Custom body?

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

We know where to obtain LEDs and drivers and switches and reflectors and lenses BUT is there a source where someone can submit a design and have just the outer aluminum body made? Of course it would be maybe a little pricey unless quite a lot were ordered. I was thinking about just one at the beginning for a prototype.

No I do not believe the shape I have in mind has been done but it would not be very difficult to manufacture by someone who is already making the bodies. The tail cap and head would also need to be made.

Are all those currently on the market done by CNC would you think? How much would a custom design cost to manufacture if anyone has a guess, with standard anodizing included? The size would be about like for one 18650 battery-sized flashlight.

Thank you for any input.

2

you may want to follow/ get in involved with (Email is coming with tracking )Discussion Thread.-- 1st BLF Titanium flashlight with tritium. to get aquainted with the ups and downs.

I am sure we would love to see this “never been done” 18650 light!

All the best nothing time and money cant over come.

3

The design is nothing spectacular but it will be unique. I still wonder about the price to produce a prototype shell though.

Thanks for the link.

4

Any decent local machine shop can machine anything you want. The cost would be $400+ USD I’d wager but it’s hard to say without knowing more about the parts.

5

How about having it 3D printed?

6

List of known remembered BLF machinists: I know there are more, just can’t remember them.
MRsDNF
Bucket
TexasLumens
Sinner
Vestureofblood
Photon Phanatic
RIP ChicagoX
?
?
?

7

Best take me of the list. The mooses lathe dnf'ed yesterday.

8

Does the lathe make the man or the man make the lathe. Sorry Mr Moose, only I can edit that post and you’re stuck on it so best get that knurling monster back in business. :wink:

9

3D printing will not make an Aluminum shell though. I know it will look good if it were made to look like I wanted. Maybe injection molded plastic would do it but the finished product must be like a regular aluminum flashlight in actuality. Remember - only the shape would be different from the rest. Just a single 18650 or smaller maybe. Probably not a TIR but will utilize a reflector.

If it would really be anywhere near $400 I will have to wait until I get more funds available. That will not be soon.

Thank you everybody for the ideas and responses.

10

if your that into the hobby… you might consider buying a small inexpensive lathe, and playing around to learn how to use it…

also, when fabricating, theres sometimes more than one way to skin a cat…

backyardmetalcasting website is pretty interesting…

between casting to NEAR shape and finishing off on a small inexpensive metal lathe? you would have fun for years…

even if you cant make what you want, you’ll still have fun making other lights with casting and the lathe…

machining is expensive to have done… if you can get away with being charged “one US dollar per MINUTE” thats actually a “friend price”, lol

every tool change in another fee, every thing they do adds to the cost, because time is money and the tooling is expensive.

11

You can make lots of things from threaded brass parts and a brazing torch.

12

I give up on that idea long time ago, wanted to fabricate custom bike light (that was ~30$ with battery pack and charger, so full set) mount from aluminium, several local workshops quoted me something like 40€ for that (~10-15 grams of aluminium), similar stuff (but not exactly what I wanted) costs about 6$ on aliexpress.
Also thought on buying small lathe but they are about 1000€ used and it is VERY hard to find them, new are like 1600€ and I don’t have that kind of cash for a toy.
Now I dream I will be able to get 3D printer one day :slight_smile:

13

I am currently pretty well buried in orders but I am happy to look at it for you. I should be caught up in two weeks or so.

I have been thinking about making a series of bodies that folks could easily add their own drivers and LED's to. I ain't China... so they won't be $10.00 each. Wink

Dan.

14

WHAT!!!! NO!!! FIX IT!!! DO SOMETHING!!! Our Knurl King cannot be without a machine!!! EARTHQUAKE! What can I do to help?? Let me know what you need... I'm looking at a new one want my 14 X 40?? Lets see... that would take how many stamps to get to you?? Seriously.... If I can help, make a part for yours, whatever... let me know.

Dan.

15

I wonder if we can just get one of those tube from E-cigarette mechanical mod and just alter it a bit? :smiley:

16

I'd like a rectangular little flashlight .... I look at e-cig stuff and am a bit jealous . if i wasn't reformed ex- smoker i'd take up e-cigging just for some of their coolish designs .

maybe i could just ...not inhale

17

Thanks for your generous offer TL. The poor old machine, no not me, the lathe is up and running again. It has had a real good clean down and some TLC. lts amazing how much better it is now.

18

Whew! I thought I felt better this morning!! Wink They do take some care don't they. I had to stop last week and spend time oiling, tuning, cleaning on mine. They work hard! Good news MRsDNF! Onward!

19

I did a squareish rectangularish roundish one a few months back. I started with square stock, knocked the corners off, Left the front and tail square looking. It all screwed together but those square threads were tough to cut! Surprised I have another in the drawing stage, I'll do some images of that one. Dan

20

Well at the least I want to design the flashlight I have in mind and render it in 3D. I see there are several free CAD 3D programmes available. Which programme and file type would be good for this project?

I have experience in 2D (ie.GIMP) but not CAD or any 3D. For the moment I think just to be able to publish the finished image in the forum would be good.

I know of FreeCAD, Openscad, 3DVIA Shape (no longer available), gCAD3D, Medusa4 & pCon.planner. It seeems 3DVIA Shape would have been ideal for a beginer CAD attempt.

Any ideas?