Oh, I started with the Khatod triple optics with it’s dimensions from the PDF spec sheet, built down from there. So the optics are the only thing actually correct in measurement. Was going for the idea thing…
TexasLumens hit the big issue. What driver? That needs picking before anything can be designed. Desired aspects are; 8 amp turbo, fairly well regulated, programmable, electronic switch “mounted to board not required”, reverse polarity protection, thermal protection, low voltage shut off. Dream aspects; 1-2 cell capable. Or a recharging port. Once again I’m wholly unqualified in this field.
P60 dropins are smaller optics, we’re at 34-35mm at this point.
For modding, probably would need to pick some semi popular Chinese brass threaded pill size. Our will be Copper, but modders would have access to ours or others. Unsolder remove pill put new pill in resolder. This would allow triples and quads in all sorts of flavors. Dale would probable have a triple XHP70 by the end of the week.
Also for modders or non-modders I would like to use the thread pitch on the body tube that Convoy uses for their L2/L6. This would allow easy access to different tubes and one piece 2 cell* tube builds. I don’t know how people feel about using others specs. For myself that allows more part commonality, the great aspect of the P60 legacy.
- disclaimer. 2 cell builds only if driver is capable.
Okay while I was typing Dale posted a picture. I see where your going and I like it. I was thinking solid shelf so LEDs screwed in from top, Driver placed in from below shelf. Will it bleed out the heat fast enough? With an entire screw in assembly the electronic side switch isn’t possible.
Yeah I like the basics of Dale’s design, too. Looks very solid. Why do the “reverse” threading on the tailcap though? Is that stronger than threading it on the “outside” like normal, or is it just for looks since it basically makes the tailcap part just look like a ring?
Just that it keeps the entire tube integral without external parts to take a beating and possibly get fouled up. There’s going to be threads, regardless, and someone could drop the externally threaded tail section just as easily as the externally threaded tube during a cell change, so the only real way around that is internal charging with a sealed micro usb port. That doesn’t help much in emergent situations though as you still have to open it up to swap in a cell quickly to keep going.
The switch assembly can be made in such a way that it has no external exposure, but that makes it more difficult to rapidly remove the assembly for the cell swap and in a hurried or crisis situation everything needs to be as inherently simple as possible to facilitate speed and accuracy. So, I guess it’s a toss up as to how to go about it.
Well whatever it is, I like it. I think it would look very slick on the finished light, plus its unusual. So if we’re voting I like the “internal” tailcap thingy Dale’s got going here 
This looks good but we simply must decide at least the dimensions of what goes inside so that the drawing can be accurate and meaningful. Concept is good…. nice to look at but you don;t know what you are building around. Go buy a Volkswagen beetle…. then decide to put a V-12 Cat diesel truck engine in it…. Problem Build the internals… then you can make ANYTHING happen on the outside. 
TL
With a 26650 cell, we can put any driver up to about 30mm in there. So we have a wide margin to choose from. 22mm probably, I’m thinking maybe a 7135 chip driver with 24 chips for 8A? Regulation so it won’t go beyond that, where’as an FET will pull 12-15A from a triple set-up. Either way, we only need about 5mm of height above the driver so space is of negligible premium here. As you see, I allowed plenty, with a chunky copper pill for mass and thermal expansion as well as plenty of fins to aid in heat dispersion and deployment grip.
I came “this close” to going out to the shop and building one today. So’s y’all could see the idea.
TexasLumens since you may be the builder, what would be easier to build. One piece as Dale has posted or a traditional thee piece; head, body, tail cap.
I still want a two switch set up, tail clicky on/off and electronic mode selection side switch. I see the pill as only a threaded cup, completely flush bottom that mates on a shelf in the head. Total height of the pill 3/8” to 1/2” inch. Sole purpose of the threaded cup is as a MCPCB holder. LED wires up the center from the driver. Driver mounted under the shelf with an electronic side switch. Convoy single cell L2 tube with tail cap and tacticool cigar ring. Still don’t have a driver but I’m researching. Not as fancy as Dales but it’s what I’ve got my heart set too.
