Custom Built Brass/Copper 10440 flashlight build completed

I've been thinking about building a AAA size flashlight for a while, so sometime during last week I started on it. Normally I do a CAD design on Solidworks to look at proportions etc. this time I just went right at it. The head is a single piece with the MCPCB mounted directly to it.Let me know, what you think. Thanks!

Specs:

- Size : 0.5 inch x 3 inch (14mm x 78mm)
- Weight : 1.7 oz (50 grams)
- Battery : 1 x 10440 button top protected battery
- Driver : 10mm FET driver with Guppydrive firmware.
- MCPCB : 10mm Copper Sinkpad
- LED : Cree XP-G2 S4 2B
- Switching : Twisty (I might going to make a clicky cap for it as well)
- Optics : Custom machined reflector with double AR coated mineral glass window.
- Finish : High polished front ring and tail-cap, brushed brass in between.
- Lumens : 510 on high (120 on medium, 3 on low)

Here it is:

To see them in better resolution on my Flickr click HERE:





















Size comperison to the Maratac AAA and Lumintop Tool Ti.

Beautiful light!

Looks nautical, I think it's very appealing.

Very nice!!

That is a nice looking light!

Neat work, it has a classic appeal about it.

George, I like it very much...IMHO, I would make the profiles of the copper on each end match each other in profile and size.

Another great looking light, Zandar

Nice!

matt4350 said:

Looks nautical, I think it's very appealing.

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jdboy said:

Very nice!!

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irongate said:

That is a nice looking light!

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Zandar said:

Another great looking light, Zandar

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mcbrat said:

Nice!

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Thanks guys, I appreciate the compliments!

matt4350 said:

Looks nautical, I think it's very appealing.

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Thanks Matt, do you mean by nautical, that all I need is a nice sailboat to go with it?

Thetasigma said:

Neat work, it has a classic appeal about it.

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Thanks Devin, I bet that Tool Ti looks awful familiar to you....

egginator1 said:

George, I like it very much...IMHO, I would make the profiles of the copper on each end match each other in profile and size.

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Thanks Mike, your opinion is much appreciated! As far as symmetricity, I understand your point, and most of what I do as far as flashlights, and my dayjob, everything has to be symmetric. When I do an "impulse build" meaning no drawings at all, I really just start putting materials on my lathe, and see what happens. I try not looking at other lights when working on something, so I don't get influenced by other designs. But, even after saying all this, I appreciate your opinion, whether it's positive or negative (by negative I mean constructive criticism, so keep them coming! Btw, it is already too symmetric in my wife's opinion....go figure

I think it looks great. As far as symmetry goes I think it looks a little off at first. As I kept looking at pictures I swore there was a sort of pattern. Then I realized it might be the body because the head and tail looked different. Sure enough the body is symmetrical. Nothing against this design and given the opportunity I may buy it but I kinda feel like make it symmetrical or don't. Again I think it's a good looking light and I agree it has a classic appeal to it.

I like it. I'd shine that at the dark!

By 'nautical' I suspect matt4350 meant that it evokes images of a brass telescope or spyglass. That's what it does for me. I like it very much. If it were slightly tapered (at least in the body) it would greatly enhance that effect.

I also like the beam pattern. Very smooth and uniform. It's wide, but it should be for a light that's used for close work. I'm impressed!

light-modder said:

I think it looks great. As far as symmetry goes I think it looks a little off at first. As I kept looking at pictures I swore there was a sort of pattern. Then I realized it might be the body because the head and tail looked different. Sure enough the body is symmetrical. Nothing against this design and given the opportunity I may buy it but I kinda feel like make it symmetrical or don't. Again I think it's a good looking light and I agree it has a classic appeal to it.

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Thanks for your input light-modder. I've had one more detail on the body, that made the body asymmetrical as well as the rest of the light....that did bother me enough to remove it. As far as the rest, I don't notice when handling it.

I hope this doesn't sound insulting, I know custom lights can be extremely pricey- as a person who owns only one modded light and only three stock lights however, I'd gladly purchase one of these from you for ~70$

(Apologies if your plans were starting at like 300$ I know the going rates on customs are high) but it looks awesome, just a budget flashaholic here haha
This would be a really awesome gift for my dad. He wants a smaller EDC and this is classy!!

Very impressive to get 510 lumens out of a 10440 using a protected cell (if this is normal please link me to where I can buy this sort of performance under 40$ thanks.)

Tejasandre said:

I like it. I'd shine that at the dark!

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I've been doing that, as well as the " shine it in your eyes, to really see how bright it is " test.

DIWdiver said:

By 'nautical' I suspect matt4350 meant that it evokes images of a brass telescope or spyglass. That's what it does for me. I like it very much. If it were slightly tapered (at least in the body) it would greatly enhance that effect.

I also like the beam pattern. Very smooth and uniform. It's wide, but it should be for a light that's used for close work. I'm impressed!

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Thanks DIWdiver I assumed Matt was talking about nautical instruments (used to be made by brass) It might look really cool, to build one, that looks exactly like a miniature spyglass, complete with the zooming function! I appreciate the kind words, thanks!