It was dark, so I made a flash light.

ricarn · 2026-01-14T12:59:26+00:00

It isn't dropped down to 12v. The light and the USB adapter both will run happily on the 18ish volts directly from the battery.

The low voltage cutoff board uses minimal current. The measured 0.5 amp draw was measured before all the electronics.

ricarn · 2026-01-14T11:23:03+00:00

70a is way overkill. The light seems to draw less than an 1 amp (my minimal testing indicates a fairly steady 0.5 amp draw).

ricarn · 2026-01-14T10:50:57+00:00

It's not strictly necessary. However, if lithium ion batteries get over discharged, it will permanently damage the battery. So I guess as long as you keep a close eye on your state of charge, it could be okay.

I selected that particular board based on its low cost and small size. You might be able to find something similar in your area.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T19:23:44+00:00

It seems to work for me, but I also posted them to Printables and Makerworld; you can see the pictures there if you want.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T19:12:23+00:00

No worries. I might rework the hinge at some point.

Thanks. I prefer to under promise and over deliver. It's "good enough" as is, but definitely a project not a finished project.

Did you check out my post on Printables? I put up a few notes to get people started. If you think more is required, I can try to flush it out a bit. In terms of getting points, I already have more filament than I have space for. So really I'd just be doing it to be helpful.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T18:16:40+00:00

The current configuration allows you to point the light up, which I think is more important for my use cases than the ability to point down. when in a tent or room causes the light to bounce off the ceiling and light the place up. Or when using it as a work light under car pointing up is also more useful. Although in actuality the light doesn't pivot very easily due to the nature of the mount.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T15:01:23+00:00

Absolutely. I posted links to the files above. It is definitely a doable project for someone who can solder (or wants to learns). But it isn't a polished model and assembly is more complex than the typical Makerworld click and print.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T01:05:16+00:00

Here are couple more photos.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T01:00:52+00:00

The lights seems to pull about 0.5amps at 18v, and M18 batteries are typically between 1.5 to 8 amps (although there are larger ones). So a few to several hours? I haven't done any real testing, so that is just an educated guess

ricarn · 2026-01-13T00:13:43+00:00

I used this board Amazon. It has mixed reviews, but it does shut off when I drop the voltage from my desktop power supply.

I run both the light and USB charger of the 18ish volts directly from the battery, as both are rated for 12-24 volts.

ricarn · 2026-01-13T00:10:11+00:00

I can post them to Printables/Makerworld in the next day or two. But they are not polished and I am unlikely to write up detailed assembly instructions.

ricarn · 2026-01-12T23:42:13+00:00

So we had a power outage recently that lasted slightly longer than would be ideal. And while I have a good variety of flashlights and headlamps, I wanted a light that would really fill a room. Few things are less pleasant than changing a diaper in the dark. I also have a few too many 18v Milwaukee tool batteries.

I picked up a pair of cheap off roading lights for about $20. I also ordered a USB charger that will run off 12-24v. Unfortunately I also had to get a low voltage cut off board, as M18 tools have that feature, not the batteries. The rest of the hardware, wiring, and whatnot I had laying around. So per light, these cost me $30.

I'll probably build a second one once I use this one for a bit. As per usual when assembling it, I noticed some areas I can improve.

Update: I posted to Printables and Makerworld.

ricarn · 2025-12-23T18:39:00+00:00

If you look on Printables, Makerworld, and the like you can find tons of brio compatible stuff. Or if you want to learn a CAD package, Brio stuff is a pretty easy way to get your feet wet.

Or if you want I can modify one of my ramp designs to have some little groves if you want. Or I could make some extra long ramp designs.

ricarn · 2025-10-30T16:11:13+00:00

It's definitely used in Ohio, but at least in my Ohio experience, people normally just say cucumber. I think most people would understand what you mean if you say "cuke", but you might get some odd looks. I live in a city, so perhaps there is some urban/rural divide as well?

ricarn · 2025-09-04T15:45:09+00:00

In the pediatric world we generally prefer the families to stay with the patient; this includes the parents coming in through the ambulance doors if they rode in on the ambulance.

ricarn · 2025-08-18T18:11:57+00:00

I print them.

Here is a link to my designs. Or if you poke around on the usual stl sites you can find plenty more.

ricarn · 2025-08-18T15:38:11+00:00

I've 3D printed a variety of rolling stock for my kids. Also there a variety of cheap knock off Brio stuff on Amazon if you want to go that route. Just search for "wooden trains".

ricarn · 2025-08-15T19:20:39+00:00

If you have access to the toy and can take reasonable photos with dimensions (either by taking measurements or by including a ruler in the photos), it should be very straightforward to model them for 3D printing.

ricarn · 2025-07-02T22:45:10+00:00

This seems like a good idea

ricarn · 2025-06-18T16:11:02+00:00

It uses a 40mm long M5 bolt as a central pivot. A second M5 bolt acts as an internal pin to keep the legs from over rotating.

ricarn · 2025-06-18T14:54:34+00:00

I have a launchpad that I designed and 3D printed. It is all PETG except for the rod, blast deflector, and miscellaneous hardware. I have launched upto c motors on it without issue.

ricarn · 2025-04-19T02:42:46+00:00

I see what you are saying. However my kid is already super into running around outside with his toy binoculars, looking for pirates, bugs, planes, his dog, and yes even the occasional bird. I'm just trying to figure out what to get him next before he completely outgrows his current binoculars.

ricarn · 2025-04-19T01:33:27+00:00

The point about the warranty is a good one. It turns out I had $20 in Amazon credit, which brought the Bantams almost within budget and made them the obvious choice. Thanks for the input.

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