New build inspired by the most inspirational member here. OL. Updated 26.3.17 post 235. One light has been completed.

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts Featured Mods
61

Just a “little” tedious? Haha! Those four jaw chucks can drive a guy batty sometimes.

The process goes like this: adjust, adjust, readjust, adjust because your other adjustment screwed up your last adjustment, adjust again, readjust, adjust again because your other adjustment screwed up your last adjustment, adjust, adjust again.

Lunch time.

Continue to adjust, readjust, adjust because your other adjustment screwed up your last adjustment, adjust again, readjust, adjust again because your other adjustment screwed up your last adjustment, adjust, adjust again.

Beer thirty. :beer: :beer: :beer:

62

I’ll bet there are as many methods of setting up a 4 jaw as there are machinist. About 40 years ago… Oh Lord! Really??? That hurt. Anyway… I bought my first little “Craftsman” lathe. It came only with an independent 4 jaw chuck. I recall trying desperately to learn how to set that up. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an indicator, calipers, or micrometers… I didn’t know what they were!!! I had a lathe and a chunk of steel I “Thought” I had fashioned into a cutting tool.

Oh good grief… I need to start celebrating the 4th early now with a splash of bourbon on some ice. I should never have thought about that!!! :person_facepalming: It’s all your fault Hoop!! :innocent:

63

Good grief, I only have to measure twice before I screw up once. You guys keep coming up with new things for me to want to try and not have a clue how.

64

It’s still early here, but I really like that celebrate the 4th with a splash of bourbon idea…

65

I don't know if most people could ever imagine how much talent, time, experience and work goes into machining, but I do and it is wonderful to see Steve or any of the other guys here, show us just what they can do. It's a true pleasure to see.

Steve, Dan and the few others who are true machinists, are a hidden treasure for BLF.

66

I’ve never actually done any off axis boring, only some eccentric turning. For something like this you might punch some marks and use a wiggler in the tailstock or something?

67

Thanks for the comments guys. You really do humble me. :blush:
Theres only four battery tubes in total luckily for me.
These were set up in the four jaw chuck by eye, using the centre in the tailstock to centre against the centre pops in the battery tubes.
I’ll take a picture when I do the last two.
I was looking at a tube last night when I finished boring it and thought I could loose a bit of weight hollowing out between the holes. I’ll see how we go, if any other ideas strike me . :slight_smile:

68

Any method that ends in that result is sufficient!!! :wink:

69

That’s some wizardry right there!

70

Update at the bottom of the OP.

I should of added that the web between the different holes is around 1.3mm (around about 55 thousands of an inch).

Thanks Hoop. If I’m ever in your neck of the woods you know I’m dropping in. :slight_smile:

71

That much huh?

72

Update in the OP dated 79.7.16.

73

Wow fantastic work.

74

The ‘fiddly bits’ are looking good. :beer:

75

Do you have a magnifying glass mounted to that lathe?

76

No magnifying glass. just a good pair of reading glasses. :slight_smile:
I think the most fiddly bits will be the switch. I dont have anything planned at the moment but sure something will pop into my head. I hope. :stuck_out_tongue:

77

Small update in the OP. 8.8.16.

78

As long as it makes sense to you I’ll just stick to my popcorn and enjoy the show.

79

Wow super cool. Going to get my old shops lathe. Going to try screwing around with it. Maybe I can make a tube? Ha

80

Thanks Gerrh. Maybe you could make a whole flashlight and not just a tube. :slight_smile: