ARC LS physical dimensions

I have long suspected that there was a *significant* variation in the dimensions of the ARC LS heads and battery tubes, but never really tried to quantify it.

This is not meant to be a complaint by any means, but here are the "facts":

I have two arc LS heads in front of me (# 521 and # 2294 {a new "hybrid" head THANKS PETER!}) the older head is .999 inch in its widest diameter, and the newer one is .993 inch.

I have three 123 battery holders here too- one is .950, another is .955 and the other is .963 inches at their widest points. I don't have the other battery tubes handy, but the three single AA tubes and four double AA tubes that I have had were also different diameters, some even more significantly different than the 123 tubes.

I'm only mentioning this because modders and people who want to buy or make accessories for the LS might find the information to be useful; It has no impact upon function of the ARC LSs themself.

The old threads and the new threads are different specs too I think.

I just recently got some LS caps from DSpeck, and couldn't get them to screw in more than 2 turns on my old battery packs.

-YC

I suppose that could be, although mine all thread just fine in all of the possible combinations.

I know that there were some battery compartment DEPTH issues (someone mentioned it on another topic here a couple of weeks ago); maybe that is the issue with yours rather than the threads themselves?

Talking to Peter a few weeks ago on the phone, he indicated that the same thread specifications will be used even through the LS3 series.

Yes, that's within the OD spec Silviron. We have 6 machine shops making LS parts so there will be some variation within that spec. There are critical dimensions that will get a part rejected like the threads or the optics.

We brought on a new machine shop last month. They are supplier for Boeing and have Boeing awards and banners all over the place. Your typical aerospace supplier (a good and bad thing). Anyways, they are quoting on the LS and they tell us the battery pack thread is non-standard. This is going to slow things down, etc. I give Mike a E2 pack and a Scorpion pack and tell him to shown them at his next meeting. Mysteriously, the problem was solved. Turns out we have a standard thread afterall.

The thread deal was fairly minor in comparison to some of the shinanigans that other shops have pulled. I really like this new shop and you should start seeing a gradual improvement in the finish of the LS. Techniques they use in machining will improve the quality of the anodize.

Peter Gransee

I hope they'll be making the LS2 for us.