FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

I’m glad people are already receiving some lights. I’m also glad to hear people haven’t had any serious issues. About the only thing mentioned so far is that the retaining ring was loose on some lights… and that’s really easy to fix.

TBH, it’d be nice if the retaining ring on mine had been loose, because then I’d be able to get the driver out. But on mine, the ring is so tight it won’t budge. So I may just leave the firmware on this one alone instead of updating it every year.

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Bite the bullet, get $50 worth. If you don’t have enough lights to “justify” it… You will, sooner than you think lol.

Get 4 of those, maybe 4 VT6 and 4 GA cells… that ought to cover needs for a few different class of light…

Enabler. :slight_smile:
Not bad advice though, if I didn’t have enough cells. I just don’t have any of the lower drain, higher capacity ones that are preferred for this light.

TK, if you have a Harbor Freight Tools near you, they have a cheap set of snap ring pliers that makes retaining ring removal a breeze. It has interchangeable tips, one set of which is straight, not bent.

Most retaining rings are pretty easy to remove. This one is a bit tricky because it’s so narrow. But I’ve been meaning to get some proper snap-ring pliers instead of using machinist calipers.

It might take a bit more than snap ring pliers, I had to use specially hand ground down needle nose pliers to get both of my FW3A driver retainer rings loose….the ring is thin and was very tight. The driver is a tight press fit also, it would not pull out by the spring, had to smack it on my wood bench to pop it out, snapped back in nicely with out popping back out, nice enough to run it with out the retainer ring with out issue. so far…

I don’t doubt they most likely fit and I believe mine will, but remember there is no such thing as 30Q button top. :wink: if there’s a button, it’s because someone modified the battery. Meaning the dimensions could vary.

Now that I have my aluminum FW3As, I find myself wanting one in polished titanium :heart_eyes:

If the retaining ring is more than finger tight it will break those sh!tty HF snap ring pliers. I’ve broken all 8 from 2 plier sets on one pill. Spend the money for a decent set, it’s cheaper in the long run.

Hello my dear friends!

i made a small review of the FW3A (3D tint)

Totally unrelated….your signature line - from one of my all time favorite movies. You cook good rabbit, pilgrim…

Watch your top-knot………

It would look nice with a copper head. :stuck_out_tongue:

You skin griz pilgrim?

You know what I would like?

A copper plated FW3A.

And guess which light is going to be my 2nd prototype for a copper plated light?
My FW3A. :blush: :blush: :blush:

I’ve actually manage to copper plate an aluminium light very recently, and everything worked out wonderfully! :money_mouth_face:

I wish I could show you a picture guys, but I’m planning to make a huge post in my thread about it, and keep it as a surprise.

Awesome. It probably looks really nice. :slight_smile:

I used to know a guy who did research on how to add a chrome layer to things. He figured out a method which works on virtually anything, and to prove it, he chromed a teddy bear. Like, fur and everything. It was one of the oddest things I’ve ever seen.

I wonder whatever happened to him.

Yeah. It was stupid hard to make a formulation that actually worked on aluminium, and using materials that could be commonly found.
It also was a test to my skills of chemistry and electrochemistry.

About that guy though, there are probably 2 ways to think what happened:

1. He got employed at an electroplating company, and got a very nice pay. :slight_smile:
2. He got hurt by hexavalent chromium poisoning. :frowning:

OK
will talk about this, also copper

Omg I’m gonna go broke, glad I have another 12 30Q’s coming from BG…

YAY!!! :heart_eyes: :heart_eyes: :heart_eyes: