Just Got My Nailbender SST-50

My Nailbender SST-50 regulated 3 - mode P60 with smooth reflector just arrived today. I can't believe I waited this long to get one! I threw it in my 6P with 2 X CR123 primaries and it is fabulous. Big, BRIGHT hotspot. I wish I had a luxmeter to measure the throw potential. I was nervous about the smooth reflector because Nailbender mentioned rings but they really aren't noticeable even during indoor use.

I measured the amps at the tailcap with 2 X CR123 as 2.8 amps as advertised. With an IMR18650 I measured 2.76 amps. No discernible difference in brightness. I prefer primaries in the summer so that's what I'll use.

The medium mode is perfect for every day use. The high mode is good for scaring zombies or impressing friends. The 6P does get hot using high but never got so hot it was uncomfortable in my hand. Keep in mind I tend to use high for short bursts so the batteries don't get too hot or drain too rapidly.

I feel like this drop-in makes the most of my 6P.

Now I need to find a cheap 26650 host to try the Nailbender SST-90 in a D36 head.

I got the same dropin from Dave and I agree, it's outstanding. I have it in a C2 running on 17670s. It really is a killer light on high and the low modes make it practical for many uses beyond just big output needs. It was money well spent IMO.

Yeah- Im really happy with mine too.
Mine has an OP reflector - I might order an extra SMO
next time I get another module from Dave.

I put AS-5 on the threads of the pill and copper tape
on mine. I dont use the spring when its in my C2 but the
L2P is larger so I use it in there + some extra aluminum
strips jammed in for a tight fit.

I also have a warm 2.8a Linger Im really happy with too!

good stuff!!
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

psychbeat said:

Yeah- Im really happy with mine too.
Mine has an OP reflector - I might order an extra SMO
next time I get another module from Dave.

I put AS-5 on the threads of the pill and copper tape
on mine. I dont use the spring when its in my C2 but the
L2P is larger so I use it in there + some extra aluminum
strips jammed in for a tight fit.

I also have a warm 2.8a Linger Im really happy with too!

good stuff!!
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Click to expand...

I could go without the spring and put in more copper tape to transfer heat better but it gets hot pretty fast so I think the transfer is OK. I'm undecided.

Ya, I just took off the spring and put enough copper tape on so that the D26 fits very tightly in the head. I'm sure this will transfer heat better. The 6P still starts dependably each time so no need for the spring I guess.

I really need to wear gloves when I cut and insert the copper. Every time I say to myself "I'll be careful THIS time" and every time I cut myself with the copper. Duh

I got one a few weeks ago too, and love it. I use it every night at work. Very impressive.

Cooter said:

I got one a few weeks ago too, and love it. I use it every night at work. Very impressive.

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It really is. Saving up now for a 26650 host and a D36 SST-90 from Nailbender.

Sorry, a bit off topic here. I was not lucky with my smooth reflector for a NB XPG. There were very noticeable die marks, 9 darkspots in a 3x3 pattern, in the hotspot, and the darkspot in the center magnifies to a big dark hole with distance. An OP reflector fixed the problem. I'm never going with a smooth reflector in a P60 module again.

I got a slightly higher lux with the OP than the SMO reflector. 8100 vs 7900. I'm running the OP now because it looks better too. I think the emitter is just too big in a P60 to perform well with a SMO reflector.

kengps said:

I got a slightly higher lux with the OP than the SMO reflector. 8100 vs 7900. I'm running the OP now because it looks better too. I think the emitter is just too big in a P60 to perform well with a SMO reflector.

Click to expand...

Are you talking about the SST-50 or the XP-G?

Odd, since I took the spring out of my 6P and inserted copper tape I find the momentary on button is harder to press. It works but i takes a really firm constant press. Bad on the thumb. I tried taking out some of the tape and cutting a narrower strip and it makes no difference. (the twisty is fine) I wonder why?

I can't wait for mine to arrive. I ordered a 4500k with OP vom nailbender. :candle:
Hope it'll feel comfortable in a L2p Host.

