Streamlight M3 Modded

sortafast

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 7, 2006
Messages
315
Location
Oregon
This was a fun one. Did't come out exactly like I wanted, but it works and works well. Supposedly I should be able to pull around 1000lm, but in the interest of run time i think i will drop it down just a bit.

img4317n.jpg


The original bezel/reflector housing is shown below. It added a bit of length, but the trade off for light output is fine with me. I could also shave about 3/16" off the front of the light, but I was too lazy to set it back up in the lathe.

img4319n.jpg
 

Turboman7

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
86
Location
CA
Where's the "meat and potatoes" for this mod? Do you have any step by step pics and info? I have an old M3 that needs some up to date modding. This is great. Good job!
 

dirtech

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
451
Location
Pocatello
Yes I want some meat and potatoes to :poke:. Looks excellent, BTW. Do you plan to anodize it?
 

sortafast

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 7, 2006
Messages
315
Location
Oregon
Where's the "meat and potatoes" for this mod? Do you have any step by step pics and info? I have an old M3 that needs some up to date modding. This is great. Good job!

OK, for the guts its a Fat man driver, the led's are a 3xXP-G on a 20mm star purchased from cutter. Optics is a 20mm tri-lens from carlco also purchased from cutter, and I had an old 22.5mm mineral glass lens that I bought from DX ages ago (they no longer carry them :mecry: ). Like all of my stuff I build I just kind of wing it. I had sort of a design in my head, but never really drew it out. But I built the silver bit first. I didn't have a lot of room for a heat sink which kind of bothers me a bit. But the slug I made was hollowed out so that it goes up almost to the top of the optic and touches the plastic housing of the light. I had to mount the driver upside down, for lack of a better description, so that I could have enough room all the way through. Then I made a spacer thing (really struggling to describe it) out of delrin. Drilled 2 holes and put in 2 small brass rods to make contact with the electrical contacts in the light. The I just soldered the power wires to the top and wired the LED's in series and bought new batteries. It was a bit of work, but I dig it.

Yes I want some meat and potatoes to . Looks excellent, BTW. Do you plan to anodize it?

I will probably just get it cerakoted or durabaked or some other firearms type coating. I need to buy some for some other projects so this way it will sort of pay for itself. I might just hit it with the rattle can for now though.
 
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