So as a machinist of 15 years and a flashaholic, youde think I would have made my own flashlight by now. However electronics are not my strong point, and while there is a ton of knowledge and help here I just dont feel up to trying to match drivers and emitters, centering reflectors and thermal path requirments. So Ive decided to build a P60 host for my first try. I have an infared dropin I bought to play with a few years ago so Im using it for my dimensions and specs. Started with a big piece of 6061 barstock and started turning at work today. Its big and chunky, heavily finned and still has some tapers to cut and slots to mill down the length. Im using a tailswitch from a streamlight polytac since it threads. Im trying to host pictures on Imgur so ya’ll can see where Im at with it so far. Still dont know what Im going to do for a dropin yet, looking at some from Nailbender since they are “budget” but have great reviews and everyone loves them. Hoping to get a few over time, some nice throwers, some lumen monster triples, or some color emitters. I really want a vihn dropin eventually hehehe. but here we go with trying to post pictures. Ya’ll bear with me here, im not a electronics kinda guy.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
I’m not seeing your pictures.
Make sure to host them on a site like Imgur, then copy-paste the “direct link” into the picture tool at the top of the text window for your post.
Yeah thats what Im trying to do but its giving me little white boxes…
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
When I do it, the “direct link” option works, which is I think the second from the top on Imgur.
Here is the one from tinypic (the link you provided was not a direct link to picture that's why it's not working) but i can't work the imgur ones (part of adress is missing or something like that as all i get is a 404 error)
To insert this picture in your own post use the direct picture link as the source = http://oi64.tinypic.com/15q65np.jpg
Imgur is so confusing, it’s what I use and man do I hate it! The most for sure way I’ve found is, once you upload your images don’t simply copy the link it says to use, instead open the photo you want to post in a new window then copy the URL from the new windows address bar and insert that link.
When imgur gives you a link it’s mainly intended to launch their app and/or take you to a photo album on their site, not hotlink on another site, so it’s not truly a direct link to your photo.
RIP SPC Joey Riley, KIA 11/24/14. Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
Cool
I like watching other people machine up lights 
Alrighty thank you C_K, I’ll try and get the rest posted up here soon. I love spinning aluminum on the lathe, It freaks out some of the junior folks who are not as comfortable with manual machines. I crank it up to about 1200-2000 RPM and let the chips fly, especially with a .250 DOC and a .12 IPM feed. Now I just gotta decide on a P60 module or get one made.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Going to taper it down from the bezel to the body and then back out towards the tail, similar to the FW3A I reckon? And taper the tailcap down a good bit. Its still a chunky gal
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Ya’ll please forgive my clumsy postings. Im much more comfortable working with metal and machines than this stuff.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
I didn’t realise there was such a thing as a clumsy post but I’d say you must definitely feel comfortable with machining if you turn at those speeds. Any chance of a bit of video?
Yeah I’ll throw a chunk from the scrap bin in when I get a chance! Titanium is my favorite to turn, especially when using a toolpost grinder for high surface finish requirements. Mostly turning monel most of my life but now working in an aircraft facility so everything is aluminum, magnesium, and titanium with the exception of the turbine hot sides we have to drill and tap sometimes.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Looks really good! Great work using the P60 to keep intricate machining down for your first light!
For your next projects, I’ve got some really REALLY high quality reflectors I’d give you. I convert a lot of high-end lights into TIR optic lights and pull their reflectors. Nitecore, Fenix and other top-tier brands who really know how to make a great performing reflector. Up till now I just set them aside in a drawer cause I don’t have the tools or skills to turn lights from raw materials but if you or any of our other BLF machinists want them for projects I’d much rather give them to ya guys than see them sit in a drawer never to be used… PM me and I’ll send them out (this goes for anyone who’s capable of putting them to use)!
IPM = inches per minute but what’s DOC? Degrees off center is the first thing that pops into my head…
-clearly not a machinist
RIP SPC Joey Riley, KIA 11/24/14. Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
Girl in the shop today was scared/confused when I went to bore a 22mm by about 6” depth and I grabbed a 1/2 carbide boring bar and started wrapping the butt end with bicycle innertube and rubber bands. Spun it at 850 RPM and set the feed ripping. Mirror finish.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
I’m gonna try remember that trick. Could’ve used it the other day.
CK, DOC is depth of cut, which means I am taking a total of .500 off the overall diameter, using grade 5 ceramics lets you do some crazy cuts. And yes one day I would like to machine a light using a reflector/TIR setup, but the whole getting the reflector lined up with the emitter and everything seems like something I will have to practice a few times. I have copper set aside for pills and some other exotic materials Ive hoarded. If I can ever forge a succesfull bar of mokume……….
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Me too.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
You know, what really inspired me to finally make one was watching ya’lls entrys in the O-L buildoff. Ive got to get some practice in over the next year!
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Great to hear you intend on entering the O-L comp
Providing you’re able to solder a few wires I don’t think you’ll have any troubles. Just ask the forum about which driver/led etc.. if you’re unsure. Helping is one of this forums strongest attributes 
Did the taper turning today between centers, next up is the slotting and some crenulations on the head and tail once the bridgeport opens up from actual jobs.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Wow that’s looking nice! Great job sir.
RIP SPC Joey Riley, KIA 11/24/14. Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
Nice looking flashlight.
Interested in how this turns out.
Thanks for sharing.
V11R and V10R Current Mod
So JYBW1A group buy? Lumintop you listening?
RIP SPC Joey Riley, KIA 11/24/14. Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
Hum…that would be a long project to come out
Sofirn would make it faster
BTW, nice project!
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Nice shape
I feel like I need to save my pennies for a really amazing P60 to go in this now
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
Im really hoping these deep thick fins and the mass of aluminum will really heat sink well, I’ll copper wrap whatever dropin goes in it and maybe some thermal paste? Ya’ll think a stock Streamlight Polytac tailswitch will be able to handle the amps of a real quality dropin? The original light ran on 2 CR123’s and I tried to mod it for an 18650 but there wasnt enough wall thickness in the sleeve to bore it further. I also recently bored my ASP Triad CR for work to accept 18650 and replaced the silly foam grip with knurled aluminum.
Lurking flashaholic, Ive bought all my flashlights through lurking here, BLF A6, Sofirn C8F, Soforn Q8, Emisar D4, and a few not so budget lights but I mod them all the same! Been waiting for the FW3A to come out for years now.......
So you’ve already done 1-2 modifications on lights, nice
Sorry I don’t know much about streamlight so can’t help with your switch question.
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