED GU16 bulbs, there is also a neutral white available with a colour temp of 4000K-4500K, cost is £8.75+vat?

Beam Angle: 38°
Colour Temperature: 5300K - 5700k
Light output colour: - Daylight White
Effective Lumens: 351
Equivalent: 30w Halogen
Voltage: 12v
Wattage: 3.7w

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LTMR3W.html


----------



## Lupostef

Massive thanks to the OP for this, in ally got round to making mine yesterday, chuffed to bits with it . 

Not sure if the B&Q drill has been changed since the original post but I had to file I tiny couple of nicks out of the drill for the bulb, sat so snug I used 2 drops from the glue gun . 

Also did a Black&Decker one for a mate and just to let people know the two wires that attatch to the original motor/new bulb are push fit so no crimping or soldering are needed, litterally toolk me 5 mins including taking the drill apart :thumb: win win!


----------



## Lupostef

The finished result 


IMG_0873 by lupostef, on Flickr


IMG_0874 by lupostef, on Flickr


----------



## stez

Awesome stuff mate, looks great.


----------



## omc1984

OHH my God!!!!

this thread is so awesome! This Lamp is just awesome
but in fact i've got some questions:

I was looking around on different homepages to find the correct parts. i am from germany so we don't have the same markets here.
The Homepage "b&Q" doesn't show me exact these driller! 
-> so do you have a link???

I see that the driller works with 14,4V (at full charge). Doesn't the bulb get damaged by this voltage??


----------



## TigerUK

batteries tend to have variable voltage. because batteries lose output over time a 12V battery will actually output ~14V when at full power, and drop down to 9.6V before the device can no longer get use out of it.

The solux bulbs are rated at 12V and I believe they are intended to be mains powered which means they take exactly 12V. When you out a 14v battery in, it means that you can put 16V to the bulbs. Is this safe?

I'm hoping this in issue because I got a 9.6v cordless and hoping to put a solux12v in. I tested it with my dipped beam h7 bulb, that worked.


----------



## omc1984

thx for your answer!

i just wanna ask the people round here, whether there is the possibility to buy the bulb and the driller for me in britain.

i will pay for it, of course!!!

don't know which (german) driller-case could fit with the bulb...and these bulbs are not available in germany or svenlight doesn't ship to foreign countries :-(

so could anybody buy these items for me and i gonna assemble the light right here

-> send me a PM, please!!


----------



## TigerUK

omc1984 said:


> thx for your answer!
> 
> i just wanna ask the people round here, whether there is the possibility to buy the bulb and the driller for me in britain.
> 
> i will pay for it, of course!!!
> 
> don't know which (german) driller-case could fit with the bulb...and these bulbs are not available in germany or svenlight doesn't ship to foreign countries :-(
> 
> so could anybody buy these items for me and i gonna assemble the light right here
> 
> -> send me a PM, please!!


i did not use the same drill as above, you will find that most drills are pretty much the same/similar, so you can use any brand you like


----------



## Nanoman

The supplier I used for the group buy was based in Germany... try google and you should come up with something...


----------



## TigerUK

Here's my sun gun, which I'm afraid to say is a glorified torch. I have a silver car so swirl marks are difficult to spot. I cannt spot any swirls with it at all, the best swirl spotting machine is the yellow street lamps IMO. 
But it's very good at showing all clear coat imperfect and scratches.

I have used some cheap £1 bulbs from supermarkets not the solux bulbs. I'm also using 9.6 volts rather than 14.4/12 volts.

Instead of mounting the socket on to the case. I have just glued on some bits of cable tie which allows the bulb to fit securely without getting pushed back into the housing. Works like a charm.


----------



## deansutherland

TigerUK said:


> Here's my sun gun, which I'm afraid to say is a glorified torch. I have a silver car so swirl marks are difficult to spot. I cannt spot any swirls with it at all, the best swirl spotting machine is the yellow street lamps IMO.
> But it's very good at showing all clear coat imperfect and scratches.
> 
> I have used some cheap £1 bulbs from supermarkets not the solux bulbs. I'm also using 9.6 volts rather than 14.4/12 volts.
> 
> Instead of mounting the socket on to the case. I have just glued on some bits of cable tie which allows the bulb to fit securely without getting pushed back into the housing. Works like a charm.


Did urs work.ok like this I've done it with mine but can't get it to work


----------



## Chris0707

I've just finished mine and works brilliantly! Haven't got the solux bulb in it yet so am looking forward to seeing what difference it makes, big thanks to OP!


----------



## sstevexs

Nearly bought a 3m at the weekend, so glad I didn't!!!
Went to b&q at 12 and was spotting swirls by 1, thanks op and everyone else involved in this thread


----------



## Gretsch-drummer

Thanks DW! Made mine today!:


----------



## DanN92

How much does this DIY torch compare with the 3m torch?

Obviously cheaper but by how much by the time all the products are bought to make it?

Thanks!


----------



## Ric

40quid to 300quid.

Try reading the thread.


----------



## mr cooper

DanN92 said:


> How much does this DIY torch compare with the 3m torch?
> 
> Obviously cheaper but by how much by the time all the products are bought to make it?
> 
> Thanks!


Also worth considering the 3m sun gun is superior in every way compared to these drill to torch knock up's.


----------



## Nanoman

In what way is it superior in every way? The whole point of it is the light source which is identical to the sungun. In no way is the light source superior in the sungun. Also the analogue variable brightness in the homemade one is a very useful feature which the sungun does have - some might say that makes the homemade one superior.

At the end of the day I'm not sure anyone can argue it's worth 10x as much.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


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## zdravo

If it's named iSungun, then the price will be OK


----------



## Dingo2002

mr cooper said:


> Also worth considering the 3m sun gun is superior in every way compared to these drill to torch knock up's.


The only area where my DIY sungun struggles is with battery life so I just went out and bought a second drill just for the battery. :thumb:

Check back through the thread and you can also see my comparison of different bulbs and my explanation of why i dont use the solux one.


----------



## Silky-cookie

I now finding myself looking at drills to take apart! Tesco lion for £20 new mmmmmmmm Xmas could be busy!

A fantastic post and idea!


----------



## egon

I went and made me a ray gun... 

http://pbckt.com/pO.OfLxlE

Eyewateringly bright...


----------



## CivicTypeR.

Just finished mine happy days big thanks to everyones input. Only thing I will say don't buy a challenge drill because I had a lot of filiin to do so beware


----------



## -Kev-

mr cooper said:


> Also worth considering the 3m sun gun is superior in every way compared to these drill to torch knock up's.


because it says '3m' on the side? :lol:


----------



## mr cooper

-Kev- said:


> because it says '3m' on the side? :lol:


Er no. It's because the sun guns better


----------



## Nanoman

mr cooper said:


> Er no. It's because the sun guns better


It's just you won't give reasons why...

10x the price better? Remember... the light source is identical... isn't it all about the light source?


----------



## mr cooper

Nanoman said:


> It's just you won't give reasons why...
> 
> 10x the price better? Remember... the light source is identical... isn't it all about the light source?


Reasons why Hmmm. Reliability/constuction (The 3M sun gun is very well made by a professional manufacturer) Also you get a warranty. Did you get one with yours? Battery life seems better too going by previous posts. And not all on here have used the same bulb as the 3m sun gun.

P.S Hows the new years resolution going. Lost any pounds?


----------



## Nanoman

mr cooper said:


> Reasons why Hmmm. Reliability/constuction (The 3M sun gun is very well made by a professional manufacturer) Also you get a warranty. Did you get one with yours? Battery life seems better too going by previous posts. And not all on here have used the same bulb as the 3m sun gun.
> 
> P.S Hows the new years resolution going. Lost any pounds?


Are you stalking me? :lol: Yes, I'm starting off well with the weight loss...

Reliability and construction - how do you figure that? Do you know the faliure rate of SunGun compared to these badboys? For all we know SunGun could be less reliable.

Warranty? Not sure many would pay 10x as much just for the warranty. Not much to go wrong.

As for battery life with the same spec battery - comes with many drills the homemade one will actually last longer than the 3M version as there's no fan to power.

And for those that have the same light source, it's the same as the SunGun.

So the home made one is better because:
1. It costs less
2. It's fun to make
3. It's really cheap 1/10th the price
4. It's the same light source (the most important bit)
5. The battery will last longer with the same spec
6. Replacement bulbs are 1/8th the price

The 3M is better because:
1. It's not home made
2. It has a warranty

I think there's a damn good argument to say the homemade one is better. :devil:


----------



## NovalutionGSi

Nanoman said:


> Are you stalking me? :lol: Yes, I'm starting off well with the weight loss...
> 
> Reliability and construction - how do you figure that? Do you know the faliure rate of SunGun compared to these badboys? For all we know SunGun could be less reliable.
> 
> Warranty? Not sure many would pay 10x as much just for the warranty. Not much to go wrong.
> 
> As for battery life with the same spec battery - comes with many drills the homemade one will actually last longer than the 3M version as there's no fan to power.
> 
> And for those that have the same light source, it's the same as the SunGun.
> 
> So the home made one is better because:
> 1. It costs less
> 2. It's fun to make
> 3. It's really cheap 1/10th the price
> 4. It's the same light source (the most important bit)
> 5. The battery will last longer with the same spec
> 6. Replacement bulbs are 1/8th the price
> 
> The 3M is better because:
> 1. It's not home made
> 2. It has a warranty
> 
> I think there's a damn good argument to say the homemade one is better. :devil:


And for that reason I'm in!

I have an old "Skil" drill that is starting to come to the end of its drilling life so it may well get chopped up to make one of these! 
Although i would go for the simple Battery powered version and get a couple of spare batteries!


----------



## Mattodl

Went to B&Q earlier the drill now costs around £30, might just go for the Brinkmann.


----------



## mr cooper

Mattodl said:


> Went to B&Q earlier the drill now costs around £30, might just go for the Brinkmann.


Brinkmann looks a better option:thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

mr cooper said:


> Brinkmann looks a better option:thumb:


U again... how about u stop trolling.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## snoopin

Look what I been doing 

15 mins job done...










Newer model so had to cut more away to get the bulb in..

Well pleased  works well..


----------



## Junior Bear

ive read loads of posts looking for the solux bulb info


where is best place to purchase it from? and is it the best bulb for the job?

just found the grey drills on b&q website, they seem to be £40 now


----------



## snoopin

Junior Bear said:


> ive read loads of posts looking for the solux bulb info
> 
> where is best place to purchase it from? and is it the best bulb for the job?
> 
> just found the grey drills on b&q website, they seem to be £40 now


I paid £24 for the drill and £4 for the bulb and the holder from BandQ on the way home tonight, will change to the solux bulb at a later date


----------



## Junior Bear

Is that the grey one as seen in this thread? Or the cheapest cordless 12v one you could find?


----------



## snoopin

Junior Bear said:


> Is that the grey one as seen in this thread? Or the cheapest cordless 12v one you could find?


One as above in this thread mate... However I just looked on B&Q and its £29.99?!?!?

This is the link ...

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-tools/drilling-screwdriving/drilling/Performance-Power-Cordless-Drill-Driver-14-4V-PDD144-12389410?skuId=12910114

But this is not the drill I brought? its slightly different maybe that's why it was cheaper... still 14.4v though


----------



## mr cooper

Nanoman said:


> U again... how about u stop trolling.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


Tut tut. Let's put the toys back in your pram again.


----------



## Jonesy_135

Popped to B&Q last night bought the cheapest cordless drill i could find (a shade over £12) and a bulb with the correct holder (£4) and this is what ive got...









Not bad for just over 16 quid!! beats the sh** out of £400 for a sun gun!

This is just using the cheap bulb the the holder came with... about 2700/2900K halogen i think... and here are some pictures of my using it tonight...








My Bonnet (maybe? lol)









I think that misting is my breath... it is pretty nippy out!









Hmm i dont know what the misty bit is actually... looks like ive sand papered my car!:doublesho


















This is the same part of the body.... just in front of the rear near side wheel arch without the torch and there is no misting!

not great, but my paint work is a lot worse than i imagined it would be, im not terribly supprised if im honest. ive had it for just over a year and only learnt wat swirls are about a month ago... im a little worried at what i might find when i get the proper Solux Bulb!

Also, What have people used to hold the bulb in place? mine wobbles around a bit. ive used a glue gun to hold the wires down so the bulb holder stays more or less put, but i dont know what to use keep the bulb still (and still be able to take the bulb out if it needs changing)

my main concern was that the bulb get quite hot so i didnt want to hold it in with anything that may burn or melt.... any tips on what other people have used would be much appreciated!!

Alex


----------



## MX5 Speedy

Jonesy_135 said:


> Popped to B&Q last night bought the cheapest cordless drill i could find (a shade over £12) and a bulb with the correct holder (£4) and this is what ive got...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for just over 16 quid!! beats the sh** out of £400 for a sun gun!
> 
> This is just using the cheap bulb the the holder came with... about 2700/2900K halogen i think...
> 
> Also, What have people used to hold the bulb in place? mine wobbles around a bit. ive used a glue gun to hold the wires down so the bulb holder stays more or less put, but i dont know what to use keep the bulb still (and still be able to take the bulb out if it needs changing)
> 
> my main concern was that the bulb get quite hot so i didnt want to hold it in with anything that may burn or melt.... any tips on what other people have used would be much appreciated!!
> 
> Alex


I built the very same gun from B&Q six months ago, it is only on for short periods so the standard bulb doesn't get very hot, I used Blue Tak to hold it in place and has worked well. :thumb:


----------



## Z4-35i

I built mine a few months ago, here's a picture log of the build:

B&Q Drill










Remove battery and charge










Remove drill bit










Unscrew casing



















Drill internals










Remove drill motor and gearbox










Cur power cables to drill motor










Remove ferrite cores from drill cables










Solux bulb



















Remove drill switch assembly and cables










Fix bulb to drill chassis. I choose to fix the bulb to one side of the casing with a few drops of Araldite




























Press fit the casing back together and leave upside down for the Araldite to set










Attach bulb connector to bulb










Cut bulb connector cables to length and slip heat shrink over cables.










Solder cables and heat up heat shrink to get a safe and secure connection










Reassemble casing, attach charged battery, finished swirl torch


----------



## Shariain

Might give this a try.


----------



## Shariain

This might be a stupid question but why do you need to remove the ferrite cores. 

What purpose do they serve removed or left in place.


----------



## 550_VRS

ferrite cores remove interference caused by multiple electrical systems in one place or used to remove electrical spikes ... i cant see any reason to remove them personally and would leave them in place as could help with spikes caused by the bulb etc (if any)


----------



## CleanCar99

They were originally in the drill to supress emc from the motor. As there is no motor and your tourch doesnt need a CE certificate i'd just bin them.


----------



## TJenkos

Awesome thread. I'm currently planning to build one and was wondering where people are buying their solux bulbs from?

I purchased some standard halogens but may be wasting my time not swapping.


----------



## wyliss

Is anybody selling theirs?


----------



## Andyuk911

make it !

Oh, here is the bulb holder from B&Q £2.98


----------



## Type.R

Hi guy's, I've found a solux bulb on ebay but its 50 watt and I've noticed that people are using 35w bulbs, so I was hopeing that 50w would be okay? Appreciate any help
Edit - also can anyone tell me which Beam Angle to go for?
Cheers Matt


----------



## Junior Bear

I'd of though 50watt would get hot too quickly


----------



## Type.R

Okay thank you mate great help :thumb:


----------



## SuperchargedLlama

Fantastic! I'll make one of these tonight - my car has been back and forward to the body shop after some insurance work (some old fella decided my car looked better minus the drivers side wing mirror) because the condition is keeps coming back in is poor. Now I can show them!!!


----------



## dermot

I added a small fan and some nimbus heat shield insulation http://www.aerotecheng.com


----------



## sssingletrack

Anyone tried this with a LED bulb? Surely they would be just as bright with less heat and longer battery life? They don't come in 4700k though.


----------



## Panther

sssingletrack said:


> Anyone tried this with a LED bulb? Surely they would be just as bright with less heat and longer battery life? They don't come in 4700k though.


The reason for using the 4700k 36 degree bulb is for the 99% CRI. This is the closest you can get to true sun light and will give the correct amount of light and colour variance to catch many swirls and scratches. LEDs cant currently get this close to sun light.


----------



## Clyde

does anyone know if this would be suitable to use: 

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7112946.htm?CMPID=GS001&_$ja=cgid:5312877287|tsid:41259|cid:116727287|lid:46590046967|nw:g|crid:20211877127|rnd:819789479893822092|dvc:c|adp:1o1


----------



## Clyde

Also a link to a bulb that I can use pls


----------



## Andyuk911

Best to buy the bulb is in the US.

There is a company who are based in Ireland that bumped the price up, they want £19.

Look at my GB that is full, but it has idea of the costs


----------



## Clyde

Is there an alternative bulb I can use? Preferably something I can source in the UK.


----------



## Copdodger2

Svenlight £13.99 for the bulb..could u use any cordless drill?


----------



## beardboy

I'm going to finally give this a go, as i've just ordered the Svenlight bulb, however i'm looking at a couple of different Drills.

Is everyone using a NiCad battery, or do some of you have a Lithium battery in your drills? Is there any benefit of paying extra and getting the Lithium battery over the NiCad which is virtually half the price?

Thanks


----------



## Andyuk911

beardboy said:


> I'm going to finally give this a go, as i've just ordered the Svenlight bulb, however i'm looking at a couple of different Drills.
> 
> Is everyone using a NiCad battery, or do some of you have a Lithium battery in your drills? Is there any benefit of paying extra and getting the Lithium battery over the NiCad which is virtually half the price?
> 
> Thanks


two points ..

The company you have bought from is based in Ireland, not uk ...

Make sure you use a 12v drill .. that is the rating of the bulb .. it will take higher but 12v best. Nicad battery pack will deteriorate over time, the cheaper the pack the quicker this will happen. Also Nicads do not keep charge, so if you don't use it often, you may have to wait to charge it up. All round Lithium/LiPoly battery technology is better.

HTH


----------



## jimk04

Made one of these yesterday from the cheapo b and q drill....cost £17 with the holder.

Bonus is the motor that came out of it is the.same as my little tire truing lathe for model racing cars!


----------



## Nanoman

Andyuk911 said:


> two points ..
> 
> The company you have bought from is based in Ireland, not uk ...
> 
> Make sure you use a 12v drill .. that is the rating of the bulb .. it will take higher but 12v best. Nicad battery pack will deteriorate over time, the cheaper the pack the quicker this will happen. Also Nicads do not keep charge, so if you don't use it often, you may have to wait to charge it up. All round Lithium/LiPoly battery technology is better.
> 
> HTH


Not sure what the ireland/uk thing has to do with the price of cheese but hey ho.

Also not sure why you're saying to use only 12v. Sungun steps same bulb up to 14.4.

I also posted the voltage range and effects earlier in the thread.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## beardboy

Bulb arrived a couple of days ago, just need to choose a drill now! lol

Any suggestions for a cheap one with Lithium battery if possible?

Cheers


----------



## beardboy

How about this drill?


----------



## Nanoman

beardboy said:


> How about this drill?


Waste of money unless you need the accessories.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## beardboy

Nanoman said:


> Waste of money unless you need the accessories.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


How about this one, as it has 2 batteries and they're Lithium, with storage case?


----------



## Strongey

i made one of these yesterday with a cheapo hairdryer - cost me less than £16 

Cheers guys


----------



## Nanoman

Strongey said:


> i made one of these yesterday with a cheapo hairdryer - cost me less than £16
> 
> Cheers guys


If it's with a hairdryer I suspect it's running off the mains. If it's running off the mains it's not one of these. My main priority here was to make one that you wouldn't kill yourself using. All the mains powered versions I have seen I would class as death-traps.... quite literally.


----------



## Strongey

Nanoman said:


> If it's with a hairdryer I suspect it's running off the mains. If it's running off the mains it's not one of these. My main priority here was to make one that you wouldn't kill yourself using. All the mains powered versions I have seen I would class as death-traps.... quite literally.


how so?

as long as the electrical connections are safe and isulated, and the construction of it is well put together, how is it unsafe?


----------



## Nanoman

I agree it's possible to make one which could be argued is 'safe'...
However running one at 12-18v off a battery is going to be much less lethal if you do make a mistake. Also the drill versions generally have 'push to make' switches so you can't accidentally leave it on. I don't use a hairdryer but the ones I have seen often have rocker/slide switches which could accidentally be left on. 

As I said I started this thread as many people wouldn't be confident making one which runs off the mains without dropping the voltage down. I was also slightly concerned at a load of people running around with mains powered hairdryer come torch contraptions which I consider to be lethal. It then became a personal mission to create something as good as or better than the original SunGun.


----------



## Strongey

Well the one i made is not exactly resale quality but its safe as far as i can see, well insulated on electrical wiring side of things and is only intended for quick use to check paintwork over, not extensive use times etc

I would prefer to make a drill based one once i get time, mainly as it will be easier to use and more portable, but im not sure i can do it myself to a good enough standard tbh and think it would look like i hacked at it with a hunting knife lol

Is that solux bulb a MR11 fitting?


----------



## beardboy

beardboy said:


> How about this one, as it has 2 batteries and they're Lithium, with storage case?


Bumpety Bump


----------



## Nanoman

beardboy said:


> Bumpety Bump


I have no idea what you're on about. No link or anything that I can see.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Strongey

Nanoman said:


> If it's with a hairdryer I suspect it's running off the mains. If it's running off the mains it's not one of these. My main priority here was to make one that you wouldn't kill yourself using. All the mains powered versions I have seen I would class as death-traps.... quite literally.


Ive been thinking more and more about this and finally thought sod it! and had a go today!

Here it is!










It hasnt got the right bulb but im going to order one now, and all il need to do is pull the old bulb out and push the new one in - job done!

Thanks for the write up nanoman!


----------



## srod

Did one myself today as well and looks identical to yours. I have also used a halogen and have just ordered the Solux bulb. 

Managed to get the bulb to sit nicely inside the case though by using a Dremel to file away some of the plastic interior. No glue needed.

Thanks Nanoman for the excellent guide. :thumb:


----------



## Strongey

I'm going to order a bulb just checkin a GB won't come up first


----------



## beardboy

Nanoman said:


> I have no idea what you're on about. No link or anything that I can see.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


Not sure where the link went, but here it is;

Skil 1002 14.4V Cordless Drill Driver with 2 Battery and Accessories: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Cheers


----------



## Nanoman

beardboy said:


> Not sure where the link went, but here it is;
> 
> Skil 1002 14.4V Cordless Drill Driver with 2 Battery and Accessories: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
> 
> Cheers


If you want to go for that one then go for it. I can't say whether it'll work or not but most do. £50 is a bit steep I'd say though. If you want two batteries why not buy two of the B&Q drills then you can use one as a drill and one as a torch and share the batteries.


----------



## asiangunner

Just made mine with a power pro £25 drill from b&q.

Works great and fits snug after I used my dremel.

Is it normal that there is a slight humming noise when the lights on?


----------



## Strongey

asiangunner said:


> Just made mine with a power pro £25 drill from b&q.
> 
> Works great and fits snug after I used my dremel.
> 
> Is it normal that there is a slight humming noise when the lights on?


cant say mine humms - i fitted the solux bulb to mine today, and filed the inside down so that the bulb fits snugly inside :thumb:

Great DIY!


----------



## Andyuk911

asiangunner said:


> Just made mine with a power pro £25 drill from b&q.
> 
> Works great and fits snug after I used my dremel.
> 
> Is it normal that there is a slight humming noise when the lights on?


Turn your hearing aid down .. :lol:


----------



## Junior Bear

Nanoman said:


> If you want to go for that one then go for it. I can't say whether it'll work or not but most do. £50 is a bit steep I'd say though. If you want two batteries why not buy two of the B&Q drills then you can use one as a drill and one as a torch and share the batteries.


Or make two torches and sell one on


----------



## TJenkos

asiangunner said:


> Just made mine with a power pro £25 drill from b&q.
> 
> Works great and fits snug after I used my dremel.
> 
> Is it normal that there is a slight humming noise when the lights on?


Mine does humm but seems to perform just fine


----------



## Glossiest1

Wow!

Just discovered this thread/invention

I currently use the Brinkmann dusl xenon but always liked the idea of the Sun Gun. 

Just ordered a 20 quid drill of Ebay and the Solux bulb. Gonna make this! Can't wait!

Thanks

Steve


----------



## Deniance

With the success of this thread, I think it should be renamed, how to make a sun gun


----------



## Glossiest1

Drill arrived yesterday. 

Gone for the 12v marksman from eBay. Only 23 qiud delivered. Just waiting for the solux bulb to drop!

Went for the 12v so I get the most life from the bulb. 

Just for info:

Don't know if this is the same on these bulbs but if you put 14v through a car headlamp bulb (12v rated). It doesn't take long to blow them. 
The most common cause for headlight failure is due to people starting their car with the light on and blasting them with 14v.


----------



## CleanCar99

When the car is running at night the battery will be charging and the lights will be on with 13.8v in them. I'd suggest bulbs blow because they are hot and the road is bumpy not because they're running at a voltage they're designed to work at ?


----------



## Glossiest1

kybert said:


> When the car is running at night the battery will be charging and the lights will be on with 13.8v in them. I'd suggest bulbs blow because they are hot and the road is bumpy not because they're running at a voltage they're designed to work at ?


The alternator charges at 13.8v But this never fints it's way to any electric component on the car. If it did the car lights would be going bright then dim and bright then dim with the revs. There is a rectifier on the car ensuring only 12v goes to the fuse box.

It's the spike of power on startup (14v to starter motor) which blows the elements as this is not rectified.

Sorry to sound anal. Lol


----------



## Puntoboy

Just ordered a bulb from Sven. Just looking for a drill now. I think mom going to get the B&Q one. 


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## PeanuckleJive

Puntoboy said:


> Just ordered a bulb from Sven. Just looking for a drill now. I think mom going to get the B&Q one.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


The 14.99 B&Q one is what I got, fits the bill perfectly :thumb:
Bit of milliput behind the bulb to stop it wobbling about but still allow it to be removed if you need to replace it and yer set!


----------



## Puntoboy

PeanuckleJive said:


> The 14.99 B&Q one is what I got, fits the bill perfectly :thumb:
> Bit of milliput behind the bulb to stop it wobbling about but still allow it to be removed if you need to replace it and yer set!


I'm going to spend the extra tenner and get the better looking drill  thanks though!

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## CleanCar99

Glossiest1 said:


> The alternator charges at 13.8v and increases on revs.But this never fints it's way to any electric component on the car. If it did the car lights would be going bright then dim and bright then dim with the revs. There is a rectifier on the car ensuring only 12v goes to the fuse box.
> 
> It's the spike of power on startup (14v to starter motor) which blows the elements as this is not rectified.
> 
> Sorry to sound anal. Lol


I'm not so sure about this. I don't know how a car electrics works on modern cars, but from a technical point of view, having regulated power to the fuse box from the battery would be nearly impossible as the heatsink required for the linear regulator would be huge !!

I thought the lights are connected directly to the battery via a fuse and a relay. There can't be any regulator in the circuit as this would be very expensive to manufacture and prone to failure.

At night, start your car and idle it. Turn on the lights. Blip the peddle to rev the engine, the lights will increase in brightness, then dim again as the revs drop. This is the alternator increasing voltage to the battery then reducing it again.

The alternator, i would have thought, would have a zener type regulator to protect the battery from excess voltage output, but the battery will still receive 14V-ish from the alternator to charge. (lead acid batteries require 2.3 - 2.35V per cell to charge, and car batteries are 6-cell batteries = 13.8V-14.1V)

If i'm wrong then thats fine  but technically i cant see how all power from the battery to all of the car can be voltage regulated, it would cost a fortune for the components, and would be technically very challenging to get the heat out of the regulator. :driver:

This is a bit OT now lol.


----------



## Puntoboy

I think your right, I've stripped down and rebuilt a few Puntos now and have only seen fuses and relays making up the wiring looms. 


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Glossiest1

kybert said:


> I'm not so sure about this. I don't know how a car electrics works on modern cars, but from a technical point of view, having regulated power to the fuse box from the battery would be nearly impossible as the heatsink required for the linear regulator would be huge !!
> 
> I thought the lights are connected directly to the battery via a fuse and a relay. There can't be any regulator in the circuit as this would be very expensive to manufacture and prone to failure.
> 
> At night, start your car and idle it. Turn on the lights. Blip the peddle to rev the engine, the lights will increase in brightness, then dim again as the revs drop. This is the alternator increasing voltage to the battery then reducing it again.
> 
> The alternator, i would have thought, would have a zener type regulator to protect the battery from excess voltage output, but the battery will still receive 14V-ish from the alternator to charge. (lead acid batteries require 2.3 - 2.35V per cell to charge, and car batteries are 6-cell batteries = 13.8V-14.1V)
> 
> If i'm wrong then thats fine  but technically i cant see how all power from the battery to all of the car can be voltage regulated, it would cost a fortune for the components, and would be technically very challenging to get the heat out of the regulator. :driver:
> 
> This is a bit OT now lol.


Maybe your right.

Just want to air on the side of caution. 12v bulb for a 12v battery.


----------



## Puntoboy

Oooo look what turned up today 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Bigcheese

Just made one of these today as per 
Z4-35i's design but I made the addition of the smallest computer fan I could find in maplins. I thought a fan may help to increase the life span of the bulb a little.


----------



## Glossiest1

Made mine this morning. 

It literally takes 15 mins!

Works ace too!


----------



## Silky-cookie

I made mine but got a argos challenge drill as doing a deal on drill bits. I wouldnt recommend it the drill opening has to br modified for the bulb to sit in right, looks good but 30 - 40 mins work but bargain compared to sun gun  

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Strongey

Silky-cookie said:


> I made mine but got a argos challenge drill as doing a deal on drill bits. I wouldnt recommend it the drill opening has to br modified for the bulb to sit in right, looks good but 30 - 40 mins work but bargain compared to sun gun
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


i had to do a little filing on the B&Q drill to get it to fit right


----------



## IJM

I made mine this morning. Just three components needed: a B&Q Power Performance PDD144A Drill Driver for £25, an MR16 GU3.5 bulb holder for 99p and a Solex bulb.

Just open the drill. Remove the motor/chuck assembly unclipping the wires from the switch assembly (thanks to paranoid73 in post #374 of this thread). Dremel down the plastic on the inside of the casing to allow the bulb to sit in it. Put a wee touch of solder on the ends of the wires coming from the bulb holder (not strictly necessary, but good practise) and then clip them into the switch assembly. Re-assemble and Voila! One Solar Gun.


----------



## Puntoboy

Just made mine. Just need to shave some Aston off the inside so the bulb fits a little better (I don't have a Dremel) then it will be finished.










Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Junior Bear

Shall I get this?


----------



## Puntoboy

For an extra £3 sure the B&Q one is better?


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Junior Bear

My local b&q don't have them


----------



## IJM

When I went to B&Q Warehouse middle of last week, they were all sold out. I asked one of the staff to check when they'd be in next. Found out they were being delivered Friday and on the shelves Saturday.

However, on Friday I happened to be passing one of B&Q's smaller stores. I had time so I popped in on the off chance. They had about half a dozen, so I nabbed one.

Anyway, it's always worth asking the staff. They can tell you when they'll be back in stock. Failing that, trying other stores is always worth a shot.


----------



## Junior Bear

I've never seen this drill in my local b&q, not even a display model


----------



## Puntoboy

Can't you check online and see if any other stores have it near you? 


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Junior Bear

I could do


----------



## PeeJay222

I'll be having a go at this.

Thanks for the thread  :thumb:


----------



## trv8

IJM said:


> Anyway, it's always worth asking the staff. They can tell you when they'll be back in stock. Failing that, trying other stores is always worth a shot.





Puntoboy said:


> Can't you check online and see if any other stores have it near you?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


Even while your in B&Q, staff can check on-line for the nearest store which will have stock of the item you want :thumb:..

ps
You have to ask them..... as most of them can't be bothered....wers :wall:.


----------



## Ballatie

Just made mine. In less than 20 mins. I have a light gun I never thought I could afford. 

Fantastic idea a marvellous invention

Cheers!


----------



## Junior Bear

Is there an updated list of links to every item needed to create this device?


Bulb, bulb holder etc...?


----------



## yarmuk

ive just made one using this drill..bulb fits in nice not loose...not bad for £13

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7112946.htm


----------



## PeeJay222

*24deg bulb instead of 36deg bulb*

Hi all, quick question.

Im struggling with Svenlight to get the 35W 4700 36deg bulb ordered. they are hopefully looking into the problem however I can get the 35W 4700 24deg bulb from sadbox. (cheaper too)

I suppose my question is if the 36deg and 24deg simply refer to the beam angle, and considering that when you use the 'sungun' you are fairly close to the bodywork does it really make a difference if its 36 or 24? I would assume that you dont benefit from the full 36deg when swirl spotting?

I may have got this very wrong and appologies if i have hwoever any reply would be most welcome as im itching to build one and a 33 year old child i cant wait!!!!! :lol:

Many thanks all.


----------



## deano93tid

Don't see why you have issues? 

I ordered 2 bulbs from Sven light on Monday arrived first thing this morning 35W 4700 36deg


----------



## PeeJay222

deano93tid said:


> Don't see why you have issues?
> 
> I ordered 2 bulbs from Sven light on Monday arrived first thing this morning 35W 4700 36deg


Must just be me. I created my account on Monday, selected my items then went to checkout, it then asked me to log in again, did that which took me the homepage and cleared my cart. This loop goes on and on. Lol.

E-mailed them but they aren't responding so not sure what's wrong. I'll keep trying guess I'm just unlucky.

****UPDATE****

Brian from Sven contacted me earlier, apparently they are having lots of problems with some browsers doing exactly what was happening to me, an endless loop. He asked me to try it on another machine or browser (used safari on my iphone) went straight through.

Thought i would share in case anyone else is having this problem as he said it was happening to alot of people and they dont know why. If its happeneing to you, try another computer or browser, should do the trick.


----------



## Turbocharged

Great mod and write up - I'll be doing this soon...

Have got the drill from B&Q (£25) which after looking around seems to be the best and nicest looking one to get although I was tempted to use a Makita to match the 9227CB!

Also bought the bulb holder from Toolstation (44p) and Fan from Maplin (£4), now just need the lamp!

Does anyone have the contact details or even an address for Svenlight? Maybe I'm missing something but can't see any contact details on their site??

I really just want to ring up and order a bulb over the phone - no point in creating an account for a one-off purchase...


----------



## szladob

*IKEA lamp?*

Fascinating thread; many thanks for such cool instructions!

