How do you take apart a Q3?

LED BriCK · Feb 19, 2006

I figured out how to get the bezel off using the hot water technique, but then I just figured the reflector, lens, and Luxeon Star would just fall out into my hand. How do you get them out? It looks like the star is just held in by a plastic retaining ring which I assume just screws out, but I really want to get the reflector and lens out so I can paint the inside wall of the bezel with glow-in-the-dark paint.

in advance!

PhotonWrangler · Feb 19, 2006

I used a spanner wrench to get the retaining ring out. There was a little bit of glue on the threads but I was able to heat it up and then scrape it out, then the ring unscrewed.

nemul · Feb 19, 2006

place in a ziplock bag and pour boiling water over it in a bowl.... to help loosen the glue..

LED BriCK · Feb 19, 2006

Yeah, I got the bezel off, but I can't figure out how to get the reflector and lens out of it. It looks like it would possibly screw out, but it doesn't have anything to grip with a wrench or pliers. Do I repeat the hot water trick and just twist it out with my fingers? It looks/feels pretty tight.

3rd_shift · Feb 19, 2006

Reheat it with a strong hairdryer and use gloves to take all that out with needlenose pliers.
It usually does all unscrew at that stage.
9 out of 10 Q3's will co-operate.

Agent_K · Feb 19, 2006

I used snap ring pliers.

LED BriCK · Feb 19, 2006

Cool, thanks!

schill · Feb 20, 2006

I tried some cheap snap-ring pliers.

The result: Q3 1, pliers 0

The pliers are no longer useful (if they ever were to begin with). The pins bent right away.

How do you take apart a Q3?

LED BriCK

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PhotonWrangler

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nemul

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LED BriCK

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3rd_shift

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Agent_K

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LED BriCK

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schill

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