I was building a few drop-ins this week and decided to take pictures and put together a tutorial for the Flashlight Wiki. The hardest part is soldering, but I didn't want it to become a soldering tutorial since there are plenty of those around already.
There are things everyone probably does a little differently, and I don't solder exactly the way you are supposed to, but with the tiny parts involved sometimes it is easier to put a blob of solder in place and then re-melt it. It is more text than pictures, but hopefully it will help someone just getting started.
Good point. I had taken a picture, but didn't add it because it isn't much to look at, but I think you're right that it should be there.
Anyone know of a source for these? I bought the 18mm ones from KD which are great (self-adhesive, plastic) but had to trim them down a little to get them to fit. They have 16mm ones too that cost twice as much. 16mm should fit better, but I can trim them myself if they cost that much more.
Ted, this is very well done - well written too. Too often a technical piece gets the facts right but the delivery/grammatical errors make for a frustrating read.
The only thing I do different is, I use to solder the wires in the LED before cementing it to the pill. The pill will eat away all the heat of the soldering iron.
Great job, ted! Wish that flashlight-wiki had existed when I started developing my interest in modern LED-lights.
Regarding the thermal epoxy I'd like to add that I have made good experience blending in some ordinary thermal paste into the epoxy. It takes longer for the epoxy to set (15-20 min instead of 5 in case of Arctic Silver) so you don't have to center the LED in a hurry and it is quite easy to pry the LED from the pill if you want to upgrade your drop-in later on, still the emitter is held securely on the pill. I got the idea from this modding tutorial (beginner's, recommended if you can read german and are thinking about your first flashlight mod).
Thank you for the tutorial!
It’s super helpful and it’ll help me build my first DIY flashlight.
If you don’t mind, I might make a recommendation - perhaps explain how to use the MM i.e. what settings, where to touch and poke and what it should read if it is fine/shorted.
I have no clue how to test those things :\
None taken mate I should really learn how to use them properly. I have a very basic grasp on them but never really fully understood their use so thank you for the links.
You always seem to have great links to show me
I should really learn how to use them properly. I have a very basic grasp on them but never really fully understood their use so thank you for the links.