I was just in IKEA, and this lamp:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30230815/
was only £13; thus was wondering if this could be an easy and cheap alternative? I wouldn't mind not to be battery operated...
Question is, would the 35W bulb blow the adaptor, or melt the frame? (It lists max 20W)...

Also does anybody know, how the home-made/Sun Gun compares to the Brinkmann light for swirl hunting?

Many thanks!


----------



## Matty77

Thanks for posting these instructions Nanoman. There was no way I could afford, or justify buying a 3M Sun Gun but now thanks to you I made made myself a swirl spotter that will do the same job as the 3M version for about £35 quid 

No probs for me with SvenLight. Ordered the Solux online and it arrived a couple of days later. Then it was off to B&Q for a drill and Maplin for a pack of bullet connectors.

In hindsight I now wish I hadn't chosen the cheapest cordless drill at B&Q. Another tenner would have got me the Performance drill with the hard plastic case. But at the time I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to mess this up or not, hence the decision to spend the least amount possible just in case.

When I can be bothered I'm going to tidy up the bead of glue around the bulb a little better, or maybe I'll put a thick bead around it instead to add a little protection. Whatever the case, for now I'm just over the moon having added a home made Sun Gun to detailing tools collection and it works just great!










Just a quick note for anyone thinking of buying the same cheapo B&Q drill...you'll need to enlarge the hole left by the drill motor by roughly 5mm to accommodate the solux lamp, but it's only cheap plastic so easily done with a small file or a Dremel.


----------



## clubber01

So, basically, all I need this drill http://reviews.diy.com/2191-en_gb/10487529/reviews.htm

This bulb holder http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lig...g/Spare+LV+Lampholder+MR16/d220/sd3066/p99286

And this bulb http://www.svenlight.co.uk/product_...ducts_id=44&osCsid=m2f0kr4l28rder51e2ber1nro1

This is an awesome idea, many thanks to Nanoman


----------



## clubber01

Just made mine, top marks to Nanoman

Only using a normal bulb, waiting for the Solux to arrive


----------



## SurGie

They all look great and no doubt work even better, however I just use my mobile with a torch app and shows all the swirls, and its free lol.


----------



## Nanoman

SurGie said:


> They all look great and no doubt work even better, however I just use my mobile with a torch app and shows all the swirls, and its free lol.


I bet you phone cost a lost more than one of these though.


----------



## SurGie

Phone was bought for phone internet use, app was free


----------



## deano93tid

I have made 3 of these so far  thanks nanoman


----------



## gavin_d

Could anybody make me one? Just dont have the time to do it myself. If so how much? Cheers


----------



## deano93tid

Yep pm sent.


----------



## deano93tid

If anyone else needs one making or help on making feel free to PM.


----------



## paralla

Love this.

Was thinking though that the reason this is good at showing up swirls is because its a bright light source from a small reflector. This is why a LED inspection lamp isnt so good because the light source is too big an area.

If that is the case it seems to me that a narrow beam angle would be even better.

Anyone tried an 8 or 13 degree degree beam angle bulb? A side by side comparison would be interesting.

http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=305&cat=0


----------



## deano93tid

They are expensive bulbs so if you feel free to be the guinea pig


----------



## paralla

The 13 degree bulb at the link costs £1.82


----------



## deano93tid

It is the wrong colour temp to that of the actual sun gun.

The same spec bulbs are solux and they are £13 each with £6 delivery.

Sven light sell them take a look


----------



## paralla

If you are only looking to identify swirl marks why is the colour temperature important?

I'm glad you used the phrase "colour temperature" by the way. People often say "colour corrected" as if lamps that are not colour corrected are incorrect when they are merely a different colour temperature.

I can understand why you would want a specific colour temperature lamp for photography but otherwise I don't get why its important.

What colour temperature is the Solux lamp?


----------



## Nanoman

paralla said:


> If you are only looking to identify swirl marks why is the colour temperature important?
> 
> I'm glad you used the phrase "colour temperature" by the way. People often say "colour corrected" as if lamps that are not colour corrected are incorrect when they are merely a different colour temperature.
> 
> I can understand why you would want a specific colour temperature lamp for photography but otherwise I don't get why its important.
> 
> What colour temperature is the Solux lamp?


CRI and CCT are different.

CRI and CCT don't matter for a swirl spotter but I aimed to prove you could match/better the sungun for a fraction of the cost so it had to have the same light source.


----------



## mr cooper

Nanoman said:


> CRI and CCT are different.
> 
> CRI and CCT don't matter for a swirl spotter but I aimed to prove you could match/better the sungun for a fraction of the cost so it had to have the same light source.


Aimed but failed:thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

mr cooper said:


> Aimed but failed:thumb:


I wondered when the Troll would reappear. Get a life.


----------



## psaiko

Try 3200K vs 4700 vs 6000K on red and blue paint. Even my wife can see the difference...


----------



## Nanoman

psaiko said:


> Try 3200K vs 4700 vs 6000K on red and blue paint. Even my wife can see the difference...


I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.


----------



## KeithOPC

Made mine earlier cheers nanoman for the guide. :thumb:

Argos 14.4v cordless drill €25
Svenlight bulb €19
Bulb holder from b&q €3

Not bad for €47 :thumb:


----------



## mr cooper

Nanoman said:


> I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.


The point is only a few no what there talking about. So lets leave it to the innovators:thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

Fed up with the Troll. I'm out.


----------



## deano93tid

mr cooper said:


> The point is only a few no what there talking about. So lets leave it to the innovators:thumb:


Clearly written by an intelligent person.

I wouldn't let this one get to you Nanoman.


----------



## composite

Nanoman said:


> I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.


Kelvin scale?


----------



## mr cooper

Nanoman said:


> Fed up with the Troll. I'm out.


you know that's what they said to me on dragon's den when I took my troll in.


----------



## SurGie

Nanoman said:


> Fed up with the Troll. I'm out.


Its quotes like this that give trolls a good name, troll word is used far to often on forums. A troll is an internet bully, not someone that disagrees with someone, maybe a nuisance not a troll, lets leave that word for bullies.


----------



## Saamm93

What type of drill are people using for this? I've had a quick look around and it dosnt seem we have one I can use.


----------



## RMW-VXR

Ok just an update on this for anyone wanting to make one using the Power Performance Drill from B&Q.
They have now released a "version 2" of the drill and is slightly different where the lamp sits (slightly further back) see pictures below


----------



## 5doorfish

it looks great, how much did it cost to make?


----------



## Fiesta-125

RMW-VXR said:


> Ok just an update on this for anyone wanting to make one using the Power Performance Drill from B&Q.
> They have now released a "version 2" of the drill and is slightly different where the lamp sits (slightly further back) see pictures below


Drill seems to be £25 online. Us thus the correct one and not rthe £10 on stated?


----------



## RMW-VXR

Drill - £34.99
Solux lamp - £18.98 (with delivery)
12v MR16 Lead - Free (I'm an electrician)

Total - £53.97


----------



## Andyuk911

They are taking the Michael with the Solux bulb price ... If I had the time I would sell them ...


----------



## Junior Bear

RMW-VXR said:


> Ok just an update on this for anyone wanting to make one using the Power Performance Drill from B&Q.
> They have now released a "version 2" of the drill and is slightly different where the lamp sits (slightly further back) see pictures below


How you getting on with it? I'd be worried about the heat with it being further back


----------



## RMW-VXR

Tbh the heat isn't an issue because its and inspection lamp not a main source of work light so it's really not on long, you will be fine if you use a ceramic lamp holder and place heat resistant sleaving on cables.


----------



## deano93tid

The reason you have the bulb further back is not because that's a version two but because you've brought the cordless hammer/drill driver and not the cordless drill driver I can tell this as I looked at the models before buying them and you have the speed settings on top which is not present on the cheaper drill driver model.


----------



## Rebel007

Hi guys, I notice on Svenlight there is a 50w version of the same bulb recommended for our home made sungun lights:

Recommended bulb @£13.23 plus delivery
SOLUX - 35W 4700K 36deg
[35003]

50W alternative @ £12.95 plus delivery
SOLUX - 50W 4700K 36deg
[18003]

Is there any reason why we are using the 35W version instead of the more powerfiul 50 version or is it worthwhile going for the more powerful bulb?

Thanks in advance


----------



## Bowgs

clubber01 said:


> Just made mine, top marks to Nanoman
> 
> Only using a normal bulb, waiting for the Solux to arrive


I've just bought the same one. Did you find you had to file quite a bit of the drill to get the bulb to fit?


----------



## Rebel007

I meant to post on here before now, I found an old 12v rechargeable drill in my garage that I haven't used for at least 5 years so I tried charging the battery up andit held a charge! anyway I decided to try building one of these and was a real cheapskate I'm afraid.

I went to toolstation bought a bulbholder for 42pence and a MR16 Xenon long life bulb for £2.26 inc vat (50W 38°) whilst I know its not daylight colour balanced it works for finding swirls / scratches and as I'm not a paint sprayer that needs to colour match paint, that's all I need 

As the drill was to all intents and purposes free I bought another bulb which throws all the heat forwards to keep as a spare, same spec but not xenon longlife and cost was only £1.32

So total spent was £4.00 and I have a swirl spotter  

I have to say it is NOT the neatest job in the world as I couldn't get the bulb to fit in the housing very well  I filed as much of the casing down as I dared but it was still to tight to fit in neatly, anyway I might have another go at a later date just to tidy it up but for £4 I can't really complain it works!


----------



## sajan

Love it , good job even i would make an attempt of making one for myself !


----------



## turboDean

Finally got round to making myself a sun gun last night....









Mine cost £18.98 delivered for the Solux bulb from svenlight and £15.99 for a 14.4v cordless drill from Argos, took bout 10mins to make 

The wires on the motor were long enough so didn't need extending to reach the bulb and I used a small screw on connector block to join the wires to the bulb.
The bulb doesn't fit 100% prefect in the case as there are 2 screws right at the front, it sits at a slight angle and the there is a small gap in the case at the bottom of the bulb...
Sure I could sort this out but it works fine and the bulb is held nice a tight and doesn't effect it in any way.


----------



## Madelvic

Great write up thanks.

Do you have any pictures of the B&Q bulb vs the Solux bulb?

I've tried two domestic bulbs tonight on my silver car. A 20w Ikea bulb and a 50w Feit bulb. Both are warm 3000k bulbs, and admittedly my car doesn't have much in the way of swirl marks, but the bulbs don't show them up at all. I can see very minor swirl marks from the reflection of led spots in the roof.

Maybe my car doesn't show swirls and is in good condition.


----------



## consettphil

this is a great thread, credit to the OP. i have just ordered 2 of the 5300k lamps from the cp electrical link (page 62). once i have the bulbs then i'll get the B&Q 14.4v drill and make a swirl finder lamp over xmas.


a great read last night - all 91 pages.


----------



## lonterra

I was feeling left out  , so I decided to give this a go myself

I used the B&Q Performance Power drill (14.4v) and ordered the Solux bulb from Svenlight, which arrived very quickly.

A small amount of Dremel-ing was needed to get the bulb sitting well, but the end result is pretty good.










I then decided to go one step further, as the bulbs give out quite a bit of heat, and the original Sun Gun does have a built-in cooling fan. :speechles

So does mine now, at an extra cost of about £3.75 

This comes on whenever the bulb is lit, and although probably isn't strictly needed, might give the bulb a bit of extra longevity.










It actually turns out that the fan is switchable on and off, depending on which way the "screw / unscrew" switch is positioned. :thumb:


----------



## Warriors2013

Just tried to order a bulb from svenlight and the website is no longer working. There's a message saying the company no longer distributes in the UK/irl.... What a shame.

I need a bulb to build my swirl spotter, I don't suppose anyone on here has a spare I could buy from you? I will pay postage etc obviously.

If anyone has one, please let me know soonest, before I have to trawl the tinternet for a supplier!

Cheers guys.


----------



## 204driver

I made a sungun a while back using the £15 12 volt drill but never been happy with the light output or better life. Is it worth me going out and getting the 14.4 v b and q drill?? I do have the solux bulb already.


----------



## lonterra

I have had a quick look for an alternative supplier, but there don't seem to be any in the UK at all!

I've found some on Amazon.com in the US if people are desparate, but a UK supplier would be preferable. (Search for 'Eiko 35003' on Amazon)

So I've bounced an email to Eiko Europe (Who are the European HQ of the manufacturers of the Solux bulbs) and also to Eiko Ireland to ask if there are any other distributors who will ship to the UK.

I'll update here if I get a response.

Although I had to chuckle at the "Frequently bought together" section on the Amazon page:










:lol:


----------



## Warriors2013

Well I emailed Solux in the good ol' US of A and have just received this reply

_

Thank you for using SoLux. I suspect that you are in the same boat as another person named XXXXX. I have copied him this email with the thought that maybe both of you can coordinate an order from us directly that will benefit both of you. (see our international shipping policy below that explains why you might want to work together on an order)

Here is our international shipping policy.

1. We only accept payment via electronic funds transfer (EFT). (The banks charge a $25 fee for this and you are required to pay that.) We do not accept credit card orders or checks for international shipments. . 
2. If the order is less than $600 (USD), we add an additional $100 service fee. 
3. We must receive full payment via EFT before we ship or release for pick up. 
4. We ship via UPS. If you make arrangements for someone to pick the package up at our office that is acceptable or if you have an account with FedEx, we can do that as well. 
5. The customer is responsible for any import fees, duties ,taxes, tariffs, inspection fees, or storage charges at a delivery site. 
6. If there is an excessive amount of regulatory paperwork required (for example - certificate of origin papers) there can be charges for that as well.

To achieve the minimum of $600 (USD) on your order, you'll need to order about 80 of the standard SoLux 12 volt MR16 type bulbs.

Let me know what you want to do.

Best regards,
Phil
_

So, unless 79 others want to chuck in for a bulk order, it looks like that option is out the window for starters!

Fleebay is no use either. Looks like everyone who already bought them did so at the right time.

Once again, anyone with a spare, I would be more than willing to pay cost plus delivery charges.

Cheers.


----------



## lonterra

I'll keep my fingers crossed for a more positive response from Europe / Ireland, as I think there might be a struggle for that many people to want one.... :doublesho

Unless Amazon US will ship to the UK for single items, although that will still probably be stupidly expensive for postal charges.


----------



## piston_warrior

International shipping is £4.50 on Amazon so the total is around £13.

Edit:

Items: GBP 8.14
Shipping & handling: GBP 4.69
Total before tax: GBP 12.83
Estimated tax to be collected: GBP 0.00
Order total: GBP 12.83

That is cheaper than when you could buy direct from the UK website, isn't it?


----------



## lonterra

It is cheaper than Svenlight was.

Although there's a possibility you'll get stung for some import charges & VAT on its arrival in the UK, which might make it more expensive again.....


----------



## lonterra

OK, I've had responses from both of my emails.

Firstly, from John McCrory at Eiko.ie

He says:

"_I can supply. Please advise your needs. In the longer term (after 3 months) the bulbs will only be available from Germany, so I would advise you to take that into account in deciding how many you wish to order_."

The price he has given me for a single unit is;

Bulb £11.32
Pustage £5.50
Total £16.82, not including VAT

He also states;

"_I will only be able to supply Solux at the attached price till the end of next week as we are closing down our warehouse in N.Ireland. Thereafter EiKO Europe, based in Germany will be responsible for distribution of Solux. I'm not sure yet what their b to c policy is in relation to supplying Solux. I would suggest if any of your members has a requirement for Solux they contact me as soon as possible. I'm happy for you to give them my contact details._ "

Best to email John direct if you want to take him up on this:

John.McCrory @ Eiko.ie (Remove the spaces)

The reply I got from Eiko.de in Germany was:

"_Follow distributor is trading with SoLux lamps: International Lamps +44 1279 442266_"

Although I have looked on their website (http://www.internationallamps.co.uk) and cannot see Solux bulbs listed.... 

Hope this helps someone somewhere.....


----------



## Warriors2013

matthewt23 said:


> International shipping is £4.50 on Amazon so the total is around £13.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Items: GBP 8.14
> Shipping & handling: GBP 4.69
> Total before tax: GBP 12.83
> Estimated tax to be collected: GBP 0.00
> Order total: GBP 12.83
> 
> That is cheaper than when you could buy direct from the UK website, isn't it?


I have ordered one of these and received an email confirming it has been shipped already with an estimated delivery date of 23rd Dec. hopefully I won't get stung for any import tax etc..... I will keep you updated.


----------



## richardr

Warriors2013 said:


> I have ordered one of these and received an email confirming it has been shipped already with an estimated delivery date of 23rd Dec. hopefully I won't get stung for any import tax etc..... I will keep you updated.


Its coming from an EU country so why would you get charged for tax on it, you have paid the country that has shipped its tax

Well i think thats how it works


----------



## piston_warrior

Warriors2013 said:


> I have ordered one of these and received an email confirming it has been shipped already with an estimated delivery date of 23rd Dec. hopefully I won't get stung for any import tax etc..... I will keep you updated.


Thanks, I'll be ordering one shortly after Christmas.



richardr said:


> Its coming from an EU country so why would you get charged for tax on it, you have paid the country that has shipped its tax
> 
> Well i think thats how it works


It's coming from the US if he's ordered from Amazon.com.


----------



## richardr

matthewt23 said:


> Thanks, I'll be ordering one shortly after Christmas.
> 
> It's coming from the US if he's ordered from Amazon.com.


Ahh my mistake :wall:

Still might get away with it


----------



## piston_warrior

Fingers crossed, even if it doesn't then I can't see the tax being any more than £15.


