A reverse clicky switch will be used. It could be mounted in the top to be in a convenient easy to use position. Or a side. I had planned to place it in the upper surface of the battery box I was originally thinking of using. I have decided to place the switch in the back plate, near the top. That way the light has a cleaner appearance from the front side and should still be easy to operate.
Two switches are pictured, both Omten 1288 types. Only 1 will be used but so far I am unsure of with bent tabs or not. Probably bent tabs…
I first drilled the 1/2” hole part way into the back from the inside. This is to fit the outer rim on the silicone switch boot. The inner hole was drilled with a 5/16” bit.
An additional block of wenge was used to make the switch body holder. That is a 15mm hole, drilled through the wenge.
That block will be glued as shown below. The switch with bent tabs will be pressed inside the 15mm hole. The ‘nub’ inside the silicone boot had to be shortened a bit to allow for proper switch operation, btw.
A groove was cut and chiseled out to provide passage for the switch wires. The lighter colored striped wood is bocote. That is a cover plate that will secure the switch in its mount.
Wires were soldered to the switch tabs. A small piece of redwood was cut to be a spacer block between the back of the switch and the bocote retainer strip.
Here’s a view of the rear of the body with the rear cover plate fitted.
That was one of the more complicated switch mounts I have devised for my scratch-made lights.
A back plate would usually be secured to the body with 2 or even 4 screws. I wanted to use as little visible hardware as possible. So the next step was to make a one screw system work.
After a bit of trial and error, I cut and sanded a small piece of hard maple. In conjunction with a small finger of wenge, this will make a catch for the upper end of the back plate.
With the maple strip and the finger of wenge both glued in place, the top end of the back plate is held in place as the back is inserted and slid upwards. There will be a single screw located near the lower end of the back.
Thanks for looking. That’s all for tonight.