Duglum said:

I can't wait for mine to arrive. I ordered a 4500k with OP vom nailbender. :candle:
Hope it'll feel comfortable in a L2p Host.

Click to expand...

My house is on conservation land in the woods...perfect for testing flashlights. I just took out my new SST-50 in a Surefire 6P and my L2 with Dereelight XP-G. Interesting comparison. The Dereelight seems to throw further because the hotspot is smaller and so much brighter than the spill yet my 6P actually projects just as far (woods prevent really long distance comparisons). The XP-G lights up a section of a tree from 200 feet. The SST-50 lights up half the forest from 200 feet. I'd say the XP-G is better if you're trying to see a single spot INTO the woods. The SST-50 is better if you're trying to light up ALL of the woods. I love em both.

I hope I scared some of the stupid birds that wake me up on weekend mornings when I could theoretically sleep late.

recDNA said:

Are you talking about the SST-50 or the XP-G?

Click to expand...

The Nailbender SST-50

recDNA said:

I could go without the spring and put in more copper tape to transfer heat better but it gets hot pretty fast so I think the transfer is OK. I'm undecided.

Ya, I just took off the spring and put enough copper tape on so that the D26 fits very tightly in the head. I'm sure this will transfer heat better. The 6P still starts dependably each time so no need for the spring I guess.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I had to remove the spring completely to get the module to seat low enough in the C2 to tighten down the bezel. But because of the tight fit, contact doesn't seem to be a problem, and heat transfer is surprisingly good. I don't think I'd even have space to put any tape or alu strips in there anyways.

recDNA said:

Are you talking about the SST-50 or the XP-G?

Odd, since I took the spring out of my 6P and inserted copper tape I find the momentary on button is harder to press. It works but i takes a really firm constant press. Bad on the thumb. I tried taking out some of the tape and cutting a narrower strip and it makes no difference. (the twisty is fine) I wonder why?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

How would taking the spring off change the pressure needed to engage the switch? That sounds like a tailcap issue to me, not a module issue. Pressing the button harder isn't going to affect the contact between the brass and the body of the light. Unless I am misunderstanding the issue..

Actually, the only thing I can think of right now is that maybe your strips of copper are preventing the little spring from contacting the battery somehow, and pressing the switch really hard pushes the battery forward enough to touch the spring....? Does that theory make any sense? I'm not exactly a circuit guru.

I'm a bit worried about my Nailbender linger 2.8A.

It doesn't seem to get "hot". I mean it runs warms after a while- but nowhere near what I would describe hot.

I've cut up some softdrink cans and the dropin fits very tightly in my l2p without the spring. I've added thermal paste as well.

I've also tried just running the light for a while, taking out the dropin and touching it. It just doesnt seem to get hot.

...
How warm do yours get?

recDNA said:

My Nailbender SST-50 regulated 3 - mode P60 with smooth reflector just arrived today. .......

Click to expand...

Sounds good!

Hey, how does the 3-mode UI work? Can you please explain in detail? Is there memory?

thanks

-

recDNA said:

Are you talking about the SST-50 or the XP-G?

Odd, since I took the spring out of my 6P and inserted copper tape I find the momentary on button is harder to press. It works but i takes a really firm constant press. Bad on the thumb. I tried taking out some of the tape and cutting a narrower strip and it makes no difference. (the twisty is fine) I wonder why?

Click to expand...

It sounds like the removal of the spring and/or addition of copper tape somehow shortened your effective battery tube, compared to when you used the spring, causing higher spring pressure at the tail cap.

If you think about how the Z41 twisty works, pressing on the "button" for momentary on doesn't cause the spring to make contact with the battery, it causes the aluminum piston (aka the chunk of aluminum in the tail cap) to move forward (i.e., towards the flashlight head) inside the cylinder of the tail cap shell to make contact with the battery tube. The user is pressing against the force of the spring, which is already in contact with the cell. If there is higher spring pressure, then the pressure against the "button" is higher.

kengps said:

The Nailbender SST-50

Click to expand...