----------



## Warriors2013

richardr said:


> Ahh my mistake :wall:
> 
> Still might get away with it


Yeh it's from the states so fingers crossed.:thumb:


----------



## Mat Mac

new to DW and wanting to try one of these . would this blub work ? thanks http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/MR16-Daylight


----------



## Warriors2013

Mat Mac said:


> new to DW and wanting to try one of these . would this blub work ? thanks http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/MR16-Daylight


Don't see why not, as long as you get the 35w bulb.

Wish I'd found that before ordering from the states!


----------



## Warriors2013

Warriors2013 said:


> I have ordered one of these and received an email confirming it has been shipped already with an estimated delivery date of 23rd Dec. hopefully I won't get stung for any import tax etc..... I will keep you updated.


Well the bulb I ordered from Amazon.com arrived today from the US of A. Brilliant service, no extra tax/vat/import costs etc, so I paid a total of £12.83 including delivery via courier :thumb:


----------



## piston_warrior

That was fast! I'll order one after Xmas


----------



## Warriors2013

Warriors2013 said:


> Don't see why not, as long as you get the 35w bulb.
> 
> Wish I'd found that before ordering from the states!


Despite ordering a bulb from Amazon.com, I also ordered one of the above from the UK, just in case HM customs decided to take a punt and double the cost of my order. As we now know, they didn't and now I have two bulbs :thumb:










The Solux is 4700k and the other bulb is 5300k, so i will try both and report back any differences etc. I am just back from B & Q and have bought the drill to make my sun gun, which hopefully I will get round to making tomorrow.

Report to follow :thumb:


----------



## piston_warrior

Warrior you are very helpful, I'll be ordering whichever is better to make after Xmas.


----------



## Rayner

Very interested in that test warrior! :thumb:


----------



## DLGWRX02

Without having to read through the remaining 98 pages has anyone tried one of these, and what's better 35 or 50w?

50w
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/m258-12v-50mm-4000hr-cool-white-50w-38-degree-4500k/p2540/

they also do it in a 35w
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/m281-12v-35w-wfl-constant-colour/p2555/

and these offer international shipping
http://www.pegasuslighting.com/solux-halogen-light-bulbs.html


----------



## Andy from Sandy

I will not make a guess as to how the different colour temperatures will affect performance. What we do know though is that a 50W bulb is going to get a fair bit hotter than the 35W and will also reduce run time.

I don't know how good the plastic is of the B&Q drill but I do know the solux 4700K 35W bulb works very well.


----------



## Warriors2013

Right, I have finally got round to making my "sun gun" and have tried the two different bulbs that I bought.

Unfortunately, the weather has put paid to testing them on the car, so I had to make do with a plain wall - not the best method for testing!

so, firstly the 4700k solux









then the 5300k Whitestar









In all honesty, the only difference I can see is that the Whitestar 5300k bulb, despite being 35deg angle like the solux, doesn't seem as focused as the Solux. colour-wise, I think the Whitestar looks slightly whiter.

When the weather picks up again, I will try both bulbs on the paintwork to see if there is any noticeable differences.


----------



## consettphil

good to know there isn't much in it between the bulbs, as i got 2 of the whitestar ones.

just got the mr16 lampholder from Toolstation today- 42p. B&Q were charging £2.25 robbing gits.

just need to go get the drill


----------



## consettphil

Mat Mac said:


> new to DW and wanting to try one of these . would this blub work ? thanks http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/MR16-Daylight


this is a different whitestar lamp to mine from the picture

my code is BLV 185324 and the bulb/reflector is purple in colour, still 5300k 35w 36 degrees

might just be a random picture of a bulb though.


----------



## stangalang

*Bump*

For those who don't still know how easy and cheap to make these things are. An epic thread for an epic light :thumb:


----------



## piston_warrior

So which drill are people buying and how much does it cost?


----------



## stangalang

matthewt23 said:


> So which drill are people buying and how much does it cost?


Fuyll unit, including the solum bulb, cost me less than £40 to make. Ive seen another members on here who has added a fan to his, to cool the bulb during use also. Its a very nice addition. 
Go to B&Q and get a grey drill that looks like a 3M gun ha ha


----------



## nichol4s

If you can't be bothered to make your self there's 2 on eBay 1 for £40 :doublesho


----------



## piston_warrior

stangalang said:


> Fuyll unit, including the solum bulb, cost me less than £40 to make. Ive seen another members on here who has added a fan to his, to cool the bulb during use also. Its a very nice addition.
> Go to B&Q and get a grey drill that looks like a 3M gun ha ha


Just ordered the bulb from Amazon for £12.79 and will pick a drill up next week


----------



## tigercub

Made one works great. Had an old drill with a damaged chuck so used that. Brilliant battery lasts about one hour when using it on and off but that's enough


----------



## CleanCar99

Ok well all now have a swirl finder, but who has actually used it? Photos?


----------



## shakey85

Thinking of trying to make on of these.

Can anyone advise the best drill to fit the bulb. Basically I want to do as little modification as possible to the drill to get the bulb to fit properly.

Its not because im lazy but I am just really bad at this DIY stuff.


----------



## fatdazza

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...r-Cordless-Drill-Driver-14-4V-PDD144-12389410

this is the one most use


----------



## podgehog

hi guys,

i had a stab at making one of these today










literally just using parts i had lying around so not the right bulb at all, but it got me thinking, what is it that's special about the bulb?

i understand that the colour temperature would need to be at 'white' as can be so 4500-6000k, and also you don't want the spot too dispursed so 30-35 degrees i can understand

BUT

the 99% CRI isn't really a factor required in a polishing line of work since all that actually means is the colour reproduction is as close to 'true' as can be under false light, but even if you do see a red that's slightly different from a daylight red, that doesn't retract from the clarity of the paint, surely?? or am i missing somehting?

adding to that, since LED technology is always moving forward, why not use something like this so save energy...?






Thanks for the original pot though


----------



## piston_warrior

Where are people buying the bulb holder to fit a Solux bulb with GU5.3 fitment?


----------



## Warriors2013

matthewt23 said:


> Where are people buying the bulb holder to fit a Solux bulb with GU5.3 fitment?


Toolstation is the place to go - 42p each:thumb:


----------



## shakey85

Thank you everyone for your help

I now have a working sun gun  
Ordered the correct bulb


----------



## andy335touring

Warriors2013 said:


> When the weather picks up again, I will try both bulbs on the paintwork to see if there is any noticeable differences.


Have you had chance to do this yet ?

For reference;

The estimate from amazon.com for two(one for spares) of the eiko/solux inc' shipping and tax's is $40 or £24.


----------



## andy335touring

BTW, which sized fans are people using ?


----------



## piston_warrior

Finished mine today with correct solux bulb


----------



## piston_warrior

Do you think this bulb will be any better than the solux halogen?

http://www.lightinthebox.com/mr16-5...-light-cob-led-spot-bulb-85-265v_p645358.html


----------



## lightningslow

*Bulbs*

These bulbs any good?

http://www.energybulbs.co.uk/mr16+35w+natural+daylight+12v/1658200028


----------



## lonterra

andy335touring said:


> BTW, which sized fans are people using ?


I used a 4cm x 1cm CPU / Graphics Card fan like this one made by StarTech;










I bought it from CCL Online as they are local;

http://www.cclonline.com/product/25...tarTech-Replacement-Ball-Bearing-Fan/ACC1119/

Just Dremel off the 'corners' to leave the main round housing and it fits perfectly between the two raised ribs about half way back in the drill casing (Assuming you're using the B&Q 14.4v Performance Power one).

Other drills may need it hot-gluing in place.


----------



## andy335touring

lonterra said:


> I used a 4cm x 1cm CPU / Graphics Card fan like this one made by StarTech;


Cheers for the info :thumb:

I thought I'd share this drill I found on ebay, it's made by Draper and has a 14.4v Li-ion battery, it's only £27 delivered which for a branded Li-ion drill is a fairly good deal ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131098865279?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

It dose take a bit of work with a dremel to get the bulb to fit(you have to lose one of the screw holes) but it's still an easy conversion.

I also ordered two of the proper bulbs from US Amazon for £25 inc' taxs/postage, they only took about a week to get here.


----------



## Richard.

This guy sells the correct Solux bulbs.

http://www.calvertscarclean.co.uk/shop

£20 posted.


----------



## Clean ocd

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lot-of-10...4708047?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&hash=item4d0e70144f

What about these bulbs


----------



## Scottish Storm

Clean ocd said:


> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lot-of-10...4708047?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&hash=item4d0e70144f
> 
> What about these bulbs


They're 4200k rather than 4700k, although if I'm honest I don't know if thats a big difference or not


----------



## Clean ocd

We'll bought these bulbs. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lot-of-10...4708047?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&hash=item4d0e70144f

They seem ok pics below

Here are what they are like below


----------



## Scottish Storm

Didn't bother waiting for the 12v drill to arrive, cannibalised my old one instead.









Can't believe how neatly the bulb sits in there


----------



## Scottish Storm

Practiced taking a few pics with it.

Polished panel









Still not perfect but next to an unfinished panel


















There's a fair bit of difference


----------



## whiteclio59

How much does it cost too make one?


----------



## whiteclio59

Wouldnt be able too make one anyway ignore that


----------



## Scottish Storm

whiteclio59 said:


> Wouldnt be able too make one anyway ignore that


Twenty quid for the bulb, pound for the bulb holder, drill I had lying around. Bulb actually fits into the body of the drill once you take the motor out. Half an hour of work to do in total. No soldering as I used a connector block.

You can do it ;-)


----------



## Tony530d

Hi all

After a few years away from DW, I have re found my interest in detailing. I have been reading through lots of threads and found this one, I have read all 90 odd pages:doublesho

I had an old drill lurking in the garage so thought I would give it a go, I have put a 4w led daylight bulb in with a 30deg angle it is brilliant.

Thanks Everyone








[/URL][/IMG]


----------



## Clean ocd

Scottish Storm said:


> Practiced taking a few pics with it.
> 
> Polished panel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still not perfect but next to an unfinished panel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's a fair bit of difference


The phone led flash shows more  bummer still sun gun works too


----------



## [email protected]

That is an absolutely fantastic piece of work you've gone and done there. Congratulations and thanks.


----------



## whiteclio59

Anyone want too make me one  pm me


----------



## potter88

Excellent thread. I have a question though if I want to make one that operates of just the trigger, if I wanted a fan along with it do I just wire it in via the bulb do as soon as trigger pulled fan and bulb come on together??


----------



## srod

Yes. Get a little computer fan and glue it in to the rear of the case. Works a treat.


----------



## Scottish Storm

I'm going to do another one as my battery is goosed on this drill so I'll put up picks later


----------



## Scottish Storm

So I redid my torch but tapatalk won't let me upload pictures to this forum for some reason.



One question though, can a 12v battery run a 35w bulb for long?


----------



## MengWalton

Scottish Storm said:


> So I redid my torch but tapatalk won't let me upload pictures to this forum for some reason.
> 
> One question though, can a 12v battery run a 35w bulb for long?


Depends on the amp hour of the battery your using .


----------



## Scottish Storm

Cheers Meng. I think i asked the wrong question though. 



What i meant was will it give out the full 35watts of the bulb? 



That would be 3 amps and the battery says 1.2 amp/hours so i reckon its only going to last 25 minutes or so at that rate if it gives out the full power.

I'll see how it goes and report back later  

Cheers


----------



## bigtwingeorg

How about BLV halogen 50w? Is it possible to use this one for my home made torch?

BLV 189823 Halogenlampe GU5,3 12V 50W 12° 4.700K: Amazon.de: Beleuchtung


----------



## kabs

Why a 14v and not 12v, I've seen a Black and decker EPC12TCBK with 2 batteries and a torch for much the same price as the B&Q 14v one.
As a comparison, would I get a much better light than a lenser P7.2, £38 and no diy.


----------



## bigup

is this absolutely all that i would need to make one of these torches:

drill from here: http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...r-Cordless-Drill-Driver-14-4V-PDD144-12389410 - £24.99 collected
or
this one: http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...less-Hammer-Drill-18V-12389412?skuId=12910116 - £34.98 collected

bulb from here: http://www.calvertscarclean.co.uk/shop - £20.99 delivered

bulb socket: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/Interior Lighting/Spare LV Lampholder/d220/sd3066/p99286 - 42p collected

anything else im missing?


----------



## bigup

thanks agin for the guide, just made mine









using a cheapy bulb for now until i find out wheres best to buy the solax from

the bulb was a bit tight and thought it wouldn't fit until the screws were screwed in!


----------



## kabs

Hey nice, hows the normal bulb doing. Was it necessary to glue the bulb holder. Making mine soon, just received 2 solux bulbs from Amazon.com £30.


----------



## srod

The bulb holder will just sit nicely - no glue needed. It is an idea to use a Dremel like multi-tool just to file away some of the plastic where the holder will sit, but other than that it is very painless.


----------



## mattmitt

Just done mine and it's brilliant. As above, just used a dremel to remove some of the plastic on the second ring back, but bulb then sits really well. Took me 15 minutes, and that included boiling the kettle for a cuppa.:thumb:
Only problem is that upon testing, found all those slight swirl marks that thought corrected out of the wife's car.....guess what bank holiday is going to be for me then.:buffer:


----------



## herbiedacious

I did a couple in the weekend








Have any of you guys with the B and Q drill had any issues with the charger? The plug seems to get quite hot, is this normal or have l got a duff one?


----------



## bigup

just an update, i ordered a Solux bulb from Amazon US

EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com

ordered 12th May and arrived today (21st May)























works perfect and so much better than he normal bulbs, i just went out in bright sunlight and use it to swirl sport, very easy!


----------



## whiteclio59

bigup said:


> just an update, i ordered a Solux bulb from Amazon US
> 
> EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com
> 
> ordered 12th May and arrived today (21st May)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> works perfect and so much better than he normal bulbs, i just went out in bright sunlight and use it to swirl sport, very easy!


Hi was it easy and cheap too make one? I need one dont know anything about electicals items


----------



## enc

what is the thing with the solux mr16 bulb..... the 4700k colour temperature or the fact the bulb is 35w?


----------



## bigup

whiteclio59 said:


> Hi was it easy and cheap too make one? I need one dont know anything about electicals items


hi mate

yep, very easy

you need drill: http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...r-Cordless-Drill-Driver-14-4V-PDD144-12389410

Bulb: EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com

bulb socket/holder: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/Interior Lighting/Spare LV Lampholder/d220/sd3066/p99286

also look here: http://www.rfdm.com/blog/?p=267
essentially your opening the drill, cutting out the motor bit (2 wires) black and red

then you attached these black and red to the bulb holder then put the bulb in, i used soldering iron and solder but i guess you can use a decent terminal block and wrap it with insulation tape

the bulb fits nicely too.


----------



## Nanoman

bigup said:


> hi mate
> 
> yep, very easy
> 
> you need drill: http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-to...r-Cordless-Drill-Driver-14-4V-PDD144-12389410
> 
> Bulb: EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com
> 
> bulb socket/holder: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/Interior Lighting/Spare LV Lampholder/d220/sd3066/p99286
> 
> also look here: http://www.rfdm.com/blog/?p=267
> essentially your opening the drill, cutting out the motor bit (2 wires) black and red
> 
> then you attached these black and red to the bulb holder then put the bulb in, i used soldering iron and solder but i guess you can use a decent terminal block and wrap it with insulation tape
> 
> the bulb fits nicely too.


Cheers for linking to a site that's clearly copying what was done here and didn't bother mentioning DW.


----------



## Spoony

Nanoman said:


> Cheers for linking to a site that's clearly copying what was done here and didn't bother mentioning DW.


This is the original and best thread!


----------



## polac5397

hi - gonna try this I have a b+D driver but its 18v can you guys recommend best bulb to start from bq or toolstation

thanks in advance - paul


----------



## bigup

Nanoman said:


> Cheers for linking to a site that's clearly copying what was done here and didn't bother mentioning DW.





Spoony said:


> This is the original and best thread!


yep this is the best thread, but as whiteclio59 is new to this i thought the linked guide may be easier to understand so he could grasp what he needs to do

Nanoman, props to you mate! but with the added steps it makes it bit more complicated that it is for a noobie to electronics, was only trying to help!


----------



## bigup

polac5397 said:


> hi - gonna try this I have a b+D driver but its 18v can you guys recommend best bulb to start from bq or toolstation
> 
> thanks in advance - paul


go straight for the Solux mate, from Amazon USA, linked above

i dont think the normal bulbs work very well

make sure you get this bulb holder though: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/Interior Lighting/Spare LV Lampholder/d220/sd3066/p99286


----------



## chud786

Would these bulbs be any good?
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LTMR3W.html


----------



## burtross

All I can say is pure genius! Thanks to all involved :thumb:

Made mine this evening, just waiting on the correct bulb but even the results with just a plain old bulb are pretty good! 

I removed the forward and reverse internals and wired direct into the switch figured less to go wrong that way.

Thanks again to the contributors


----------



## SteveyG

enc said:


> what is the thing with the solux mr16 bulb..... the 4700k colour temperature or the fact the bulb is 35w?


It's pretty pointless. The Solux lamp is designed for high colour rendition so you can ensure an even colour match when blending in paint. It won't affect swirl spotting in the slightest.

You ideally want the narrowest beam lamp if you're choosing one.


----------



## Scottland

I've got an old/spare 18v drill lying around - will I kill bulbs with using 18v or will it be ok?


