Review: Ti2 - SentinelX

This beauty came to me as a Kickstarter (my initial pledge rewards got lost in the mail)just recently, and I've been thriiled to put it to some initial use.

From the makers of the Ti2-PB9 parabiner pulley and the Ti2 Sentinel S4S cache comes the the Sentinel X Cache. You may recall I wrote a wish-lust piece on it, a while ago, and am very pleased to finally have them in my hand.

Unlike the pocket sized Ti2 S4S cache, this is a large format, hard anodized aluminum cache.  It's internal dimensions are 51mm diameter x 153mm length (2" and 6"). Their  external dimensions 63mm x 204mm (2.5" and 8"). So around the size of a can of Coke around, and about the length of one, in the middle section. Empty, it weighs 400 g as it is made from aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminium which has been strength optimized using "CAD parasolid modeling" giving it its unique ribbed / skeletonized design.

The tube is threaded at either end so you can access contents from either end, change out the end cap options, clean and empty it. The threads have a modified stub acme shape which is to say a trapezoidal cut, with twin Higbee blunt starts, so you don't get any cross-threading and better chances of a first-time screw.

Twin o-rings (white teflon rings shown here, orange food-grade silicone rings seen on the main project page) give redundancy and water-tightness. Both types of o-rings  are food grade  and able to withstand temperatures required to boil water. The teflon doesn't need greasing, which is an advantage in my books.

I really liked that the bottom cap has vent holes giving it a built in trivet  for boiling water or cooking in. I did a rough boil test, using an enamel camping mug, and the SentinelX was just a little quicker to boil. It also retained a lot of residual heat, with its thick walls, but its also worth noting that the entire container heated up. Even only lightly screwed on, the lid conducted enough heat to be barely touchable by the time the water boiled. I needed to use a wooden spoon to carry it off the flames.

The container holds 325 mL (11 fl oz), which is in keeping with its "less than a can f Coke dimensions, but to give you an idea of how much stuff you can store in it, I took this photo, of a fist-full of pens and pencils (23, but some mis-matched sizes).

I got one of each of the Type 3 Class 1 anodized coating. One in "regular" and one in the slicker looking "satin" finish.  This hard anodizing is typically used for military applications, but also on pots and frying pans offering excellent flame resistance. It's food grade finish was what I was most looking for, as  I wanted to be able to store and carry foodstuffs in it safely.

They also offer  Type 3, Class 2 anodized, NON food grade and available in black, olive drab and brown satin finish only.  Both Class 1 and Class 2 exhibit the same durability properties, so I wasn't trading off durability for food safety. Well worth it in my mind.

I haven't yet worked out what I will store in mine, long term, but I have carried it around in my Propper MultiPurpose Bag for some time now, with snacks and edibles.

I wanted to try making a up of tea with the hot water I had boiled, and found that it made a very passable brew, though the conducted heat I talked about earlier made it difficult to enjoy the drink, without wrapping in a towel first.

Those top lanyard holes make an excellent lanyard loop, for securing the cache, perhaps in a out-of-sight location, or perhaps as a hook point for when it is too hot to hold.

I am really pleased to have these in my collection, although as  I mentioned earlier, I still haven't decided what to fill mine with. I have been considering what item's from my Bug-Out-Jars would fit nicely, a line of thought that one of the beta-testers of the SentinelX shared.

As well as in my new bag, it's worth noting that the SentinelX also fits nicely into my Platatac FUP and would most likely fit into most double-mag pouches, like the Platatac 60Rnd or similar pouches.

This is a really cool product, and I certainly appreciate the modular and rugged performance that it offers. I'm looking forwards to keeping these on hand, filled with my needfuls.

Sneak Peek: Ti2 - Sentinel X containers

Just arrived in the mail, following shipping misadventures... I'm really excited about these ... Stay tuned!

Review: Ti2 Sentinel S4S cache

Following on from my brief review of the Ti2 SentinelX macro-cache  the maker, Mike Bond was kind enough to send me an example of his previous project, the Titanium Ti2 Sentinel "S" series.

This cache (seen here on a ring along side my other keychain toys the Jil Lite Constel LED microlight and my Cybernetic Research Labs Tactical Whistle.) is made from grade 2 titanium, purported to as strong as steel at half the weight, I must say, I am enjoying the booming Ti gadget boom that we are in.


This piece measures 0.5" x 2.75" externally, and has internal dimensions of 0.37" x 1"
The best part of the design is that it will open from both ends, a philosophy that Mike has passed on to his Sentinel X project as well. This means you can access the contents of your cache from either end, or clear a blockage.

As well as the water tight o-ring seal design. The threading is a custom square design, resistant to cross-threading, less susceptible to damage from dropping and turns eight turns to open into three turns, through its efficient mechanism.

