I'd always liked the TW4 with the VitalGear FB1 ever since I'd seen them here on CPF. So a couple of months ago when a KL1 and FB1 came up for sale I thought close enough and bought it.
This I was going to then make into A KL1-RS. As many people know the real challenge to this is getting the head open and I failed miserably. When I did get the head open it looked like a pit bull with metal fangs had chewed it.
But as luck would have it Bladezealot had purchased a KL1 head with a FB3 body in haste and then past it onto me for some $$.:twothumbs
This head was a lot easier to open and got away with just 4 little dings around the collar.
So now I had 2 heads one with a trashed circuit (which I later discovered was one of the older circuits) and one that was intact and the newer version.
This got me thinking the newer circuit I'd boost to around 700ma keep the optic and use on the FB3 and I'd fit a piglet board in an Ecan along with McR-20 to the other one.
Problem was how to get the heads cleaned up.
I'd seen the excellent work done by Ganp (Colin) and sent him an email to see if he could help me out with getting the heads and Vitalgears anodised. After a couple of emails and a chat with the anodisers, I found out that the heads could be done but not the bodies (I think this was due to me saying that the bodies had nickel plating) so sent the heads over to Colin so he could send it in as a batch along with his Deviant bits. I'd asked him also to clean up the mangled head if possible.
In the meantime I'd put up a request for anyone who wanted to trade the natural/OD VitalGears for black ones but no luck there so I got in contact with Supreme Co. and while they didn't have the FB3 in black they did have the FB1 and I'll have to say there customer service was excellent.:thumbsup:
While waiting for that to arrive I decided to boost the KL1 circuit by replacing the sense resistor, as I didn't have another .68ohm one to solder in parallel I decided to replace it with a .33ohm one I had. Now I know soldering smds can be fiddley but I'd built plenty of Minipro circuits not to be too bothered by this.
After replacing it I tested by holding a battery to the +ve and a lead running to the -ve ring (hadn't removed the circuit from its housing) Hmm it didn't light:thinking: so I removed the resistor and put back the orignal. same thing no light. To cut a long story short (I'd nearly desoldered/tested all the components) I discovered that the +ve contact on the can had dry jointed.
In the meantime I'd gotten an email from Colin to say that he had tried to clean the head up but the walls were just too thin (bare in mind the gouges in it were deep almost to the point of going right through.)
Now at this point I'd have said no problem, not to worry etc. and just get the other head done but nope, Colin then asked if it would be alright to make another head and get this, free of chargeoo::bow:
:wow: I'd never expected this and after nearly breaking my keyboard to reply. I'm now the proud owner of this.
VitalGear FB1, custom colin head, McR-20 (modified for SSC), longbow UCL, SSC USXOH driven by a Piglet.
Also in the picture is big bro' VitalGear FB3, KL1 driven to 700mA~ SSC USWOH, stock optic (well sort of, after seeing some mods with glow paint and thinking that this was meant to be TIR optic I covered the back of the optic with foil.)
As usual beamshots will follow when time permits. Here they are.
Taken ~6ft from wall.
First up FB1 (reflectored head) on low.
FB1 on high.
FB3 (optic head)
FB3 close up it almost looks like a big eye glaring at you
Got some quick outdoor shots. Bush is about 15 yards away.
Reference shot
FB1 on Low
FB1 on High
FB3
This I was going to then make into A KL1-RS. As many people know the real challenge to this is getting the head open and I failed miserably. When I did get the head open it looked like a pit bull with metal fangs had chewed it.
But as luck would have it Bladezealot had purchased a KL1 head with a FB3 body in haste and then past it onto me for some $$.:twothumbsThis head was a lot easier to open and got away with just 4 little dings around the collar.
So now I had 2 heads one with a trashed circuit (which I later discovered was one of the older circuits) and one that was intact and the newer version.
This got me thinking the newer circuit I'd boost to around 700ma keep the optic and use on the FB3 and I'd fit a piglet board in an Ecan along with McR-20 to the other one.
Problem was how to get the heads cleaned up.
I'd seen the excellent work done by Ganp (Colin) and sent him an email to see if he could help me out with getting the heads and Vitalgears anodised. After a couple of emails and a chat with the anodisers, I found out that the heads could be done but not the bodies (I think this was due to me saying that the bodies had nickel plating) so sent the heads over to Colin so he could send it in as a batch along with his Deviant bits. I'd asked him also to clean up the mangled head if possible.
In the meantime I'd put up a request for anyone who wanted to trade the natural/OD VitalGears for black ones but no luck there so I got in contact with Supreme Co. and while they didn't have the FB3 in black they did have the FB1 and I'll have to say there customer service was excellent.:thumbsup:
While waiting for that to arrive I decided to boost the KL1 circuit by replacing the sense resistor, as I didn't have another .68ohm one to solder in parallel I decided to replace it with a .33ohm one I had. Now I know soldering smds can be fiddley but I'd built plenty of Minipro circuits not to be too bothered by this.
After replacing it I tested by holding a battery to the +ve and a lead running to the -ve ring (hadn't removed the circuit from its housing) Hmm it didn't light:thinking: so I removed the resistor and put back the orignal. same thing no light. To cut a long story short (I'd nearly desoldered/tested all the components) I discovered that the +ve contact on the can had dry jointed.
In the meantime I'd gotten an email from Colin to say that he had tried to clean the head up but the walls were just too thin (bare in mind the gouges in it were deep almost to the point of going right through.)
Now at this point I'd have said no problem, not to worry etc. and just get the other head done but nope, Colin then asked if it would be alright to make another head and get this, free of charge
oo::bow::wow: I'd never expected this and after nearly breaking my keyboard to reply. I'm now the proud owner of this.VitalGear FB1, custom colin head, McR-20 (modified for SSC), longbow UCL, SSC USXOH driven by a Piglet.
Also in the picture is big bro' VitalGear FB3, KL1 driven to 700mA~ SSC USWOH, stock optic (well sort of, after seeing some mods with glow paint and thinking that this was meant to be TIR optic I covered the back of the optic with foil.)
As usual beamshots will follow when time permits. Here they are.
Taken ~6ft from wall.
First up FB1 (reflectored head) on low.
FB1 on high.
FB3 (optic head)
FB3 close up it almost looks like a big eye glaring at you
Got some quick outdoor shots. Bush is about 15 yards away.
Reference shot
FB1 on Low
FB1 on High
FB3
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See told you you couldn't tell the difference!
