little Gatlight mod ...

ArsMachina

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 13, 2005
Messages
710
Location
Germoney
Hi,

some days ago I was in the happy situation to get my Gatlight SS.
For me the Gatlight is the most beautiful light currently available at the market, but I would not be ArsMachina, if I could not find some small space for doing little improvements....
But let's first look at the pics:

gat1.jpg

gat2.jpg

gat3.jpg


OK, so far it is not a big thing, I just turned away the knurling at the battery case cover and the switch to leave the first one plain and add my well known "ArsMachina knurling" to the switch.
This is finally just a cosmetic change for the look of the light to fit my taste...

But I also did a little change inside.
I was not too happy with the "multiple washer solution" to make the spacing fit to different battery dimensions.
There was sometimes a problem of draining the batteries and also the screw often became loose by turning the switch while the screw was having battery contact.
I just replaced the washers by a small piece of round rubber with a hole inside.
The rubber can be compressed to give a perfect spacing to every battery length and also prevent the screw from being turned and getting loose.
Here are the pics of this:

gat4.jpg

gat5.jpg


btw. I am only using RCR123 cells with stripped down plastic cover for not destroying the clean metal look of the light..

Perhaps you like my ideas ;) Jochen
 
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kenster

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
2,095
Location
San Antonio, Texas
I haven`t used my Gatlights at all because of the switch problems and have been playing with too many other things to get to fixing them. Your idea from what little I saw of the switches sounds like a good one so I will give it a try.
buttrock.gif


The knurling you did I also like very much!
goodjob.gif
Thanks for posting everything you did to customize Gatlight.
smile.gif
 

Pumaman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
1,008
Location
TN
just found this thread arsmachina. good job.

thought it needed a bump.

I would love a similar treatment to my ss gatlight.
I wonder if its possible to make the switch slightly conical(angle inwards), with more aggresive knurling, to make one handed operation easier.
(if any talented cpf'r wants to give this a try, pm me)

I may try your rubber solution. I also progolded and nyogeled my switch and it helped lots.

cheers

edit: is there any safety risk in removing the outer wrapper of a rcr cell? the look is pretty cool.
 
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