----------



## lightningslow

Can you use a 4200k bulb as trying to find the 4700k is borderline impossible over here in the UK without paying £25 for one


----------



## lightningslow

Managed to build one in around 5 minutes using a standard daylight 4200k lamp which cost 60p vs near £20 for the 4700k one. 12V Value drill from argos and some wiring screw caps. All in total under £18 including the harness


----------



## qualar

lightningslow said:


> Managed to build one in around 5 minutes using a standard daylight 4200k lamp which cost 60p vs near £20 for the 4700k one. 12V Value drill from argos and some wiring screw caps. All in total under £18 including the harness


Any chance of a picture of the finished unit using that particular drill?


----------



## lightningslow

qualar said:


> Any chance of a picture of the finished unit using that particular drill?


This any good?


----------



## Luke M

Just before I cracked on with making mine. I bought all the necessaries from b and q. The bulb holder has two white sleeved wires coming from it. Does it matter which one goes to the red or black?


----------



## Nanoman

Luke M said:


> Just before I cracked on with making mine. I bought all the necessaries from b and q. The bulb holder has two white sleeved wires coming from it. Does it matter which one goes to the red or black?


No it doesn't.


----------



## SteveyG

lightningslow said:


> Can you use a 4200k bulb as trying to find the 4700k is borderline impossible over here in the UK without paying £25 for one


It won't make any difference if you use a 4200K bulb or 4700K bulb. The 4700K will actually be dimmer anyway.


----------



## ash-ct

Are the bulbs on this site suitable and appologies because i`m sure its been asked time and time again but can the same be done to a 14.4 v torch i.e dewalt etc. Also i`ve read the 3m one comes with a diffuser, would putting something similar infront of the buld be more of a hindrance??? 
http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/Reflekto-MR16-50mm-Clear
http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/MR16-Daylight


----------



## ash-ct

So knocked one up earlier and decided to re-use the shroud but unsure yet to rework it because it looks like its limiting the spread of light coming off it as you can see in the photo. Only got a substandard bulb in it at the mo so obviously wont be as bright as it should be with the correct bulb


----------



## hardyd44

*yet another sun gun*

I posted a couple of weeks ago about getting a proper solux lamp ( wont say bulb and upset any sparky's  ) of amazon usa for just over £12 uncluding P&P.

well it turned up today, so off to B&Q for 12v drill now £14 but still cheap in the scheme of things, struggled to get a connector as screwfix don't seem to stock them solo any more so ended up paying £4 at local electrical stockist (bit steep - but wanted to finish it after waiting 2 weeks for the lamp

anyway here is the bits before starting


stripped out the motor, soldered and heat shrinked the connections then installed the lamp, found this a bit loose so pondered for a while then had a look of what bits I had lying around, found that if I wrapped 2 grommets used for electrical cable entry into backing boxes plus 1 on the on the other side of the casing it held the lamp perfectly, and gave a little bit of cushioning





screwed it all together and viola!



quick test on my car that needs a wash (its black what do you expect, I washed it at least a day ago :lol







[/URL][/IMG]



so all done for £30 - could have knocked at least a couple of quid of the connector if I had waited, but still think it was a bargain.

Now to save up for a DAS6 pro to get rid of everything I find

Minor update:
the lamp was working intermittently, thought it may be the speed controller switch not being presented with enough load, don't over think things, was just a loose wire, so if yours does not work correctly just check all connections


----------



## Tom48

Just ordered my Solux bulb from Amazon USA, and have the drill ready to go! Can't wait to have it !!!


----------



## SteveyG

I still don't get why people are wasting money on a lamp from the US that won't make any difference to swirl spotting ability.


----------



## Nanoman

SteveyG said:


> I still don't get why people are wasting money on a lamp from the US that won't make any difference to swirl spotting ability.


Coz it's all about making something with the same light source as the SunGun so it has to have the same bulb to be 'proper'. I'm sure there are other light sources with just as good swirl spotting ability but I don't think anyone has come to an agreement on it. Who care really!


----------



## Scottish Storm

SteveyG said:


> I still don't get why people are wasting money on a lamp from the US that won't make any difference to swirl spotting ability.


How do you know it won't? When I made mine I could immediately see the difference between the bits I'd polished and the bits I still had to do.

Plus - I made it because I could?


----------



## hardyd44

SteveyG said:


> I still don't get why people are wasting money on a lamp from the US that won't make any difference to swirl spotting ability.


Sorry but that statement on this forum sounds like trolling :doublesho

yes the jury is out on if there is any major difference between a £12-14 lamp and £1 one from B&Q.

Why do we do half the things we do, why spend hours, nay days, on cleaning and polishing/waxing your car when no-one except you will know the difference between wax/treatment A and wax/treatment B?

because we enjoy it that's why!!


----------



## SteveyG

hardyd44 said:


> Sorry but that statement on this forum sounds like trolling :doublesho


Not trolling at all. The Solux lamp is identical to a plain MR16 lamp, but it just has a dichroic filter on it which is actually reducing the light output by filtering out some of the red and yellow spectrum from the lamp.

Seems a pointless exercise given that you could get a colour corrected dichroic MR16 from the UK for a less than £10 or a plain MR16 for a few pounds and you'll still spot swirls.

The only reason the 3M Sun Gun uses that lamp is because of the higher CRI for paint blending, not for swirl spotting or any other nonsense.



Scottish Storm said:


> How do you know it won't? When I made mine I could immediately see the difference between the bits I'd polished and the bits I still had to do.
> 
> Plus - I made it because I could?


I'm not talking about the torch, I'm talking about the Solux bulb...


----------



## [email protected]

What a fantastic idea and a fantastic write up to go with it, electrics are not my strong point but after reading through this i think i could make a good go at it. Thank you. :thumb:


----------



## 32-BOY

I was just about to order my SOLUX bulb from us but it wont let me go through i have tried few different addresses in the U.K and its just not letting me order the bulb 

Anyone had the same issue?


----------



## hardyd44

That is not being sold by amazon US, but a different company - need to find another seller that will ship to the UK - if there is one


----------



## Nanoman

SteveyG said:


> Not trolling at all. The Solux lamp is identical to a plain MR16 lamp, but it just has a dichroic filter on it which is actually reducing the light output by filtering out some of the red and yellow spectrum from the lamp.
> 
> Seems a pointless exercise given that you could get a colour corrected dichroic MR16 from the UK for a less than £10 or a plain MR16 for a few pounds and you'll still spot swirls.
> 
> The only reason the 3M Sun Gun uses that lamp is because of the higher CRI for paint blending, not for swirl spotting or any other nonsense.
> 
> I'm not talking about the torch, I'm talking about the Solux bulb...


I've tested a plain MR16 bulb from B&Q next to the Solux bulb and the Solux bulb is miles better. I think it's got more to do with the beam angle though. To say it's identical to any old MR16 bulb is nonsense. It's a bit like saying a B-reg Metro is the same as a new Rolls Royce is the same as an Audi A3.


----------



## 32-BOY

hardyd44 said:


> That is not being sold by amazon US, but a different company - need to find another seller that will ship to the UK - if there is one


I cant seem to find it  can someone link me the right bulb ?

Thanks


----------



## hardyd44

you can order from amazon US ...

BUT it is out of stock at present (shipping = 4-7 weeks)

Follow this link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0002GS4GE/ref=olp_sss_all?ie=UTF8&shipPromoFilter=1

depends if you can wait that long or pay more via ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solux-Bulb-4700k-Mr16-3m-Sungun-/261595155630?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item3ce8494cae

the choice is yours or go with SteveyG and get one from B&Q


----------



## 32-BOY

Cheers mate the Amazon link is not working I don't mind waiting 

Yes I did read that I think I will go for the solux one.

Cheers

Jake


----------



## hardyd44

Sorry, did it from my account so not sure why that happened 

Go to amazon US and just look for the other suppliers list, amazon are listed there.


----------



## German Taxi

What about these bulbs:

http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bu...en-Spotlight-NDL-4-2K-35W-36-Deg-M281-FMW-BLV
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/m281-12v-35w-wfl-constant-colour/p2555/

Seem to meet the spec as mentioned previously?

And lamp holder:

http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/gu5-3-lampholder-with-flying-leads/p2666/

So, if those are correct.....


Buy 14.4v cordless drill (preferably with 2 batteries)
Remove motor from drill
Fit/secure lamp
Use lamp holder to connect lamp to battery


----------



## German Taxi

Or there's a geniune Solux 4700K bulb here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solux-Bul...rg=20140107083358&rk=1&rkt=10&sd=261595155630


----------



## SteveyG

Nanoman said:


> I've tested a plain MR16 bulb from B&Q next to the Solux bulb and the Solux bulb is miles better. I think it's got more to do with the beam angle though. To say it's identical to any old MR16 bulb is nonsense. It's a bit like saying a B-reg Metro is the same as a new Rolls Royce is the same as an Audi A3.


I didn't say "any old". A B&Q lamp is going to be crap no matter what, and if you read my earlier post I mentioned you want the narrowest beam angle possible. By plain, I mean one without a colour filter on it...


----------



## Nanoman

SteveyG said:


> I didn't say "any old". A B&Q lamp is going to be crap no matter what, and if you read my earlier post I mentioned you want the narrowest beam angle possible. By plain, I mean one without a colour filter on it...


Thanks for clarifying although to say...


> The Solux lamp is identical to a plain MR16 lamp, but it just has a dichroic filter on it which is actually reducing the light output by filtering out some of the red and yellow spectrum from the lamp.


...isn't quite right. It's identical to a plain MR16 lamp... with the same colour temp, beam angle, wattage... etc without a dichroic filter.

I'm curious about your comments about narrowest beam angle. Surely for swirl spotting you want the widest beam angle rather than the narrowest?


----------



## SuperchargedLlama

Nanoman - thanks again for the post, I built mine when this thread only had about 40 pages I think!

I wondered if you had tried with any LED bulbs? It's probably in here somewhere so I apologise if I'm repeating previous questions.

If you have, how'd you find them?


----------



## Nanoman

Mother-Goose said:


> Nanoman - thanks again for the post, I built mine when this thread only had about 40 pages I think!
> 
> I wondered if you had tried with any LED bulbs? It's probably in here somewhere so I apologise if I'm repeating previous questions.
> 
> If you have, how'd you find them?


Hi

I don't remember trying any LEDs so can't comment I'm afraid.


----------



## SuperchargedLlama

Nanoman said:


> Hi
> 
> I don't remember trying any LEDs so can't comment I'm afraid.


Cheers dude - I'll give it a go and let you know how it pans out in the future.


----------



## Optimal_Dwayne

Brilliant! 

Just... 

Brilliant!

:thumb:


----------



## Optimal_Dwayne

For those thinking about it, it's​ nice and easy ​


----------



## TheMac

Does anyone know how many lumens a sun gun has? Also can any of you say if an LED torch or standard mains light is likely to be as effective / or nearly as effective at identifying swirls or scratches in the clear coat and if so which one, or will any over 100 lumens or so be as effective as a sun gun? I have a silver Audi A5 which I suspect is full of marring but due to its colour I find the defects a real bugger to clearly identify, and therefore correct, which is really pissing me off!
Additionally it strikes me that a standard light extension with an LED bulb costing £5 and producing 320 lumens might be as effective as 'the gun' but I do not know whether the bulb would need to be a spot light or not - comments gratefully accepted.
One thing I have definitely noticed is that orange street lights tend to show up the clear coat defects easier - as someone mentioned about his local garage lighting. If this is true would inspection lights be more effective if they were coloured?
Apologies if this is a little disconnected but it is Friday night here in Ireland and I am on my 7th pint of Guinness. 
Regards
Sober in the morning!
TheMac


----------



## TheMac

*Identifying swirls in light coloured cars*



No.25 said:


> I think you're right, the degree of flood, in this case, 36 will have a significant bearing on the ability to spot swirls as will the wattage. If it's too bright the reflection and light intensity will mask out the imperfections. This is why it's also important to hold the lamp at different distances and angles. All we're trying to do is use the different angles of surface reflections to highlight those imperfections.
> 
> A 36deg beam must be the one which gives the best mix of light spread and light intensity at the most natural working distance. Otherwise you could use a narrower beam and move the lamp further away to give the same spread but not the same lux.
> 
> I think that's why the 35watt lamp with a 36deg beam works best in this application where the distance between light source and landing object is determined by the natural working distance for this application over a small variance in range.
> 
> It's only my opinion but I think any 35W, 36deg halogen reflector lamp will spot swirls well enough but only the Solux lamp can render colour as high as Ra99 across the visible spectrum at a colour tempertaure closely matched to daylight. There are very similar halogen lamps that provide high colour temperatures at a fraction of the price but after reviewing the technical spec of the Solux there are some neat touches such as the filament angle which is unique, not to forget the importance of the arrangement of the dichroic reflector. Not to mention the superior benefits of the lamp's colour rendering and thereby doubling up as colour matching light.
> 
> Pretty much most halogen lamps would highlight surface imperfections - you only need to look at all the 50/50 pictures on this site taken with halogen task lamps to know that's true. Then all you would need would be some ceramic metal halides (CMH) for the most excellent colour rendering from artificial light (by the way, you've probably noticed over the years that lighting for filling station forecourts has moved from the old yellow sodium lamps to the very white and excellent colour rendering CMH lamps - this helps them capture the most accurate CCTV footage). However, the Sun Gun type accessory with a Solux lamp does both in a convenient portable appliance!!
> 
> I still need to order a Solux. £15 seems steep when it's a third of this in the States but I would like to make a comparison so will get one in time.
> 
> It's been interesting to read everyone's opinion on this thread.


Number 25
Did you ever obtain a Solux lamp and if so did you make a comparison with other lamps halogen and LED? Having read your post relating to sodium street lights and personally seen their ability to identify swirls (easier than the sun gun and some other lamps according to lowejackson's post) would using such a light source be the holy grail of identifying swirls especially in light coloured cars where they are difficult to see?


----------



## kabs

At only £13 this is worth a look from Aldi. Halogen and rechargeable.


----------



## Luke M

kabs said:


> At only £13 this is worth a look from Aldi. Halogen and rechargeable.


Bought one a while back. Do yourself a favour and build one for yourself. So much more effective and satisfying to build as well.


----------



## P3T3R

How would these bulbs do?
http://m.screwfix.com/p/osram-mr16-...dichroic-halogen-lamp-gu5-3-12v-35w-pk5/68939

Really want to make one at the weekend.


----------



## Ammo_B

Anyone found a difference between 50w and 35w, I know the 50w would only be 2700k but do you pick up roughly the same amount of swirls as you do with the 35w bulb.. Cheers


----------



## asspur96

Mother-Goose said:


> Cheers dude - I'll give it a go and let you know how it pans out in the future.


Hi mate my day job means I sell LED lighting and it can get overly technical and geeky but here goes

Normal halogen in 35 or 50 w is usually 2700 kelvin but is always 100 cra or 100 cri this is what lighting designers etc class as pure sunlight. However that is dependant on time of year ,day etc etc but for that purpose it is a base point. Fluorescent, metal halide, ceramic metal halide and sodium are all avaliable in various colour temperatures from 2200k to 6500k and with as many variations on cra/cri ratings from 60 to 95. These would be noticeable when looking at white and seeing a green tinge etc.

Now coming to LED THERE are huge differences in quality as with everything just look on here for the range of products !! So when looking at LED to replace any type of standard lighting it is important to get the best LUMEN OUTPUT AND CRI and not just look at wattage etc. In fact a lot of cheap LED LAMPS GU10 claim huge Lumens which when I have tested them at work don't get any where near. Also the CRI IS well below <70 and the same can be said with the LED floods as well. The problem as with anything is the mass market when seeing a new trend or product to sell becomes about price not quality and people don't know or are not told the reason for why one product is £10 and another£25 so as the saying goes you get what you pay for!!!

If you need a high quality LED GU10 with a cri above 85 + and good lumen outputs tested independently above 540 to 570 lumen ( 65 w ) in old type halogen you can see details at this link also have range of LED floods as well

http://www.lumanor.com/#!gu10-6w-cob/c9gg

Hope this helps


----------



## saul

Made one this the other night using an old 18v skill drill. Bulb lasted 2 mins...

Think I'll be using my Lenser P7.2. Whilst it lasted it did look good. maybe another one in the future. :thumb:


----------



## Nanoman

saul said:


> Made one this the other night using an old 18v skill drill. Bulb lasted 2 mins...
> 
> Think I'll be using my Lenser P7.2. Whilst it lasted it did look good. maybe another one in the future. :thumb:


Was left on for two minutes at 18v? Might have got too hot. What bulb?


----------



## saul

Sorry should have read it didn't even last 2 minutes.

I literally pressed the trigger, it gave light and died all within the a few seconds. Power surge maybe? I don't know. It was the Solux bulb I ordered from the US.


----------



## saul

Can someone confirm if this is the correct bulb to purchase


----------



## Ammo_B

i think thats the one mate


----------



## saul

I will order some more then


----------



## Nanoman

I'd try it with a cheap 50 pence bulb first. No point wasting solux bulbs. Sure the bulb is gone and it's not just a bad connection or something?


----------



## saul

Nanoman said:


> I'd try it with a cheap 50 pence bulb first. No point wasting solux bulbs. Sure the bulb is gone and it's not just a bad connection or something?


I tried the bulb direct onto a few different batteries (including drill battery) like in the old days and nothing. I have another holder somewhere will even give that a go. The drill is 18v, do you think this could be the reason?


