Considering making a flashlight from scratch

[Mattmanic]

Hey, I'm just starting my D&T A2 coursework (second year of college after high school in the UK) and I have until friday to think of what I'm going to make for the rest of the year. I'd quite like to make a flashlight, although the problem is that I need to involve a wide range of production techniques in my manufacture. Most of the custom torches I see around here would just need a couple of hours on a lathe, tops, and a bit of drilling.

I'm after ideas or inspiration for a body that would take me 60+ hours to make, if it's possible to fill that much time atleast.

As for what to go inside, I've got a 55w hid kit on the way and some 12v sla batteries, or I could do something with LEDs perhaps.

Any suggestions for other things I could make are welcome too :)

Thanks
Matt

One idea I've had is to make a big HID flood light and have it as an emergency light station and then I could have 2 or 3 smaller lights that dock in it and charge off it, so incase of a power cut, the flood could be turned on and the more portable 1D mag(ish) sized lights could be pulled out and used.

 

[SmurfTacular]

I plan on pursueing the same thing as you; building a flashlight from scratch. Next semester of college im taking a lathing class.

I would start small, like a single 18650 light that is compatible with a basic R5 drop-in.

And I would use these parts too

rubber tailcaps

O-rings

Tailcap clicky switch

 

[Lampyris noctiluca]

Hi Matt, have you had any more ideas yet?

How about manufacturing a parabolic reflector for the HID parts you have on order? Have a look at Lightswards inspiring threads here on CPF, I know it would take me more than 60 hours just to create the mould!! :)

 

[Mattmanic]

Didn't think about building the reflector too, I have acsess to equipment for aluminium forging, so I could make the mould, forge it then polish it for a few days...

I talked to my teacher today about my idea today and he didn't think there'd be enough to do to get all the marks I want. I'll throw some designs together on Google Sketchup and see what it looks like.

If I can't decide by then end of the week I'll just make a hi-fi cabinet :L

 

[cmacclel]

Most of the custom torches I see around here would just need a couple of hours on a lathe, tops, and a bit of drilling.

Before you could even start machining anything you would be at the drawing board for more than 2 hours.

Yes If you had a print in front of you with some nice equipment you could whip out a light in 6 hours. As for a Custom Torch in 2 hours............no way :)

You sound like all my friends.........It usually starts with "hey you can make me a knob to fit my new quick detachable gunsite in 10 minutes" 3 hours later a knob is born.

If you have never done something before or in fact do it everyday you can add at leat 10x the time you "think" it will take :)

Mac

 

[Mattmanic]

Tell me about it... :P I know everything takes longer than expected. A few weeks ago I set about making a 22mm long feed tube for an airsoft gun, ended up taking me about 1 1/2 hours in the end. Should've been no more than 20 mins.

Last year I designed and built a PC case, I probably spent atleast 15 hours solidly drawing and tweaking the CAD designs before I started building. That was after doing a design specification and analising and chosing from about 20 sketches I'd done.

We have 1 term to design and do the written work and 1 and a half terms to make it.

 

[Mattmanic]

I think I shall go for the hi-fi cabinet/desk after all and if I have time make a torch or too to go in it.

 

[ASheep]

Best of luck with your D&T course Mattmanic, and remember that as soon as you start machining things, "five minutes" becomes a very long time :devil:

I have a month off from uni at the moment, and I'm considering building my own brass P60 host using drop-ins from DX (for now) has anyone got any hints on such an undertaking? I've had a fair amount of machining experience, I built a model steam engine last year for my first year engineering project, and I thought I'd like to combine two of my favourite pastimes: Lights and Metalwork.