Not for sale just yet, but I am projecting ~$16 shipped for a retaining ring version that includes a threaded retaining ring. (probably made from 416 stainless steel)
Defenetly can’t understand why do you make driver pressure so difficult.
If you use cnc milling you can make crimping rim devided several times. Even if it will be so thin to be broken after first unbend, there is enought place for 10 pieces.
Difficult for whom? Difficult how?
I’d say the solder version is more difficult (for the user) than my “screwdriver” concept or a threaded retaining ring. It is also not overly difficult for me to make, it’s just another part.
Difficult for you, especially making retaining ring, holes with micro-threads and etc.
Try to make crimping rim, it is much faster and does not require special screws or wrenches.
You’re right Kiriba-ru, it is more difficult in that I do have to make another part, and a crimp version would perhaps be an easier approach, the only problem is, no one is going to want to take a hammer to my heatsinks! 
A retaining ring does add a little to the price because it is another part I have to make, but it’s convenient for the user and it will also look nice. The reason it will be 416SS is so that it wont get all scratched and damaged with use like brass ones tend to. 416ss is much easier to machine than 300 series which is why I like it so much.
These heatsinks are kind of… an expression of my craft. I want to make them as good as I possibly can.
There is no sense in making such pretty looking parts to use them inside.
Try to make custom heads or bezels from copper and SS. Something like copper mid-head BLF A6 that you can see on my profile image.
There is 2 main reasons of making custom head-bezel for small lights like convoy or A6:
- Triple config with custom head can make flashlight shorter.
- Triple optics is 20mm, stock bezel hole is 16.5-17mm so we are losing 20-30% of luminous flux.
Technocracy at its best.
I don’t suppose we could send you to China to give lessons …
I’d really like to visit China. Some cities seem like one giant industrial park.
I’m sure the threads in the light are intentionally very loose in order to avoid fitment problems. The bodies are better machined than the internals though and I found them to be very consistent between three different lights, and so decided to increase the pitch diameter of the threads on my heatsink until the slop went away. It would be safer for me to decrease the PD by just a little bit but we’ll see if there are any problems with where it’s at.
I’m not sure I have much to offer China. US machine shops will barely tolerate me.
I beg to differ. Many people love these things. And please no, at the hammered crimp version!
These heatsinks really do make the light special, knowing what’s inside it. Trust me, you’ll get that feeling. Plus you get to see it whenever you change the battery.
I worked in a high end machine shop for four years, and the question that sort of defined the acceptability of a part was “would you want to buy this if you were the customer? Does it look like a finished product?” And the implication of that question is: is the part clean? Does it look unused and without damage? If not, it’s not really at the level of quality that the customer expects, especially when the customer is Lockheed or Boeing…
I’d argue that it doesn’t make sense to make them any uglier.
+1 good job hoop
Got my S2 Solderless “Screwdriver” Cu-sink’s today. These things are a work of art! Visually appealing as well as shiny and clean.
BUT, more importantly…. they are precise, clean cut and super easy to use.
From the pictures posted in this thread I was expecting them to be pretty neat, BUT they greatly exceeded all expectations!
As good as the pictures are and they are great they don’t do the finished product justice.
These were made by someone who knows what they are doing… simple as that!!
Looking forward to giving the retaining ring version a try to when it is released…. just to see which one I like better.
I saw someone mentioned a “crimp rim version”…. no way as far as I am concerned.
I personally would rather have this all day long…… as far as I am concerned it is just a custom made precise part.
I’ll stop now because I am probably starting to ramble.
But to be honest I can’t help it, I am totally blown away by the quality of these!!
I only wish there was a clear flashlight so they could be seen all the time….
Thanks Hoop & best regards……………
Ugh. So triple copper shipped to Canada?
I am very glad you are pleased, teacher. 
Gunga, I can ship to Canada. I think it may cost $7 to $10 extra but I will verify the exact cost. I am going to do another heatsink marathon within about 1 week. I will make triples then for sure.
Cool. I’ll probably take 2-3. The no solder design is brilliant!
Thanks. The main benefit of the “screwdriver” concept is that it will work fine with 2 sided drivers such as a 8x7135 Qlite. Retention rings can interfere with 2 sided drivers.
Got home today from a long weekend building a deck up on the north coast and was excited to find these in the mail box. Sweet stuff, you can immediately see the cleanliness of the machining and the lack of slop when threading into the head. I tried it both on a grey 18350 S2+ and a red 18650 S2+ and both fit the same. I like the button and will likely order more with the next batch of sinks.
I got mine too and my observations echo those above. All the praise is justified — these parts are very sweet indeed.
There’s something to be said for a finely machined part as an object unto itself.
I understand the need to focus on the heatsinks right now.
But……………
Where does this lead?
A Hoop custom host, maybe?
A X5 spacer? :laughing: Please make it Hoop…
You guys are kind to me.
It’s slow going towards world domination… but next on the agenda, once I get another batch or two of heatsinks out there, is to offer some custom mag hosts and some of my mag related products, which includes all types of battery carriers. I am particularly excited about my quad threaded ML25LT Mag shorty. (the knurling is centered, of course) It’s got some surprises that will make it uniquely appealing. The mags will almost be as good as a “Hoop host” haha. Eventually I will offer custom hosts but I need some more machinery before I can go that route.
X5 spacer eh. If I were smart, I’d buy all of the BLF group buy lights and make copper heatsinks for all of them. Most of them came out during my hiatus from flashlight culture.