Can I drill a hole in a stuck battery?

Definitely epoxy and a popsicle stick.

I think I would try making a loop at one end of some 12/14 gauge wire and solder it to the top of the battery, and then try to pull the battery out that way.

Biggest issue here is going to be that he’s only got access to the bottom of the battery because the light is a unibody design. I agree with the epoxy ideas. Maybe freezer and epoxy. I’d see if you can drain the cell by connecting the negative end to the body of the light and leaving it on, just in case anything unfortunate happens.

If this ever happens with alkalines, though, feel free. It’s a bit messy but there’s no fire danger.

Yeah combination of freezer and epoxy sounds like the best idea. Good luck.

Will the battery shrink more than the tube in the freezer? Why?

Hummm super glue ads state that 9 drops will bond enough to lift a 5 ton car. So maybe give that a try?

Yeah but probably not bonding to metal.
Oh for bonus points, scratching the metal a bit with something (sandpaper, but idk if you can get to it easily?) should help with adhesion.

I have successfully removed stuck batteries by taping the light to the end of a broomstick perpendicularly to the the broomstick and slamming the stick against a table or something. The broomstick and light come to a stop but the battery keeps going.

Watch this from 1:45 for a couple of seconds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnZuMfq6kec
Be aware there is swearing so sound down if that’s an issue.

Yup — whatever you try, don’t drill a hole in the battery!

Freezing will shrink the alu tube and hold the battery even tighter, it will shrink 3x for every 2x of the steel battery.

Maybe carefully heat it then? I would assume it should expand 3x for every 2x also correct?

al gets hot lot faster than steel, so the AL tube will expand sooner than steel battery will. but i still would not do it, temp needed to expand the tube enough will heat the battery above safe temp.

put a bit of wd40 between the cell and tube walls, let it sit, then swing it hard, as you would mercury thermometer, it may get the cell out.

Maybe best of both worlds. Leaving it a night in the freezer. And then holding it in your hand.
In bare hands is perhaps a bit too much, in that case I would suggest a pre-heated oven mitten.
Assuming that the alu on the outside will get warm faster than (the cold core of) the battery.
Tapping from time to time. On a piece of wood, if the battery does not protrude from the body.

is it a protected cell with a pcb on the negative side? if so solder something to the negative end, and pull on it, even if it s not protected, solder anyway, it’ll destroy the cell, most likely but it’ll be out

i don’t think Zebralights use protected cells.

sadly the problem with that is by adding the WD you then create an airtight seal that`ll make a vacuum when trying to get the battery out, it`ll be nearly impossible.

I like the combo approach others have mentioned.
Freeze the thing overnight. Quick heat of the outside. Then smack it to break it loose.
If you can find something you can hit the light body without contacting the cell. Maybe the right size of plastic pipe?
Fits over body but not the head?
Short sharps taps might do it.
Some sort of thin penetrating oil. KA is right - Not WD-40, I suggest Deep Creep by Seafoam, Any auto parts store.

JB weld sticks like nothing else to metal. Ruff up the surface of a bolt face with some 80 or 100 grit. Battery end too.
Be sure the battery end is squeaky clean first.
Let it sit overnight. I put two bolt heads together like that. It held 120lbs.
Good luck
All the Best,
Jeff

Penetrating oil thinner the better - as last resort then the smacking around. There is some stuff called Kroil. It is even thinner and is less likely to form surface tension or vacuum.