After having the Nova for so long I decided it was time for a change so I dropped in a PEU bezel w/trit slots, 3 Trits (red, white, blue) and a tactical O-ring. The bezel has about an hour of polishing to a mirror-like finish, then I sanded the inner end down to get it more flush with the body and then finally added the 1.55x5 trits. Also added a UCL window and new o-rings. In the pictures the bezel looks like it has a big gap between it and the body but in real-life it looks normal.
A couple things to mention, the PEU bezel is longer than the original as-delivered and there is room for a glow-ring if the bezel is not sanded down. I used a glow-ring but just did not like it that much so I decided to sand it down. When polishing I used polishing compound with a dremel for a while then switched to bright metal polish and finished by hand. When sanding it down I used 150 grit sandpaper on a flat surface and used a circular motion checking every couple minutes to make sure I didn't take off too much. I would clean the threads then check on the light to test-fit and make sure the window was still tight. I planned on using clear epoxy to install the trits but could not find it so I used common super glue. It actually worked fine and is clear. It looks like the trits were just set in without anything holding them, which is exactly what I wanted. If you plan on doing something like this I highly recommend installing the trits last so the bezel can be cleaned of polishing compound and metal dust before installing the trits.
One more thing to note, the UCL window from Lighthound is just ever so slightly thinner than the original plastic window and if the PEU bezel is sanded too much it will rattle (ask me how I know). I solved this problem by placing a circular donut-shaped cut-out of notebook paper between the window and the bezel - rattle gone. I have installed the tactical o-ring and I don't have any comments yet but so far it has no downside and does offer better grip when using a cigar hold.
What may not be noticable in the beam shot is a faint halo around the outer main circle of spill. This was not there with the old bezel and is only a problem for the most discriminating white-wall hunter (BTW, the wall is light blue in the beam shot).
The old window was scratched up and this new one is nice and clear, I know it is only in my mind but it seems like the beam is nicer and more "crisp". I'm happy with all the changes but if I ever do it again I will likely get brighter trits as these three colors, while noticable in the dark, are not as bright as the common green trits. I did it just because I thought good ol' Red, White and Blue would be cool. I would also test-fit the bezel with the window I intend to use to make sure I don't sand too much off, but all is well that ends well and overall I like the changes.
A couple things to mention, the PEU bezel is longer than the original as-delivered and there is room for a glow-ring if the bezel is not sanded down. I used a glow-ring but just did not like it that much so I decided to sand it down. When polishing I used polishing compound with a dremel for a while then switched to bright metal polish and finished by hand. When sanding it down I used 150 grit sandpaper on a flat surface and used a circular motion checking every couple minutes to make sure I didn't take off too much. I would clean the threads then check on the light to test-fit and make sure the window was still tight. I planned on using clear epoxy to install the trits but could not find it so I used common super glue. It actually worked fine and is clear. It looks like the trits were just set in without anything holding them, which is exactly what I wanted. If you plan on doing something like this I highly recommend installing the trits last so the bezel can be cleaned of polishing compound and metal dust before installing the trits.
One more thing to note, the UCL window from Lighthound is just ever so slightly thinner than the original plastic window and if the PEU bezel is sanded too much it will rattle (ask me how I know). I solved this problem by placing a circular donut-shaped cut-out of notebook paper between the window and the bezel - rattle gone. I have installed the tactical o-ring and I don't have any comments yet but so far it has no downside and does offer better grip when using a cigar hold.
What may not be noticable in the beam shot is a faint halo around the outer main circle of spill. This was not there with the old bezel and is only a problem for the most discriminating white-wall hunter (BTW, the wall is light blue in the beam shot).
The old window was scratched up and this new one is nice and clear, I know it is only in my mind but it seems like the beam is nicer and more "crisp". I'm happy with all the changes but if I ever do it again I will likely get brighter trits as these three colors, while noticable in the dark, are not as bright as the common green trits. I did it just because I thought good ol' Red, White and Blue would be cool. I would also test-fit the bezel with the window I intend to use to make sure I don't sand too much off, but all is well that ends well and overall I like the changes.
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