GB: Copper C8 head for 25mm Khatod Quad optic, 24mm Carclo's

Hey y’all. The 24mm Cutter quad boards are coming out and I think the 25mm Khatod Quad optics need some love. I will make a variation of the head, if not just a spacer, for the 24mm Carclo optics also. These optics are for XP footprint emitters. XP-L HI will work with either optic, I believe. I will do testing of the various optics and emitter combinations and report my findings as the project progresses.

Here’s a Khatod 25mm quad optic next to a Carclo 24mm quad. The khatod is much taller and presumably offers some beneficial optical characteristics, like more throw.

This full copper head will be for the CONVOY C8 V2 and V3 and will have an integrated shelf and a stainless steel bezel. A UCL glass lens will be incorporated into the design to protect the optic from scratches and provide surface area for an O-ring without blocking any light from the optic. The driver pocket will be shallow and feature my “screwdriver” driver retaining method, with 2-56 sized socket head cap screws rather than 0-80.

I’d like to gather interest before investing time and money into this. I get requests for custom parts which can’t be made economically but with a group buy I can get these types of products out there for everyone. I’ll probably use this format more in the future to jumpstart these kinds of obscure offerings.

The price will be $44 shipped WITH a 25mm Khatod Quad optic, which is an $8 optic by itself, a UCL lens which is a $4.25 lens, a hex key, and a machined brass (positive driver contact) button.

For the purpose of illustration, here’s a CAD model without any real aesthetic influence added:

Let me know if you’d like in on this, and feel free to make a comment or suggestion. Thanks!

Update:
7/3/16: So I decided a while back to abandon the proposed copper head and instead offer a complete 26650 tube light to house the quad Khatod optic. Some CAD work has been done at this point and I’m working out the fitment of the components. I’ve got some ideas to deal with torsion forces on the optic, if they are a problem, as proposed in post #144.

Sounds great, I’m in

Now this sounds cool! Will keep an eye out here, any pics or still a vision?

Those are 100+ dollar parts that you are offering for 34, how do you do that? Great offer!

If you strip the ano off the battery tube and tail, the whole will look great.

Sounds awesome. I’m in.

I’m guessing square threads instead of the older triangular threaded version?

What a great idea at a great price! Can you please add more cooling fins and make them longer/deeper? An additional half inch in length with 3 more fins may also do wonders for a high current light, even if it means offering two versions.

Something like this C12, but with deeper/longer fins. Maybe keep the fins the same dia as the bezel and cut them deeper (wherever possible):

Shoot I have a slightly older Convoy C8 than the current version… If the Convoy currently being produced (V3) has the “modified square” thread profile (10° included angle) like the Thorfire C8S, the C8 platform will be abandoned and I’ll make the heads for the S2+. If the Convoy C8 V3 has a truncated triangular thread profile (60° thread with the tips cut off) then we’re all good.

I chose the C8 platform because I like the beefier body over the S2+, but it’s a shame the design has changed so many times.

It’ll look good no matter what.

Just in the planning stage right now. I’ll post up some CAD models in the not too distance future.

Bigger copper means it will cost more money and will be less pocketable, but I could offer a bigger one, sure. The current plan is to make the head from 1.375” copper bar, which will be slightly larger than the finned section on the stock C8. The fins will be a little deeper but fins don’t do anything on small flashlights, you know.

Edit: The metal distributor I normally use only has 1.25” bar and 1.5”, no 1.375” bar, so I will have to get quotes on metal from a different local distributor. The price may need to go up slightly, especially if I make it form 1.5” bar.

Wauw sounds great!

Why not make the tube and tailcap?
Tube from 3/4 pipe
tailcap from a smaller bar

I’m in for at least 1.

Is the head going to be shorter and slimmer since there’s no reflector?

It would take more work and would cost more money. Sure I could start selling somewhat expensive full copper S2+ style hosts if anyone’s interested. :wink:

If I make a full host I think I’d abandon existing “formats” since they are prone to changes and tolerances which are beyond my control. I’d use an acme thread profile.

Yes.

Who’s got a Convoy C8 V3? I have a V2 at the moment. Are they square threads or triangular with the tips cut off?

Yeah, I’m in for one whichever you decide on.

I can confirm that, unbeatable price for small quantities production.

Square, same as V2.

V2 that I have has TRUNCATED TRIANGULAR threads. They might look square but they aren’t. Gotta look real close.

Besides the Convoy C8 body, what else do we need to complete the flashlight?

  • Driver (any recommendations?)
  • 4 x Emitters (recommendations forthcoming per the OP)
  • Retaining ring? (not sure if one is needed with your socket head cap screw system)

Driver: I’d go with a FET driver of some sort for some WOW turbo action. Choose a battery to pull the right amount of amps to whatever LED’s you choose.
Emitters: Cutter quad stars are going to be available from a few retailers soon with various LED’s on them, I’d imagine.

No retaining ring necessary with the socket head cap screw system.

I see that the final design may be undecided as of yet, but I’m very interested as well. I’ve got an older Convoy, the one with the removable pill, but I could buy a new host if needed. I’ve also got a couple of Thorfire C8s hosts if those may work.

The other idea being discussed here seems to be a solid copper full host modeled after (or at least similar to) the Convoy S2. I’d be all over that, especially if the tailcap could be machined to accept the metal switch from a real S2.

So I guess what I’m saying is put me down for one each :slight_smile:

We can`t understand each other one more time. Simply:

  1. Standart thread making operation calls lathering (not milling)
  2. Most hosts have metric thread pitch.
  3. Metric thread have a standart shape with 60-degrees top (and same cutter shape)
  4. TRUNCATED TRIANGULAR threads is standart 60-degrees threads with cutted tops.
    A year ago I have sold few C8 V2 pills and I named them “with trapezoidal threads”. Why so? It is too hard to make such threads with standart 60-degreed thread-cutter on lathe, so it is nessecary to make/use special cutter with trapezoidal shape.