Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:50 — 36.5MB)
New discussion in the form of a new podcast from the Gimme Some Lumens series. Listen as Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots of Going Gear discuss the Nitecore TM26
Gimme Some Lumens – Bug-Out-Bag Light, Battery Chargers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:16 — 49.5MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots discuss the Bug-Out-Bag Light and some Battery Chargers
Gimme Some Lumens – Nitecore P25 – Picatinny Tactical Light
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:14 — 43.8MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots are at it again, discussing the Nitecore P25 Picatinny Tactical Light
Gimme Some Lumens – New GoPro, 3-D Printed Guns, Zebralight Praise, and Toe Socks for Vibrams
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:51 — 47.9MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots had a fun time discussing the new GoPro, 3-D Printed Guns, and a lot more on this free-for-all episode of Gimme Some Lumens
Gimme Some Lumens – Nitecore TM-15 Review
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:15 — 30.1MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots review the Nitecore TM-15.
Gun and Gear Podcast – AR Build Kits, Apps, Small Knives
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:47 — 60.4MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots discuss AR Build kits, light apps on smart phones and small knives.
if you want the links discussed on the podcast, here it is:
http://www.egpworld.com/hp/trigger/Default.htm
http://www.cuscadi.de/2012/10/08/mehr-nanos/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vito.lux&feature=search_result
Gimme Some Lumens – Sparks SX5 Review
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:40 — 22.5MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots review the Sparks SX5 on this episode of Gimme Some Lumens!
Gimme Some Lumens – Olight S10 Baton
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:49 — 27.3MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots discuss the Olight S10 Baton.
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21st Century Shooting’s Arbor Press
Gear Review by Germán A. Salazar, Contributing Editor
Reloading at the range with an arbor press and Wilson dies is my preferred method of load development. I’ve had a chance to test and evaluate the Arbor Press from 21st Century Shooting. I have to say I’m very favorably impressed by it.
An arbor press’ basic function is simple enough: exert sufficient downward pressure on the die to either size the case neck or seat the bullet depending on which die is in use. It isn’t a mechanically challenging function. So why do we use an arbor press and what should be look for in one? Consistent operation, sensitive feel, quality of design and machining are the hallmarks of a good arbor press and this one from 21st Century comes away with good marks in all areas.
For my initial session with the press, I seated 72 bullets in .30-06 cases, another 70 in .308 cases and neck sized a handful of cases (just for evaluation since I prefer to full-length size). The design of the actuating arm, which angles slightly away from the press was very convenient, allowing me to operate it with less jostling of the press because my fingers weren’t bumping into the press head as they sometimes do with my previous press that has the handle parallel to the press head. That’s a nice touch and shows the press was designed by someone who has used these things.
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The press uses a relatively light return spring which materially aids the feel of seating pressure. I prefer this to a heavier return spring which would reduce the feel that I really look for in an arbor press. For someone who uses very heavy neck tension this might not be a big concern, but because I usually use 0.001″ to 0.002″ neck tension, the ability to detect small levels of variance in seating pressure is important to me.
High Quality Machining and Parts Finishing
Every part of the 21st Century press reflects careful thought and skilled machining. The knurled wheel for adjusting the height of the press head is a distinct improvement over the plastic hardware store knobs seen on many presses.
The aluminum press head itself is nicely anodized, the steel base well blued and the shaft nicely polished. Even the decapping base (photo at left) reflects careful design as well as precise machining. Overall, the press gives a look and feel of quality and is a welcome addition to my range reloading setup.
This review originally appeared in RiflemansJournal.com in 2010. 21st Century Shooting Inc., a site advertiser, supplied an Arbor Press for testing and evaluation.
Editors’ Note: The designer of the 21st Century Arbor Press has decades of tool-making experience, and he has designed tools for many “big-name” companies. 21st Century stands behind the product with a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser. The Arbor Press is currently offered in two different versions, either with 3″ x 4″ baseplate for $85.99, or with 4″ x 5″ baseplate for $89.99.
21st Century Shooting
www.21stCenturyShooting.com
(260) 273-9909
Gimme Some Lumens – Nitecore SENS Series
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:04 — 27.6MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots tackle the mysterious and baffling controversy behind the true pronounciation of the Nitecore SENS. They also discussed the Nitecore SENS series itself.
