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- Oct 14, 2012
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"FRANKIE"
It lives! A charge from the ole electrodes, and Bam, good to go!
This project started out as six assorted host parts that were originally from two doner hosts that Len (Hakzaw) had given me along with a box of various other "goodies".
If you've ever bought anything, or dealt with Len, you know about his extras.
After speaking with Len, I learned that these nice brass hosts were donated to him by Chuck at AixiZ, and that they were the last of some old stock.
Len also left me with a question, can you come up withsomething which will work with a regular common size Li-Ion cell?
The original design looked as if it may have used a small 14250ish sized cell, and didn't lend itself in either length or inside diameter to a larger battery.
With a bit of trial & error, and a lot of part modifications, this little solid brass beauty came together pretty nicely!
With all of the modified and borrowed parts used, this host reminds me of "Frankenstein", but this little thing is too small and good looking to be called that, so I've dubbed it "Frankie". :yh:
Len is fond of this host because of it's hefty feel for its small size; it's constructed of very thick brass throughout.
I tried to maintain this feel in my modified version, so I machined a minimal amount out of it to accomodate a 14500 cell, still fairly small but a standard size, and enough for the 120mW 638nm diode that I used.
List of Components:
- Brass Host (Unknown Brand or Origin).
- Aluminum Heatsink.
- 14500 AW Battery
- Fiber Washer, Battery Contact Springs, Nylon Spring Guide.
- Opnext/Oclaro 120mW Single Mode 638nm Diode w/ Nano Buck/Boost Driver.
- Arctic Alumina Thermal Compound, & Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive.
Dimensions & Weight:
- 18.80mm Diameter.
- 122mm Length.
- 163g w/battery (5.75oz.)
Measured Power Output:
- 3 Element lens = 162mW.
- G-2 Lens = 230mW.
And now for some photos and descriptions of this project.
The beginning - What to make with it? :thinking:
Pieces from both hosts, showing both ends of each piece. Note the extra thick host design.
The original host (assembled), with scale for size.
Disassembled, with the original driver/module.
I removed the driver and pressed off the threaded adapter which was epoxied on to the diode module so that I could save the adapter for re-use.
The adapter needed to be bored out to 12mm for a slip fit on the aluminum back half of DTR's module.
Complete module with fitted adapter shown as it fits into the front host piece.
Both of the hosts front pieces screwed back to back. The second piece will be modified to gain the needed extra length for the 14500 cell.
Preliminary positioning to determine length of extension.
Sized and threaded extension piece.
Diode and module with driver and added battery spring. Driver has been epoxied to module for stability.
Epoxy has also been added to protect spring from possible shorts on driver electrical connections.
I've added a nylon sleeve to the shortened module to protect against shorting to the host battery tube.
Original tail switch contact, and modded tail cap showing added battery contact spring and insulating washer.
Disassembled tail cap and switch, in preperation for re-using it as a focus adapter. The original unit was fixed focus and had no focus abilities.
A few thin washers were needed to provide sufficient focus adjustment travel.
Rear end of battery tube showing label with proper polarity.
Finished and polished host components.
"Frankie" is finally finished.
• Thanks to Len (Hakzaw) for the challenge, and the raw parts to start with! :beer:
• Thanks also to Chuck at AixiZ for providing these units to Len; without him, this wouldn't have been possible.
• Thanks again to DTR for another quality diode/module.
That's all folks, thanks for hanging in there!
Comments, suggestions, and critiquing all are welcome!
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