• You must be a Supporting Member to participate in the Candle Power Forums Marketplace.

    You can become a Supporting Member.

The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is--The TKO

PhotonFanatic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
2,337
Location
western Massachusetts
TKO_WIP800px-4_zps8a4ee25f.jpg


EDIT: Some renderings added

TKOSlantRender-2_zps29cf2337.jpg

TKOHead-On-1_zpsb65a8d17.jpg

TKOClose-Up-1_zps7a1cb4c3.jpg


So, as you can see the grooves will be anodized blue while the flat "Islands" will be bare, shiny Ti.
 
Last edited:

KuanR

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
1,823
Location
Macau S.A.R.
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Can't wait to see more pictures and the finished product, Fred:)
 

Elakazam

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
154
Location
Germany
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

...oh yes, that looks really cool!
 

lensman

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
99
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Looks very impressive!
 

samuraishot

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
844
Location
NY
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Man, you've got some skills, I can't wait to see the final product!
 

Silgt

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
1,224
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Wow I wondered how many machining hours it will take just to get this finished...
 

PhotonFanatic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
2,337
Location
western Massachusetts
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Wow I wondered how many machining hours it will take just to get this finished...

Since the material is Titanium, and with the cuts into the material at 4mm deep, then each groove required many, many passes to get to final depth. I'd guess that I have at least 15 hours of machining time into the two pieces so far. The good news, from my perspective, is that the remaining work won't take nearly as long.

TKO_WIP800px-1_zpsb3bba4a0.jpg


Lots of grooves there, along with some chamfering, drilling, boring, etc.
 

127.0.0.1

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
1,000
Location
/etc/hosts
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

imagine how murderous a spiral of blocks with that cut would be
 

Zandar

Enlightened
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
678
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

What a beautiful light! ANother masterpiece in the works! Is this one spoken for?
 

PhotonFanatic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
2,337
Location
western Massachusetts
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

What a beautiful light! ANother masterpiece in the works! Is this one spoken for?

This is a proof-of-concept, prototype, trial run, call it what you will--it is not spoken for, as i haven't offered it to anyone. Plus, as is usual with the first of anything I make--it has a mistake in it--a nick on one of the islands, so it will come with the highly-prized maker's mark on it. :devil:

In fact, I'm still designing parts of the light--like the end of the light:

TKOTail-End-1_zpsa7e14401.jpg
 

chipwillis

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,955
Location
Minnesota
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Could you inform us of the size and what you plan for the light engine. Looks awesome..
 

PhotonFanatic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
2,337
Location
western Massachusetts
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Could you inform us of the size and what you plan for the light engine. Looks awesome..

Diameter will be 28mm and the total length will be 80mm.

Since the grooving is so deep, the inner space for the LE/heat sink and reflector is fairly small, so it doesn't make sense to use something like an XML in this light. I'm leaning toward using a Nichia 219, and possibly just a single mode driver, although I could use something like the Bitz driver instead.
 

PhotonFanatic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
2,337
Location
western Massachusetts
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

light looks NSFM

(not safe for mittens) :D

That's quite true for the moment, but all the sharp edges will be greatly reduced in the final version.

In the meantime, I'm continuing to work on the TKO:

TKOWIP_800px-HeadThreads_zps09e087e7.jpg


That shows the two sets of threads within the head of the light--one for the LE and the threads closest to the viewer are for the battery tube.

TKOWIP_800px-Threadedtogether_zpsd258696c.jpg


And a shot that I never get tired of taking--the two pieces threaded together.

One of the goals when designing a twisty, is to try to minimize, or hide the seam where the two pieces join together; I think the TKO gets an A+ for its deceptiveness. :devil:

TKOWIP_800px-CloseUpOfJoint_zps717adebf.jpg


Yes, the seam is there--somewhere. :)

TKOWIP_800px-HeadClose-Up_zpsb61cb1b3.jpg


Showing the front bevel to the lens. Still some work to be done here--first I need to complete the O-ring groove on the top of the light--on the inside--where the lens meets the light; and then, I'll enhance the bevel a bit, make it steeper, and clean up the sharp edges on the air vent holes.
 

Obijuan Kenobe

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Messages
1,059
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA, Earth
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

It is simply your best work yet, without a doubt. This design showcases your attention to detail, and your 3D imagination as a designer...and skills as a machinist.

So many great things happening here, and this is only in photographs. Anyone who has never held one of Fred's lights will have a hard time imagining what level these pieces are at. The way his seams disappear is like alien technology, and the finished product is always packed with fine details that he takes for granted as the maker.

There is a thread around here showcasing a thinking fob made by Fred. In my humble opinion, all of Fred's light qualify as thinking fobs, as they speak as much to the hand as they do to the eye. I have no doubt this is true with the TKO as well.

Here's to ya, Fred.

obi
 

Trave11er

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
55
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

...So many great things happening here...
You got that right! :thumbsup:

Fred, I must have hiding under a rock because this one's hard to ignore... :rock:
...can't wait to see it anodized (and may the force be with you for that phase of this "little" project of yours...) :popcorn:
 

PhotonFanatic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
2,337
Location
western Massachusetts
Re: The Most Challenging Light Yet--to machine, that is

Thanks, guys.

Just received a new, higher amperage power supply to make the anodizing a bit easier, and hopefully more consistent.

Need to machine some Ti pieces which will be the interface between the copper wires from the power supply to the part. Can't let the copper reach the anodizing solution!
 
Top