----------



## Spoony

saul said:


> I tried the bulb direct onto a few different batteries (including drill battery) like in the old days and nothing. I have another holder somewhere will even give that a go. The drill is 18v, do you think this could be the reason?


I think 18V is far too much. You'll find it'll kill the bulb.


----------



## saul

Spoony said:


> I think 18V is far too much. You'll find it'll kill the bulb.


It already has! Bulb only lasted a few seconds. 

Will order a few more Solux bulbs and pick up a drill soon. Question is, is this any better than my Lenser?


----------



## saul

lonterra said:


> I then decided to go one step further, as the bulbs give out quite a bit of heat, and the original Sun Gun does have a built-in cooling fan. :speechles


What size fan did you use?


----------



## Nanoman

The Solux bulb is rated to take 18v if my memory serves me correctly. It will shorten the life over running it at 12v though. I can't find the document showing the details though.

Edit: It's rated for 16v. 3M SunGun boosts to 14.4v.


----------



## Alfa male

Anyone know where to get the genuine Solux bulbs from in the UK apart from Svenlight as I'm not paying the rip off £10 postage charges ?

Thanks


----------



## Alfa male

Can anyone help on the bulb question ?


----------



## rottenapple

Check ebay, guy has one going round regularly, works out about £20.


----------



## Alfa male

I did mine today following the guide on here. Firstly big thanks to all the helpful people who posted up their guides.

I must admit I did encounter a problem with the seating of the Solux bulb into the drill case. There were some small plastic lugs that were stopping the bulb sitting properly.

The Dremel soon made short work of this and solved this problem and its all good now. Just wondering if anyone else encountered this issue too ?

Before










After










Finished product


----------



## nichol4s

You've put the direction button in upside down :thumb:


----------



## Alfa male

nichol4s said:


> You've put the direction button in upside down :thumb:


Good spot yes, I'll sort that thanks. Doesn't serve any purpose now though.


----------



## rottenapple

Nice work keep meaning to try this when i get chance 👍


----------



## AllenF

Mind you not to **** on any fires but

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/rolson-1-million-candle-power-rechargeable-lamp-a21ll

Take a lil look at that bugger


----------



## AllenF

Or for bulbs ( you gotta be a bit good with electrics lol)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sylvania-a1231-100w-projector-lamp-12v-r62kp

Not bad


----------



## RichieM

To save me going through all 106 pages :doublesho

Is there an up-to-date handy shopping list for this project?
As its not going to be detailing weather this weekend I might have a crack at this


----------



## Alfa male

RichieM said:


> To save me going through all 106 pages :doublesho
> 
> Is there an up-to-date handy shopping list for this project?
> 
> As its not going to be detailing weather this weekend I might have a crack at this


B&Q Performance 14.4V drill - £24.00 new or from £5 used on eBay

Performance Power Cordless 14.4V Combi Drill 1 Battery | Departments | DIY at B&Q

MR16 Lamp Holder - £2.45

B&Q Gloss Plastic Lampholder | Departments | DIY at B&Q

Solux MR16 Daylight bulb (Spec 35W 4700k 36*) - £10.35

Note you can get other brands much cheaper.

http://svenlight.co.uk/index.php?id_product=76&controller=product]


----------



## saul

Question I have before ordering my bulbs again, How do these compare against something like my Lenser P7.2? Or even to the one AllenF has justed posted?


----------



## Cy-Zuki

Firstly thanks to everyone for adding to this great idea. Ordered lamps etc last night.

I have a couple of questions for those who fitted the fan:

1. Do you think drilling a couple of holes in the body will help heat dissapate better?

2. Do you consider adding the fan worthwhile?

Thanks,
Geoff


----------



## nichol4s

Cy-Zuki said:


> Firstly thanks to everyone for adding to this great idea. Ordered lamps etc last night.
> 
> I have a couple of questions for those who fitted the fan:
> 
> 1. Do you think drilling a couple of holes in the body will help heat dissapate better?
> 
> 2. Do you consider adding the fan worthwhile?
> 
> Thanks,
> Geoff


The body is vented anyway, why add a fan how long will you actually keep the light on..


----------



## percymon

P3T3R said:


> How would these bulbs do?
> http://m.screwfix.com/p/osram-mr16-...dichroic-halogen-lamp-gu5-3-12v-35w-pk5/68939
> 
> Really want to make one at the weekend.


No doubt too late but they look to be standard 3000Kelvin, so no different to your B&Q items.

I know these are 50W but they are 4500Kelvin which is very close to the 4700K of the Solux bulbs...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/osram-gu5...k5/32731#product_additional_details_container

If you search eBay for ''Decostar 46871'' you should be able to find them available at ca £1.40 (5 bulbs for £6.98 delivered). Spec..

Lamp power (Watt) 50
Lamp voltage (V) 12
Socket GU5.3
EAN 4050300816661
Color temperature (K) 4500
Color rendering (Ra) 90-100
Beam angle (degree) 36
Diameter (mm) 51
Dimmable Yes
UV Block Yes
Average lifetime (h) 2000
Energy consumption kWh/1000h 50
Energy efficiency class C

I picked up my B&Q 14.4V drill on the way home tonight along with a Diall bulb holder (blister packaged with a 40W 3000K bulb for £2), so will be trying both bulbs.


----------



## RichieM

I made mine today (couldn't wait for the weekend lol).
Unfortunately its raining outside, so can't test on the car.

However, I made mine for £16!
1) I opted not to go for a Solux lamp (i'm not doing colour correction so don't see the point, although, obviously, if my standard lamp isn't up to the job i'll have to).
2) i bought B&Q's "value" 12v drill/driver; a) not bothered about a case b) 14.4v is too much for these lamps

B&Q now do a lamp and holder for £2 (couldn't find just the holder)

















Test fitting.

This was pretty much the easiest electronic mod I have done.

I'll post in use photo's tomorrow


----------



## Clean ocd

^ the bulb can take 14.4 v as my first sun gun i made i used that bulb and worked fine but not great for swirl spotting


----------



## saul

For those paying over £2 for the holder and for others contemplating making the gun. The holder can be picked from Toolstation for less than a pound and if you are not in a rush to make the gun 



 is where I suggest you buy the bulbs from. Only about £14 delivered with no customs or tax. Have ordered plenty in the past.


----------



## percymon

RichieM said:


> I made mine today (couldn't wait for the weekend lol).
> Unfortunately its raining outside, so can't test on the car.
> 
> However, I made mine for £16!
> 1) I opted not to go for a Solux lamp (i'm not doing colour correction so don't see the point, although, obviously, if my standard lamp isn't up to the job i'll have to).
> 2) i bought B&Q's "value" 12v drill/driver; a) not bothered about a case b) 14.4v is too much for these lamps
> 
> B&Q now do a lamp and holder for £2 (couldn't find just the holder)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Test fitting.
> 
> This was pretty much the easiest electronic mod I have done.
> 
> I'll post in use photo's tomorrow


Did mine at lunchtime using the same DIALL bulb n holder, but with the 14.4V grey drill. Took longer to find the bits in B&Q than it took to assemble them :lol:

Diall bulb not revealing much on my Mini pearlescent paint on 30s initial trial in daylight. Have ordered the solus bulb from US Amazon (£13.02 delivered). Also have these on route..

Osram Decostar 46871 bulb

Its 50W (rather than the 35W of the Solux), but is pretty close in temperature (4500K vs 4700K) and angle degree (38' vs 36') but is £7 delivered for 5 of them.

If you want to try one FOC then drop me your postal address


----------



## saul

percymon said:


> If you want to try one FOC then drop me your postal address


Yes please.


----------



## RichieM

So tested mine this evening...
either, the car was too dirty, I have no swirls, or the cheap bulb is no good


----------



## Clean ocd

RichieM said:


> So tested mine this evening...
> either, the car was too dirty, I have no swirls, or the cheap bulb is no good


bulb no use as already tried and tested do some reading in this thread


----------



## percymon

My Osram Decostar (50W) bulbs arrived this morning - a very quick test in the office sunlit car park says its much better than the B&Q jobbie.

I've sent one bulb out to Saul so he can give another view of it.

My Solux bulb has been despatched from Amazon US so it'll be another few weeks before i can compare the Decostar with the Solux.


----------



## saul

percymon said:


> I've sent one bulb out to Saul so he can give another view of it.


Thank you for that. Will pop into B&Q and pick up the drill over the weekend.

Also waiting for my Solux to arrive.


----------



## nichol4s

Well that's the end of the b and q drill it has been discontinued


----------



## Cy-Zuki

My mate in Norwich just got me one, 6 left in stock apparently.


----------



## saul

nichol4s said:


> Well that's the end of the b and q drill it has been discontinued


Hope to find one tomorrow in store. If not can anyone recommend an alternative?


----------



## saul

percymon said:


> My Osram Decostar (50W) bulbs arrived this morning - a very quick test in the office sunlit car park says its much better than the B&Q jobbie.
> 
> I've sent one bulb out to Saul so he can give another view of it.
> 
> My Solux bulb has been despatched from Amazon US so it'll be another few weeks before i can compare the Decostar with the Solux.


Hi Percymon,

Sorry forgot to post up that the bulb arrived all safe and well. Looks like i've missed out on the normal drill, will probably go for the value one you bought. Was there any probs with the bulb sitting comfortably?


----------



## saul

Bit of a long shot, anyone have any of the drills/torches going spare?


----------



## percymon

saul said:


> Hi Percymon,
> 
> Sorry forgot to post up that the bulb arrived all safe and well. Looks like i've missed out on the normal drill, will probably go for the value one you bought. Was there any probs with the bulb sitting comfortably?


I bought the grey Performance Power (?) drill from my local B&Q mini warehouse. The battery design is different to some of the earlier photos in this thread (and sadly the grey drill I already had for light DIY duties) but otherwise eveything else is the same.

I had to remove a small area of plastic moulding to allow the casing to close tightly around the bulb (two 3 x 3mm squares on the inner case where the outer rim of the bulb would sit) and a little more moulding to allow for the cone shape of the bulb. Nothing major at all - needle nose pliers / small flat screwdriver did the job in the absense of my Dremel.

Bulb fits snugly without need for any foam tape or sealant.

My Solux bulb has now arrived from Amazon US (7 days order to delivery), but not had any chance to compare to the Decostar yet.


----------



## saul

My bad, looks like I was looking at the wrong pic! I have bought the one from Homebase (prefer the smaller battery look) will hopefully build mine over the weekend.

My Solux has not arrived just yet, so will go with your Decosta for the moment. Makes sense to order from the US, as you only end up waiting a few days extra than the 2nd class uk post.


----------



## Cy-Zuki

Done! Including the US lamp. Works well but on a white car scratches prove very difficult to spot. RDS better and swirls show OK. Black car (friends) and EVERYTHING shows.


----------



## Brasso

Great project. Cheap drill from Argos. MR16 ceramic adapter from maplin, 

Built mine today just need to order the solus bulb now.


----------



## Superlander

Has anyone got a link they can provide for the Solux bulb?


----------



## kabs

Superlander said:


> Has anyone got a link they can provide for the Solux bulb?


Bought 2 last yr, cost £23.60 incl shipping and import fees (sold by Amazon).

EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com


----------



## Superlander

kabs said:


> Bought 2 last yr, cost £23.60 incl shipping and import fees (sold by Amazon).
> 
> EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com


Thanks for that


----------



## pajd

Anyone used one of these on a white car? Do you rate them for looking at swirls?


----------



## Cy-Zuki

Yep! White cars are the hardest to see swirls on (I believe) I made one here is a pic of my car. It is a white Mk6 Golf that for the first 3 years of it;s life was put through a car wash every two weeks :wall::wall:

The car had been left outside for a week when this shot was taken. I should add that I intentionally darkened the image to make the swirls stand out more.


----------



## pajd

Cy-Zuki said:


> Yep! White cars are the hardest to see swirls on (I believe) I made one here is a pic of my car. It is a white Mk6 Golf that for the first 3 years of it;s life was put through a car wash every two weeks :wall::wall:
> 
> The car had been left outside for a week when this shot was taken. I should add that I intentionally darkened the image to make the swirls stand out more.


OK cheers. You say you darkened the image. Is the home made gun able to highlight the swirls enough to see them clearly when outside?

I don't want to have to take pictures of parts of the car and darken the picture to see the swirls


----------



## Cy-Zuki

TBH am not sure as I did it in garage.

I take your point, you can see the swirls, but as both my cars are white, I am unable to say whether or not it is easier on other colours.

Not convincing that is it 

We have rain forecast tomorrow am out all day Sat but will have a look at the car outside on Sunday if no one else has chimed in by then.

EDITED
OK sun came out and I got car out and used the lamp in bright daylight. I could see the swirls but you needed to move the lamp around to see them. TBH it is no where near as dramatic as often shown with darker paints but you can see them OK.

Hope that helps golftdi .


----------



## pajd

Cy-Zuki said:


> TBH am not sure as I did it in garage.
> 
> I take your point, you can see the swirls, but as both my cars are white, I am unable to say whether or not it is easier on other colours.
> 
> Not convincing that is it
> 
> We have rain forecast tomorrow am out all day Sat but will have a look at the car outside on Sunday if no one else has chimed in by then.
> 
> EDITED
> OK sun came out and I got car out and used the lamp in bright daylight. I could see the swirls but you needed to move the lamp around to see them. TBH it is no where near as dramatic as often shown with darker paints but you can see them OK.
> 
> Hope that helps golftdi .


Brilliant mate thanks for your help :thumb: Always good to hear from someone that uses the item and lets me know if it works or not before I buy. :thumb:


----------



## kentphil

I've just made mine from a 14.4 drill from Aldi, not as straightforward as the B&Q version, but an option as the drills get harder to find.


----------



## Scottland

Has anyone tried any of the LED bulbs now available? Something like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aurora-Premium-Light-Bulbs-Replacement/dp/B00G971NPY/


----------



## smarty5927

Scottland said:


> Has anyone tried any of the LED bulbs now available? Something like this:
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aurora-Premium-Light-Bulbs-Replacement/dp/B00G971NPY/


I recently built one of these swirl spotters using one of the Aldi drills, and initially put a B&Q Diall 4.5 W LED bulb in it, and I didn't find it particularly effective, the light output just didn't seem bright enough. Swapping the bulb for a 35W Halogen was far better.

I think the problems are that LED bulbs tend to have a narrower light beam pattern (than Halogen bulbs), and also because they are made up of multiple Led chips you get multiple light points reflected from the vehicle surface.

John


----------



## martin.breslin

Lamps now available here for a good price http://svenlight.co.uk/index.php?id_product=75&controller=product.


----------



## Scottland

10 quid delivery though!


----------



## gabrielleitao

This is so helpful and useful for me!
Thanks for sharing it with us! I really appreciate it


----------



## martin.breslin

Scottland said:


> 10 quid delivery though!


Buy more than one and flog them on here? Plus its fragile goods, id be happy to pay that knowing they were shipped safely... Ha, never met a courier yet who can read tape that says fragile!!


----------



## Nanoman

martin.breslin said:


> Lamps now available here for a good price http://svenlight.co.uk/index.php?id_product=75&controller=product.


Same price they've always been.

I don't understand why none of the suppliers on here stock them. They can easily make 100%-200% mark-up, pay for shipping and still be a good bit cheaper than Svenlight.


----------



## Scottland

smarty5927 said:


> I recently built one of these swirl spotters using one of the Aldi drills, and initially put a B&Q Diall 4.5 W LED bulb in it, and I didn't find it particularly effective, the light output just didn't seem bright enough. Swapping the bulb for a 35W Halogen was far better.
> 
> I think the problems are that LED bulbs tend to have a narrower light beam pattern (than Halogen bulbs), and also because they are made up of multiple Led chips you get multiple light points reflected from the vehicle surface.
> 
> John


Just picked up an 8W 'COB' LED bulb, seems pretty decent for a few quid and is a single bulb.


----------



## smarty5927

Scottland said:


> Just picked up an 8W 'COB' LED bulb, seems pretty decent for a few quid and is a single bulb.


Might look out for one of those, Thanks.

John


----------



## dougall

Top guide, many thanks, finished mine last friday when the bulb arrived. Got a chance to use it at the weekend too


----------



## b3nny

Has anybody used this drill?

Seems to be the cheapest i can find so far.
http://www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/7104899.htm

Jist found thos bulb on amazon, seemscto by the same spec just wondering if is the correct one as it seems alot cheaper than the one on the sven site
EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin - - Amazon.com


----------



## HarryHedgehog

Correct bulb can also be bought here 
http://www.ukdetailingsupplies.co.uk/#!product/prd13/3393589561/solux-bulb-4700k-mr16
lovely people to deal with, received within 24h of placing order.

Searched for a drill at screwfix, used http://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enh501ddh-14-4v-1-3ah-li-ion-cordless-drill-driver/88575, solder terminals on trigger, so just unsoldered motor/gearbox, and attached bulb holder in its place. does come with a soft mini carry case.

These are also getting rare, but 2 li-ion battery packs, makes it very well balanced, as they are so light compared to ni-cads. Screwfix have 2 battery ni-cad drills, Titan brand for £30.

Worth a little extra for spare battery in my view. Thanks for all the advice.


----------



## admario

better use drill 18v or 20v with li-ion battery coz will last for longer and build sun gun 2. I almost finish my build with new 3M 50w bulb, diffuser and wee fan for cooling same like new from 3M. I will post some pictures in next few days coz its not 100% ready.


