Brass lined wood battery tubes?


Lacquered and polished


Wood options for 18xxx tubes:

Cherry
Mahogany
Curly Maple
Quilted Maple
Mystery Oak
White Oak
Purple Heart extra$
Redwood Burl
Teak
Walnut

Options for AA/14xxx tubes:
Same as above but also
Lacewood
Zebra wood

Lights I’ve verified I can do this to are:

Brinyte B158
Convoy S series
Convoy M1
Convoy C8
Eagle Eye X6
Minimag AA
Manker A6
Solarforce L2
UltraFire 501/502
I suspect most tube lights can be done but would need to consult/verify any not listed.

The base price of $50 for an *unprotected*18650 tube includes the wood, the brass, the work including finishing, and shipping Conus. Extras might be longer tube, tube for protected cells, extra brass bling, shaped wood(not cylindrical), and any parts bought(such as a particular host or shorty tube. All negotiable.

I need a battery tube with the correct threading such as a shorty 18350 tube. I have some anodized A6 and X6 tubes but there are too many possibilities and some don’t have spare tubes.

I’m sure there are details to be ironed out but this should be enough to get an idea.

Please be aware, this is a budget option using budget methods so there will be minor flaws. I will post each one as it’s done so please check them out first.

I’ll be offering to make these but in very limited quantities so I thought I’d include a how to for any willing to give it a go.

post #47 has getting started notes and picks.

Just for kicks I made that 2x 18650 502B cherry tube as part of a prize for the last DIY contest. Starting with a battery tube I can fab a brass sleeve and wood handle using the stock end threads and o-ring lands to make different lengths. Longer handles mean more wood so not much point for an 18350 but I’m working on finishing up a 10180 and a 10440 both with wood tube accents. Most of an 18350 cell is either under the head or tail cap threads leaving only a few mm in between. I’m thinking the short A6 and X6 tubes would make a nice starting point for those hosts with from XP to XHP50/70 as options since the knurling in between is mostly eliminated. Generally when I think I’m about to run out of work I get slammed but if I’m in for an extended bit of downtime this might keep me sane and spread some craftsmanship around the web. A chance to further customize your favorite host. This will definitely be limited since at best it will be just a few at a time but think about it and let me know your thoughts on this, different woods, shapes, etc. This isn’t a business venture or anything of the sort so pricing will be absurdly low given the work involved. 18500, 18650, 2 x 18500, 2 x 18650, 14500 Minimags, from pine to Purple Heart. If we can work out a spec for it then it can probably be done.

:heart_eyes:

Woah, that is BEAUTIFUL!

Hmm…. What about a 2x26650 for a dst?

If there’s enough metal to ream the tube for the brass sleeve then it’s possible. I roll the sheet brass into a tube and braze TG seam. Then bore a piece of wood to fit the sleeve and epoxy it onto the sleeve and turn it on the wood lathe to shape. The threaded ends are bored with sandpaper wrapped but to a tight press fit and epoxied on. The ends are masked and the wood stained with a lacquer finish applied to a slowly spinning part in multiple coats.

Nice idea. I have some argentinian lignum vitae (verawood) that would make nice tube covers/accents. Dense and heavy but a pleasure to work with hand tools. Love the aroma as I work it. Nice olive green color after exposure to sunlight.

I haven’t seen that but feel free to query/share details on any lights you want to use it on.

This a great idea. I have been looking around for a decent flashlight with timber for ages !!

Very nice. You have just started the old grey matter churning over. Whats the cheapest postage to the US?

I wooden mind one of these ….

Cheapest would be just the threaded ends of a tube in a padded mailer. The least I’ve ever paid to ship one to Australia is $6-7. Fortunately the whole host isn’t needed, just the battery tube.

Yuk, yuk.

I’ve considered doing it without the sleeve and using an old style wire handle wrap to carry the current but haven’t tried that yet.

If all goes well I’ll soon be able to do better than just sharing . Currently waiting for the first opportunity to pick up a wood lathe given to me by a friend. Her cisplatin treatments take priority. My only handy example of ALV is the handle for a cane I made. Hickory and quilted pacific bigleaf maple. Strong enough I could lay it between two cinder blocks and stand on it.

Look forward to it. I’m looking for interesting figure in the grain along with other more mundane qualities. I tried some lacewood which is interesting but the dried sap pockets create some interesting challenges. I also need to replace my 14650 Micromag and have some oak for that or maybe walnut. One of the local yards has an ok selection of interesting species to choose from though not all are available in 5/4 thickness needed for 18650 tubes. For example the Lacewood, Walnut and Sapele are only 3/4 while Purple Heart, Cherry, Poplar, VG Fir, Oak, and some others can be had in 8/4. I forget what size the Zebra Wood is. I haven’t checked some of the other yards either and the small amounts needed might be available online.

If I tried to make one I know it woodn't work. How about if I give you some dimensions and I could glue it on my own built battery tube? How is your checkering skills to make it look like its knurled.

Hey RBD, I have quite a bit of heavily figured maple if you’d like some. I also have walnut, mahogany and even some curly oak. The maple is in whatever thickness you could want. The others are 4/4 and 8/4. I’d be happy to stuff a flat rate box full of whatever you could use if interested. No charge of course. Let me know

A tube to spec is a fine notion but I haven’t tried checkering. Bead blasting seems more appropriate since it enhances the existing grain texture. Know anyone that can do that? I wonder how much a setup for that costs. What wood are you thinking of?

That would be sweet. 18650 and smaller need minimum 4/4 square blanks and larger things like 26650 or Mag D tubes 8/4. I’ll send a pm, thanks.

I have no idea about what type of wood. Is there a list?