A simple homemade Zebra Style Headlamp idea

I like the 90 degree off axis model of the Zebra light h31w, over boring traditional in line flashlights. The design allows up/down aiming in a simple elastic mount to a headband, and perhaps sticking out of a shirt pocket, in a hands free pinch. Also a small, light design allows for a good hands free edc.

Got an idea. I do have a 1a xml2 u2 drop-in in basement. I think I may attempt to make a single Zebra style light from it, using a $2.99 Harbor Freight 3 AAA 9 led tube for the battery compartment. The compartment should make a 18650 spring holder, with unscrew-able clicky, and heat-sink. I will need to knock out the 9 led part, solder/JBWeld the dropin at a 90 degrees at head, with positive battery spring on side of dropin. I got a large amount of JB Weld Original on Ebay, and a pound of heat conductive Zinc dust from amazon. I am thinking of using a old Ray-O-Vac headband with elastic for tubing where old head would sit. Also for diversity sake (the drop is probably fairly throwy enough for task-lighting in a pinch), I would add a flip over diffuser, made of flexible milk jug plastic for nightly reading.

Might just work, and be ipx6. Any thoughts?

The draw back, is the time this will take and life's priorities.

ZebraLight has broken my heart three times now. I trust your creation will be less wrenching.

KITROBASKIN said:

ZebraLight has broken my heart three times now. I trust your creation will be less wrenching.

Click to expand...

Hmm. I am usually the one to break these relationships off.

Of course, another example of this design is the Armytek Wizard Pro XM-L2. But she's not a cheap date.
A drop-in and host is about $15. And you can be assured of springs on both ends of battery, by design. Actually, I think the result of a home build could be as water resistant as host's screw on tail cap clicky.

Note: I may drill some relief holes at top (fill with hotglue) in case of a flame out.

Success! I used a six dollar, or so, xml2 u2 dropin from over seas. I am not too impressed with these drop in's electronic efficiency, since I get much better results from the buck controllers at comparable per cell tailcap rates. I kinda guessed at needed hacksaw dimensions (got lucky), and am surprised how well the elastic pivot design works. I didn't paint the epoxy or seeped glue black. So, bare with me on any beauty issues. Also, I was in a hurry gluing on my foam lens bumper.

Okay, I would say the result is a light at 80 grams and 11 cm by 2 cm diameter. And a tad over 2.5 cm at head. I think this is just too bulky for edc. Might work as a tool belt light; something thrown in to bottom of a pocket and forgotten--pulled out at end of day for last hour of work and hour of cleanup. It can also stand on tailcap and shine more usefully to the side onto an area of interest. So, I can see it working well for a campsite picnic table illumination.



and I added a diffuser/lens protector



Price was good, (zinc dust +jbweld, slow setting) didn't take too long to make, pressure tested for water proof, epoxy is steal hard now, and the project was an education in acceptable form factor for this genre of light. I don't think the loss of brightness over my other 2 18650 headlamps/wristlights is worth the size drop. I won't be buying a similar light unless it is no more than 8 cm long and 40 grams max.

Very industrious. Way to Go