What tools make modding lights easier?

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
15

Hemostats, solder wick, solder sucker, ruler, calipers…

16

A few files.

17

Some tools not yet mentioned.

Compressed air, air dusters are ~$9/can, I have a literally endless supply of compressed air

Diamond files, cut way faster than regular files

Flashing equipment including both a clip and a board for AVR (PICkit3 will be here Wednsday!)

Picks

Digi-calipers

A scale (need to know how much copper you manage to add)

Old aspheric lens for high power magnification (I have a new 53mm one on the way)

Bottle of soapy water for soldering iron cleaning sponge

18

Wire strippers.

19

If you can find some old CPU heatsinks that have hunks of copper, they work great when you’re testing emitters.

20

The “Allis” hemostats/forceps O-L uses are really great.

I just got one and started using them, and they’re much better than regular hemostats because the tips are curved.

These are the ones I bought from Amazon:

EDIT:

Bamboo barbecue skewers. I use this for all kinds of stuff. Amazon.com

21

Thanks Ohaya, I was looking for one of those! Time to buy!

Another tool I use is a Brake Hone to increase the diameter of battery tubes but recently I have been using it to remove the sharp edge of the inner battery tube before it ends up tearing the wrap of a 18650 cell. I usually try to file the very edge at a 45 degree angle without harming the anodizing of the rest of the tube. something very very small like this:

22

I have thought of buying those, but the cheapest ones (shipped to Finland) are about $12. Does anyone know a more affordable place to shop those?

23

Use that on a drill? Link?

EDIT: Found it at autozone and also amazon.

Cool tool, but heck, now I gotta get more tools :(!!

24

Yes you use it with a drill, it cuts aluminum very fast, I only do about 5-10 very slow revolutions and its done! the bevel created is about half millimeter

I bought mine on sale at sears for $4 but here is a link:
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-1-8-eighth-inch-brake-cylinder-hone-97163.html

25

Remember to check that it's small enough. Most of them are from 19mm (3/4") upwards => not suitable for boring 16->18mm :)

I would appreciate to have a link to smaller one.. ;)

26

Also a sledgehammer and anvil. ( for the mod failures we encounter. :Sp

27

28

Blf is an important tool. Forgot that one.

29

here is one for 1/2 inch, the bottom one

30

31

Thanks DB, I got almost all the way through this thread without seeing any mention of the modders BFF and also missing is a brick.

32

Also use my set of step drill bit quite a lot.

33

Awesome idea AlexGT!

34

At one time step drill was considered on of the better ways to enlarge
the emitter hole in reflectors.