While standing at the belt sander, I kept thinking, “I wish I was friends with a machinist.”
gchart, I removed most of the metal using a belt sander with a 40-grit belt, and it’s slow going. I moved the bezel side-to-side across the belt, and regularly rotated it to prevent uneven wear.
I love this quote by ‘old4570’ I found in this thread while reading about grinding/filing/sanding stainless bezels:
I surprised myself by managing to keep all three Q8 bezels very flat and even. I left them installed while working so the light could act as a handle and heatsink.
What lights are you thinking of altering? Perhaps you could start with an easily-replaceable (and available) bezel in case it doesn’t work out.
I’ve done this sort of thing too many times with a belt sander and a file. I still do some things that way, believe it or not.
I personally would rather add crenelations than remove them, as I head stand all my lights and like being able to see if I’ve left one on in moon mode or something.
I haven’t really posted a mod in this thread in a while. Simple mod, but I swapped the LED in my ThorFire TK05. The stock “neutral white” XP-G3 was as blue as could be. I bought some Samsung LH351D 5000K from DigiKey and reflowed one onto a filed-down copper dtp board. Took some pics while I was in there, then put it back together.
Nice, truly neutral light now. And a lot more lumens. By my estimate, 50% more while in turbo and 33% more medium. Just as long of a runtime, too. More pics and details in this thread, but I’ll share a few here.
click for larger images
Beamshots [before], left to right: ThorFire TK05 (XP-G3), Klarus Mi7 (XP-L HI), Convoy M1 (XP-L 5000K)
Beamshots [after], left to right: ThorFire TK05 (LH351D 5000K), Klarus Mi7 (XP-L HI), Convoy M1 (XP-L 5000K). I apologize for the white balance difference between this and the last shot. But in comparing the three LEDs, you get the idea.
Runtimes. Disclaimer: the TK05 was tested with a Wuben-wrapped 600mah 14500. The Mi7 was using an Sanyo 800mah 14500. I need to retest with like cells.
Swapped the driver in my s41s to the x5/x6 driver, and swapped in a lighted switch. Both from BG.
Would like a better lighted switch than a single LED, but it works.
Loving this driver
Gotcha. I don’t like the beam pattern of the s42 optics with xp-l hi and maybe this is the solution. I think using the stock mcpcb as a spacer might work. Have to sand it down to expose the copper obviously.
After several hours my first real Mini C8 mod is finished. :)
The JAXMAN M8 (formerly known as Mini C8) is one of my absolute favourite light still today.
A long time ago I got some of these cheap LED bulbs at the german Aldi Süd (12 V GU5.3 with 38 ° beam angle).
This mod features this large coin spacer with 62 grams weight. :)
Some days ago I noticed that the lens of it fits perfectly in the M8 head and I got the idea of a Nichia triple for floody high CRI light.
It looks small even in comparison with a Thrunite TiS / Ti3:
The beam pattern is beautiful, with flood everywhere.
The saturation is incredibly high, even higher than of the Lumileds Luxeon MZ 5700 K 90CRI I tested recently. In direct comparison the tint of the used Nichia 219BT-V1 R9050 sw57 is a bit rosy and more on the blue side, but not too much. The XP-G3 shown here is definitly warmer than the stated 5700 K (and a lot greener!) despite it was ordered at Mouser:
The M8 is powered by a good old 105c, with custom firmware (3 modes + 1 moonlight), with 2,800 mAmps current. I didn't want a dragster, but a useful and durable light for everyday use and I have the option for increase the current sometime. But I'm satisfied with that, and on highest mode (no stepdown) the battery lasts for more than one hour.
Can anyone help me out, I have one of the astrolux/Blf 17mm “Lighted’ tail switches. today I decided to change the colour of the LEDs. so i desoldered the current two and replaced them with some smaller 0805s, but, only one will light up? i have changed the polarity of the other one and even changed the LED a few times but still no light to the second LED. do i need to change the resistor values or something?