tool to polish inside of maglite damaged from battery leak?

[scriverdog]

OK, I probably deserve 40 lashes for allowing alkalines to leak inside my older AA maglites. had a devil of a time getting the cells out. I figure this is an opportunity for an LED drop in upgrade if I can straighten out the corrosion.

is there any sort of tool that could be mounted into a drill that would polish out the corroded areas?

I saw a post about neutralizing the alkaline ooze with vinegar but that won't correct the pitted areas that will make it difficult to get new cells in/out.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Measure the inside diameter and borrow a reamer from a friendly machinist?

If you don't have one, try finding a drill bit that will fit and run it in to remove any larger burrs, corrosion. Then use a dremel sized sanding wheel (the "flapper" type) with an extension so you can reach all the way down.

Of course, if you have to buy any of these tools to do this, you are better off recycling the old light and buying a new one.

Ghetto method? Glue emery cloth to a wooden dowel. Might work.

 

[Jump Start]

Back in the days of drum brakes on cars, there was a tool that attached to a drill and honed the insides of wheel cylinders. It was spring loaded and had three sanding arms that were forced out by the action of the springs.

Check at an auto parts store, they may still make them. That would be your best bet.

Jump Start

 

[qwertyydude]

Gun bore cleaning kit since you said it was a AA light I doubt they make cylinder boring kits for that small a bore. Use an aggressive polish like NuFinish on the swatch, the mineral spirits will dissolve any caked on chemicals and it's gentle enough not to ruin what anodization is still left. If that's not enough you can use the wire brush cleaner from the bore cleaning kit.

 

[shhh]

I. Like the emory cloth on a dowl rod method. Cut rod to size needed and add a inch or two. Then use it as a drill bit. Sounds like it could work.

 

[pounder]

I. Like the emory cloth on a dowl rod method. Cut rod to size needed and add a inch or two. Then use it as a drill bit. Sounds like it could work.

i've used the dowel and emery cloth as a cylinder hone for my scooter..worked awesome..I cut a slit at the end of the dowel so the emery cloth would slide down inside..then put a screw at the other end so my drill could have something to chuck onto..

 

[430Scuderia]

Just send your lights back to Maglight and they will replace them free, Just leave the old corroded batteries stuck inside.

OK, I probably deserve 40 lashes for allowing alkalines to leak inside my older AA maglites. had a devil of a time getting the cells out. I figure this is an opportunity for an LED drop in upgrade if I can straighten out the corrosion.

is there any sort of tool that could be mounted into a drill that would polish out the corroded areas?

I saw a post about neutralizing the alkaline ooze with vinegar but that won't correct the pitted areas that will make it difficult to get new cells in/out.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

If the alkalines have a warranty replacement give them a call and see what they offer. If it is a non rare mag they are so cheap in stores now they are almost not worth a lot of effort repairing.

 

[derangboy]

You are looking for a flex hone.

http://www.flexhone.com/flexhone%20for%20cylinders.htm

 

[scriverdog]

I just knew there'd be great suggestions coming from this community!

will try the gun bore cleaning kit first, but not sure the brass brushes aren't too soft. the flexi-hone is the real deal but probably costs more than a new torch. the fun of trying to resurrect something is when you can succeed with little or no cost.

these were old torches left in tool boxes that were completely forgotten. won't be doing that with my newer lights.

 

[rangedog]

A dremel tool will take care of that in about 30 seconds, along with lots of other little jobs no other tool will do,,,:twothumbs

 

[louie]

I've done some similar work by making a poor man's flex hone of sorts. I took a large drill bit (so it will chuck in easily), loosely wrapped some cloth around it, then double-stick-taped some sandpaper on the outside.

 

[alpg88]

don't bother, remove switch from the front, remove everything else from the light,(tailcup, o rings) trow the tube away, it ain't worth fixing.
get a replacement tube from here , they are bored out to take 26*** cells, if you ever decide to mod a mag you'll most likely need 26*** cells, those tubes still take regular c cells, but i'd roll a piece of paper and insert it if you use regular c cells.
if modding is not something you might ever do than toss it anyway, cuz buying a tool to clean it out might cost more than tube, or entire light itself.
btw, hydrogen peroxide, cleans battery leaks great, thou corroded metal is not something it will fix

 

[alpg88]

A dremel tool will take care of that in about 30 seconds, along with lots of other little jobs no other tool will do,,,:twothumbs

i call big fat b.s.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

i used those household nylon scrubbers for bottles, lots of dish washing liquid & several attempts to remove all the residue on my Gerber LX1.

i avoided wire brushes as i do not want to risk marring the inner surface of my light.

filled the light with silica gel, left it in for days to absorb all the moisture after the wash.

 

[edson1314]

Don't worry,try finding a drill bit that will fit and run it in to remove any larger burrs, corrosion. Then use a dremel sized sanding wheel (the "flapper" type) with an extension so you can reach all the way down.