Julian Holtz
Enlightened
Hi folks!
Some weeks ago, I noticed, to my bewilderment, a crack going through the lens of my Zebralight SC51W. Although I do not remember dropping it, it had a very tiny mark on the retainer ring right at one end of the crack, so I cannot discount the possibility of it being my fault.
The fix is $2.86. All you need in an appropriate lens from DX or elsewhere:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&q=Glass+Lens+for+Flashlights+(18mm+10-Pack)
Once these arrived, I removed the retainer ring. This can only be done by smashing the lens into pieces, which requires a little courage. I removed tailcap and battery, wrapped the light into a rag, put it in my vise sideways and used a center punch and light taps with a small hammer. The tricky part is now to remove some shards between the o-ring and the retainer ring. With some poking with a needle and tweezers I finally succedded in creating a small gap. I inserted a flat screwdriver, and used it as a lever to pop out the ring. This is surprisingly easy. I cleaned the reflector and the o-ring thoroughly.
To ensure that the retainer ring's back is totally even, I took a sheet of 1000 grit sandpaper on a flat surface and oscillated the ring over it with my fingers, until the backside was nicely honed.
I think that the direct steel-glass contact offers room for improvement. If any of the two surfaces has the slightest protrusion, neither of them will give, this leading to a high, point-focussed pressure. I guess this was the cause for the initial crack.
So I used an overhead projector transparency, and cut out a ring with the precise dimensions of the retainer ring. I will use this as a cushion between the two hard surfaces, spreading potential point pressure.
I put in the o-ring, cleaned the DX lens using isopropyl, and put it in as well. It's diameter is 1mm too small, so I centered it as good as I could. I added the plastic washer and put the retainer ring on top.
I own two hardened steel dies from punch tools I used to do maintenance on when I was a trainee. I use those as little anvils for a decade now, and they still do not have the slightest mark. I used these to push back the retainer ring. I put the light between the two dies, and gave the assembly small taps with a hammer, until the ring was pushed in flush.
I am very happy with the result. I cannot see any difference to a new light.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
If you wonder about the clip: I bent it using a stainless steel spoke.
Cheers,
Julian
Some weeks ago, I noticed, to my bewilderment, a crack going through the lens of my Zebralight SC51W. Although I do not remember dropping it, it had a very tiny mark on the retainer ring right at one end of the crack, so I cannot discount the possibility of it being my fault.
The fix is $2.86. All you need in an appropriate lens from DX or elsewhere:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&q=Glass+Lens+for+Flashlights+(18mm+10-Pack)
Once these arrived, I removed the retainer ring. This can only be done by smashing the lens into pieces, which requires a little courage. I removed tailcap and battery, wrapped the light into a rag, put it in my vise sideways and used a center punch and light taps with a small hammer. The tricky part is now to remove some shards between the o-ring and the retainer ring. With some poking with a needle and tweezers I finally succedded in creating a small gap. I inserted a flat screwdriver, and used it as a lever to pop out the ring. This is surprisingly easy. I cleaned the reflector and the o-ring thoroughly.
To ensure that the retainer ring's back is totally even, I took a sheet of 1000 grit sandpaper on a flat surface and oscillated the ring over it with my fingers, until the backside was nicely honed.
I think that the direct steel-glass contact offers room for improvement. If any of the two surfaces has the slightest protrusion, neither of them will give, this leading to a high, point-focussed pressure. I guess this was the cause for the initial crack.
So I used an overhead projector transparency, and cut out a ring with the precise dimensions of the retainer ring. I will use this as a cushion between the two hard surfaces, spreading potential point pressure.
I put in the o-ring, cleaned the DX lens using isopropyl, and put it in as well. It's diameter is 1mm too small, so I centered it as good as I could. I added the plastic washer and put the retainer ring on top.
I own two hardened steel dies from punch tools I used to do maintenance on when I was a trainee. I use those as little anvils for a decade now, and they still do not have the slightest mark. I used these to push back the retainer ring. I put the light between the two dies, and gave the assembly small taps with a hammer, until the ring was pushed in flush.
I am very happy with the result. I cannot see any difference to a new light.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
If you wonder about the clip: I bent it using a stainless steel spoke.
Cheers,
Julian
Last edited:
