DIY LED lamp

[350xfire]

You have a point.
What are you planning to make with that small of a lathe? If is is a 3"x8" you can only spin parts that are less that 3" in diameter by 8" long, right? Of course, that depends on the size of the chuck. I assume the chuck is 1.5" or so. Right. I don't know much about lathes, but I know I want one. So this will help me decide what to get. I have been looking at a 7x12 (which is cheaper than the 8x14 I really want), but don't want to buy something that is too small. I would like to spin custom canisters and light heads.

 

[Packhorse]

I can just fit a maglite head on it. I cant do a cannister though.

So far I have made the lens holders, heatsinks (although I got someone else to make the latest 7 as its very time consuming with a small lathe) and various other parts.

I have also used it to mod the IST dive lights. You can read more about those on the SODs site under DIY.

 

[350xfire]

Pack, question on chuck size on lathe. If a chuck is rated at 3", does that mean it can hold a 3" piece from the inside and the outside? How are lathe chucks rated? I am looking at an 8x12 with a 4" chuck and was wondering if I can turn a 3" cannister with it?
Thanks

 

[ToddK]

Hi 350xfire,
I have the HarborFreight 8x12 lathe, and mounted a 4" 4-jaw chuck on it. You will be easily able to turn a 3" wide canister, though I think the problem will be the length, rather than the width. For boring a hole, the length of the lathe has to encompase the length of the canister, plus the length of the drill bit in a chuck. I think when I measured a year ago, I concluded that the max canister that I could bore out was somewhere in the ballpark of 7".
-Todd.

 

[divinginn]

I have been running my maglight,2 d cell light with 3 c cell nmh batts for 6 months without using a driver,has been fine,I have never put a meter on it to see what the amp draw was. my meter only does ac amps,need one for dc.

 

[350xfire]

Thanks Todd. Exactly the info I was looking for.

Mark, I have been running my P7 with 3D alkalines and have had no issues. Roughly 4.5 volts.

 

[350xfire]

Hi 350xfire,
I have the HarborFreight 8x12 lathe, and mounted a 4" 4-jaw chuck on it. You will be easily able to turn a 3" wide canister, though I think the problem will be the length, rather than the width. For boring a hole, the length of the lathe has to encompase the length of the canister, plus the length of the drill bit in a chuck. I think when I measured a year ago, I concluded that the max canister that I could bore out was somewhere in the ballpark of 7".
-Todd.

Could you bore some out with a shorter bit and then install the longer one?

 

[ToddK]

Could you bore some out with a shorter bit and then install the longer one?

Yeah, I've had the same thought, but haven't tried it.

While the Harbor Freight 8x12 (14) is a good lathe at a great price, I've regretted not spendng the money to get a Grizzly 10x22 lathe. G0602 10" x 22" Bench Top Metal Lathe It seems like the extra length would be better for boring out canisters. The lathe also comes with a 5" 3-jaw and a 6 1/2" 4-jaw chuck, versus the 3" 3-jaw chuck that the 8x12 comes with.

BTW, a lot of folks recommend using pvc schedule 40 conduit, and just turning an end cap to glue onto the bottom, rather than boring out a canister from a single piece of stock.

 

[350xfire]

Yeah, I've had the same thought, but haven't tried it.

While the Harbor Freight 8x12 (14) is a good lathe at a great price, I've regretted not spendng the money to get a Grizzly 10x22 lathe. G0602 10" x 22" Bench Top Metal Lathe It seems like the extra length would be better for boring out canisters. The lathe also comes with a 5" 3-jaw and a 6 1/2" 4-jaw chuck, versus the 3" 3-jaw chuck that the 8x12 comes with.

BTW, a lot of folks recommend using pvc schedule 40 conduit, and just turning an end cap to glue onto the bottom, rather than boring out a canister from a single piece of stock.

OUCH! That one's $1200 vs, $600 for HF.
Yeah! That's what I've been doing. Using PVC pipe and making ends. It is pretty cheap, but not as nice as a custom turned piece. Of course, turning your own means wasting a lot of PVC by hollowing out the bar and it's pretty expensive.

 

[ToddK]

Yeah, it is a lot of money, but then again lathes are a lot of money. After the initial cost of the lathe, I think I spent probably $400 in tools or upgrades. My upgrade to a 4" chuck was $100, and I also bought a $50 following rest, both of which are included with the grizzly. Just something to think about.

I haven't built a light yet, but I alternate between thinking about the pipe vs solid piece approach. All of my thoughts around the solid piece then revolve around how to I get past my short lathe.