Modding a TK35 Clone - The one goes to the source - Finished, with Beam Shots.

Sorry, I just watched the Matrix trilogy again, so I'm hung up on the one, in my mind. for a while.

I have a TK35 clone and decided to make it look and work different. You know I can't leave anything alone. I am turning it into a polished, 4NiMH, U2, 7135 clone.

th1

Some of the light is polished and some is brushed. Looks a little different from the stock one.

tk2

Here's where the one goes to the source. I have never touched one of these lights, so I went to DrJ for some information and some help. I wanted to keep the light with batteries in series, but I also wanted to put in one of the 8x7135 linear drivers, to power it. I went to DrJones, since he is the source of the parallel mod and his driver program, allowing the two switches to be used, with the 7135 driver. In the photo, I have removed all of the original components and also in the photo below. They now serve only as contact points for the 7135 driver that will go in.

tk3

tk4

I also decided I might as well put some copper in it somewhere. It's just not a light without copper... I replaced the brass rods that serve as electrical links from the tail cap, to the board in the driver area.

tk5

I also changed the contact ring above to copper and made a copper outer cover over the upper contact plate that goes to the LED.

tk6

tk7

I am using Four 2/3A NiMH batteries, but they are too short in the compartment, so I have made spacers out of copper, to fill the gap.

tk8

The last photo is the where the wires will go, to the 7135 driver.

That's all for now. I am awaiting a driver to come in, from DrJ, so I can wire this puppy up and see if it goes or blows (up that is).

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Well, the driver came in today. It came all the way from DrJ (thank you DrJ). I installed it and put the light together. It works great and I like the beam. I really don't have more build photos. I was too busy whipping it into shape and finishing it.

d1

d2

d3

Low is 5%, medium is 40% and high is 100% (of course). It has DrJ's program in it, so it has the ramping, which I really like!

Here's beam shots.

b1

ISO 200, F:2.7, Daylight WB, Shutter is 1 second.

b2

ISO 200, F:2.7, Daylight WB, Shutter is 1 second.

b3

ISO 200, F:2.7, Daylight WB, Shutter is 2 seconds.

It's a thrower and a nice one at that. Is has a large hot spot, but it's bright and I really like the beam, which is something coming from me, since I never like the beam from a smooth reflector.

That's all. It will be up for sale shortly.

Looks good!!!

Cool Stuff Old Lumens!

Don’t you dare leave anything alone! :wink: Although, I do hear that due to some flashlight modder there is a shortage of copper in Tyler!!! :open_mouth:

Nice Work…As Usual! Dan.

Nice work messing with my head again Old-lumens. I dont know if DrJ can help me now as you have put me to close to the edge. Electronics?.. Again I'm looking forward to the finished product.

That's pretty. I really like the polished/satin motiff you have going there. Nice work.

The satin is just #0000 steel wool and rubbed in only one direction. Fairly easy to do. I like the looks of it too, just because it’s different.

Wow that looks VERY good. I am liking it. It definitely has me thinking about ordering a clone to polish/brush up! Nice work so far!

Build is finished. Beam shots in the first post.

Wow! That beam does look nice! Seems to be a thrower that still has wide bright spill. (I don't have any XM-L throwers yet [well, unless you count my HD2010 which is dead for now], so I'm not sure how bright the spill usually is with an XM-L thrower). Isn't this reflector the same size as a typical C8?

-Garry

Envious over your modding skills….

Very impressive! :heart_eyes:

Great job, Justin! How did I miss this thread until now? I happen to have one of these clones coming in the mail right now (UF-F10) and may be getting one of DrJones' drivers.

I like that driver program he did. He did the normal modes as 5,40,100 and I really like the ramp up or ramp down. It’s very handy. I wish I could program. I would do a bunch of those drivers with that program.

I also like the two buttons, one for modes and one for on/off. I just wish they were on the side. I just cannot tolerate the buttons on the back of the light. It is totally awkward and uncomfortable for my hands.

thanks OL.