Hello everyone,
Cool weather has gotten down to us, finally. I can deal with the 80's and the nights are getting nice and cool. I hope it stays that way and I have celebrated by starting on the first of the 1D mods for this year.
Something looks a little odd here, that looks like a tiger eye Cabochon, Huh...
I had the plans, a while back, for making some different tail cap switches this year. I even discussed it with Chicago X and TJ, I believe, but finally, I am getting to see what can be done with these ideas. I did a couple last year, but never did any refinements.
Here's the sub assemblies, waiting to be put together and I will go through them a little, in case others might want to try it. The tail cap was drilled out with a 3/8" drill and then I used the rotary tool with the #115 bit, to open it up for the cabochon to fit.
I also drilled two holes through the tail cap, where the "O" ring is, to pin the plastic insert in place. Future ones will be done with Allen set screws, so the switch assembly can be removed, but this prototype is pinned.
The switch assembly started out as a solid piece of 1" plastic rod. I used the rotary tool to wallow it out, so the Judco switch would fit in. It's set in so that the top switch button is more or less centered and is just a little high from flush with the plastic. I had to bend the terminals down to clear and I have the wires soldered on.
Here's a better shot from the side. One wire goes to the spring and the other will go to the side of the tail cap. That way the spring is isolated through the switch.
The spring is out of a "C" maglite and I soldered a 7/8" dia. copper round to it. Then I drilled through the center and through the plastic below it and used a plastic bolt through the center. I just took a hot knife and melted the bolt at the other end (under the switch housing), to hold it in. I have to buy some "C" mag springs for the rest of the season.
The button consists of a 7/8" copper round and two 5/8" brass rounds soldered together. Then I file it down till I get the stack height I want. The cabochon will mount on top of the brass round and be held on with epoxy (dried while under pressure). The biggest problem with a "through the tail" button is the fact that the Judco switch takes 3mm of movement and the tail cap is only 1.8mm thick, so there's more travel than thickness, which necessitates having the switch button be raised.
This gives you sort of an idea of where this is going. I haven't assembled everything yet, but you get the picture. There's more to be done before it is finished and there's the whole rest of the light waiting to be done.
Later...............
Tail cap is finished and it even works.
Pins in place, to hold the assembly in the cap.
Solder spot, where the second wire comes out, to touch the bare aluminum cap.