DIY Pocket Clip... Maybe

I got to thinking about a pocket clip for my EDC light. It won't come with one so I'll have to find something that will work with it or make one myself. Well, I don't have the materials to do the later and I've already got one to try out so I can only brainstorm. Here's my brainstorming so far made out of some thin aluminum sheeting. I'll have to find some scrap steel, preferably stainless to make one out of. Besides that, I'll also need a hose clamp. I don't know exactly which size would work best though so I guess I'll be bothering the people at the hardware store some time tomorrow. Anyway, here's a picture of what I"m talking about. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but I think once it all comes together it'll work just the same if not better.

I hope you guys don't think that's the finished product. No, this is just to give you an idea of what it will look like, a very rough idea, when it's done.

B@rt said:

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now that's funny!!! i'm still laughing so hard i'm having trouble typing.

good one!

Well, I got some hose clamps and a sheet of, what I'm guessing is 19 gauge, stainless steel today. Steel's probably a bit to thick for what it'll be used for, but I think not making them quite as wide will solve that. Tomorrow, I'll try and find somebody that can cut this thing into either, 1cm or 8mm strips (I might even go so far down as to 5mm). I'll do the rest with a hack saw and other assorted tools. Hopefully, by the end of the weekend, I'll have something put together for actual use.

Isn't ordering one of these for a couple of bucks easier and better looking? :shrug:

B@rt said:

Isn't ordering one of these for a couple of bucks easier and better looking? :shrug:

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Cheaper maybe, but better looking; I don't know about that. It varies from person to person. I think it looks dinky and though it may hold find; I want something with more mass. I'm trying to match how the clips look on pocket knives and other flashlights.

At least ditch the hose clamp, and make the clip totally out of stainless, you can fold it to where it will slide on like the stock clip. Give it a brushed finish or something... :shrug:

I've never seen a knife with a hose clamp before, so I can't judge if it would look better.... :thinking:

Buy one of these clips, form and trim the ends, and tap your tailcap to receive the screws.
http://knifekits.com/store/s-pages/kk_store_1mainframe.htm?kk_products_parts_main.htm~smain
I like the standard pocket clip at the bottom left of the page that comes in two sizes and finishes. You only need the outer two screws if your tapping is good.

The hose clamp is going to abrade your clothes and catch on things.

JamisonM said:

I got to thinking about a pocket clip for my EDC light. It won't come with one so I'll have to find something that will work with it or make one myself.

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Jamison,

I think it took initiative to strike out on your own in designing and building a clip for the MM. Not bad for a first try. I think I get what you're trying for and I believe with refinement, it should work fine. Took real guts to post a picture here as well. Just ignore the jeers coming from the peanut gallery. It's possible that some of these guys are jealous because they couldn't have done as well.

Bring us an update when you have another rev. ready.

Ken

they have that new hose clamp they are putting on new cars nowdays, its usless as a hose clamp but it might work good for something like this.
they just clamp, no screw down , makes them much smaller, you could even cut off the hose clamps legs, and with the right tool remove or replace it.

$22 for a hunk of metal? i think jamison is showing true american ingenuity:thumbsup: even if mabey he aint american

on a more serious note, i had the impression that the pic of the clip was just a crude prototype, NOT a finished product.

designer's will often kludge things together from odds and ends which are hanging around to help them visualize and realize some of the issues involved (yeah,...i know, there's CATIA now).

i can't tell you how many sophisticated designs over the years started out as folded paper, cardboard, and styrofoam. none of these rough styrofoam models were ever intended to survive a wind tunnel test, go through a test flight, or carry passengers.

while the "PayPal Sent" comment really cracked me up (a very quick wit was at work there with that Post - still puts a smile on my face when i think of it), i think we need to give someone a break here. a hunk of metal and a hose clamp are a start. i'm going to reserve judgement for the finished product.

for my part, i've purchased a number of the MiniMagLite Accessory kits (mechanical fabrication is definitely NOT my forte). The clips are on some Fenix flashlights (both AA and CR123A models) and the colored disk as well as the clear disk with Scotch-tape added for diffusion are useful, together with a cut down filter holder (too deep as received) find use on my pre-Cree SF L1 Digital Lumamax light for continuous operation on low output mode for certain tasks.

"peanut gallery" hat on.... : I don't think anyone is jeering here, but just having some innocent fun. I can only applaud the initiative. :thumbsup:

I'm interested to see the end result as well.

Well, at least the thread's getting attention; good and bad. VidPro, you got any more information on on those clamps; I'm alway looking for something else. I'm using hose clamps because they don't require drilling into my light, are fully adjustable, dirt cheap, strong, and you can find them just about anywhere. If you can stand the look of them; I think they'll work just as well as anything else. I paid nothing for the scrap steel sheet, but I'm sure having it cut into strips will cost me a pretty penny easily. Here's another picture. Sorry for it's quality, but I hope it give you a better idea of what I thinking about; this time with the lights standing up. Remember, this is just a rough idea. There's also no reason I can't camouflage the camps. Once I get it cut down and the end smoothed; some flat black spray paint might actually look alright and less obvious.

i guess they are called "spring clamps" here is a wiki Picture of a fuel one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Two_spring_Hose_Clamps_-_small.jpg

I can not be the only one with a pre 1990 car , dont they use this junk on all the new cars?

any auto store would carry various sizes of them, see the part that sticks AWAY from the clamp, i was suggesting that could be cut off, it being spring material, it would proably have to be cut with a dremmel or something. then you would have to use needlenose or something to get it off again.

VidPro said:

i guess they are called "spring clamps" here is a wiki Picture of a fuel one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Two_spring_Hose_Clamps_-_small.jpg

I can not be the only one with a pre 1990 car , dont they use this junk on all the new cars?

any auto store would carry various sizes of them, see the part that sticks AWAY from the clamp, i was suggesting that could be cut off, it being spring material, it would proably have to be cut with a dremmel or something. then you would have to use needlenose or something to get it off again.

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I thought that's what you were talking about. I looked at those, but ended up deciding that, while they would look better, they just weren't what I was looking for. I figured that the clamps I'm currently planing to use are stronger and more secure.

Got two photos of, very, rough prototypes. While out today, I went to walmart and got myself one of those cheap steel light switch covers. I got home and cut some strips out of it. The stuff's way to soft for my needs and the shaping needs lots of refining, but they're much better than the thin aluminum that I had before as they give me something that I can play around with now. I plan on finding somebody tomorrow that can cut that sheet of steel I"ve got into 7mm strips. Hopefully, I"ll have the strips before the end of the week. I'm also on the lookout for 19 guage stainless; it anybody knows where to get some. Anyway, here are the photos.

O-this is a must have.
That is a good one. Seriously I guess everything starts with...o-who the hell am I kidding...Dude this needs some work...Do away with the clamp or at least get a TI one!

dpled said:

O-this is a must have.
That is a good one. Seriously I guess everything starts with...o-who the hell am I kidding...Dude this needs some work...Do away with the clamp or at least get a TI one!

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What would you suggest? If you can find me something that is more cosmetically appealing and can do the same thing I'm all ears. I'm sorry to say I don't know what a TI clamp is and searching for it doesn't yield much information. Any info would be helpful. I did find this though, but is it what you are talking about? I have to say; I do like it better then the hose clamp, but finding one to fit a AA light might be difficult. Here's another example.