Gimme Some Lumens – Lights for Runners
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:50 — 33.0MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots talk about flashlights that are used by Runners.
4Sevens Preon Li-Ion Beamshots – 200 lumens?
I had heard that using a Li-Ion 10440 cell in a Preon 1 could get close to 200 lumens of output, but I was skeptical. I had to try it for myself. While I have no way to accurately measure lumens, I can say that the claim is absolutely believable and I offer you some beamshots as exhibits. (All photos were taken with a Canon T3i set at 1/320, f/4.0, ISO 400)
Each of the following animated gifs shows 2 side-by-side beams from 2 different 4Sevens Preons on low/med/high and the caption below indicates which beam is which:
1-AAA NiMH/2-AAA NiMH
This is to be expected. The 4Sevens website states that the Preon 2 more than doubles the lumen counts of the Preon 1(70 lumens to 160).
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1-AAA NiMH/1-10440 Li-Ion
Again, this is to be expected. We are comparing a 3.7v battery to a 1.5v battery.
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1-10440 Li-Ion/2-AAA NiMH
This is where I got excited. Not really surprised, but excited that a single cell could so obviously outperform the 2 AAA batteries.
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In Conclusion:
My completely unscientific comparisons found the Preon 1 with the single 10440 Li-Ion battery to be brighter than even the Preon 2 with two AAA NiMH batteries. How much brighter should be measured with a scientific instrument, but I would definitely believe that the Li-Ion Preon 1 is 40+ lumens(25%) brighter than the NiMH Preon 2. It is pretty cool to have access to so many lumens in such a small package.
The batteries used in this comparison were AAA Samsung Eneloops and ICR 10440 350mAh batteries.
The 10440 batteries can be purchased from Super T Manufacturing.
The Samsung Eneloops were purchased from Amazon.com.
Purchase the Preon 1 from Amazon.com for $35
This is not an endorsement for Li-Ion in the Preon and this is not recommended for an EDC setup. The Preon head heats up very quickly and could cause damage to the circuits. Your light will no longer be under warranty.
Gimme Some Lumens – Nitecore Explorer Series
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:39 — 32.8MB)
Rob Robideau with Marshall Hoots discusses the new Nitecore Explorer Series.
Perimeter Security
Whe you have limited personnel to guard a given area, there are some tools that can act as extra eyes or ears for perimeter security.
Some may think that security systems are out of their price range, but there are simple tools that can aid in your personal security without breaking the bank.
The Skylink Long Range Motion Alert Kit lets you place motion detectors up to 800 feet from a base unit. Each of the individual motion detectors can detect motion up to 40 feet away. This system allows you to use up to 16 sensors that can be divded into 4 alert zones.
There are only 4 alert/indicator LEDs. The 4 sensors for each zone should be in relatively close proximity to each other so a zone’s LED indicator can allows you to identify a breach in a specific portion of your perimeter.
The base station and 1 sensor is going for just under $33 at Amazon.com
Each additional sensor costs $21.44
Warning: Be aware that range varies and manufacturers specify “up to X”. This means that you should not count on getting the full 800 feet of range. Give yourself a nice 20-30% buffer zone and you should be safe.
Hardcore Bargaining Tactics
I grew up bargaining at yard sales, but fell out of practice over the years. When we moved to Nepal, I had to brush up on my skills or go broke. Everything is bargained for here in Nepal. Most shops have no posted prices. You have to ask and bargain. It is expected. Every trip in a taxi starts with bargaining(“moltol”).
Here are a few tips for bargaining:
- Always have small bills or exact change. Nothing throws off a deal or sours a seller more than finishing a hard fought bargaining session by pulling out a large-denomination bill and asking for change. Sure, the price has already been set, but don’t expect to get another, similar deal from the seller and some sellers may go back on their deal after seeing the extra cash.
- Split your cash into bundles. As a final bargaining tactic, you can pull out an exact amount of cash(slightly lower than their most recent offer) and show them the money. A true statement like, “I have XXXXX rupees to spend on this.” may bring them down that last little bit to your desired price. This definitely doesn’t work if you pull out a huge wad of cash(more than the currently agreed upon price).