Oh,I almost forgot about the side mode switch. I would definitely prefer that as well
OK I’m in because I want to be in for all BLF designed lights and GB. ( only been here five months). I think this will be a good one!
TL is the a super master craftsman machinist. He can do anything, even the impossible.
Shooter, it depends. If the size of the head is much larger than the body, then there is a lot of wasted material and machining time. That’s why we need to nail down the internals. There is a marked difference between building one light and doing a run of multiple lights to a given set of specs. My personal preference is a multi piece light with the pill in the head… or even a custom drop in in the body or head like someone suggested along the lines of a P60.
In your spec posting you have some pretty precise criteria laid out about shell thickness & etc… that simply calls for a plan…not a guess. I haven’t responded to that as it is near senseless until maximum dimensions of internal parts are decided on. If we leave material thickness here…material thickness there… wondering what goes inside, then the light, I guarantee will not match your criteria. Those internal component dimensions need to be nailed down.
Sorry for the book… I prefer a multi piece light but we can build anything. TL
Oh MRsDNF…. if that were only true!!! :person_facepalming: But THANKS!!! :innocent: TL
OH please Dan! Lizard light? Toenails?
“Even the impossible.”
This type of light with Hoop's head sounds very good! In the OP you mention tactical with a tail power switch going to full max. That's easy to do in pretty much any of the e-switch drivers we have source code for. But unless I'm missing something, you would get full power every time the light is turned ON via the tail switch. You could also maintain ON/OFF operation via the side switch, so you could use the light both ways - Best-Of-Both.
I have full ramping now in Narsil via an e-switch, plus maintain all the other mode sets that I've had previously, and could add a compile switch or configuration option to go to max power upon power up.
●So are we going with a shelf/pill combo or a P60? That alone will determine the driver size. A P60 will limit us to 17mm while the shelf/pill will allow for a larger driver
●Tom E seems to be the driver guru on this project, what driver do you recommend depending on the size?
●I like it being compatible with the Convoy tube and tail cap but I was wondering if it wouldn’t add strength and eliminate the need for o-rings if we used a tapered pipe style thread for the battery tube and tail cap threads?
●Everything else seems ok once we get the driver and led mounting arraignment figured out
Personally I’m with TL on the three piece light. I also would generally prefer a P60 for the easy to mod aspect but like I said earlier I will buy either
Wait, I was just suggesting. If this gets made, mine would probably get Narsil anyways 
. I would prefer keeping the length as tight as possible, but I think that would happen anyway, because the depth of these optics is typically shorter, but the full tails-switch would add some length back. I really like short 26650 tube style lights - rock solid tail-standers.
I'm think'n of SolarStorm/FandyFire K2 style light. Always like it's quality and form factor, but it had some modding design flaws for heat sinking and access to the tail spring. The SupFire L5 was also close, but should have had an SS bezel and was too long for what it is.
If you require a buck driver, than that's a whole nother problem, for a triple specially. But if you stay with standard parallel 3.6v LED's, we got lots of options. Or if you go with 6V, the driver can always be setup with an LDO. I'd plan on a larger standard, like a 22 mm driver - we can fit lots of options that you can't fit on a 17mm. And of course I'd love to see an indicator LED, used for LVP and locator function, either in the switch or elsewhere. Narsil has full support for it.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear on the two switch method. Tail switch is an on/off function only, rapid strobe like taps, long press or full click it’s on/off only. The electronic side switch is mode selection only. So if I had it set on medium it’s medium every time the tail switch is manipulated. This is to keep the light from mode jumping when you need what you had set it on.
Just looked at the K2 and I like the overall style. I looks like it could be a good foundation design to work off of. Sounds like an internal shelf/pill setup will give us the most options to meet what we want. 22mm driver seems to also be what we are looking at, at least from what u have gathered.