A noob’s guide to modding

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

I’ve been thinking about making this thread for the last few months but time constraints kept pushing it off. When I first started modding a little over a year ago I poured over thousands of posts in over a hundred threads trying to glean whatever knowledge I could pick up to help with this budding hobby. Hopefully this thread can become a repository for aspiring modders.

I’ll start with what I consider the essentials needed to become a successful modder. Feel free to chime in with things I missed, helpful hints and ideas.

Essential gear:

A decent soldering iron/station, preferably temperature controlled.

Solder (63/37 is popular here).

Solder wick (for clearing excess solder).

Flux pen (makes soldering quick and painless).

DMM.

Snap ring pliers or fine needle nose pliers (for retaining rings).

Wire cutters and strippers.

Table top vice or helping hands (to hold boards while soldering).

22-24 awg silicone wire.

Isopropyl alcohol (95% or better).

Compressed air (for cleaning dust from reflectors, leds and lenses).

Small Phillips screwdriver.

Thermal compound.

Silicone Lubricant.

Desirable gear:

Kapton tape (helps prevent short circuits between reflector and led mpcb).

Metric calipers.

Magnifier (for anyone over 50 consider this essential).

Lux meter (L1330B is popular here).

Hemostats (for stacking 7135’s).

Clamp meter (superior to DMM for measuring current).

Variable DC Power supply.

Potting compound.

IR temperature reader.

Analyzing charger.

2

If you have no experience soldering electronics it is a good idea to practice on junk items you have lying around like old remotes, radios etc… first try taking components off the circuit board to get a feel for how much heat is needed to melt the solder. Practice tinning small lengths of wire and soldering them to empty cleaned pads on the board. Check the solder joint – is it shiny and smooth? (good) or dull and lumpy? (not good).

3

Here is Simon from Convoy (I believe?) showing how to assemble an S3.

4

And here is Old Lumens showing off his old school soldering skills stacking 7135’s. RIP Justin.

5

“Hemostats”? That looks ideal!
I did a 105C stacking 7135 yesterday, and i used super glue to stack the chips and then soldered the legs.
Ghastly task…

But i can’t mod without:

- super glue

- tweezers

- snap off blade knife

- dental pick (you know those double sided hook thingies dentists use)

- headlamp

- reading glasses (must be an age thing…)

  • ‘3rd hand’:

6

Here’s my hemostat in action. As you can see I’ve bent the arms so they have better grip on the full thickness of the board and 7135’s.

7

A smaller 6-8in flat single cut file I think may be an essential.
Needed to file edges of driver boards and switch boards.

Bench mounted, LED lighted, articulating magnifier is a necessity for me and perhaps anyone over 40. I have also amassed a collection of handheld LED magnifiers.

Tweezers, variety pack of good ones.
and a set of small picks like Harbor Freight sells for about $2 pack of 4.

Lately I have been using a 4in C-clamp to hold up heads while soldering wires inside for emitters sitting on s shelf. Always hard to get those to hold upright with the driver spring poking out the bottom. Clamp has enough weight to get it done.

8

Firstly, thank you for starting this thread. I am one of the noobs pouring over new & old posts trying to get a handle on modding. I have nearly everything on the equipment list. Plus I am collecting parts just to have on hand.
This is the only forum I have been on that seems to have only considerate & respectful members. ( refreshing )
Is there another thread dedicated to beginning modding?
To all those who contribute to this thread, “Thank you”!

9

I always use 8awg wire, anything less is not manly enough.

10

Sandpaper to sand stars or the place where it is mounted in the host

I use 320

11

Made my own 3rd hand using available croc jacks and 1mm copper wire.
Twisted and stiffer.

12

Nice! Thanks

You should link to that recent Djozz thread where he shows his gear while modding.
On phone now just click “my threads” after clicking Djozz or wait so I can edit it.

13

http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printer-supplies/pp_350841.html?wid=21
flux… flux and re-flux …tin everything
I’ll second the dental pick advice and add micro shears and a small set of files too.
Use a pair of visegrips as an extra helping hand.
-don’t be afraid of good laptop pulls if they are new unused and have japanese or korean cells in them ,

Add solder blobs to tops of cells …much safer than magnets etc .
Start swapping emitters Asap with high cri and figure out what tints you like and dislike .
remember you can’t tell the difference between 600 and 900 lumens but a great tint and high cri compared to a trash tint is massive ,
I’d avoid chasing an elusive lumen number and find lights you like the feel and look of …everything here is bright.
Lastly… buy a gun …you may need it ;p

14

here is the Djozz topic

15

This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

As for 3rd hands, where can I get some cheap goosenecks to make my own? I want to replace my cheapo $6usd one with a metal bar and gator clips.

16

Lol, literally!

I do most of my work on a lap top size piece of plywood. Sometimes it’s easier to clamp the wire.

17

Good choices to add.

I was going to say

  1. Needle file set
  2. Emery boards
  3. Exacto or similar hobby knife
  4. Super glue, also good to use as an emergency suture… :stuck_out_tongue:
  5. Floody, lightweight, high-CRI headlamp
  6. Personal favorite: soldering paste; makes common tasks much easier
  7. Q-Tips… (i.e., cotton swabs)
  8. A big jug of high-percentage isopropyl alcohol (I get the 91% at Wal-Mart)
  9. Strap Wrench set

Thankfully, I don’t need the reading glasses yet… :nerd_face:

18

As a mod newbie myself I think this topic is a very good idea. :+1:
Thanks for sharing Swib! :slight_smile: