OT? Tubes and threads

To all metalman,
I am going to visit my dad very soon. I remember he has a few sets of tap dies, hand threader. He uses them to do plumbing around the house. Yeah he's big time diy too bad he doesn't own a lathe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Mayhe I can talk him into buying one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

I am wondering if these stuff can be used to create tube bodies for my surefire and arc? I know it has something to do with thread pitch. Maybe I should give my dad a call. I am really new to this, anyone?

Vince.

Not the same sort of threads. Pipe threads are coarse and taper (it's smaller at the open end than 'the pipe end' in outside diameter).

Not useful unless you make your own flashlight from scratch using pipe threads on both sides.

Doug Owen

Doug is right and it even gets worse. Your dad probably has tapered pipe thread tools. I believe there are metric sizes as well as what we use here in the states. We have NPT standard which I believe stands for National Pipe Tapered. We also see NPS threads, often used in electrical assemblies like lamp parts. NPS is National Pipe Straight. The pitch and nominal diameter is the same but the diameter is straight instead of tapered. It can be confusing as heck especially when the "size" of these pipe threads has no bearing on actual dimensions.

- Don

I am not sure what you all are talking about smaller ends and etc but you guys are right about it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I called my dad, he did told me something about NPT and he told me the threading is totally different from the pipes. He use his ARCLSH I gave to him to compare the threads.

Oh well, there goes my plan of making my own LiIon tube. Looks like I have to pay a visit to my friend at the metal shop.

Vince.

Nukiez: Head down to Bunnings Warehouse or similar. Lots of taps and dies there. I'm sure something will fit the threads used in the Arc. Then get a pipe of correct diameter and put in your own threads.

BTW, does anyone know the dimensions of the Arc-AAA threads? Also for the Arc-LS (hybrid 500mA espcially).

ARC-LS is 13/16-20 The ARC-AAA is not standard as I recall.

I think DSpeck may know what it is though.

Steelwolf,
Yes I have thought of bringing my tails and tubes to bunnings and see which tap/die will fit. My dad remind me that he has a few set of thread pitch gauge that can measure the thread sizes. I am not really sure about it till I see him. If I can find a suitable tap at Bunnings I will post it here.

CNC Dan,
thanks for the ARC-LS thread specs. I know the ARC-AAA thread is compatible? with m0g s0lit.re. What about surefire and arc. I tried to fit a tsp tail to KL1, it looks it will fit but it's abit loose.

Now I am really psss off with my 6months old 17" Samsung LCD, the color is off blue and I have to send it to the service centre, no idea when will it be back. I am glad have dual monitor setup... I can live with the CRT.

Vince.

[ QUOTE ]
nukiez said:


CNC Dan,
thanks for the ARC-LS thread specs. I know the ARC-AAA thread is compatible? with m0g s0lit.re. What about surefire and arc. I tried to fit a tsp tail to KL1, it looks it will fit but it's abit loose.

Vince.

[/ QUOTE ]
The KL1 and other surefire lights use the same thread as ARC. The problem is that the length that the battery sticks out of the body tube is diferent.

Exactly, you can see KL1 head positive is protuding while ARCLS head is inside.

Vince.

The Arc-AAA head uses 15/32-32 UN threads. Travers Tools has the taps for sale. It will be a little loose, but not by much. I have been very pleased with my custom AAA bodies using this tap. The Arc-LS head is 13/16-20 as CNC Dan mentioned, and the tailcap is 11/16-20 if anyone is curious. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have a 15/32-32 tap and die (from Travers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif .) A male part I cut with it measures .467" major dia. My fairly recent Arc AAA LE measures .444" (confirm the 32 TPI) but the top of the threads are truncated. My piece doesn't fit the Arc body /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif The Arc *may* be a special.

Larry

[ QUOTE ]
The Arc-LS head is 13/16-20 as CNC Dan mentioned, and the tailcap is 11/16-20 if anyone is curious.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yeah, I was looking for the inner thread to host the kroll. 11/16-20, is that for the inner thread? Tailcap? where is that?

Vince.

the kroll is 5/8-28...

doug, were you reffering to the e2e/e1e tailcap? i know that's 20tpi, but don't know about the diameter...

Roth -- Yep, I was referring to the E-series tailcaps. They use 11/16-20 threads. I don't know how many people modify those, I just threw that tidbit in for completeness... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif The Kroll tailcap is 5/8-28, as you mentioned, and you can get the taps from Travers Tools as well.

Tomas -- I only have the 15/32-32 tap for the Arc-AAA, and it seems to work fine for the examples of the AAA I have. The later production ones use a slightly larger thread than the original production runs - an older head is loose in a new body, and a new head is quite tight in an older body. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif Go figure...

Just great. I spend my whole life talking about metric thread sizes and I had to come to a US forum and get all these tpi and whatnot measurements. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Anyone can enlighten me? TPI is turns-per-inch, right? So 32 tpi means 32 complete, 360deg turns for each linear inch of travel? And 15/32-32? What does each number mean? 15/32 is diameter in inches? 32 is turns-per-inch? Is the 15/32 measured from the top of the thread or the base of the thread, or is there a difference between internal and external thread?

US thread nomenclature is similar to metric. Major diameter X threads per unit length. A 15/32-32 is 15/32" (.468") Outside diameter and 32 threads per inch of length. Metric threads go by O.D. and actual pitch- an M10 X 1 would be 10mm O.D. with a 1mm pitch. Actual 60 degree thread profiles and their male/female tolerances to ensure mating with a given percentage engagement can get more complicated than most care to delve into! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hope that helped.

Larry

Guess what! my dad has 13/16-20 and 11/16-20, I am quite surprsed that he has them and the way he told me it sounds like it has been sitting there for ages and were never used before! Maybe I can make a ARCLS tail that fits a surefire tail cap?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Vince.

go for it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bugger the 11/16-20 is a plug tap with 4 flutes!@$@#$. I wonder what he's doing with all these stuff he never use...

I am going to have some fun with this, maybe I can make my own tailcap out of it if I can find a al rod. I hope I don't break it.. dad told me it's strong but brittle.