M60 + 1 piece of Aliminum on VistaLite helmet mount

Blindasabat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 24, 2006
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2,204
Location
Michigan
I took a 32mm OD aluminum bar, cut a 15mm length off, drilled a hole off-set from center of the bar stock (iirc 17/32", whatever was just under the diameter of the M60 I wanted to out in it). I drilled it off-center to leave room for a threaded attachement (tapped hole) on one side. I filed the hole open a little more, then used a bandsaw to cut a slot all the way through the thinnest section and bunch of radial slots that stop less than 2mm short of the hole. The slots are cooling fins, but more importantly, they allow some flex in the aluminum 'arms' (remember the through slot) so I could press in a Malkoff M60W without major force. All I did was stick a scredriver in the open through slot, twist it to open the hole a little, then presed in the M60 by hand (against a table though). It is firmly in there, so it should have decent thermal transfer. When I finish it and go for a ride, I will put thermal grease in it just in case.

The Vistalight helmet mount uses a small screw into the HL body (to a nut inside the body) to attach the headlight, so I drilled and tapped an M5 bolt hole in the center bottom.

Pictures assembled (click on for larger):
4607476347_af79aa26e3_m.jpg

It's ugly, but it works. Function over beauty I say.
I still have to attach the power wires to the spring and body. I plan to use a 2x18650 setup. The through slot is at the top in the pictues - you can see it in the last one. This set up is smaller than the original HL, but weights about the same.
 
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