Reaming a Surefire 6p to take 18650s?
- Thread starter jaundice
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Marduke
Flashaholic
Have you look down the page?
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=44
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=44
65535
Flashlight Enthusiast
Once I get my micro lathe setup with motor chuck and tailstock I should be able to buy a proper sized reamer and do this for people.
Marduke;
Yes, I did check out that sub-forum, but (and I may be wrong) it seemed like that was more geared for lathe/drill/mill users. It didn't seem like the place to post this sort of request. If I'm wrong, please let me know, and I'll ask the mods to move this thread.
-John
It seems like this mod was much more popular a few years ago, before people started coming out with dedicated 18650 bodies. These days, you're almost better off going that route. In my case, I came into a 6p body for free, so I figure I'd give it a whirl.
-John
-John
kramer5150
Flashaholic
i mainly just want to keep my surefire body name on my light, lol i guess for appearances mainly , hek anybody got a sticker i can use to put a five mega, lol
madi05
x2...
Its silly but I just don't think I would be happy carrying around a generic looking light.
yeh me either, i want to keep my light stock and i ordered some 17670 that may be all i need anyway for what we discussed, but if i went with the 18650 i would want to bore out my stock body just to keep it looking stock basically
madi05
btw thanks for all your help in this venture u are a great asset to this forum imo
madi05
btw thanks for all your help in this venture u are a great asset to this forum imo
Its silly but I just don't think I would be happy carrying around a generic looking light.
Well, a Leef body does have a very subtle Maple Leaf stamped into it.
Another flashaholic would recognize it for what it is.... up close.
Tell the average person that it's a Surefire, and they'll ask you if that's a new Maglite model. :shakehead
metlarules
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2008
- Messages
- 1,027
Buy a Solarforce 18650 tube (http://www.lighthound.com/Solarforc...ized--2xCR-123-or-1x18650-battery_p_2630.html) and fill the indent where the Solarforce logo is with glow epoxy. :twothumbs
Check this thread in the Homemade / Modified forum: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=100070
That will lead you here, to a person who says that they are willing to do machining: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1776282&postcount=68
That will lead you here, to a person who says that they are willing to do machining: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1776282&postcount=68
These are out of stock, they didn't seem to last long at all :nana:
Anybody have any other sources for the 18650 version?
--Paul
kramer5150
Flashaholic
the 5mega version is in stock...
http://www.lighthound.com/FiveMega-C-Tail-C-Head-1x18650-or-2x123-Battery-Black-Finish_p_2827.html
Justin Case
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2008
- Messages
- 3,797
IMO, the FiveMega product is very nice. For comparison, I have some old, original SF 6P round bodies (don't own any of the new 2-flat 6Ps). Comparing the two bodies, the FiveMega seems to differ in the following ways (besides the different outside cosmetics for the 2-flat vs round body):
- Outside diameter of the FiveMega measures 1.05" vs 0.95" for the SF round body (probably doesn't make any realistic difference, even for 1" scope rings).
- The interior "well" walls at the top of the body where a lamp would sit is anodized in the FiveMega body, unanodized in the SF round body (this may have some effect for LED drop-ins, in terms of ease of making ground contact between the drop-in body and the flashlight body). The only unanodized metal in a ring of aluminum at the bottom of the well, presumably where the outer spring (or the bottom face of the brass pill in an LED drop-in) of a P60 lamp assembly would make ground contact. Effectively, the FiveMega body is similar to a G2 in terms of electrical path. The G2, being polymer, is non-conductive except for the metal sleeve inserted into the body tube. If your LED drop-in has trouble making good electrical contact in a G2, you might have the same problem in a FiveMega body. If you have an electrical contact workaround that works in a G2 (e.g., wrapping aluminum foil around the drop-in), it probably will work in a FiveMega.
- The FiveMega body is bored to fit 18650 cells. Thus, the wall thickness at the tail is relatively thin. I measure 0.745" ID and 0.870" OD for the smooth section next to the tail end o-ring. That gives a wall thickness of 1/16" at that point. for my 6P round body, I measure 0.680" ID and 0.870" OD, for a wall thickness 1.5X thicker at the same location in the tail.
