noob needs some help getting started

[secretspy711]

Hi,
I'm new to custom lights and modding, so I was hoping for someone to point me in the right direction. I've looked thru a few of the threads and some of the sticky's, but it seems a lot of the pictures seem to be missing or no longer hosted. Is there some other "intro to custom made and flashlight modding" thread with lots of detailed pictures I can look at? Pictures help me a lot.

I'm very interested in making some of my own lights, particularly a 1000+ lumen bike light maybe to start, and my dad is a flashlight nut so I thought making him a custom one would be a neat gift...but...

1. where are the good places to source parts? Do you have a list?
2. I don't have a lot of specialized tools like a mill or lathe, so how do people do this without those tools? I do have some tools that might work though.
3. Can I can buy "heads" that drop in LED modules will fit into?
4. Is a "host" the tube that holds the batteries?

I'm thinking drop-ins may be the way to go for me, since I also don't have a lot of circuit board experience (though I have lots of RC experience so I know my way around the battery world and know how to solder.) I'm an engineer by trade and can figure out the parts I don't know.

I feel like I'm trying to drink from a fire-hose with all the info I'm finding -- I just need someone to say, "here, you should start by doing this."

Thanks!:thumbsup:

 

[AnAppleSnail]

Hi,
1. where are the good places to source parts? Do you have a list?
2. I don't have a lot of specialized tools like a mill or lathe, so how do people do this without those tools? I do have some tools that might work though.
3. Can I can buy "heads" that drop in LED modules will fit into?
4. Is a "host" the tube that holds the batteries?

Start with a simple mod. Budget about $30 - maybe put a common P60 dropin inside a metal pipe, then add switch and a plug for a power cord. That'll get you well into the hands-on of thermal management, optic placement, and so on.

Parts. Cutter.com has a decent Cree selection, and Crees are generally considered the brightest. DealExtreme has cheap parts for cheap, although they aren't always as described.

Tools. I get by with a dremel, a file, and a hacksaw. Get creative with plumbing bits and scrap metal, and you can go pretty far. For using dropins you ONLY need an appropriate voltage source, a heatsink, and a reasonably water-resistant tube for each dropin to lurk in.

You can get the 'heads' separately, but they're meant to screw onto a flashlight host.

A flashlight host is usually: A battery tube, tailcap switch, and head and window for holding a dropin. If a dropin fits loosely, add a bit of aluminum wrapped around it. You can sand the paint and inner plastic of soda can aluminum, that works well.

Once you do a smaller light you'll have a good idea of where to go next.