There are fluted, ergonomic grip areas on both the end and tail caps, and the end cap has a large ring slot which can host a wide range of rings, clips, and lanyards.

The titanium has been stonewashed, it is corrosion resistant, sleek and satin finished, these are some very well machined caches. You should check the range here...

I found that the S4S was very small, too short for a needle and thread but perhaps it would work well as a pill fob, a stash for contact info. The longer and wider models would easily accommodate a lot more, but for me, I have filled mine with a very fine product from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's, for when I need to mask my natural scents ...

Kickstarter projects on the go

 I have several Kickstarter projects on the go that I thought had some relavence to the blog, and Equipedness ....

The first two, I have pulled great slabs of text from their projects, as well as pictures. I think both are very interesting, and useful.



http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikebond/ti2-sentinel-x-aluminum-cache
18 days to go

" Sentinel X -- “form follows function” philosophy with key features: 

Water Tight -- The “X” is tested water tight and features Twin o-rings for redundancy.  The o-rings are made from food grade silicone and able to withstand temperatures required to boil water.
Strength -- The “X” is strength optimized using CAD parasolid modeling resulting in a unique ribbed/skeletonized design.  We are using aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminum in its construction.
Lightweight -- At just 400 grams the “X” offers a minimal weight footprint.  An excellent way to safe hold 18+ cubic inches (11 fluid ounces) of critical gear.
Internal dimensions  2" diameter and 6" length (51mm x 153mm)
External dimensions 2.5" diameter and 8" length (63mm x 204mm)

Finishes -- The Sentinel X is offered in 2 versions of Type 3, hard anodized coating.  The Sentinel X1 is Type 3 Class 1 hard anodized and is food grade.  Due to the anodizing process it comes in a greyish-bronze color and your choice of regular or satin finish (check out comparison photo below).  This anodizing process is typically used for military applications where durability is critical.  Also, this coating is common on aluminum cookware such as pots and frying pans offering excellent flame resistance.  The Sentinel X2 is Type 3, Class 2, NON food grade and available in Black, Olive Drab and Brown satin finish only.  Both the X1 and X2 exhibit the same durability properties."

Secure carry of delicate items? cooking container? survival cache? yes please! I am already pondering what I can fill mine with.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/publiclab/infragram-the-infrared-photography-project
18 days to go

Infragram is a simple, affordable near-infrared camera

"Produced by the Public Laboratory community in a series of collaborative experiments over the last few years. We originally developed this technology to monitor wetlands damages in the wake of the BP oil spill, but its simplicity of use and easy-to-modify open-source hardware & software makes it a useful tool for home gardeners, hikers, makers, farmers, amateur scientists, teachers, artists, and anyone curious about the secret lives of plants.

Photosynthesizing plants absorb most visible light (less green than red and blue, which is why they're green to our eyes!) but reflect near-infrared. When you take a picture with the Infragram, you get two separate images -- infrared and regular light -- and a false-color composite that shows you where there are big differences. Bright spots in the composite means lots of photosynthesis!

DIY Filter Pack: This is just a piece of "infrablue" filter which you can use to turn your webcam or cheap point-and-shoot into an infrared camera. The filter allows you to take an infrared photo in the "red" channel of your camera, and a visible image in the "blue" channel. You'll also receive a white balance card and instructions on how install your filter -- it's pretty easy!
Infragram Webcam: This inexpensive but flexible reward is perfect for plugging directly into your laptop or integrating into other projects. It's also ideal for your Raspberry Pi, if you want to take it outdoors, do timelapse photography, or write scripts to control your camera. It ships as a bare circuit board with a USB cable - like an Arduino.
Infragram Point & Shoot: Just want a camera? This is a straightforward, if basic, point-and-shoot: you can simply take photos as you normally would, then upload them to our free and open-source web app to quickly and easily get a variety of composite images and analyses. To accomplish this, we're simply modifying existing cameras which we'll buy in bulk, using the "infrablue" filter. This isn't an SLR or even a particularly fully featured camera -- it likely won't have an LCD screen and may be "rebranded" with a Public Lab sticker -- but it's the new filter we've put inside which counts.
The final configuration will depend on the # of backers, but it will likely use AAA batteries and a micro SD card. We're promising a minimum of 2 megapixel resolution, but should be able to do much better, especially if we get a lot of backers. Basically, the more money we raise, the better these cameras will get! "

What a cool idea, process animal tracks and runs through undergrowth, check crop health, locate camouflage .... I already have a balloon system ready to hoist it, but would work on a kite, or a quad-rotor drone too .... Pixels from above!

Lastly....


Cole Bar Hammer

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/363439631/the-cole-bar-hammer
7 days to go

I already covered this as a wish-lust item, but the guys behind it have been constantly improving it, and are very close to adding a metric ruler to the design.


Look it up, and back them, it will be worth it!