The finished light. 19.9.16.
The following couple of pictures are previous comp light builds using C8 reflectors.
The build.
The light this year will be small using a C8 reflector and single battery. I’ve thought about building this light for well over two years and over this time the design, or lack of, in my head has changed several times.
It was OL’s idea of using timber in a torch and then RBD’s battery tubes made of wood that really had the thought processes in over drive to the point I wanted RBD to build me a battery tube that I could build a torch around.
Well as time dragged on I kept making excuses to RBD why I had not given him anything to build that I decided I would have a crack at building one myself.
Timber is not my favourite item to work with. I can at times light a fire with it to keep warm. Other than that it is an item that I believed should be best left to those that have sawdust flowing through their veins. If I’m really lucky I will not have another permanent disability to put up with.
Anyway here is some timber I collected from the bush months ago that has been sitting next to the wood fire with a warning to everyone not to burn my wood.
Who knows, none of this lot may be any good and I’ll end up at the local timber yard looking for an idiot proof piece of wood.
Update 24.7.16.
With an hour to spare today I took my much guarded, highly valuable timber out to the shed today to have a look what was underneath the exterior.
Not a lot, not a lot of decent timber that is as shown in the following pictures.
Starting with this,
we had this after cutting the end off. Not a promising start
We were left with two pieces left in the end after discarding the rest.
This was discarded but later retrieved from the fire before it caught alight as I was getting desperate for a good piece’s of wood.
This left the most promising of the lot left.
The further I went the worse it looked.
This is the what was nearly burnt before it was rescued and tickled up with the sander (5’’ angle grinder with 24 grit sanding disc). Maybe I can get a battery tube from it.
And here I am hard at it. The top of the sleeper wall here is where half of my pictures are taken as if you ever wondered.
Update 31.7.16.
Another weekend gone with only a little work being able to be carried out on the build. I’m still not sure what I’m doing.
I set out yesterday to machine the pill but decided that of the dozen or so leds I have I did not want to use any of them in this build so the pill material was removed from the lathe without being touched.
I was planning on making the battery tube in two layers, wood and aluminium but changed that idea as well. lts now going to be three layers, well two if the wood doesn’t work out.
The light until 2 seconds before the machining commenced on the battery tube was going to use a single battery but looking at the tube I picked up to machine a late decision was made to use two cells as the material will be long enough for two batteries. I have a driver made by RMM, well at least I think I do, which should run an led at 5.5 amps on high beautifully.
Heres an action shot of the battery tube diameter being turned down.
The reason for the 7/8’’ OD was to suit the inside diameter of the brass tube. This has an OD of 1’’.
An end shot showing the two layers.
This was then threaded on the end complete with o’ring groove.
A collar was then machined up and threaded onto the battery tube so the wood will be able to butt up to it. The OD of the collar will be decided by the timber diameter.
I wonder what changes will be made next week.
Update 8.8.16. Today must be a world wide date. :person_facepalming:
I’ve decided to go with plan B with the wood. While outside getting wood for the inside fire,
I turned around and wondered to myself if these old red gum fence post timber wood be any good.
The chain saw was fired up and a couple of blocks were cut from a post and dried out for a few days.
The arm strong saw was put to use cutting the blocks up into what I thought would be good sizes.
These two pieces will hopefully will be battery tube material.
Another piece was deemed suitable for the bezel so the holesaws of around the right size were put to use.
And with lots of sawdust and an intact ring we ended up with this.
It was then time to try and drill out the battery tube material.
The three pieces were then given a good soaking of wood rot liquid to try and prevent them from splitting when being turned up.
After watching far to many You Tube videos on wood turning I decided to do things my way. A mandrel was turned up to hold the bezel material with a light press fit with some help from a couple of layers of Teflon tape.
A piece of 3/8’’ high speed steel was ground up into what I thought would be a good shape and set to the highest I could in the tool post. This would of been about 2.5mm above centre height, the lathe switched on and saw dust manufactured.
To be honest I was taken aback just a little with how well it went.
Expecting the worst when I was turning the ends as I expected it to rip to pieces. This is the rough finish from the chain saw.
I was blown away with how well it actually finished up.
I’m just a little worried that so far it has all worked out ok that next time it will all just turn to firewood.
Update 15.8.16.
The wood work continues after we had a Humpty Dumpty incident with one of the battery tube pieces of timber. I will use it to use as a test piece for work down the road. The replacement was made a lot quicker than the broken one. The things you learn.
The Bezel at the moment is still in one piece, fingers crossed it will stay that way.
The next two pictures are of it being turned up.
The pill is nearly finished. i took a bazillion pictures of it as I went but when I looked at them on the pc they were terrible. I think the brass colour and dark shed played have with the focus.
Heres a couple of pictures starting with the led end.
The fins are 1.30mm across and from memory about 5mm deep. I’m not sure if it will stay this shape. I’ll see what it looks like when the lights going together.
Its been another busy weekend, not torch building though, so heres a small update on what did happen this weekend and during the last week.
At the moment I have four turned pieces of wood waiting for other parts to be finished before I can try and destroy them. The Humpty Dumpty piece is on the right.
The bezel retainer was turned up. Its in the lathe getting the front faced off. Its 3mm in thickness. 3mm is a common width for certain spaces in this build.
The components for the switch assembly includes one of the rapidly diminishing djozz springs. These components are all in one piece now.
The next few pictures are of the tailcap getting the knurling machined into it. Knurling does not always turn out this good. The first picture is an action shot.
And finally a close up.
My Humpty Dumpty piece of wood was used as a dummy first up for trimming the length. Needless to say it did not end up well.
Sanding the inside diameter to 1’’ from 25mm to slide over the battery tube.
I’m just a little concerned at the moment that when I go to groove these pieces of wood that they will chip and splinter. I suppose there is only one way that I’ll find out. Until next time.