----------



## steve_07

With UK detailing supplies charging £60 for the gun. What is it costing you guys in bits to put one together?


----------



## Nanoman

steve_07 said:


> With shylocks on ebay charging £60 for the gun. What is it costing you guys in bits to put one together?


all you 'need' is the bulb connector and bulb. Can be done for about £1.50 plus donor drill.


----------



## steve_07

Nanoman said:


> all you 'need' is the bulb connector and bulb. Can be done for about £1.50 plus donor drill.


So a cheap eBay drill, solux bulb and a holder then? Could you point me in the right direction for a bulb holder?


----------



## HarryHedgehog

Bulb holder -99p inc delivery.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MR16-GU5-...NECTOR-/121455605744?var=&hash=item1c475177f0


----------



## steve_07

This drill do the business?

http://www.diy.com/departments/cordless-12v-drill-driver-1-battery-vdd12/876509_BQ.prd


----------



## keveye

steve_07 said:


> This drill do the business?
> 
> http://www.diy.com/departments/cordless-12v-drill-driver-1-battery-vdd12/876509_BQ.prd


That's the only drill I could find in B&Q today reasonably priced - what do people recommend now that the other B&Q drill has been discontinued, the drill mentioned above seemed to be a fairly cheap construction


----------



## nichol4s

keveye said:


> That's the only drill I could find in B&Q today reasonably priced - what do people recommend now that the other B&Q drill has been discontinued, the drill mentioned above seemed to be a fairly cheap construction


Check eBay out o got mine from a guy on there next day too if I remember correctly, there's also a b&q drill on there £9.99


----------



## WannaBd

Nearly finished mine, just warming up the glue gun to secure the bulb in place, although does anyone else have a better I'd Idea for holding it in place? Ridiculously easy to make, took 5mins. :thumb:to nanoman and zero


----------



## Swirlyman

*Help on drill*

Hi guys came across an old ryobe 18v drill while tidying up the garage in good shape with good battery and charger . Could I use it.


----------



## NateQ

thats awesome!


----------



## Nanoman

Swirlyman said:


> Hi guys came across an old ryobe 18v drill while tidying up the garage in good shape with good battery and charger . Could I use it.


don't see why not. £1 or £2 for a bulb and holder to give it a bash. Nothing to lose if drill was going in bin any way.


----------



## steve_07

Would there be any reason why I'm struggling to see any defects on audi quartz grey but find loads on brilliant black?


----------



## richard_h

Well wish I had built one a long time back .. but new car and now time to start correcting and getting it nice.
Black car this time so more to be seen.

So from reading ..12V is good longer lift bulb but not last as long 
14.4 better longer life when using 
18V Danger to bulb 

Just looking and mmmmm keep thinking spending £30 to take it to bits ... but I am sure once done will be super to play with while detailing the car.


So this the the best option .. no LED torch to match it ?

Cheers

Richard


----------



## richard_h

Ok so after some looking .. I have come up with a super idea (well I think it is).. I have found a nice 18v with 2x 1.5Ah Lithium Battery's @£34.99, bit more than I wanted to spend but better Battery and 2 and also quick charge time. I was looking at £20-30 so not all that bad.

But I am going to convert the voltage inside to 12V when it goes to the bulb.

So the bulb will get max 12V saving the bulb from extra voltage but not getting the 14.4v to make it brighter but I can I live with that.

So the advantage is nice better Battery setup x2 and also more power as its 18V stepped down to 12V 

If this does not work .. I still have a nice drill I can use ..... but I hope it does 

Now on with bulb and connector


Richard


----------



## skyblue

Brilliant


----------



## Gerd1986

So I read pretty much the whole thread but still had questions...thought I would give it a go anyway....

I'm not trying to take anything away from the original poster but due to the old drill not being available I thought this might help.

I bought the lamp here:






The holder here...

http://www.diy.com/departments/diall-gu53-40w-halogen-mr16-bulb-connector-kit/177640_BQ.prd

The holder itself is £2.25 so makes sense to get a free lamp @ £2.

and finally this drill...

http://www.diy.com/departments/cordless-12v-drill-driver-1-battery-vdd12/876509_BQ.prdhttp://www.diy.com/departments/cordless-12v-drill-driver-1-battery-vdd12/876509_BQ.prd








[/URL][/IMG]

First off I opened up the bulb and connector to make sure I had the right ones and connected together:








[/URL][/IMG]

Next up I unscrewed the drill, this was a bit of a pain with the screws at the bottom as they are quite deep and needed to find a skinny screwdriver to get in there..








[/URL][/IMG]

I took out all the innards and cut the cables going to the motor:








[/URL][/IMG]

I then connected the switch to the connector then plugged it in to make sure everything worked before making it permanent:








[/URL][/IMG]

Following this I noticed that the lamp was going to be very loose, so I took the glue gun out and glued the lamp in place...








[/URL][/IMG]

Next up I soldered the wires together and wrapped in tape...

I then put everything back in it's place and screwed it all back up...







[/URL][/IMG]

Works perfectly....








[/URL][/IMG]








[/URL][/IMG]

(It was a bit rattly as I left those magnet things on and its was all bashing about so I glued everything down inside also)


----------



## REVERSiN

Yeah a nice DIY I have been thinking of trying that project I have too many impact drivers hehe


----------



## Stephan

Hi Guys,

I'm also making a DIY sungun but i can't find any good bulbs, only on ebay and the shipping is more than the bulb. What do you guys think of this light? I used to have Terra's and this is really sunlight with specific spectrum...

Please give me your idea's ; :thumb::thumb:










Specs i can find;

Highly energy efficient
Compact design (GU-10 fitting)
4750 K colour temperature
Enriches animal colouration
Stimulates breeding behaviour through UVA rays


----------



## Glen B

Stephan said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I'm also making a DIY sungun but i can't find any good bulbs, only on ebay and the shipping is more than the bulb. What do you guys think of this light? I used to have Terra's and this is really sunlight with specific spectrum...
> 
> Please give me your idea's ; :thumb::thumb:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Specs i can find;
> 
> Highly energy efficient
> Compact design (GU-10 fitting)
> 4750 K colour temperature
> Enriches animal colouration
> Stimulates breeding behaviour through UVA rays


GU10 is 230v.


----------



## Nanoman

Stephan said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I'm also making a DIY sungun but i can't find any good bulbs, only on ebay and the shipping is more than the bulb. What do you guys think of this light? I used to have Terra's and this is really sunlight with specific spectrum...
> 
> Please give me your idea's ; :thumb::thumb:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Specs i can find;
> 
> Highly energy efficient
> Compact design (GU-10 fitting)
> 4750 K colour temperature
> Enriches animal colouration
> Stimulates breeding behaviour through UVA rays


For swirl spotting it's the beam angle you need to worry about, not the colour.


----------



## Stephan

Okay thanks, so a 230V bulb wont work on a converted drill? I Will search the beam angle.


----------



## REVERSiN

Stephan said:


> Okay thanks, so a 230V bulb wont work on a converted drill? I Will search the beam angle.


You need as much as your drill's battery voltage, in other words 12v/14v/18v


----------



## Nanoman

Stephan said:


> Okay thanks, so a 230V bulb wont work on a converted drill? I Will search the beam angle.


No it won't work. You need a 12v bulb. (they can cope with higher voltages e.g. 14v, 18v...)


----------



## wd40

Drill, bulb and holder all ordered. 
Can`t wait to build this and have a go


----------



## dstill

wd40 said:


> Drill, bulb and holder all ordered.
> Can`t wait to build this and have a go


Have you got any links to the parts you bought mate?


----------



## wd40

Here you go fella

This is the connector 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MR16-GU5-...hash=item1c475177f0:m:m06NgDWZQZD_VuBKFz5Q_ag

This is the bulb 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Packs-of-...hash=item5d5d9df96d:m:mNNzMeYvB5QWPr7Z_tls3Yw

These are a cheaper version so I Just ordered these to get started and if its no good then I`ll switch to the solux bulb.

This is the drill 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Re...080923?hash=item23676d70db:g:Z5kAAOSw--1Wscwp

The drill is a bit more expensive but the argos and B&Q ones look pants lol.
I thought this one looked pretty cool so just went for it :thumb:

Looking forward to building it now once all the parts arrive


----------



## dstill

Thanks mate, appreciate the links.:thumb:


----------



## dstill

Would this do the job do you think? I'm not bothered what it looks like to be honest as long as it works well.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7112946.htm


----------



## Hangman3

*Bulb*

Probably a silly question, but are the LED equivalent bulbs good enough as they are very cheap at the moment, & would it be soft light or daylight?
Also, LED`s don't get hot.


----------



## steve_07

dstill said:


> Would this do the job do you think? I'm not bothered what it looks like to be honest as long as it works well.
> 
> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7112946.htm


I'm no expert but I think that should do the job fine


----------



## wd40

dstill said:


> Would this do the job do you think? I'm not bothered what it looks like to be honest as long as it works well.
> 
> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7112946.htm


Yeah that's the one other than the B&Q one that most people are getting for building them. 
I only bought the draper one as it was for pure personal choice and no other reason but yeah that will work just fine :thumb:


----------



## mantis147

wd40 said:


> Here you go fella
> 
> This is the connector
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MR16-GU5-...hash=item1c475177f0:m:m06NgDWZQZD_VuBKFz5Q_ag
> 
> This is the bulb
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Packs-of-...hash=item5d5d9df96d:m:mNNzMeYvB5QWPr7Z_tls3Yw
> 
> These are a cheaper version so I Just ordered these to get started and if its no good then I`ll switch to the solux bulb.
> 
> This is the drill
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Re...080923?hash=item23676d70db:g:Z5kAAOSw--1Wscwp
> 
> The drill is a bit more expensive but the argos and B&Q ones look pants lol.
> I thought this one looked pretty cool so just went for it :thumb:
> 
> Looking forward to building it now once all the parts arrive


Any idea if this bulb does the job?

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## wd40

mantis147 said:


> Any idea if this bulb does the job?
> 
> Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


I`m Still away with work so haven't had the chance to build it yet so don`t know.
It was while trawling through all the pages of this thread that I came across the recommendation for this bulb as a cheaper alternative and was meant to be really good so for £3.59 I bought one but if its no use then I`ll just go and order the solux bulb instead.


----------



## wd40

Just built my gun this morning. Took all of about 20mins. Handy thing is with this drill is that there's no need to glue the bulb in as it sits in the recess perfectly. 
Well chuffed with it 









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## nick_mcuk

Where is this drill from out of interest?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## wd40

nick_mcuk said:


> Where is this drill from out of interest?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It's from drapers "redline" range. I got it off eBay for £26


----------



## Jam*

Nice one 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Hereisphilly

What wattage bulb did you go for?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


----------



## wd40

Hereisphilly said:


> What wattage bulb did you go for?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


It's a 35watt one mate


----------



## C.P.R.

Bought bulb from Amazon.com £14.09 delivered 
The Sven place needs to address the rip off postage

EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002GS4GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xOxqxbJ6AEA6M


----------



## nichol4s

The guy on eBay that sells them uses those drills now too, I heard if you mention detailing world he knocks postage off 

*i have no link with them*


----------



## dstill

Is there anywhere else to get the same build as that one on amazon, don't want to pay that much for postage.


----------



## dstill

wd40 said:


> I`m Still away with work so haven't had the chance to build it yet so don`t know.
> It was while trawling through all the pages of this thread that I came across the recommendation for this bulb as a cheaper alternative and was meant to be really good so for £3.59 I bought one but if its no use then I`ll just go and order the solux bulb instead.


Did you get a chance to try the bulb out mate and was it any good?


----------



## wd40

dstill said:


> Did you get a chance to try the bulb out mate and was it any good?


Hi mate yeah tried the bulb but it's not that great to be honest so I will be going for the solux one. Just haven't got round to ordering it yet though. Trying to find somewhere that sells it without the horrendous postage costs! Lol.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dstill

Cheers mate, it's the postage that's putting me off too!


----------



## scottys.m3

Are they easy to use. Petrol station lights show up a lot very easy. Do they show up like that ?


----------



## BeyondEvil

Thanks for this!

Finished mine today, 50W Solux bulb, really impressed with the output of this thing:










How's everyones lights working out? Having to change bulbs often?

I started thinking that since the trigger outputs a variable voltage, this could prove detrimental to the bulb. This might just be my OCD talking and the time the bulb is fed below spec voltage is so small nothing bad happens.

Anyways, if you're like me, to get on/off behaviour from the trigger, simply remove the MOSFET and its heatsink and you're done:










EDIT: Sorry for the large pictures, is it possible to resize?


----------



## troopa

So what is it that makes the solux bulb so special? 
If theres other bulbs close to if not the same spec! Why is the solux one best?


----------



## tosh

The Solux bulb is the same as in the 3M sun gun


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## troopa

I know this, which is why everyone uses it. However there are other bulbs with the same spec, why is no one using them? 
There was an osram one mentioned earlier in the thread but apparently its no good! My question is why? 

What makes the solux one work so well?


----------



## tosh

troopa said:


> I know this, which is why everyone uses it. However there are other bulbs with the same spec, why is no one using them?
> There was an osram one mentioned earlier in the thread but apparently its no good! My question is why?
> 
> What makes the solux one work so well?


If 3M have done their research and picked that bulb, then we can piggyback on that work. I don't believe anyone has done a side by side comparison with another bulb with the same spec (but different manufacturer).

(I haven't read all 1100+ posts either)


----------



## Nanoman

troopa said:


> I know this, which is why everyone uses it. However there are other bulbs with the same spec, why is no one using them?
> There was an osram one mentioned earlier in the thread but apparently its no good! My question is why?
> 
> What makes the solux one work so well?


There can't be other bulbs with the same spec without infringing patents. Solux bulb is patented so you can't make one with same spec legally without paying the patent owner a licence.


----------



## troopa

Nanoman said:


> There can't be other bulbs with the same spec without infringing patents. Solux bulb is patented so you can't make one with same spec legally without paying the patent owner a licence.


That makes perfect sense. Thank you. 
It is crazy how the slight difference in kelvin or angle makes it good or great.

So how are people ordering from amazon? I tried to purchase one but it keeps saying it wont ship to my address?


----------



## BeyondEvil

troopa said:


> So how are people ordering from amazon? I tried to purchase one but it keeps saying it wont ship to my address?


Shoot an email to john.mccrory AT svenlightled.ie and he'll sort you out. :thumb:


----------



## troopa

Ok will do. 
Thanks for the info


----------



## troopa

Still after the cheapest place to get this bulb guys. Amazon dont seem to ship to uk and svenlight is high postage?


----------



## BeyondEvil

troopa said:


> Still after the cheapest place to get this bulb guys. Amazon dont seem to ship to uk and svenlight is high postage?


Hey, can't answer your PM cause I don't have enough posts. 

Yeah, postage is high and you won't get a better price from John. Not buying one bulb at least.

Maybe buy 10 and sell them on here?


----------



## VenomUK

Where is the best place to get a 4700k bulb or as close too? I can find 4000k bulbs but other than the SoLux from the states I cant seem to find anything else that meets the specs?

Also does it matter if its LED or Halogen?


----------



## Kickasskev

Wouldn't one of these work?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lloytron-...790070?hash=item5d634a9276:g:KLAAAOxy2O1SZnXq


----------



## c j h

How do these compare to the likes of led lenser p7.2? I'm after another light and can't decide between a diy sungun or led work light to leave on the floor


----------



## diggy87

I made one of these a while back and to be honest it doesn't really show anything up. Could it be because the donor drill that I used was just a cheapo one and not powerful enough?


----------



## Andy from Sandy

diggy87 said:


> I made one of these a while back and to be honest it doesn't really show anything up. Could it be because the donor drill that I used was just a cheapo one and not powerful enough?


So long as the battery is 14 volts ish then that is all you need to drive the 12volt solux bulb.

Obviously you need to use the light in subdued lighting else it isn't going to work.


----------



## diggy87

Andy from Sandy said:


> So long as the battery is 14 volts ish then that is all you need to drive the 12volt solux bulb.
> 
> Obviously you need to use the light in subdued lighting else it isn't going to work.


It was a 12v drill. Maybe that's half of the problem


----------



## Simonrev

Anyone found a UK distributor with the bulbs in stock ?

Edit ... found it http://www.ukdetailingsupplies.co.uk/_p/prd13/3393589561/product/solux-bulb-4700k-mr16


----------



## Bluebottle

Forgive me, but reading through 117 pages of opinions seems daunting, although I have read a few. I've just crawled back onto my chair after discovering the retail price of a 3M Sun Gun II. 
So I am confident to tear apart a cheap 14.4V drill and fit the specific 12V lamp into it with elastic adhesive. This will cost me £50ish. I will probably go with LiIon as NiCd is heavy and dated technology.
Is it that simple? Has someone refined or improved the design over the past 117 pages or is it a matter of improvising with the shell of my preferred drill? 

Thank you.


----------



## Simonrev

Bluebottle said:


> Forgive me, but reading through 117 pages of opinions seems daunting, although I have read a few. I've just crawled back onto my chair after discovering the retail price of a 3M Sun Gun II.
> So I am confident to tear apart a cheap 14.4V drill and fit the specific 12V lamp into it with elastic adhesive. This will cost me £50ish. I will probably go with LiIon as NiCd is heavy and dated technology.
> Is it that simple? Has someone refined or improved the design over the past 117 pages or is it a matter of improvising with the shell of my preferred drill?
> 
> Thank you.