- Probably as a result of the boring for the 18650 cells, the FiveMega body has a thin "ledge" at the top of the body that holds back the 18650 cells from sliding out of the top of the body (note, this "ledge" won't hold back smaller diameter cells like 16340 and 17670).
- Outside diameter of the FiveMega measures 1.05" vs 0.95" for the SF round body (probably doesn't make any realistic difference, even for 1" scope rings).
- The interior "well" walls at the top of the body where a lamp would sit is anodized in the FiveMega body, unanodized in the SF round body (this may have some effect for LED drop-ins, in terms of ease of making ground contact between the drop-in body and the flashlight body). The only unanodized metal in a ring of aluminum at the bottom of the well, presumably where the outer spring (or the bottom face of the brass pill in an LED drop-in) of a P60 lamp assembly would make ground contact. Effectively, the FiveMega body is similar to a G2 in terms of electrical path. The G2, being polymer, is non-conductive except for the metal sleeve inserted into the body tube. If your LED drop-in has trouble making good electrical contact in a G2, you might have the same problem in a FiveMega body. If you have an electrical contact workaround that works in a G2 (e.g., wrapping aluminum foil around the drop-in), it probably will work in a FiveMega.
- The FiveMega body is bored to fit 18650 cells. Thus, the wall thickness at the tail is relatively thin. I measure 0.745" ID and 0.870" OD for the smooth section next to the tail end o-ring. That gives a wall thickness of 1/16" at that point. for my 6P round body, I measure 0.680" ID and 0.870" OD, for a wall thickness 1.5X thicker at the same location in the tail.
- Probably as a result of the boring for the 18650 cells, the FiveMega body has a thin "ledge" at the top of the body that holds back the 18650 cells from sliding out of the top of the body (note, this "ledge" won't hold back smaller diameter cells like 16340 and 17670).
Last edited:
toasterlocker
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- May 15, 2007
- Messages
- 38
So these will work with a 6P head and tailcap then? I know the description says "C series", is a 6P a "C series"? I was actually going to post this question as a new thread but then I noticed this one already existed.
Justin Case
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2008
- Messages
- 3,797
Yes, the FiveMega bodies accept SureFire 6P bezels and tailcaps. The "C series" refers to "Classic" series, which is the 6P series (i.e., 3P, 6P, 6Z, 9P, G2, etc).
folks with lathes generally don't like to take liabilities of working on someone else's lights. seems there was a recent jeer for someone that took in a ton of Surefire machining work... got behind and received a load of jeers.
if I understand correctly he finally did deliver to some... but months late. don't know if everyone got their lights back.
why don't you do it yourself?
boring out a 6P body progressively larger drill bits should be a no brainer. most don't have large enough chucks on their drills. so a set of step down drills will have to be purchased. a reamer for final size could be used with little problems. wholesale tools will have what you need.
if I understand correctly he finally did deliver to some... but months late. don't know if everyone got their lights back.
why don't you do it yourself?
boring out a 6P body progressively larger drill bits should be a no brainer. most don't have large enough chucks on their drills. so a set of step down drills will have to be purchased. a reamer for final size could be used with little problems. wholesale tools will have what you need.
DHart
Flashlight Enthusiast
Isn't there a moderate risk of ruining the body or compromising it's integrity by making the aluminum walls even thinner?
It would sure seem to me a better option to just go with a 17670 cell and keep the Surefire body as it was intended to be.
Alternatively, the aftermarket tubes for 18650 may not have quite the aesthetic charm of the Surefire tube, but they do look pretty good and are excellent functionally.
It would sure seem to me a better option to just go with a 17670 cell and keep the Surefire body as it was intended to be.
Alternatively, the aftermarket tubes for 18650 may not have quite the aesthetic charm of the Surefire tube, but they do look pretty good and are excellent functionally.