Darn, I guess I should have picked the OP. I must have been lucky with my smooth reflector though...no noticeable artifacts, even on white wall. There are some rings but you have to look for them to see them and you can't see them at all outdoors.

Still, if I could have gotten MORE lux (albeit very little more) and a better beam with OP then obviously I should have gone with OP. Still, I'm very happy with mine and I'm not going to change it for 200 lux.

rrt0000 said:

I'm a bit worried about my Nailbender linger 2.8A.

It doesn't seem to get "hot". I mean it runs warms after a while- but nowhere near what I would describe hot.

I've cut up some softdrink cans and the dropin fits very tightly in my l2p without the spring. I've added thermal paste as well.

I've also tried just running the light for a while, taking out the dropin and touching it. It just doesnt seem to get hot.

...
How warm do yours get?

Click to expand...

Since I'm using primaries ($) and I don't want to risk toasting the LED I never left it on long enough to get really hot. Have you ever felt the bottom of a laptop? That's approximately how hot mine got when I turned it off.

The way you've heatsinked yours sounds very good. Have you tested the amps at the tailcap on high? SHould be about 2.8

It could be we define "hot" differently. I won't risk an expensive LED by letting it stay on until my hand feels uncomfortably warm.

I have noticed that for some reason my 6P gets hotter with the SST-50 than my SOlarforce L2 with copper tape. Maybe the larger Solarforce gets rid of heat better than the smaller SUrefire 6P?

I wonder if anybody has burned out a Nailbender SST-50 by leaving it on too long? I mean if I knew it was safe to leave it on for 30 min at a time in high mode I'd put a 17670 in thee instead of the primaries and run it longer.

JCD said:

It sounds like the removal of the spring and/or addition of copper tape somehow shortened your effective battery tube, compared to when you used the spring, causing higher spring pressure at the tail cap.

If you think about how the Z41 twisty works, pressing on the "button" for momentary on doesn't cause the spring to make contact with the battery, it causes the aluminum piston (aka the chunk of aluminum in the tail cap) to move forward (i.e., towards the flashlight head) inside the cylinder of the tail cap shell to make contact with the battery tube. The user is pressing against the force of the spring, which is already in contact with the cell. If there is higher spring pressure, then the pressure against the "button" is higher.

Click to expand...

That sounds logical but I don't see how. The tape is in that little section where the P60 sits and the batteries are below that. There is a ridge that prevents the tape sliding down into the tube. I also tried unscrewing the tail to just before the lock out point and it's no easier to use the button. Odd

I'm dying to get a McClicky but I've been waiting to buy an Oveready 6P and I figured I'd order an extra mcClicky from them at that time. I read the directions on how to mod the existing tailcap with a McClicky kit but I KNOW I'd ruin my twisty and never get the McClicky to work. I need to buy it fully assembled.

I'd really rather run it with just the spring but I'm afraid of burning out the LED. I wonder how risky it is with just the spring?

I agree with recDNA that in theory your heatsinking sounds good.

I have the same setup, Linger Special in an L2P. Try aluminum foil folded over once or twice, as thick as you can get to fit the gap. I think mine is folded twice and just overlaps itself. I found that before this I could run the light ~45 minutes on high and it would be pretty warm, but now the head gets hot in 5-10 minutes, easy to tell the difference. Oh and I kept the spring as well.

I'm not sure about you touching it after a while, they cool quickly so it depends how quickly you got to it.


PBX

rrt0000 said:

I'm a bit worried about my Nailbender linger 2.8A.

It doesn't seem to get "hot". I mean it runs warms after a while- but nowhere near what I would describe hot.

I've cut up some softdrink cans and the dropin fits very tightly in my l2p without the spring. I've added thermal paste as well.

I've also tried just running the light for a while, taking out the dropin and touching it. It just doesnt seem to get hot.

...
How warm do yours get?

Click to expand...