- One of the easiest ways to do this properly is by sorting your money into different pockets beforehand. You should have an idea of what you want to pay. Cut that number by 10%-20% and place that amount in one bundle in a certain pocket. In other pockets place combinations of bills that will bring you to different price points around the original number. Maybe 50 rupees in one pocket, 100 rupees in another pocket and 75 rupees in another. The amounts depend on the value of the item you are bargaining for. Don’t forget which pocket is which. At the right time, pull out the contents of 2 pockets: the large bundle with 80%-90% of the sale price and the appropriate smaller bundle that brings the amount up to your offer price.
- Be willing to walk away. Be willing to miss out on the deal. Remember there are other sellers. Also, you can always come back.
- Be willing to come back. Don’t let your pride get in the way. If you just walked away from a deal, then went to other shopkeepers and found much higher prices, simply go back to the original shopkeeper and tell him that you found out that he had a good price.
- Keep others away. Unless it is a coordinated effort planned in advance, bargaining should be done alone. One person should have both the cash and the authority to spend it. Glancing at your “bargaining partner” for guidance tells the seller that you are unsure or don’t have the authority. Sellers pick up on this quickly, especially if one person looks ready to pay and the other wants to keep looking for a lower price. Before bargaining for a taxi, I generally have my wife stand about 20 feet away while I go talk to the drivers. Yesterday, I had to talk to/bargain with three drivers before I found a taxi driver who gave us an acceptable price. I didn’t actually end up bargaining, but by trying 3 drivers, I paid 45% of the price offered by the first taxi driver. This way, my wife doesn’t have to keep walking away with me if the price is not good enough.
- Don’t get excited. When you find something you like, don’t show excitement or express too much joy. This simply tells the seller that you have a vested interest in this product and he has more hooks into you. When my wife calls me over to show me a piece of clothing she found that she wants to buy, the shopkeeper is watching. I generally looks at it disapprovingly, bob my head sideways as if determining if it’s worth purchasing, then put it back. When we move on, the shopkeeper loses some interest and we discuss the merits of the item. If we want to purchase it, we come back later and pick it up. This way the seller feels that he has to sell us. It gives us the advantage.
- Know when not to bargain. If somebody offers you a good price, don’t nickel and dime them. Sometimes paying a little more now will save you money in the long run. You may think that you can get a crate of eggs for 5 rupees less by bargaining, but by paying those extra 5 rupees, you may be developing a relationship that will allow you to get a very good price every time without bargaining. The problem with bargaining is that there are no guarantees. You may get a good price today and a terrible one tomorrow. You never know. Always be on the lookout for ways to establish a long-term relationship so you can get a good deal every time.
What tactics have you used successfully?
Dead Man’s Switch
We have all seen the movies where someone puts himself in an impossibly exposed and dangerous situation, but his opponents are not able to shoot or kill him because he has a dead man’s switch for an explosive device. If he lets go of the switch, the bomb will go off.
Another variation is that some sort of compromising information will be sent to the authorities if he does not check in within a set ammount of time.
A dead man’s switch is essentially a protective measure that is typically used as insurance to make sure you remain alive, but there are other uses for such a setup.
Not all of us deal on a daily basis with people who intend to kill us, but in the event of an unforseen kidnapping a system that requires regular check-ins could release helpful information for searchers including last known location, daily schedule, or access to a tracking service.
I found a free service called DeadmanSMS that will send an email and/or SMS with a pre-specified message and recipient when a countdown hits zero. You are given a url where you can go to add days, hours, or minutes to the clock. Combined with a service like ITTT(if this, then that), the email can trigger a variety of actions or you can combine it with a gmail filter to send a different email from your own account. You could also combine it with a service like Dropbox to share critical files.
Anyone can use a dead man’s switch in a manner similar to a will. Share a master password, a personal journal, or your final wishes in the event of an unforseen emergency.
What would you use a dead man’s switch for?
Gimme Some Lumens – UV and IR Lights, Flashlights in Competition, and Keychain and Small Lights
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:30 — 23.5MB)
Rob Robideau and Marshall Hoots discuss Flashlights in Competition and other related stuff.
Motivation and Variety When Working Out Alone
I recently visited a local gym and went to a free introductory cardio kickboxing class. I was really surprised at what a great workout I got in the class, but I’m not ready to dedicate the travel time, money, and gas that goes along with a membership there.
I looked at the class and said, “What can I do to emulate this at home?” None of the exercises we did during the class used any special equipment or more space than I have available to me at home. I already knew all of the exercises. Why wasn’t I already doing this on my own?
