Gatlight V1 Mania

ArsMachina

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 13, 2005
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710
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Germoney
Unfortunately it became very quiet here recently.
So I thought it is time to bring in some light ...

I was always a big fan of the Gatlights and hat them all from V1 to V4 in CR123 and Pila versions.
But my real love is the short V1 from the very first run.

I was lucky enough to be able to aquire two stainless steel versions many years ago, but even I searched hard I was not able to get my hands on a Titanium one.
Then earlier this year I got a PM with the offer for a V1 Ti after I already gave up my search.
After the light arrived I was very happy at one side but also somewhat disappointed by the rough look of the Titanium bars which were far away from the bright and shiny look of the stainless steel ones:

gatv1ti01.jpg


I was close to sell the light again but then I decided to take it completely apart to grind and polish the bars.
That was a hard piece of work because the bars stuck very hard inside the main module and it was nearly impossible to pull them off.
But finally I had success and after all is done I am very happy that I went this way.

Here you can see all my three V1/123 lights, the Ti one beside my two modded SS
Both SS are equipped with the hex screws of the V2 lights and are converted to reflectors with glass windows.
At one of them I also converted the rotary switch to a Kroll switch what I find very usable!
To do this I also had to use another, shorter lightengine and decided for one out of a CR2/ion.

gats01.jpg


gats02.jpg


gats03.jpg


gats04.jpg


gats05.jpg


I really would like to see Walter active here presenting new versions of his outstanding design!

Jochen
 
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Thatspec

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Joined
Oct 6, 2011
Messages
263
Jochen, you seem to be one of the Gatlights most active proponents looking back through the posts here. I too would love to see a continuation of this beautiful light. I'm somewhat interested in doing some mods to my V3 as it appears you may have done in the past. Mainly I'd like to warm up the beam a little and perhaps move to a reflector though I think the side spill of the optic is actually kind of attractive (distracting in use of course).

Any recommendations on preferably a US based modder who might attempt that kind of work? I'm tempted to tackle it myself but I haven't really the experience or time, looks like a fun winter project though.
 

ArsMachina

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Apr 13, 2005
Messages
710
Location
Germoney
Hi Thatspec,
I am not an electronic nut, so I can not help you with an emitter change to get a warmer tint.
I modded some V3 in the past from optics to a MCR reflector.
Finally you need a lathe to do this, because you need to make a little groove into the back side of the front part to take the glass window.
Probably everyone with a lathe can do this.
Then you need the glass window itself (should be easy to get) and you need a MCR reflector, which needs to be shortened a bit (again you need a lathe here)
Everyone with this mod was very happy, and I personally like the beam with a reflector much more.

Jochen
 

Thatspec

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 6, 2011
Messages
263
Thanks for the info Jochen,
Someday I would like to get a small "hobby" lathe for these projects. It's on my list and may or may not get done one day, perfectly happy with the V3 as is. Certainly not something I use regularly but just have to appreciate the engineering that went into it's creation.
 

Thermionic

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
21
Location
Looking at the trees.
I also am a Gatlight admirer and have been very happy with my V3. It is a pity that Walter seems to have lost interest in this remarkable light, but times change and people (including myself) move on. Once the far east had become involved, the market for state-of-the-art expensive lights must have rather evaporated.

You know, I have an idea that there was more to the V3 Gatlight project than just selling a few exotic lights to enthusiasts here on CPF. It seemed to me that Walter may have had another reason to demonstrate his considerable skills in design and manufacture of what was/is a clever piece of engineering. All that CAD work, clever electronic design, advanced machining of 'exotic' material and near clean-room assembly suggests that there may have been another agenda at work here. I wonder if the whole V3 project was some sort of 'calling card' from Walter's manufacturing team to show any prospective clients what they could do - as a spare time project! I hope it was something like that and Walter & Co have moved on to better pastures. It won't happen here again I imagine as the flashlight world seems to have changed with the arrival of various far eastern light manufacturers.

I am not sure about machining Titanium with a hobby lathe, I wouldn't try with mine, but I do think it might be possible to swap the led for something more up-to-date. From the pictures in the old V3 thread it looks as though the electronics are built on two pcb's: driver board and led board. The interesting thing is that it looks to me that they just plug together with 1mm Cambion pins. I also think that the electronics module is just held in the tube by it's O ring and can be removed by just pulling it out the back of the light. I MIGHT BE WRONG HERE! So someone with the right skills might well be able to swa out the LEDs.

Just a few thoughts.
 
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