No ... it is that simple ... I had to glue the bulb in place too get it to sit properly in the casing but that was all :thumb:


----------



## Andy from Sandy

Despite the cost and yet to be convinced otherwise it is worth getting the proper bulb. I purchased two and took the hit on the postage.

http://svenlight.co.uk/index.php?id_product=76&controller=product

I guess if I look back in this thread I will find when I made mine but the 14.4 drill I got holds the bulb securely. I also got the proper bulb holder but as they came in packs of XX that was a bit of a waste.


----------



## Bluebottle

Thanks Andy and Simon. I am very grateful for your swift feedback.

I'm also stunned that 3M can charge so much for something with a crappy old NiCad and only one battery.

While I have someone's attention does anybody have first hand experience of the
Scangrip Sunmatch Swirl Finder Colour Light £155.94 or

Rupes LL150 Bigfoot Swirl Finder Pen Light £60.00

Or can point me in the right direction please?

LiIon drill £25 Argos. 2 lamps from Svenlight £38. MR16 connector from eBay £2. Should have a working 'SunGun' by next weekend!

The MR 16 lamps arrived today Tues (ordered Sunday). They are actually very similar to lamps I have in various ceiling fitting in my home; some are 12V halogen, others much cooler and efficient 12V LED. I have the lamps and will start modifying the surprisingly impressive Argos drill soon.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Simple-Va...hop-on-ebay-/361860200916?hash=item54408c79d4

I will also evaluate the different lamps on the car paintwork as well. (This may have been discussed before) I spent £38 on two lamps, but maybe cheaper more readily available lamps may be equally as good and save other DWers time and money 

Quick update to say light assembled and working. It is dark and raining outside so difficult to properly assess effectiveness. I tried 35W lamp from Svenlight, 50W Osram 36deg halogen and 12V 6W LED. All show swirls and scratches so will evaluate Saturday in daylight and secure the best with silicone mastic.
I don't know if anyone has evaluated different light sources, but it would be good to use LED as it consumes 16% of the energy of Svenlight and stays cool.

Cheers.


----------



## Bluebottle

I have attached images of disassembled drill, converted to a lamp. I stuck with the Solux bulb in the end. The battery has only been charged when new and is still going strong a fortnight later with frequent use, although the casing can get hot if kept on for more than a minute at a time. It is possible to detect much swirling with the lamp only partially lit.


----------



## Marky899

anyone found a cheaper supplier for the bulb than from Svenlight as their postage costs are ridiculous.

Jumps from £12.95 to £23.93 when in checkout.


----------



## kabs

Marky899 said:


> anyone found a cheaper supplier for the bulb than from Svenlight as their postage costs are ridiculous.
> 
> Jumps from £12.95 to £23.93 when in checkout.


Got my bulbs from amazon.com a while back now, currently you pay for 1 bulb thats if you want to wait 2 to 3 weeks.

Order Summary
Items: GBP 12.05
Shipping & handling: GBP 3.38
Total before tax: GBP 15.43
Estimated tax to be collected: GBP 0.00

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002GS4GE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


----------



## Kam09

Marky899 said:


> anyone found a cheaper supplier for the bulb than from Svenlight as their postage costs are ridiculous.
> 
> Jumps from £12.95 to £23.93 when in checkout.


I would also like to know if anyone can help on this?


----------



## Kam09

Or an alternative bulb which provides similar results available here in U.K.?


----------



## peterdoherty

Marky899 said:


> anyone found a cheaper supplier for the bulb than from Svenlight as their postage costs are ridiculous.
> 
> Jumps from £12.95 to £23.93 when in checkout.


Just got one delivered - actual royal mail costs £3.40 on box
Appreciate packing materials (4 'airbags' and box & tape) and labour cost £££ but 3-4 times the actual postage costs is a bit taking the P!
Sent from UK & delivered in 2 days.


----------



## Kam09

kabs said:


> Got my bulbs from amazon.com a while back now, currently you pay for 1 bulb thats if you want to wait 2 to 3 weeks.
> 
> Order Summary
> Items: GBP 12.05
> Shipping & handling: GBP 3.38
> Total before tax: GBP 15.43
> Estimated tax to be collected: GBP 0.00
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002GS4GE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


Are you saying these bulbs can be delivered to the u.k? Cos I can't see anywhere where it states international delivery


----------



## kabs

Kam09 said:


> Are you saying these bulbs can be delivered to the u.k? Cos I can't see anywhere where it states international delivery


Amazon global - delivers worldwide

you have to be logged in with your .uk email and password.


----------



## Kam09

Now I need a recommendation for a cheap n cheerful 14.4v drill that will allow the bulb to sit in flush hence not requiring me to file/cut down any bits to it?


----------



## Fentum

Kam09 said:


> Or an alternative bulb which provides similar results available here in U.K.?


£8.08 and no postage from here:

http://www.cheapeststore.top/light-...e-beam-angle-12-volt-4700-kelvin-p-10782.html

I've just ordered so not received yet, but will keep you posted.

Also for those on the Continent or going there on hols - Bricoshop (a French B&Q type chain) is selling a suitable generic 12v rechargeable drill for €19.00.

Peter


----------



## E60525d

The link to the B&Q drill no longer works. Any other recommendation to which drill to get?


----------



## the_jj

E60525d said:


> The link to the B&Q drill no longer works. Any other recommendation to which drill to get?


is this the one you wanted? 
would it be any good? i want to make one as well

http://www.diy.com/departments/cordless-12v-12ah-drill-driver-1-battery-vdd12/876509_BQ.prd


----------



## E60525d

the_jj said:


> is this the one you wanted?
> would it be any good? i want to make one as well
> 
> http://www.diy.com/departments/cordless-12v-12ah-drill-driver-1-battery-vdd12/876509_BQ.prd


I thought it was a 14.4v drill from B&Q that everyone was going for?

EDIT: this one here but is no longer available - http://www.diy.com/departments/performance-power-cordless-144v-screwdriver-1-battery/258597_BQ.prd


----------



## euge07

does anyone sell these torches made up complete??


----------



## steelghost

I'm wondering why people are buying / making these when good LED torches are relatively inexpensive these days?

(Not a dig - genuinely curious!)


----------



## E60525d

steelghost said:


> I'm wondering why people are buying / making these when good LED torches are relatively inexpensive these days?
> 
> (Not a dig - genuinely curious!)


Any links?


----------



## steelghost

E60525d said:


> Any links?


Mostly on eBay but also worth a look at the lighting section of Heinnie Haynes.


----------



## E60525d

I have bought one of ebay, fingers crossed.


----------



## euge07

steelghost said:


> Mostly on eBay but also worth a look at the lighting section of Heinnie Haynes.


wouldn't know where to start with that selection lol


----------



## steelghost

euge07 said:


> wouldn't know where to start with that selection lol


From Heinnie I'd be looking at the Nitecore MT1A, or the Fenix E12.

From eBay, this "Vansky" one looks OK.

(My wife got me a Fenix LD41 a few years ago which is a beast of a flash light, but the lower power modes work well for swirl spotting - and taught me that one of the most important / useful features is variable brightness modes).


----------



## Kam09

If anyone wants to sell their home made sungun then give me a shout :thumb:


----------



## valve5425

Here's another one using a second hand, Black & Decker CP-142 drill. £14 off Ebay, (had a smoking motor!!) with two batteries, charger and case. Nice touch is that there's a battery charge check on the drill.

Needed some "Dremelling" to grind a bit off the screw housings at the front of the drill. Also needed to recess where the rim of the bulb sits as well, increasing it from 50mm diameter to 51mm. Without this the casing wouldn't close properly.

I've only got the Decostar 50 watt bulb at the moment which does show small scratches in daylight, but doesn't show the few buffer trails which I know are there. I'll get the Solux bulb ordered from Amazon.com. Only 1-2 months wait, but when it arrives I'll post how it goes.


----------



## Bikeracer

Just made one from an old Argos Challenge drill.

No need to buy a bulb holder a couple of 5 amp chocolate block connectors fasten straight onto the bulb pins.
Found the 12v NiCads were shot so ended up wiring it to a discarded 12volt stairlift battery with about three and a half metres of flex.

Just got a standard 12v 35watt bulb at the moment to try it, but wondering if the cost of nearly £20.00 to get the proper bulb worth it ?

Allan


----------



## Croques

valve5425 said:


> I'll get the Solux bulb ordered from Amazon.com. Only 1-2 months wait, but when it arrives I'll post how it goes.


2 months wait you think? I've been waiting since 7 September. A message to Amazon asking where it is revealed it is STILL on back order. So good luck!

Edit:
Just had this email from Amazon.com
"Due to a lack of availability, we will not be able to obtain the following item(s) from your order:

"EiKO 35003 SoLux True Daylight Flood 35 Watt MR16 Halogen Lamp, 36 Degree Beam Angle, 12 Volt, 4700 Kelvin"

We've canceled the item(s) and apologize for the inconvenience. We must also apologize for the length of time it has taken us to reach this conclusion."


----------



## Croques

Fentum said:


> £8.08 and no postage from here:
> 
> http://www.cheapeststore.top/light-...e-beam-angle-12-volt-4700-kelvin-p-10782.html
> 
> I've just ordered so not received yet, but will keep you posted.
> 
> Also for those on the Continent or going there on hols - Bricoshop (a French B&Q type chain) is selling a suitable generic 12v rechargeable drill for €19.00.
> 
> Peter


If you enter credit card details on this site they are not secure. I


----------



## Fentum

Croques said:


> If you enter credit card details on this site they are not secure. I


Thanks for the reminder.

No problem with my card since, but the thing never turned up.

Peter


----------



## Itstony

Thread seems to have died, looks like the bulb issue has hurt?
Just wondered if anyone tried the 20w or 50W 4700K instead of the 35W rip-off cost now?


----------



## valve5425

Itstony said:


> Thread seems to have died, looks like the bulb issue has hurt?
> Just wondered if anyone tried the 20w or 50W 4700K instead of the 35W rip-off cost now?


I bought a couple of these. https://www.thelightbulbshop.co.uk/Decostar51CoolBlue

I've not used the sun gun/bulb, so I've nothing to compare them to, but they do show up the swirls. Just probably not as effective as the correct bulb. They're cheap enough to try though, and might be good enough for what you want.


----------



## Itstony

valve5425 said:


> I bought a couple of these. https://www.thelightbulbshop.co.uk/Decostar51CoolBlue
> 
> I've not used the sun gun/bulb, so I've nothing to compare them to, but they do show up the swirls. Just probably not as effective as the correct bulb. They're cheap enough to try though, and might be good enough for what you want.


I found a few 4700k 50w which is neutral, but obviously all got wise and upped the price on 35w. I will try the 50w and it may not be as good, but a tupny-apeny rigup it must worth it. 
Hard to argue it wont be when most wouldn't shell out for the real deal at £300+. 
Be good to hear if others did the same though.


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## steelghost

Worth a mention - this is still a thing you can buy, and it's _brutal_ at showing up imperfections in paint. It's also built like a tank, and a seriously good flashlight, as well as a very effective lantern when coupled with one of these.

It's not as cheap as a DIY sun gun but I'd argue it's better at paint inspection, and much more useful otherwise....


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## Itstony

steelghost said:


> Worth a mention - this is still a thing you can buy, and it's _brutal_ at showing up imperfections in paint. It's also built like a tank, and a seriously good flashlight, as well as a very effective lantern when coupled with one of these.
> 
> It's not as cheap as a DIY sun gun but I'd argue it's better at paint inspection, and much more useful otherwise....


Thanks for taking time to reply.
Looks a very good torch indeed. Accepting your views, it does not look so expensive and has other practical uses.
The only caveat for me was/is it is not rechargeable item. There are others that are on that site, did you look at those?.


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## steelghost

Itstony said:


> Thanks for taking time to reply.
> Looks a very good torch indeed. Accepting your views, it does not look so expensive and has other practical uses.
> The only caveat for me was/is it is not rechargeable item. There are others that are on that site, did you look at those?.


Whilst it is not itself rechargeable, the battery life from a set of 4xAA NiMH batteries is very good, plus you can always buy alkaline AAs in any random corner shop in a pinch.


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## huxley309

Blf Q8, variable brightness levels 5k lumens good for outdoor use.

https://www.banggood.com/BLF-Q8-4x-...-p-1194351.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

But usually it's my Nebo Big Larry

https://www.screwfix.com/p/nebo-nb6306-big-larry-led-torch-3-x-aa/9205v


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## Itstony

huxley309 said:


> Blf Q8, variable brightness levels 5k lumens good for outdoor use.
> 
> https://www.banggood.com/BLF-Q8-4x-...-p-1194351.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN/QUOTE]
> 
> Can you say if you use this for paint inspection and how you rate it? Clearly it can do lots more.
> The light temperature is good, bulb reflector is not smooth though. Large bulb head which is good.
> Looks promising, will see what you can say about using it., might then order one.
> Its not bundles for sure.


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## huxley309

It's good, it does have a flower shaped spot but goes right down to firefly so only a few lumens, good if your intention is a sun gun. It ramps up the brightness, much like a dimmer switch. 
Also all the modes are fully programmable to your liking, and it comes with a spare set of o-rings.

Very good flood with an even spill, I tried it when it was getting dark, really picked out any imperfections.

I haven't had it long to really test it, but so far I'm pretty happy with it.

Also £60 is a bit rich, they can be had for £40 when on offer just make sure you use good button top cells, like Samsung 30q.

You can run this torch on just the one cell, as they're all run in series.

Also run in turbo doubles up as a very useful hand warmer, and has a thread for tripod mount.


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## Itstony

Thanks for the response. 
The only issue is the reflector which you confirmed. I would prefer smooth.
I am considering this HaikeLite MT07S XHP70.2 which has a smooth reflector, plus 4800K temp. 
The one you have seems a better size though.


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## huxley309

Well gone and ordered a headlamp, not sure I can post Amazon links, so anyway it's this one.

TOOGOO Super Bright 3000LM COB Outdoor LED Head Light Lamp Torch Headlight 

3K Lumen from a cob I find very doubtful, but with no reviews I've taken one for the team, that and it's just shy of £7.

Takes 18650 cells as you'd expect.


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## Ruairi

huxley309 said:


> Well gone and ordered a headlamp, not sure I can post Amazon links, so anyway it's this one.
> 
> TOOGOO Super Bright 3000LM COB Outdoor LED Head Light Lamp Torch Headlight
> 
> 3K Lumen from a cob I find very doubtful, but with no reviews I've taken one for the team, that and it's just shy of £7.
> 
> Takes 18650 cells as you'd expect.


18650 cells? Wonder if I can modify my vape 🤔😂


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## huxley309

Ruairi said:


> 18650 cells? Wonder if I can modify my vape


Well I am putting 30q cells into it


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## huxley309

Right got my lamp, for what seven quid it's quite a fair bit of kit, bit weighty but did sit on my bonce fine.
Don't like the rubber battery cover, feels very flimsy but won't be the end of the world of it breaks.
Will fire it up later.

Edit - Fired it up, ok this is more like it a near perfect spread of light and Very bright.
Recon this is the perfect detailers lamp.


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## SwordfishCoupe

Looks like it will keep your head warm in the cold weather as well! 🤣

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


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## huxley309

Yeah tell me about it, not to mention I'm using unprotected cells should they ever decide to go..........


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## Breezy

looking at making one again after my previous one i made using a cheap B&Q drill has dissapeared, i'm assuming there shouldnt be any issues using an old makita Lion donor drill unless anyone else has any decent donor drill alternatives?


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## AndyN01

Breezy said:


> ...... unless anyone else has any decent donor drill alternatives?


I made mine from one of these:

https://www.argos.co.uk/search/cordless-drills/category:33018827/power-(v):14.4/power-type:cordless-with-battery/

Been working fine.

Good luck.

Andy.


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## LSpec

I love this projects, really good explained. 

but I have some questions, I know is an old thread but, maybe someone can answer.

Why is this bulb / light special? is not the same to use a "common" torch?

and I read a lot of times, "Don't bother with the fancy external power supplies - it's not worth the hassle" but what could be a fancy external supply?

I think your external power supply, the transformer had low amps.


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## Carscope

So what are the bulb choice now? 

Is an 18V battery OK to use? 

Cheers 
E

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## Breezy

AndyN01 said:


> I made mine from one of these:
> 
> https://www.argos.co.uk/search/cordless-drills/category:33018827/power-(v):14.4/power-type:cordless-with-battery/
> 
> Been working fine.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Andy.


great to hear i was looking at getting a broken 18v makita drill from ebay as it would be handy to use the same charger for the batteries

it looks like the MR16 bulbs are rated to work with 18v is anyone else able to confirm?


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## Nanoman

Breezy said:


> great to hear i was looking at getting a broken 18v makita drill from ebay as it would be handy to use the same charger for the batteries
> 
> it looks like the MR16 bulbs are rated to work with 18v is anyone else able to confirm?


Yes they are


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## Turbocharged

Breezy said:


> great to hear i was looking at getting a broken 18v makita drill from ebay as it would be handy to use the same charger for the batteries
> 
> it looks like the MR16 bulbs are rated to work with 18v is anyone else able to confirm?


Did you build one?

I made one years ago with a cheapo drill but I'm now heavily invested in Makita LXT so interested in an 18V version...


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## Nanoman

Turbocharged said:


> Did you build one?
> 
> I made one years ago with a cheapo drill but I'm now heavily invested in Makita LXT so interested in an 18V version...


It'll be fine


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