My problem was the monotony of working out. I got bored with the plan that I had set up for myself, so I began skipping workouts. I recognized the problem and introduced some variations, but then there was the added effort of planning each workout. It just became an annoyance and I fell back to the basics of pull-ups, push-ups, squats, and sit-ups. These are good exercises, but not really enough for where I want to be.
The class made it simple for me. I didn’t have to worry about which exercise I would do next. The leader told me. This was actually a bit disturbing to me. I don’t want to rely on others to think for me or motivate me. I pride myself on being self-motivated and choosing my own path. This spurred me to get my act together!
I made a list of the exercises that I wanted to incorporate into my exercise routine and put each exercise on a 3×5 card. I separated these cards according to the muscle groups that they worked out so that I can rotate through exercises for those muscle groups. It’s different for each workout and I don’t have to plan each individual workout. I just have to see what exercise is at the top of the stack for that day.
Variety is the spice of workouts and the stack of 3×5 cards lets you do it with minimal planning.
How do you vary and plan your workouts?
Free Online Medical Training Videos
Almost everyone knows the value and importance of medical training, but very few take the time to sit through a class and actually get the training. Sometimes it’s because your schedule never lines up with locally offered classes. Sometimes it is because finances preclude you from taking classes(although there are often free classes available).
In today’s internet age, I decided to see what kind of medical training you can find online. Books are great and everyone should have a section of their library dedicated to medical skills, but shouldn’t we be able to find something more visual in our multimedia centered Web 2.0(or is it 3.0?)?
It can actually be quite difficult to find said videos. This is very surprising in an era where you can often find hundreds of detailed educational videos dedicated to such esoteric subjects as underwater basket weaving. Why aren’t there more people making this information avialable?
Liability issues weigh heavily on many educators in the medical training arena, so most teachers want to be able to watch the student and make sure that they are comprehending and properly executing the skills. A teacher doesn’t want you to make a mistake and seriously injure or kill someone, then tell everyone that you learned the technique from Dr. XXXXXX on their YouTube channel.
There is no complete replacement for hands-on training, but online videos can definitely fill in some knowledge gaps and are often better than just reading about lifesaving procedures.
Here are a few sets of videos that I have found on YouTube:
Emergency First Aid - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9D21EEC2E3052414&feature=plcp
Basic First Aid Tips - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCBC01282068B16E8&feature=plcp
Medical Emergencies and First Aid - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD2DD288E9C8B1DE1&feature=plcp
Emergency Medical Care - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC62A682EF09DC044&feature=plcp
First Aid - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL393E7F4DF76FF733&feature=plcp
What else have you all seen?
Increase Your Online Security With Lastpass
Are you still keeping track of your passwords using the built-in browser tools? If so, you are unnecessarily exposing yourself. Your passwords can be easily accessed by someone with very little know-how(like myself).
I would like to recommend the password tracking service, Lastpass. I have been using their service for more than three years now and I have no complaints whatsoever.
Lastpass allows you to create numerous high-quality, secure passwords for different websites and access them with a single master password. Lastpass is like a part of my brain now. I can have great, secure passwords and I don’t have remember each of them. Just the master password.
My lastpass “vault” of log-ins and passwords has grown over the years to the thousands and each of them can be autofilled whenever I access a website for which the database holds login information. It can also remember multiple logins for certain sites with which you may have multiple accounts.
All of this is available for free, but there are some perks that come with a paid upgrade. The paid upgrade allows you to use mobile apps that will perform the same functions as the browser plugins. If you browse the web on a smartphone or tablet, this service is a Godsend. The paid upgrade also allows me to share access to a website with someone without actually giving them the password. That person has to have a Lastpass account and the browser plugin, but Lastpass will autofill your login information and they never actually see it. This is great for emergency situations where you don’t want to have to change all your passwords after you share them. It also works great for Virtual Assistants. When the task or emergency is over, you can rescind your shared login permissions.
Lastpass is a simple, secure, convenient tool that make it inexcusable to continue using the same password across the web just so you can remember it in your head. Make a simple upgrade and vastly improve your operational security with Lastpass.
What do you use for a password manager?
P.S. If you do click on the link and sign up for Lastpass, you and I both will get a free month of premium Lastpass service, so get to it!
