Another DIY canister light
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lucca brassi
Contributor
Hi !
Very simple way to made headlamp is to use some used pneumatic cylinders . End and front cap normaly have also O-rings tested normal on pressure 10bar . Look picture . For macining on lathe or mill machine you have also a lot of ''meat'' . You can put glass or plexi between a slice of cylinder tube. If you push an Alu cork inside with diameter surplus ( 0,2-0,25mm) it can be very nice LED headlamp!
Second posssibility it is housing from power connectors , there is a lot of space for electronics , it has normaly made screw for fixing connector inside , screw for gland on PG or metric , cooling it is a litle more complicated because of contact with cast Alu housing.
Mag lite and other hand holding lights are very attractive , they have alot of ''meat'' for machining and also anodised too. But I think that is more simpler to made complete new head
with much better heat dissipation. You also solve the problems with glass thickness , O-rings .
Actually current it is 1,1A ( 3,7V * 1,1 ) = 4,07W on single led. I drive 2 LED's with one driver on full , with simple switch I just combine 1(50%) or 2(100%) drivers. (friend wish to have 2 modes )
Very simple way to made headlamp is to use some used pneumatic cylinders . End and front cap normaly have also O-rings tested normal on pressure 10bar . Look picture . For macining on lathe or mill machine you have also a lot of ''meat'' . You can put glass or plexi between a slice of cylinder tube. If you push an Alu cork inside with diameter surplus ( 0,2-0,25mm) it can be very nice LED headlamp!
Second posssibility it is housing from power connectors , there is a lot of space for electronics , it has normaly made screw for fixing connector inside , screw for gland on PG or metric , cooling it is a litle more complicated because of contact with cast Alu housing.
Mag lite and other hand holding lights are very attractive , they have alot of ''meat'' for machining and also anodised too. But I think that is more simpler to made complete new head
with much better heat dissipation. You also solve the problems with glass thickness , O-rings .
Actually current it is 1,1A ( 3,7V * 1,1 ) = 4,07W on single led. I drive 2 LED's with one driver on full , with simple switch I just combine 1(50%) or 2(100%) drivers. (friend wish to have 2 modes )
lucca brassi
Contributor
Normaly - yes , because pneumatic cylinders are made by standards with key parameters ( piston diameter , working lenght , working pressure ) . Differences coming from design ( cost of material , switching possibility with magnet piston ( rails on cylinder housing are made for reed proximity switches ) . In our firm we normaly use http://http://www.festo.com/cms/en-us_us/628.htm or some local (SMC,http://http://catalogue.camozzi.com/Explorer.aspx?u_code=1_0_0_0_0) )
For some hint / idea - putting light source on piston , inside piston end piston stick -put spring ) and out of cylinder screw to strain/relese spring , at opposite side of cylinder fixed glass with reflector or lens ; you can simply set FOCUS of reflector or lens from narrow to wide . Cylinder it is already water sealed and tested on pressure. Electricity to light source on mooving piston may be delivered through existent pressure inlet (in that case outlet) .For better hating conductivity just grease piston with CPU thermal paste like ''Arctic Silver''.
For switch ON/OFF device you can simply put magnet in sliding rail out from housing and reed switch inside of piston .
On other side you can put magnet in blank pneumatic accessory and put reed switch under pneumatic inlet/outlet screw. You can swich ON/OFF device by screwing /unscrewing blank pneumatic accessory.
Tanks are much more simpler to do .... but it is realy not D.I.R style which is ... IMO the best.
Best Regards
For some hint / idea - putting light source on piston , inside piston end piston stick -put spring ) and out of cylinder screw to strain/relese spring , at opposite side of cylinder fixed glass with reflector or lens ; you can simply set FOCUS of reflector or lens from narrow to wide . Cylinder it is already water sealed and tested on pressure. Electricity to light source on mooving piston may be delivered through existent pressure inlet (in that case outlet) .For better hating conductivity just grease piston with CPU thermal paste like ''Arctic Silver''.
For switch ON/OFF device you can simply put magnet in sliding rail out from housing and reed switch inside of piston .
On other side you can put magnet in blank pneumatic accessory and put reed switch under pneumatic inlet/outlet screw. You can swich ON/OFF device by screwing /unscrewing blank pneumatic accessory.
Tanks are much more simpler to do .... but it is realy not D.I.R style which is ... IMO the best.
Best Regards
Packhorse
Contributor
Nice light Spock. Looks kind of familiar.
Did you change your mind about the switch half way through?
Did you change your mind about the switch half way through?
Thanks!
Of course it does! Kudos to DIY canister pioneers! :japanese:
Well, kinda =) I planned using a reed switch from the beginning. I had trouble findig good solution for the magnet. I thought about using a band around the lid, but wound up with a knob from a wall light dimmer installed on top. I filled it with JB Weld, then drillled a hole for super strong magent, filled everything with silicone. On the opposite end of the whell I used spring loaded delrin ball. On the lid surface I made 2 little dips where the ball goes over the reed and opposit to it. Now I have two positively locking positions of the switch wheel - ON and Off. The reed switch installed inside the lid, opposite fron the ON position.
I should have taken pictures of the process... Well, next time perhaps.
I had couple of IP-68 rated flip switches, but ruled out of using them. IMO reed switch solution is way more reliable. Plus, I couldn't figure out how to seal the flip switch in the lid. Boot is OK, but how to make the neck of the switch with washer and nut 100% waterproof?
lucca brassi
Contributor
I have the same problem ! If you stay on boots you need some solid production line brand or even production line brand with name like - Halcyon. Quality and design of boots may be varyabile very much ; even inside of one producer of switches - that's why reed!
Same thing happend with HID bulbs socket - that's why I'm on LED! I try to made HID driver with UCC 2305 from Unitrode but for some bulbs from Brightstarr was over night stoped production.
lil_mac
Contributor
MrSpock, Where did you get your agro glands?
Here: http://www.oxycheq.com/download/DIY_Parts.pdf
Call them first to check availability though.
I also used cheaper plastic ones from McMaster-Carr no problems so far. They have better strain relief than AGRO.
lil_mac
Contributor
Thanks! Good to hear about the Mcmaster ones being better relief, there cheaper. Your light looks really good. Too bad you didnt do a complete DIY with pictures all the way through.
1 more quick question. You said you got your Goodman handle from Oxycheq. When I checked on there parts they only had the bottom part. Where did you get the rest of the Goodman handle?
1 more quick question. You said you got your Goodman handle from Oxycheq. When I checked on there parts they only had the bottom part. Where did you get the rest of the Goodman handle?
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